I believe one of the first things people picture when they think of, “Japanese food,” is sushi. Ramen is probably a close second. Having lived in Japan for almost four months now, I’ve had the chance to try and sample many different and delicious Japanese dishes. I’ve adopted a sort of, “life is an adventure” mentality when trying new things here. It’s served me well so far! Just yesterday I was in Akihabara and I spotted some sort of fried confection with a name that I couldn’t entirely read. All I knew was it contained chocolate and almonds. Being the eternal sweet-tooth that I am, I bought a piece and tried it. It was delicious, and I thanked my adventuring spirit once again. But I haven’t always been so lucky. I bought a sandwich once, thinking it was like grilled cheese, only to find it also contained onions. Bluh!
Before coming to Japan, I had absolutely no idea how about the massive abundance of vending machines, or jidouhanbaiki. These vending machines are everywhere and anywhere. There are even some to be found on Mt. Fuji! You never have to worry about going thirsty in this country because all you have to do is throw a stone and you will, without a doubt, hit at least twelve of them. Don’t ask me how; you just do, and you’ll have a wide selection of soft drinks, tea, hot and cold coffee, beer, water, etc.
My favorite dish so far is probably yakitori. Yakitori is skewered chicken on a stick, and just about all parts of the chicken are used. I was treated to yakitori by my students at my part time job and it was fantastic. The restaurant was small and we were seated in a tiny room where we sat on the floor around a table. There was another group of diners to our immediate right, and we were so cramped for space that I was always worried about standing up and falling headfirst onto one of them.
Bread is a popular snack here in Japan. They make all different kinds of flavors, from melon bread, to yakisoba bread, to seaweed bread, and chocolate chip breads. It’s filling and easy to eat; many of my friends and I make it our breakfast right before class.
Going into a restaurant in Japan is very simple, especially if you happen to be a picky eater who would rather avoid certain foods (like onions). Many restaurants have plastic mockups or pictures of their dishes displayed right outside, alongside prices and the most popular dishes. Many also have the menu right by the door to peruse.
Japan is very much about style and presentation. I’ll sometimes see that foods are arranged with an artistic flair, often cutesy. I bought a cocoa float once and discovered that the ice cubes were shaped like hearts. I showed this to my friend, Melanie, whose only response was an exasperated but amused, “Oh, Japan.”
Editor: Samantha Sandler