Food in Japan

Happy happy at our local udon shop

When people used to ask me what I miss about Japan, food was always one of the first things that came to mind! People automatically assumed this meant I love sushi, which is not the case. I like sushi, but there is so much more in Japan. I’m not sure why sushi and Japanese tepanyaki (Japanese steakhouses) are the only widely available culinary items in the States, when there is udon noodles, soba noodles (eaten cold in the summer), ramen (not just the cheap, dehydrated kind) yakiniku (Korean BBQ), Japanese curry, tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet), nabe/sukiyaki/shabu shabu (hot pot dishes), and tons of other delicious items! 

Bento on the Shinkansen (bullet train)

What I often missed most are the simple, everyday food items: onigiri (seaweed wrapped, fish-stuffed, rice balls), bento (traditional boxed lunches), and set lunches at Japanese restaurants, where for a reasonable price you get rice, miso soup, Japanese pickles, meat or fish, and an iced coffee. These are the basics, the comfort food. They’re usually not exotic enough to export around the world, but they end up being the things you really miss.

Sucking down some Hope-Ken ramen