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Submitted by: Tom Takihi

Whoever said Japanese food is merely all about sushi and sashimi may be in for the biggest gastronomic surprise of his life. While these offerings may lord over the tables in most Japanese restaurants around the world, there exist a wide variety of cuisines and food specialities in Japan that visitors to this country would definitely enjoy as part of their adventure into exploring the culture. The perfect way to sample these would be to take a delightful tour of the restaurants that dot the landscape of bustling cities like Tokyo, Hokkaido and Kyushu as well as in rustic provinces like Tohoku.

The restaurants in Japan may be classified according to their cuisine offerings. There are restaurants that typically offer a broad range of dishes. Most commonly found are the Izakaya – informal dining places that offer dishes such as the robata (grilled food), salads and other types of food served in small portions and shared all around the table. It is also a common watering hole for most Japanese. There is also the Teishoku-ya, popular among lunch crowds and busy executives for the set menus or teishoku. A set menu would typically consist of a bowl of rice, a main dish and some side dishes. For those on-the-go, there is udon and ramen (noodle) to be had in mobile food stalls found along busy streets called Yatai. You can also try to spot a Rotensho or those temporarily constructed food stalls along the streets which offer yakisoba or okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancakes).

If you are in the mood for just one type of food you can almost be sure there is a Japanese restaurant that specializes in that. Sushi restaurants (Sushi-ya) in Japan are typically cheery, brightly lit places where a sushi chef prepares fresh seafood, meat, vegetables and other ingredients in front of the customers, turning them into scrumptious, tender morsels. A different twist to the sushi bars would be restaurants like the kaiten-zushi where the sushi dishes are loaded onto a conveyor belt and customers can just pick up their selections from it. Although there may be a wide array of sushi dishes which you can find on the belt, you can still order anything from the menu and at the end of the meal, your bill will depend on the number as well as the color of the plates (prices are usually based on the color of the plates the dishes are served in) on your table.

For noodle aficionados there are also different choices. You can go to a Soba-ya, specializing in udon and soba noodle dishes. The noodle dishes in a soba-ya are mostly served cold with a dipping sauce in the summer, or hot with various toppings during the winter season. The Ramen-ya typically offers Chinese style noodles called ramen served with various toppings and in a signature soup stock that each ramen-ya would be known for. Craving for deep-fried dishes? Then head to a Tonkatsu-ya, a restaurant specializing in tonkatsu or deep-fried pork cutlets and korokke, deep-fried savory croquettes.

To experience a truly authentic Japanese gourmet experience, you should go to exclusive and expensive Japanese restaurants often referred to as ryotei, or a restaurant specializing in Japanese haute cuisine called kaiseki ryori. This is a simple and elegant cooking style that is closely associated to the art and flair of the tea ceremony.

Foreigners need not be homesick for their own cuisine as Japan is a melting pot of different cultures and flavors. There are restaurants that offer American style food, Korean, Italian, Chinese and other Western type of cooking, not to mention the ubiquitous hamburger joints. Indeed, there is something for everyone in Japan.

About the Author: Tom Takihi is the owner of Japanese Restaurants Website. To gain more information please visit

japandiscovery.com/travel/restaurants/

Source:

isnare.com

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