Tokyo has more Michelin stars than Paris. Osaka has the world's best street food. Hokkaido does seafood, ramen, and dairy at peak quality. Kyushu does tonkotsu pork and shochu. Japan's food culture isn't national; it's regional, and the trick to eating well here is matching the city to the dish, not chasing famous names.
The major dish families
- Sushi: Edomae (Tokyo) is the global standard, but Osaka's pressed oshizushi and Kanazawa's seafood-driven nigiri are different worlds.
- Ramen: Tonkotsu (Hakata, pork-bone), Shoyu (Tokyo, soy), Miso (Sapporo, fermented bean), Shio (Hakodate, salt). Each region defends its own.
- Tempura: Edo-style (Tokyo) is the canonical version; the best counters cost ¥10,000–25,000 at lunch but are an experience worth having once.
- Yakitori: chicken on charcoal; every neighbourhood has a counter.
- Okonomiyaki: Osaka style (mixed) and Hiroshima style (layered with noodles) are completely different dishes despite the same name.
- Izakaya: Japanese pub-restaurant, small dishes, beer/sake, the Tuesday-night default.
- Kaiseki: multi-course haute cuisine; ryokan dinners are the easiest entry, ¥15,000+ per person.
- Konbini food: yes, the convenience-store onigiri/oden/sandwiches are genuinely good. Family Mart for fried chicken, 7-Eleven for sandwiches, Lawson for desserts.
Where to eat by city
- Tokyo: Tsukiji Outer Market (sushi, breakfast), Omoide Yokocho (yakitori), depachika at Isetan Shinjuku (everything, late discounts).
- Osaka: Dotonbori (street food), Shinsekai (kushikatsu), Kuromon Ichiba market.
- Kyoto: Nishiki Market (food crawl), Pontocho alley (intimate dinner), Gion (kaiseki).
- Hiroshima: Okonomimura (okonomiyaki), Kanawa (oysters Nov–Feb).
- Sapporo: Susukino (ramen alley), Nijo Market (seafood).
- Fukuoka: Hakata yatai (street stalls), tonkotsu ramen everywhere.
How to find good restaurants
Tabelog is the locals' restaurant rating site (the Japanese Yelp). Anything 3.5+ is a quality experience; 3.8+ is exceptional. TableCheck and Pocket Concierge handle English-language reservations for the better counters. For curated picks rather than raw ratings, Table Journey runs city-by-city Japan eating guides worth a browse before you book. The full find & book restaurants in Japan guide covers the workflow.
How to actually order
Six different order systems depending on the restaurant type: ticket machines at ramen shops, tablets at izakaya, verbal at sushi counters. The full ordering at Japanese restaurants guide unpacks each.
