To say the people of Japan have no problem thinking outside the box is an understatement.
Many concepts you will come across are so unique, once you figure them out, it's like learning how to use an iPhone for the first time, so simple it should be common sense. You quickly learn to stop overcomplicating everything in your mind and just go with it.
This mentality does not end with their recipes. Much of the food you try will leave your mind screaming in protest and your taste buds composing a symphony.
Taking common ingredients that are often discarded or shouldn't work when combined and creating something delicious is what this stunning country does best.
So, do yourself a favour, leave everything you know about food at home and take a chance on the mind blowing cuisine awaiting you in the Land of the Rising Sun.
1. Gyudon
Gyudon is essentially a rice bowl with sliced beef on top. This dish is very customizable with the option of adding many different toppings, such as scallions or a raw egg. The good thing is, no matter what you decide, the flavours never disappoint.
The beef and rice are always hot and perfectly cooked. Add the raw egg on top and the yolk cuts through the savoury meat perfectly while allowing the fresh, grassy flavour of the scallions to linger on your tongue.
Many restaurants in Japan do not open for breakfast but thankfully, Matsuya (a popular restaurant chain) does and is a great place to get gyudon for your morning meal.
The best part, you will often see many customers order a beer with their breakfast, and seeing as it was drinking time back home in Canada, we quickly did the same. Not that we would have been deterred either way, but it's nice to have silent drinking partners.
2. Wagyu Beef
The world famous Wagyu beef. It will ruin any beef that follows and leave you salivating at the memory of this glorious creation.
The marbling of fat perfectly blends with the meat as you chew, releasing the purest of beef flavour with a silky texture that gives your jaw a break from chewing.
Such perfection needs to be prepared in an equally exceptional way, don't worry, the Japanese thought of that too.
3. Wagyu Beef Sashimi
Yes, it's a thing and yes, it's heavenly. My personal dream come true, served in it's purest form and topped with a raw quail egg.
Impossibly, this sashimi has the texture of thinly sliced prosciutto, but with a clean beefy taste. The fat is tasteless, only present, combined with the creamy quail egg, to create the silky soft texture this beef is famous for.
4. Sukiyaki
Another popular way to prepare Wagyu is in a dish called Sukiyaki. The meat, along with an assortment of vegetables, are slowly cooked in a shallow pot filled with just enough sugary soy sauce mixture to cover the bottom.
Your waiter will set the pot up for you, first, melting cubes of beef fat, followed by placing in the vegetables and meat, pouring in the soy sauce mixture, and finally beating a raw egg you are to use as a dip.
When prepared this way, the food absorbs the addictive, savoury sweet essence your tastebuds will thank you for and utilizing the raw egg only enhances the flavour, adding a creamy texture that keeps you coming back for more.
5. Shabu-Shabu
Shabu-Shabu is a similar cooking style to Sukiyaki, but instead of a sauce, the ingredients are boiled in a pot of flavoured water and served with a variety of dips.
Due to the cooking method, you are able to enjoy a more diverse meal, beyond vegetables and slices of meat, including dumplings and ground pork.
The flavour is a lot lighter than Sukiyaki, however, some argue it's the best way to enjoy the true flavour of Wagyu beef.
6. Yakiniku
Much like Korean BBQ, Yakiniku is a dining experience. The meat and vegetables are cut into bite sized pieces and you are in full control of the grilling.
Wagyu beef shines with this method of preparation, as all you taste are the pure flavours melding together with the veins of rendered fat throughout the meat. Add a touch of salt and the taste elevates to another level of magnificence.
7. Tuna
Everyone knows sushi is the bomb in Japan. Many don't realize, what will really blow you away is the tuna.
You can't get any fresher than a slice of tuna that was pulled from the water a few hours prior. This is what you get in most sushi restaurants in Japan and it shows. Tuna is taken very seriously here, with bidding wars to obtain the perfect tuna fish hitting a record of $3.1 million.
Try a piece, and you will experience such a light, delicate flavour with a texture that does not require teeth to process. Tuna here will melt in your mouth, leaving a buttery aftertaste that lingers with the heat of the fresh wasabi.
8. Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki is best described as a savoury pancake. It is made using a wheat-flour batter mixed with shredded cabbage, eggs, your choice of meat, topped with several condiments and bonito flakes.
There is a lot that goes into this fantastic dish and it is just as much fun to experience the cooking process as it is to eat. Once served, the pancake is placed on a warmed iron griddle, identical to the one it is prepared on, minus the burning hazard.
The taste will depend on what you choose to add, but the essence of Okonomiyaki can only be described as a party in your mouth, the food kind. The texture of the shredded cabbage, along with the bonito flakes and condiments placed on top, keep your senses guessing.
This is one dish you will have a hard time avoiding the point of gluttony. You're on vacation though so go for it, there's always a medication to help deal with the fallout.
9. Ramen
Spicy, savoury, garlicky, a bowl of pure bliss. House made noodles, prepared fresh daily, make the perfect vessel for transporting this heavenly broth to your warmed belly.
Most of you have tasted ramen in your country, ramen in Japan will create a void within you, one that can only be satisfied with the OG.
10. Kani Miso (Crab Brain)
Kani Miso, cleverly served in a crab shell bowl, is a greyish slurry consisting of internal organs from the crab, along with a little bit of brain.
It may sound revolting on all accounts, however, it was one of our favourites.
With a softness you can expect from creamy soup, chunks of crab provide an element of texture. However, the taste is what convinces even the most picky of eaters.
Essentially, Kani Miso tastes as though it were made with a crab extract, intensifying the flavour of this crustacean to levels you never thought were possible.
11. Takoyaki
Takoyaki is a brews best friend when visiting Japan. They are created by placing pieces of octopus into each golf ball sized indentation of a batter filled pan and constantly being rotated to form a sphere.
Served with your choice of toppings, this savoury snack ends with a sweet aftertaste that is hard to resist.
The inside of these balls has a velvety, almost pudding like feel, interrupted by large chunks of tender octopus.
This is one option you will find yourself coming back to several times during your stay.
12. A Traditional Ryokan Meal
If the opportunity arises, get your hands on a meal created for you by a local. A ryokan is a type of traditional Japanese inn, commonly found in Kyoto, where you rent a room and have communal bath facilities, often hosted by the owner of the house who will entertain and cook for you, if you wish.
Eating a meal at one of these places will ensure the most authentic food will show up on your plate. Often consisting of simple preparations of common Japanese ingredients chosen to perfectly compliment one another, you will be left with the fulfillment of discovering an intriguing new cuisine.
13. Kushikatsu
Kushikatsu is basically breaded, deep fried meat on a stick. Although you can also get other things, such as vegetables or cheese, it is all served on a skewer and eaten with a communal sauce.
What makes Kushikatsu so good, is a combination of the light batter perfectly fried around the most tender of meats. The skewer is best when first dipped in the thin, dark, savoury sauce, with a slightly sweet finish.
When enjoying this dish, however, there is one rule. No double dipping. The sauce is served in a large tub on your table, and it will stay there for many people to use long after you leave. Instead, use the large cabbage leaves provided to scoop extra sauce onto your plate for every bite following the first.
14. Bento Boxes
Bento boxes are a very popular choice for commuters in Japan. Many professionals do not have time to stop and eat, making quick meals, perfect for a train ride, essential.
Let me tell you, these are no TV dinners. Served warm or cold, many of these artfully presented meals would pass as freshly prepared takeout from your favourite restaurant.
15. Beer Vending Machines
Although technically not a food, I'm sure we can all agree, beer should be a food group.
An honorary mention, strictly for the unreal convenience Japan has provided when it comes to their vending machines, goes to this lifeline for the jet lagged.
Even though it's 7am in Japan, it's 5 o'clock somewhere.
Food that is not easily replicated, making Japan the only place to truly experience the best versions of these recipes.
What was your favourite dish when visiting Japan? Leave us a comment or feel free to reach out if you would like more information on where to go to best enjoy anything on this list.