To make this dish, the eel will be marinated with spices, and dip in soy sauce before being grilled on charcoal. After grilling, eel is steamed and once more grilled. In Japan, this is considered a high-class food and the price is also slightly higher, but with so many steps of processing and health benefits, it is absolutely worth, right?

unagi eel japan how to cook unagi unagi sauce (1)
Unagi is considered a high-end food in Japan.
unagi grilled eel japan food (1)
Credit: japan must eat blog.

unagi eel japan how to cook unagi unagi sauce (1)

unagi eel japan how to cook unagi unagi sauce (1)
Unagi when ripe has a golden color, very eye-catching, soft inside, tough outside, extremely attractive aroma and served with rice.

unagi eel japan how to cook unagi unagi sauce (1)

unagi eel japan how to cook unagi unagi sauce (1)

unagi eel japan how to cook unagi unagi sauce (1)
Picture: must eat food in japan blog.

unagi eel japan how to cook unagi unagi sauce (1)

unagi eel japan how to cook unagi unagi sauce (1)
Image by: japan must try food blog.

Read more: Tasting Unagi (eel) — One of the most attractive foods in Japan.

Kaiseki Ryori

kyoto cuisine.1
Kyoto Kaiseki

Kaiseki Ryori cannot be called a dish to try when coming to Japan, but it must be an experience you should try when coming to Japan to be accurate. Because this is not a specific dish, but a combination of Japanese traditional meal that are considered the most sophisticated and delicate in Japanese culinary art, with 14 dishes of raw, steamed, grilled, stewed, hotpot, spread across steps from appetizers, vegetables, soups, to cooked dishes, side dishes, tea and desserts.

Kaiseki Ryori japan (1)
Kaiseki Ryori is a seasonal food set of 14 diverse, eye-catching dishes; expressing the most subtle features of Japanese cuisine.
kyoto kaiseki cuisine
Credit: japan must eat blog.

Kaiseki Ryori is often a party to entertain guests and show the hostess’s hospitality of the owner; But you can also enjoy it at traditional Japanese restaurants, especially at Ryokans (the traditional Japanese guesthouses). This Japanese special meal usually uses seasonal ingredients, mainly vegetables and fish with seaweed and mushrooms and has a very delicate flavor. With a lot of dishes, to avoid affecting the taste between the dishes together, between the dishes are special herbal drinks for guests to “wash” the taste, and are ready to fully enjoy the new dish – a very Japanese subtle feature in serving and enjoying cuisine.

Kaiseki Ryori japan (1)
Kaoriki Ryori uses seasonal ingredients in the spirit of Japanese people.
Kaiseki Ryori japan (1)
Kaiseki Ryori is the name of a traditional meal that is considered the most sophisticated and delicate in Japanese culinary art.
japanese kaiseki cuisine
Japanese Kaiseki cuisine

Japan must eat: Sanuki Udon

Sanuki Udon japan (1)

The highlight of Sanuki udon noodles is a cool, light sweet broth and square noodles with flattened edges, ivory-white color, sleek, chewy, made from wheat flour; And it would be regret if you miss this food that have to try when you come to Japan.

Sanuki Udon japan (1)
Great delicious sanuki udon noodles of Japanese cuisine.

This noodles is associated with Takamatsu island, one of Japan’s 4 main islands; and sanuki udon is one of the “tricks and tips” to attract tourists and help increase the number of tourists visiting the island.

Sanuki Udon japan (1)
Takamatsu Island is associated with this unique Japanese dish of sanuki udon.

Sanuki Udon japan (1)

A set meal of Sanuki udon noodles in Takamatsu will include large udon noodles, scallions, fried tofu and tempura served with clear broth. Depending on your taste, you can add meat or seafood to taste better, but still don’t change the original flavor of the dish.

Sanuki Udon japan (1)
The ingredients of a bowl of sanuki udon noodles may vary depending on your taste.
Sanuki Udon japan (1)
Picture: must eat food in japan blog.

Sanuki Udon japan (1)

Must eat food in Japan: Wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets)

Wagashi

It can be said that Japan is a sweet pastry paradise, because not only does it taste delicious but they are also decorated with a really delicate appearance, eye-catching, glimpse like the fairies on the food tray. One of them is wagashi – sweets are beautifully presented, highly aesthetic. Most of the wagashi cakes are made from glutinous rice flour, there are many kinds of kernels such as lotus, fruits, green tea, red beans … They are not only dishes but also contain cultural beauty, history stories and love of Japanese people for nature.

According to the Chinese language, the word “wagashi”, which is the common name for Japanese traditional sweets.
Must eat food in Japan Wagashi traditional Japanese sweets (1)
Wagashi is a colorful, flavorful world formed on the basis of very profound aesthetic concepts of Japanese people.

The natural images in the four seasons is one of the endless sources of inspiration for cake artists. Spring is full of flowers, summer needs cool so the cakes often bring light colors suggesting freshness. Switching to autumn, the color of the cake often bears the color of the maple leaf forest typical of Japan, so in the winter wagashi is pure baked cakes, suggesting a warm feeling. It is also the diverse transformation that conforms to the law of all things, the time so, the ingredients for making cakes also depend on the season, which season is made of the ingredients of that season, mainly from plants such as bean flour, seaweed jelly, sugar cane, ginger, sesame, dried fruit …

Wagashi, one of the most traditional sweets in Japan
Must eat food in Japan Wagashi traditional Japanese sweets (1)
Wagashi is not only sweet cake, it is also the elite combining aesthetics, cuisine and subtle traditional thinking of Japanese people, a dish that must be tried when coming to Japan.

Sushi

Mitsui Stand Up Sushi 2

Sushi is often cut into slices, used immediately after being served, and served with soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger. When eating, put the whole piece in your mouth to feel the full flavor of each piece. The strange taste of rice mixed with vinegar, the greasy and cool taste of raw fish and the pungent taste of wasabi up to the nose. The most popular ingredients of sushi are tuna, squid and shrimp served with cucumber, pickled radish and Tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelette). Sushi has many types and there are many different versions in each region.

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Lean tuna sushi
kyoto sushi
Kyoto sushi

Sushi conveyor belts
Daimara sushi conveyor belts
Sushi conveyor belts at Daimara restaurant
Sushi in Japan1
An extremely popular food not only in Japan but also worldwide
sushi shop, Tokyo
You definitely have to try sushi when coming to Japan
You Should Never Mix Wasabi With Soy Sauce When Eating Sushi
You Should Never Mix Wasabi With Soy Sauce When Eating Sushi

Sashimi

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Sashimi, the queen of Japanese cuisine.

Sashimi is a traditional Japanese dish with main ingredients are mainly fresh seafood. Seafood used to make Sashimi must have “Sashimi standard”, be caught by special tools, then be processed immediately according to special procedures to ensure the freshness of each piece of Sashimi. Some types of seafood that Japanese people often use as sashimi are: salmon, tuna, mackerel, basa fish, puffer fish, squid, octopus, sea shrimp. In addition, Sashimi is also made from meat or vegetables …

how to eat sashimi japanese (1)

how to eat sashimi japanese (1)
Image by: japan must try food blog.
how to eat sashimi japanese (1)
Wasabi and soy sauce

how to eat sashimi japanese (1)

Sushi & Sashimi served with Wasabi
Sushi & Sashimi can served with Wasabi
wasabi sashimi
Photo: must try japanese food blog.
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Delicious sashimi pieces are dipped in soy sauce mixed with wasabi

how to eat sashimi japanese (1)

how to eat sashimi japanese
Salmon sashimi
Fukuoka squid sashimi
Fukuoka squid sashimi

Shabu-shabu

Shabu Shabu

Shabu-shabu is also a hotpot but the main ingredient is beef. Fresh, quality slices of beef are sliced quite skillfully, eye-catching. Diners will dip these slices of meat into hot broth and eat when it still rare to ensure the taste of the dish. The broth of Shabu-shabu hotpot has a light sweet taste, clear and is often cooked with cabbage, seaweed, shiitake mushrooms and other healthy ingredients.

shabu shabu hot pot japan (1)

shabu shabu hot pot japan (1)
A hot pot is very good for health
shabu shabu hot pot japan (1)
A must try in Japan. Credit: japan must eat blog.

shabu shabu hot pot japan (1)

shabu shabu hot pot japan (1)
The ingredients of Shabu-shabu hot pot

Sukiyaki

Sukiyaki japanese hotpot japan (1)

Sukiyaki is a “dominant Japanese” dish with the main ingredient is Rib eye beef, and a variety of natural mushrooms. When mushrooms and other ingredients in the pot start to ripen, dip the beef cut into “Sukiyaki” style to a level of ripening depending on each person’s taste. This dish is dipped with egg sauce or sauce made from soy sauce Kikkoman and enjoyed immediately.

Sukiyaki japanese hotpot japan (1)

Sukiyaki japanese hotpot japan (1)
Sukiyaki japanese hotpot

Sukiyaki japanese hotpot japan (1)

Sukiyaki japanese hotpot japan (1)
Japanese-dominated dish. Picture: must eat food in japan blog.

Soba

soba nikko
Soba noodles

The fibers of Soba noodles are long and firm with dark brown are made by mixing buckwheat and wheat flour, kneading and cutting into small fibers. Similar Udon noodles, Soba noodles can be eaten hot or cold. Cold soba noodles are served with soy sauce, grated radish, seaweed, wasabi and green onions. Japanese people usually eat Soba noodles in the during the new year.

Photo: must try japanese food blog.
wasabi soba noodles
Wasabi Soba Noodles
Okinawan Soba Noodles with Pork Belly and Fish Cake
Image by: japan must try food blog.

Yakitori

yakitori, japan

Yakitori is one of the Japanese delicacies loved by many tourists who come to Japan. To make this dish, people often use chicken to grill. Chicken is marinated with salt and a typical sauce called “tare”. Tare is made from soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar with a recipe that creates a balance between salinity and sweetness. In addition, it can be added ginger for a strong aroma, subtly add a bit of the fatty taste of sesame oil and light sweet of honey, creating a very bold and signature flavor, attracting visitors right at the first time to enjoy.

yakitori, japan
Grilling Yakitori

yakitori, japan

yakitori, japan Chicken Yakitori, one of most delicious foods in Japan
Chicken Yakitori, one of most delicious foods in Japan
yakitori, japan
Yakitori, A must eat in Japan

yakitori, japan

Read more: Chicken Yakitori — How to make, enjoy Chicken Yakitori in Japan.

Sake

Japanese Sake Made in Japan Masu
Japanese Sake, one of best things to buy and must drink in Japan.

Japanese rice wine is often served with a variety of dishes. Sake is made from rice and water and is considered an alcoholic drink since ancient times. Because alcohol can drink hot so “emotion” comes faster and warms the body in the winter. When drinking chilled will also have a taste similar to high quality wine. Each region throughout the country has local winery that has its own unique flavor depending on the quality of rice and water as well as the difference in the wine production process.

japanese wines
Sake, national wine of Japan
Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum kyoto (1)
Distilled sake

takayama sake brewery (1)

Nishi-no-Mon Sake Brewery yoshida sake brewery best places to visit in nagano city (1)
Credit: japan must eat blog.
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Sake Brands. Picture: best items to buy in japan 2018.
Slurp the sexy and smooth Sake – Japan's favourite drink!
Slurp the sexy and smooth Sake – Japan’s favourite drink!

Have the delicious foods above in the land of the rising sun made you hungry? Please quickly save 17 foods that you have to try when you visiting Japan on your list for your fun trip to the beautiful country. Let’s try and share with Living Nomads.

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, to and from Tokyo you can refer to

You will see firsthand the “artisan” making Sushi and present it on the table.

Are you finding more top things to do in Japan: Tours, activities, attractions and other things? Let’s check it out here.