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Travel Pack Information Your guide to Eating & Drinking out in Japan

Japanese people are passionate about food - with good reason! Presentation is outstanding, with a huge range of meat and fish dishes to choose from - most of them quite healthy.

A lot of restaurants specialise in specific dishes - like shops and shops - so don’t get caught out. Most moderately priced restaurants display plastic replicas of their menu, which is a help - so if in doubt, look for restaurants with picture displays.

You’ll find Izakayas - Japanese style pub/restaurants - all over Japan, serving a choice of affordable dishes. If possible, get someone local to recommend places to eat. The table below is a useful guide to the dishes you will find most commonly - bring it with you when you come! Expect to pay ¥2,500 to ¥6,000 per person for a full meal.

A simple table made up of typical Japanese foods CIY = cook it yourself; V = vegetarian option available but always request before sitting down

GYOZA GYU-DON KATSU DON

Chinese dumplings wrapped in Big bowl of served with Deep fried fillet cooked in thin rice paper filled with a thinly sliced pork in a sweet soy an egg sweet sauce, served in a mixture of meat and vegetables. sauce on top and accompanied large bowl on a bed of rice. Served with a bowl of rice and with pickled ginger. miso soup. and pickles on the side. How to Eat it? How to Eat it? How to Eat it? Mix a small amount of , Eat it as you see it! Eat it as you see it! sesame oil and rice vinegar into the small dish provided. Dip gyouza before eating.

1 | P a g e Japan Travel Pack Information Your guide to Eating & Drinking out in Japan

KAISEKI RYOURI MISO SOUP (C.I.Y.) & (V)

A mixture of all types of small Miso, made from soy beans, is This is a Japanese Pizza/Pancake, dishes served in succession and used as a flavouring in a lot of made with sliced cabbage and a presented so artistically you're dishes. Miso Soup is part of flour/egg based pancake mix. almost ashamed to eat it. Actual staple diet and typically Toppings including pork, , dishes vary according to includes , or spring mushrooms, cheese, shrimp, restaurant, area and season. . scallops, spring onion, etc. can be dining is the most popular added. The ingredients will be style of dining in most ryokan’s in served raw. It's up to you to cook Japan. it. A novel way of dining out! How to Eat it? How to Eat it? How to Eat it? Eat it as you see it. Eat it as it It's usually served in a plastic 1. Rub oil on the flat cooker in arrives. Rice and miso soup bowl with a lid. Lift the bowl to front of you. usually come last!! your mouth and drink - don't 2. Mix the egg mix, cabbage & use a spoon!! toppings in the bowl provided. 3. Pour all onto the flat cooker and wait to cook on one side. 4. Flip over when golden brown until the other side is done. 5. Brush the brown 'okonomiake’ sauce over the pizza. , - seaweed, and fish flakes are optional as extras. 6. 6. As with Italian pizza, you simply slice, serve and eat!

2 | P a g e Japan Travel Pack Information Your guide to Eating & Drinking out in Japan SHABU-SHABU (C.I.Y.) NOODLES SUKI-YAKI (C.I.Y.)

Another DIY dish, with mixed Thin, slightly hard buckwheat Mixed vegetables and meat vegetables and finely sliced beef noodles, served hot or cold with a boiled in tasty in an iron presented raw to the table. Cook choice of toppings (vegetable or pot at the table, dipped in sweet yourself if the boiling pot shrimp , pork, etc.) or salty sauces. provided. Choice of sauces used as your dip. How to Eat it? How to Eat it? How to Eat it? Boil water (stock), add Eat them as you see them. Wait until the food is cooked. vegetables then swish each slice Dip into the sauces provided. of meat back and forth in water If presented with sauce separately Most Suki Yaki restaurants will until it is cooked to your taste. (as seen in picture) then you dip provide a raw egg to dip it in, When it's ready, dip it in your the noodles in sauce. adding extra flavour. This idea is choice of sauce before eating. quite rare for westerners but it is surprisingly good!

SUSHI TEMPURA (V)

Cooked and/or raw fish, and Vegetables, shrimp or fish Teriyaki is a sweet flavoured vegetables served on a bed of delicately deep fried in light, fluffy sauce that looks a bit like gravy. slightly vinegar flavoured rice, batter and served with rice, miso MacDonalds serves a teriyaki with a hint of Japanese mustard - soup & pickles. chicken burger - only in Japan! . Best tried in kaiten zushi bars (revolving counter bar sushi cafes/bars). How to Eat it? How to Eat it? How to Eat it? Mix small amounts of soy sauce Eat them as you see them. Eat it as you see it! and wasabi in the dish provided. Dip the fish in mixture before If presented with sauce separately placing it back on the rice and (as seen in picture) then you dip eating it all in one. the noodles in sauce.

3 | P a g e Japan Travel Pack Information Your guide to Eating & Drinking out in Japan O-NABE RAMEN NOODLES (RAW FISH)

O-Nabe is a pot of either Big bowl of Chinese noodles (thin Finely sliced raw fish served on vegetables, meat or seafood, noodles) in chicken with a bed of shredded raddish cooked at your table in a soup vegetables and pork. Interestingly, () and Japanese herb based sauce. It is an essential the Japanese don't drink the soup (shiso). part of Sumo wrestler’s diet, - it's too high in fat. called chanko; Very healthy, very satisfying - a real DIY treat! When soup begins to boil, add the raw ingredients provided, then cook and eat. How to Eat it? How to Eat it? How to Eat it? Once you've finished the Eat it as you see it - but not as you Mix some soy sauce and wasabi vegetables, meat, or seafood, ask hear it! You'll notice Japanese in the mini dish provided, for the waitress for or soba people like to slurp noodles to dipping. Eat it neat or mixed noodles, which you then cook in cool them, which can be a bit of a with shiso and daikon. the remaining soup for three culture shock! minutes before eating. You may need more soup.

TON KATSU UDON NOODLES (V) (C.I.Y.)

Deep fried Pork fillet, shredded Thick noodles served hot or cold Skewered pieces of chicken raw cabbage on the side, with in soup with choice of topping - (tori), meat (niku) or vegetables miso soup, rice, and pickles. Or, if usually tempura shrimp or (yasai) cooked over a BBQ grill. you don’t like pork, it usually vegetables. Choice of salt or soy flavour. comes in a chicken version too. 'Yaki means grilled. How to Eat it? How to Eat it? How to Eat it? Eat it as you see it but it’s nicer Eat them as you see them. Eat it as you see it! when you add the brown sauce to it – including the cabbage. Don't feel embarrassed if you slurp - this is normal in Japan!

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ALCOHOLIC DRINKS

SAKE SHOUCHUU NAMA-BIRU

A mixture of all types of small Often described as a mild vodka, is Equivalent to a pint of dishes served in succession and also made from rice and mogi (a lager in the Western presented so artistically you're type of yeast) and usually served world. Asahi, Sapporo almost ashamed to eat it. Actual with water or a fruit juice. and Yebisu are the dishes vary according to three most popular restaurant, area and season. brands. Usually served Kaiseki dining is the most popular in small, medium or style of dining in most ryokan’s in large jugs, prices vary Japan. from 400JPY to 1000JPY.

NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINKS

Enjoyed hot or cold, has a strong bitter taste - best accompanied with traditional Japanese sweets & food. (O-CHA) Traditional Japanese tea ceremonies are common in old style towns today. Definitely worth trying, to experience something authentic.

OOLONG TEA (OO-LONG CHA) A Chinese black tea drunk hot, or with ice & lemon. You will find a variety of juices, including plum, orange, FRUIT JUICES lemon, apple and grape. Most restaurants serve filtered water as soon as you sit down WATER - which should be ok to drink.

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