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Eating well in Japan
A bowl of ramen at the counter, an onigiri at midnight, a kaiseki dinner at the ryokan: you eat well at every price. Here are the dishes to know.
Four classics to tick off
RamenWheat noodles in broth, soy-sauce based in Tokyo. You slurp them loudly.
SushiVinegared rice and a topping: raw fish, seafood, egg or vegetables. Nigiri was born in Tokyo; you can eat it with your fingers.
OnigiriA filled rice ball, often with fish, sometimes salted plum. The queen of the konbini.
BentoThe boxed meal. At stations, the ekiben is made to eat on the train.
And six more to try
Light fritters of fish and vegetables, from street counters to fine dining.
Soba: buckwheat, Tokyo's fast food since the Edo period. Udon: thick wheat noodles, hot or cold.
Grilled chicken skewers, with salt or sauce.
A savory pancake cooked on a griddle, the pride of Osaka and Hiroshima.
Batter balls with octopus, Osaka's favorite street snack.
A bowl of rice with simmered beef: one of the cheapest full meals.
PlanJapanSleep and eat · Eating well in JapanWhere to eat, and for how much
From the all-night konbini to the neighborhood counter: you eat fast, well and cheaply. In 2025, American visitors spent about 5,800 ¥ a day on food and drink.
The konbini
Most are open 24/7: onigiri, hot meals, a microwave, and a trash can when the street has none.
An alley of small bars at nightThe izakaya
The pub where you share small plates. A welcome dish, the otoshi, is charged per person.
An okonomiyaki restaurantThe neighborhood restaurant
Many display their dishes in the window as life-size replicas: just point.
The food halls in department store basements: bentos and sweets to take away.
The beef bowl: 498 ¥ to eat in at Yoshinoya, 489 ¥ to take out (10% or 8% tax).
You choose and pay in advance at a ticket machine, often in cash.
At kaitenzushi, plates roll past you; table manners are more relaxed there.
The food tours from our city chapters, to book before you go.
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PlanJapanSleep and eat · Eating well in JapanAt the table, the right moves
- Do
- Wait until everyone is served before starting.
- Slurp your noodles loudly: it's normal.
- Pour drinks for others, not for yourself.
- Ask for water: most restaurants serve tap water for free.
- Finish your plate.
- Avoid
- Stick your chopsticks upright in rice, or pass food from chopsticks to chopsticks.
- Leave a tip: service is included, everywhere.
- Refuse the otoshi at an izakaya: it's the table charge.
- Eat while walking, or on the subway; the Shinkansen is fine.
- Drink alcohol under 20.
Words for the table
Booking a table
Google MapsThe “Reserve” button goes through TableCheck and other sites, not Tabelog.
TabelogThe big restaurant guide, in English. Account required, 440 ¥ fee per person.
TableCheckIn English, card payment. Also sells skip-the-line passes for some ramen shops.
Google TranslateMenu in Japanese? The camera translates it.
PlanJapanSleep and eat · Eating well in Japan