The food that surprised me most in Japan
The sushi lived up to expectations, of course. But the dish that surprised me most of the whole trip we tried standing up, at a market stall, on the first day.
Sushi in Japan is, obviously, spectacular, I'm not going to say otherwise. But if you ask me which dish genuinely surprised me, that's not the answer — it's the wagyu we tried on the first day, standing up, at a small stall in Tsukiji Outer Market.
We weren't expecting much from a market stall right after landing, with our bodies still thrown off. And yet, that piece of meat was, without any exaggeration, the best I've ever eaten in my life.
The second dish that stuck with me most was much humbler: houtou from the Mount Fuji area, a hot soup with thick noodles and vegetables. After an entire cold morning, that simple dish was one of the meals I enjoyed most of the whole trip — precisely because I expected nothing from it.
I was also surprised by Hida beef in Takayama, and the strawberry mochi we tried at a stall in Kamakura, bought without a second thought.
The best dishes aren't always the most expensive or the most famous. A market stall, a village soup, a sweet bought on a whim — those were the food moments that truly stayed with me.
Where to eat, city by city
Tokyo: for something casual, Uobei Sushi in Shibuya (cheap, fast and fun), Kaiten Sushi Ginza Onodera (good-quality conveyor-belt sushi) and Yoshinoya, Sukiya or Matsuya for an affordable gyudon. For a special dinner without going full luxury, Endo Sushi and Yakitori Shinohara.
Kanazawa: very fresh seafood and local cooking: market sushi around Omicho Market, Kanazawa curry and jibu-ni, a local stew.
Kyoto: traditional kaiseki (Kikunoi Honten, with three Michelin stars, or Gion Karyo), wagyu yakiniku and plenty of casual spots: ramen, izakayas and traditional tofu.
Osaka: the local icon is Dotonbori: Kani Doraku for its crab, okonomiyaki at Chibo or Mizuno, takoyaki and kushikatsu at Daruma, in Shinsekai.
Hiroshima and Miyajima: Okonomi-mura, a building with Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki stalls, and on Miyajima grilled oysters and momiji manju.
Japan's average level is extremely high. Don't obsess over the best spot: go into places that catch your eye, which is often where you eat best.
The full list is in where to eat in Japan.
See where we ate every dish
The itinerary has the exact restaurants and stalls, city by city, with real prices.
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