Like all cuisine enjoyed in your own home city, be that at a Chinese or Indian restaurant, an Italian or Thai eatery, it's dubious at best if what you're eating and enjoying is true to tradition. You can never be sure how close the meal is to Japan's authentic street food.
But if you have enjoyed Japanese food and are planning on a holiday vacation to Japan then continue to read on to discover what to expect when you get over there.
You tend to see many of the street food vendors stick with the festivals: many moves around a lot, following where the festivals happen to be from month to month. That's when you see far more street food stalls anyway, it is at a festival. Otherwise, in most cities and towns, there are bars, cafes and restaurants where people congregate.
We found that to be a good thing, because you enjoy a much larger choice of sweets, and savory snacks from one location to another. Although the restaurants do have many street food dishes on their menu, for the best possible authentic experience, head to your nearest street vendor.
The whole enjoyment of street food is that you are eating it as you walk around ― the experience is partly because of it being a snack, rather than a meal. In other words, it's the setting.
And isn't it why so many of you ― expats and travelers alike ― leave with suitcases stuffed with shop bought food? Because you can't get the original once back home. You love the food so much, and badly want to be reminded of the authentic, genuine taste for as long as possible.
There are so many delectable dishes found on the streets of Japan, it's really difficult to determine how popular one dish is compared to another. It really depends on a few factors, such as: time of year or season, and which city or prefecture you are traveling in. There are regional differences, as seen in Vietnam with their national dish Pho.
Our take though on what is popular is what we fell in love with on our time in Japan:
When you are strolling around Tokyo taking in the sights and sounds, you'll learn that some streets have a "better food scene" than others.
Some streets in fact are much sought after by the local populus, including: Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street and Musashi Koyama Shopping Street when you're out and about shopping and Tsukishima Monja Street is another. Our recommendation is, when walking the streets of any city in Japan, is to take your time and not hurry.
Be ready to try anything that catches your eye and don't be shy in asking about what something is either because the vendors are happy to help.
Read Also: The Best Guide to South Korea's Authentic Street Food
The perfect snack when strolling any street of Osaka, and you get it freshly made in different varieties too. What more could you ask for? It's a delicious street food native to the city ― you may come across it elsewhere in Japan but it originates from Osaka. It must be one of the most popular street foods though, because you'll see a lot of Japanese (and international students) eating them.
The dish comprises of seafood, mostly octopus, wrapped in dough batter made from eggs, flour and dashi, a sour tasting soup (but don't let that put you off). Once fried, the balls are glazed in various sauces and seasoning, such as seaweed sprinkled over the top. Variation aside from the octopus include cheese, onions, and kimchi (cabbage) as other fillings. Absolutely gorgeous flavors, crispy on the outside but with a soft, chewy texture inside. Melts in your mouth.
One of Japan's true authentic street foods, a classic which can be found being grilled in many street bars. But there is no formality with this chicken-based dish, it's often acknowledged as being casually consumed. Are you a big fan of home BBQ? If so, then you'll love these bamboo skewered charcoal grilled chicken pieces. Each bite size is utterly delicious, the perfect festive food during the summer months.
If you wish to taste different variations of this battered and fried Japanese dish, seek out one of the specialty restaurants in Tokyo, or another of Japan's larger cities. The chefs train in the art of this traditional, classical dish. The charcoal fuel matters a lot in the final flavor of the chicken, from oak wood for a fuller woody aroma and taste. A few bars and street vendors may use gas or electric grills, which isn't what you want.
We like, and you'll like, this street food too. Very similar to Dak-Kkochi, which is grilled bite sized chicken on a skewer found in Seoul, South Korea (but spicier obviously).
Carp bread, yet often served warm and tastes sweet. Not bread as such, more akin to a batter in our opinion but it's known by that name. The contents of the sandwiched snack are usually pureed red beans but you may expect something (anything really) other than bean paste. Costs vary but you can buy a pair for US$1 from most street vendors, some ask for more (bigger snack). If you're in Japan during the spring or summer, consume cold but if it's during the winter months, consume fresh (hot).
We found that a few vendors (and restaurants) add seasoning to their batter, which could be a pleasant surprise. It's a nice experience eating Japanese food, as many of the dishes use batter made from various flours. The texture is different based on the flour used. Nutritionally, batter has little in the way of any health benefits but it does add substance and character to a snack, and that's as important as the flavor, and appearance. The outer crispy shell results in an enhanced experience, therefore.
Yet one more of Japan's classical, popular street foods. The dish is made up of stir-fried noodles along with various fillings of vegetables and tofu, with a sauce binding the ingredients together. Often compared to Chew Mein and that's because this Japanese dish was adapted from the similar Chinese dish. The ingredients added differ from season to season and location. What you eat in Tokyo may very well be different to what you're eating in Osaka, for example ― but it's the same dish.
Pro Tip: Traditional Japanese Soba noodles are made from Japanese buckwheat flour; however, many vendors use noodles made from Chinese wheat flour ― be sure to ask, if that would bother you or not.
A delicious dish that we've got to sneak into our travel guide. You cannot ― must not ― return home without having enjoyed this dish. Best enjoyed as part of a larger meal in a restaurant purely for the feeling of elegance. The dish arrives to you looking beautiful. And it tastes just as beautiful too. It's not a meal for the summer festivals but best sampled during Japan's colder months, so hold off until then if you can.
Its appearance looks like a hybrid stew or soup, comprised mostly of seafood (perhaps shrimp or octopus, maybe squid). There are regional variations obviously ― you come to accept that with cuisine in Japan, South Korea and China ― but expect to find boiled eggs and tofu at the very least. The main ingredients have been stewed (simmered) in soy sauce or dashi stock. As stated, it's mainly a winter dish. That's when you do find it being sold by far more street food stalls and on the menu of quality restaurants.
Basically, this is a souped-up version of scrambled eggs, more or less. Nonetheless though, even more tasty how the Japanese make it. The only difference is the eggs are grilled on a hot plate, and not done in a pot with a little butter or milk. Your taste buds are supercharged because of the additional toppings such as:
You may also find the root vegetable yam in the dish, grated. Served with a drizzling of mayonnaise over the top. You can experience the real authentic dish best when in Osaka, where (we believe) it originates from. The end result looks nothing like scrambled eggs back home. Rather you are enjoying a snack that looks more like a pancake once handed to you. Another "must try" street food.
It is shaped similar to a small pie or cake, with a sweet stuffing inside an outer batter-based shell. Hugely popular across all of Japan, Tiawan and South Korea during a festival. It is impossible to only eat one, you've got to go back for another. And a third one if you can't control yourself, they're incredibly delicious. Comparable with Taiyaki because the filling is pretty much the same red bean paste. If by chance there are no festival events when you're holidaying, don't panic: because there are plenty of shops with their shelves stocked with this snack.
Both in fact, including Taiyaki snacks. This snack is as traditional as you can get with Japanese street food, with the authentic dish dating back quite a few centuries, apparently.
A skewered snack that is a convenience food for when you are strolling around. Each dumpling like ball is made from either mochi rice, millet or soba boiled or grilled. The texture is one being chewy, and either sweet or savory with the bite sized dumpling being coated in a thick flavored sauce prior to a final grilling.
A favorite found in any part of Japan (there are regional variations) you can depend on coming across is dango that is sweet and savory. The rice flour-based dumplings are coated in soy sauce and then sugar and what you'll likely encounter at a festival. During the blossom season (late February, early to mid-March) you may see multi-colored pink, white and green dango balls. Each one is colored having a symbolic, special meaning in Japanese culture.
If you have a soft spot for KFC chicken wings back home, then your palate will be whetted with the thought of Karaage when in Japan. But hold back a moment, and be sure to ask if it is chicken because it may also be meaty bite size pieces of fish ― even vegetables ― depending on where you are and the street vendor themselves.
The snack is served hot to you, freshly cooked as you wait with the meat (or filling) being thickly coated first in batter before deep pan frying. The great thing we enjoyed about this snack was the fact there were no bones. The chicken was soft and fresh tasting and not dry inside. The moisture was a welcome surprise actually. As with much of Japanese cuisine, the origins are shared with their neighbors with this based on a Chinese dish in many respects.
One of the best experiences when holidaying abroad is trying the local food, and how often have you come across a snack or dish that is as familiar to you, back home? Often enough we guess. It's that point in making with Japanese Yaki Imo. Despite the unpronounceable names, as a foreigner on holiday, you recognize quickly what something is: Yaki Imo is a baked potato.
Normally, Japanese sweet potatoes are used but do expect other varieties of potato as well. They have a soft yellow colored textured flesh inside; you'll see once exposed. Yet, on the other hand there is the Orange sweet potato which is also common. The flesh with this potato is orange, and the texture not as soft and smooth, like the Japanese sweet potato. You'll easily recognize the Japanese sweet potato whilst being prepared and cooked with its purple skin.
What we didn't expect though, with the orange sweet potato was how sweet it was on the old taste buds. The natural sugar content is much higher. Best eaten as it is without toppings or sauce, not even butter. A stable part of Japan's late autumn and winter diet, understandably so, when served out of the oven.
With a culture driven by centuries old traditions and beliefs it comes as no surprise there is an amazing array of dining etiquette you must be aware of when eating out in Japan. In fact, not to appear rude to your company and waiting staff, you must follow and practice this etiquette to the letter.
Got a few days in Japan? If you've time to explore this great country and its hidden culture, we can recommend you visit Kanazawa City, for the gorgeous garden.
Related Reading: The Most Popular Traditional Gardens in Japan, Worth Seeing
The question is: chopsticks, or no chopsticks. What is it to be, and is it okay to eat with a knife and fork or even just with the fingers? Perhaps more important when dining in a bar or restaurant, than eating street food, here are a few tips:
If you follow these simply rules, then your dining experience in any Japanese restaurant will be fulfilled and memorable. However, there is none of those issues when consuming street food because most of the snacks are wrapped in paper, allowing you to eat while holding it. You see most people just use their fingers, or a disposable fork and not so many chopsticks.
There are no similarities between South Korean and Japanese cuisine despite both countries being so close to each other. South Korean Street food use a lot of spices and sauces whereas not so for the Japanese. You'll find the Japanese cuisine is healthier for you for two reasons:
The Japanese diet also advocates smaller portion sizes: and fewer side dishes. Japanese dishes carry more seafood, comparable to South Korean BBQ dishes. We feel that the Japanese also prefer to grill their food on a hotplate, whereas the Koreans value their BBQ more. That's our thoughts on the comparison, at least.
