Eating and Drinking

Japan’s food culture is deep, regional, and surprisingly affordable. Most restaurants specialize in a single dish — ramen-ya do ramen, sushi-ya do sushi, tonkatsu-ya do tonkatsu. This specialization means quality is high even at budget places. Do not default to the familiar; branch out.

Restaurant types worth knowing

Izakaya (1,000-5,000 yen/person): Japan’s answer to tapas bars. Order many small dishes, share everything, drink beer or sake. Look for red lanterns near stations. Chain izakaya (Torikizoku, Watami) are foreigner-friendly with picture menus. Traditional ones may have Japanese-only menus — point at what neighbors are eating. A small appetizer (otoshi) arrives automatically and costs a few hundred yen; it functions as a seating charge.

Ramen-ya (500-1,500 yen): The four base broths are shoyu (soy sauce, most common), shio (salt, lightest), miso (thick, hearty, from Hokkaido), and tonkotsu (pork bone, creamy, from Kyushu). Many use ticket vending machines at the entrance — buy your ticket before sitting. Slurping is expected; it cools the noodles and is considered polite.

Sushi-ya (1,000-30,000 yen): The range is enormous. Kaitenzushi (conveyor belt) runs 100-500 yen per plate and is perfectly respectable. High-end omakase is a different universe. Dip the fish side (not the rice) into soy sauce. Eat nigiri in one bite. Wasabi is already inside most pieces at proper shops.

Shokudo (1,000-2,000 yen): Casual eateries near tourist sites with plastic food displays in the window. Point-and-order friendly. Great for a quick, filling set meal (teishoku) of rice, miso soup, pickles, and a main dish.

Kissaten (500-2,000 yen): Traditional coffee shops. Slower, quieter, often with mid-century decor. Good for regrouping between sights.

Table manners that matter

• Say “itadakimasu” before eating (loosely: “I gratefully receive this meal”). Say “gochisosama deshita” when finished.
• Chopstick taboos: never stick them upright in rice (funeral ritual), never pass food chopstick-to-chopstick (another funeral association), never point with them.
• Pour for others, not yourself, when drinking alcohol. Wait for everyone’s glass to be filled, then toast with “kampai.”
• Do not tip. Anywhere. Ever. It confuses and can offend.
• Wet towels (oshibori) are for hands only, not your face.

Dishes to prioritize

Beyond sushi and ramen: try tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet), okonomiyaki (savory pancake, Osaka specialty), yakitori (grilled chicken skewers, best at tiny counter shops), udon (thick wheat noodles, Kagawa Prefecture is the holy land), and gyudon (beef rice bowl, the 500-yen lifesaver at Yoshinoya or Matsuya).

Regional food differences are dramatic. Osaka is street food and bold flavors. Kyoto is subtle, refined kaiseki. Hokkaido is dairy, seafood, and miso ramen. Kyushu is tonkotsu and shochu. Eat local wherever you go.