{"id":27065,"date":"2021-06-30T15:00:25","date_gmt":"2021-06-30T15:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/?p=27065"},"modified":"2023-05-31T02:16:16","modified_gmt":"2023-05-31T02:16:16","slug":"japanese-street-food","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/blog\/japanese-street-food\/","title":{"rendered":"The best mouthwatering Japanese street food"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are plenty of wondrous things to take in on a typical Japanese city street. You\u2019ve got throngs of people bustling through their day. Bright neon and digital advertisements light up the pavement. And traditional-style storefronts sit tucked in unassuming alleyways. But perhaps the most magnificent thing among them all is a bit more subtle: the\u00a0<\/span>smells<\/i> of food, particularly Japanese street food.<\/p>\n

Japan is home to some of the most delicious and unique street foods in the world. This guide contains everything you\u2019ll need to know about Japanese street food for the next time you catch the scent of this mouth-watering cuisine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"yakitori\"<\/p>\n

Savory Japanese Street Food<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Yakitori (\u713c\u304d\u9ce5)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Yakitori <\/span><\/i>(\u713c\u304d\u9ce5) translates to \u201cgrilled chicken.\u201d But this word is often used to refer to a simple skewer made of any kind of meat, vegetable, or fish, grilled on a stick. This is a staple snack of any festival for good reason – they\u2019re delicious! When you order, the server will ask which of the two varieties you\u2019d like. <\/span><\/p>\n

You can simply say \u201c<\/span>shio<\/span><\/i> (\u5869),\u201d for salted, or \u201c<\/span>tare<\/span><\/i> (\u30bf\u30ec),\u201d for Japanese-style BBQ sauce added. If you\u2019re not sure what kind to order, <\/span>tsukune <\/span><\/i>(\u634f\u306d), <\/span>negima <\/span><\/i>(\u8471\u9593), and <\/span>asuparabekon <\/span><\/i>(\u30a2\u30b9\u30d1\u30e9\u30d9\u30fc\u30b3\u30f3) are nice starting options.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"kushikatsu<\/p>\n

Kushikatsu (\u4e32\u30ab\u30c4)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Kushikatsu <\/span><\/i>(\u4e32\u30ab\u30c4) is basically a yakitori-style skewer dipped in a light panko batter, fried and served with a sauce that varies by region. This rich Japanese street food is a local specialty of Osaka<\/strong>. Start your search at Osaka\u2019s downtown <\/span>Shin-Seikai<\/span><\/i> (\u65b0\u4e16\u754c) if you\u2019d like to try them yourself. There\u2019s no shortage of options there and these savory deep-fried skewers will be fantastic anywhere you go. Kushikatsu comes in meat, seafood, and vegetable skewer varieties for anyone to enjoy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ikayaki (\u30a4\u30ab\u713c\u304d)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Ikayaki<\/span><\/i> (\u30a4\u30ab\u713c\u304d) is a squid cooked over charcoal on a bamboo skewer or served sliced on a plate. Ikayaki is grilled to a tender, chewy texture before being seasoned with a brushing of soy sauce or a splash of lemon. Dip them in some mayonnaise to dine just like the locals do. They may be a unique snack, but don\u2019t be intimidated by this somewhat monstrous-looking street food! It tastes great and makes a perfect pairing with crisp beer or sake.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Shioyaki (\u5869\u713c\u304d)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Shioyaki <\/span><\/i>(\u5869\u713c\u304d) translates to \u201csalt grill,\u201d which is how this Japanese street food is prepared. A fresh fish is salted, wrapped, and stored overnight to season. The next day, it\u2019s placed on the grill for eager festival revelers. The result is delicate, flakey fish meat wrapped in crispy, slightly salty skin. You\u2019ll find a ton of different fish prepared this way in Japan, but some of the most common varieties are sardines, salmon, and mackerel.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"okonomiyaki\"<\/p>\n

Okonomiyaki (\u304a\u597d\u307f\u713c\u304d)\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Okonomiyaki <\/span><\/i>(\u304a\u597d\u307f\u713c\u304d) is a savory Japanese pancake loaded with a flour base, cabbage, and a protein of your choice. It\u2019s mixed and poured onto a hot griddle. Once it\u2019s brown on both sides, okonomiyaki sauce (similar to Worcestershire), <\/span>katsuobushi <\/span><\/i>(\u9c39\u7bc0)<\/span>–<\/span><\/i> bonito flakes, a seaweed called <\/span>aonori<\/span><\/i> (\u9752\u306e\u308a), and mayonnaise are slathered on top. This is the base of the dish, but keep in mind that okonomiyaki comes in a ton of different styles depending on what region you\u2019re in.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Yakisoba (\u713c\u304d\u305d\u3070)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Yakisoba <\/span><\/i>(\u713c\u304d\u305d\u3070) is a stir-fried noodle dish that\u2019s prevalent in festivals and street stalls all over Japan. It\u2019s a base of rich wheat noodles stir-fried with vegetables and meat or fish. They are often topped with a sweet and savory sauce blend along with some aonori, <\/span>benish\u014dga<\/span><\/i> (\u7d05\u3057\u3087\u3046\u304c)- red pickled ginger, or bonito flakes. <\/span><\/p>\n

The varieties are too many to list here. But no matter what kind of yakisoba you try, you\u2019ll be treated to a hearty, intensely flavourful, and harmonious combo.<\/span><\/p>\n

Karaage (\u5510\u63da\u3052)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Karaage <\/span><\/i>is Japan\u2019s take on a classic dish anywhere you go: fried chicken. What separates Japanese karaage from other styles of fried chicken is the extremely light, crispy<\/strong> quality of the starchy coating. You\u2019ll find this popular dish in street stalls and izakayas all over Japan with different coatings and sauces in each. But to get a sense of why karaage is so popular, try it with a squeeze of lemon alone first.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"takoyaki\"<\/p>\n

Takoyaki (\u305f\u3053\u713c\u304d)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Of all the scrumptious choices on this list, <\/span>takoyaki <\/span><\/i>(\u305f\u3053\u713c\u304d) is the most fun to order. Watching a chef grill these bite-sized balls of octopus-filled goodness is an experience in itself. Takoyaki is made in a special grill that looks a little like a cast-iron carton of eggs. To cook them evenly, the batter needs to be turned and flipped around until achieving a golden brown outside while keeping the inside moist and gooey. <\/span><\/p>\n

Enjoy okonomiyaki\u2019s flavours in a small package with a show to go along with it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ky\u016bri Asazuke (\u304d\u3085\u3046\u308a\u306e\u6d45\u6f2c\u3051\uff09<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Ky\u016bri Asazuke<\/span><\/i> (\u304d\u3085\u3046\u308a\u306e\u6d45\u6f2c\u3051) is just one of the many kinds of Japanese pickle dishes called tsukemono (\u6f2c\u7269). In restaurants and izakayas you\u2019ll often see these sliced green, pickled cucumbers as a side dish or included as part of the fee to sit down. At festivals, ky\u016bri asazuke is a refreshing treat on a stick, served whole. Their mild vinegar taste is another great pairing with a fresh beer or sake.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"dango\"<\/p>\n

Sweet Japanese Street Food<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Dango (\u56e3\u5b50)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Dango <\/span><\/i>(\u56e3\u5b50) is a type of Japanese dumpling like mochi in flavour with a more dense texture. You\u2019ll see these little, white rice balls in festivals all across Japan. They come in all kinds of flavours, in both sweet and savory styles. Check out <\/span>mitarashi <\/span><\/i>(\u307f\u305f\u3089\u3057\u56e3\u5b50) if you want to try a classic style with a sweet, syrupy coating. And don\u2019t miss out on <\/span>hanami dango<\/span><\/i> (\u82b1\u898b\u56e3\u5b50), a special, sakura-flavoured delicacy only served during cherry blossom season.<\/span><\/p>\n

Choco Banana (\u30c1\u30e7\u30b3\u30d0\u30ca\u30ca)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This wonderful Japanese street food is typically sold at summer festivals. And it\u2019s both as simple and amazing as it sounds. Take one skewered banana, dip it in chocolate, and voil\u00e0! You\u2019ve got yourself one tasty <\/span>choco banana<\/span><\/i> (\u30c1\u30e7\u30b3\u30d0\u30ca\u30ca) to take on the go. Plain milk chocolate coating is the standard for this delight. But, choco bananas often come with all kinds of candy coatings, sprinkles, and decorative frosting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hungry for more about life in Japan? Read more about Japanese culture and society on our blog<\/a> and follow us on Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, and Facebook<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There are plenty of wondrous things to take in on a typical Japanese city street. You\u2019ve got throngs of people bustling through their day. Bright neon and digital advertisements light up the pavement. And traditional-style storefronts sit tucked in unassuming alleyways. But perhaps the most magnificent thing among them all is a bit more subtle: […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":117,"featured_media":26555,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[399],"tags":[668],"class_list":["post-27065","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-food-drink","tag-eating"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27065","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/117"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27065"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27065\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26555"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27065"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27065"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27065"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}