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Japanese
Food

Genre vs. price range — color shows how often you'll encounter each dish.

CULTURE — FOODN = 50 DISHES

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CATEGORY — TAP A DISH TO LEARN MORE

主食系 · STAPLE FOOD1 dishes
Steamed RiceSteamed Rice¥100〜¥300
Make it at home
Japanese rice cooker ↗Donabe rice pot ↗
麺類 · NOODLES5 dishes
UdonUdon¥400〜¥800SobaSoba¥500〜¥900RamenRamen¥700〜¥1,200SomenSomen¥300〜¥600YakisobaYakisoba¥400〜¥800
Make it at home
Soba-making kit ↗Noodle rolling pin & cutter ↗
汁物 · SOUP3 dishes
Miso SoupMiso Soup¥100〜¥300Sumashi SoupSumashi Soup¥150〜¥350TonjiruTonjiru¥200〜¥450
Make it at home
Dashi stock packs ↗Miso muddler ↗
鍋料理 · HOT POT7 dishes
NabeNabe¥800〜¥1,500SukiyakiSukiyaki¥1,500〜¥3,000Shabu-shabuShabu-shabu¥1,500〜¥3,000OdenOden¥300〜¥800YosenabeYosenabe¥1,000〜¥2,000Jingisukan¥1,500〜¥3,000Motsunabe¥1,200〜¥2,500
Make it at home
Donabe clay hot pot ↗Portable gas burner ↗
寿司・刺身 · SUSHI & SASHIMI5 dishes
Nigiri SushiNigiri Sushi¥1,000〜¥2,500Maki SushiMaki Sushi¥500〜¥1,200Chirashi SushiChirashi Sushi¥900〜¥1,800SashimiSashimi¥1,000〜¥2,500Oysters¥1,000〜¥2,500
Make it at home
Sushi rolling mat (makisu) ↗Sushi rice tub (hangiri) ↗
粉物 · FLOUR-BASED3 dishes
OkonomiyakiOkonomiyaki¥700〜¥1,200TakoyakiTakoyaki¥400〜¥800MonjayakiMonjayaki¥600〜¥1,100
Make it at home
Takoyaki pan ↗Okonomiyaki spatula set ↗
丼物 · RICE BOWLS5 dishes
OyakodonOyakodon¥600〜¥1,000GyudonGyudon¥400〜¥800TendonTendon¥700〜¥1,300UnadonUnadon¥1,800〜¥3,500Hitsumabushi¥2,500〜¥4,500
Make it at home
Oyakodon pan ↗Donburi bowl set ↗
発酵食品 · FERMENTED FOODS3 dishes
NattoNatto¥100〜¥200MisoMiso¥200〜¥500TsukemonoTsukemono¥150〜¥400
Make it at home
Nukadoko pickling kit ↗Japanese pickle press ↗
菓子類 · SWEETS5 dishes
DangoDango¥200〜¥400DaifukuDaifuku¥150〜¥350DorayakiDorayaki¥150〜¥300MochiMochi¥200〜¥500TaiyakiTaiyaki¥150〜¥300
Make it at home
Taiyaki pan ↗Dorayaki / imagawayaki pan ↗
居酒屋・酒の肴 · IZAKAYA SNACKS6 dishes
YakitoriYakitori¥100〜¥250EdamameEdamame¥200〜¥400Dashimaki TamagoDashimaki Tamago¥300〜¥600KaraageKaraage¥200〜¥500GyozaGyoza¥250〜¥500Gyutan¥1,500〜¥3,000
Make it at home
Tabletop yakitori grill ↗Bamboo skewers ↗
揚げ物 · FRIED FOODS3 dishes
TempuraTempura¥800〜¥1,500TonkatsuTonkatsu¥800〜¥1,500Miso Katsu¥900〜¥1,500
Make it at home
Tempura pot with thermometer ↗Wire cooling rack ↗
洋食 · YOSHOKU3 dishes
Curry RiceCurry Rice¥900〜¥1,500OmuriceOmurice¥700〜¥1,200Soup Curry¥1,000〜¥1,800
Make it at home
Omelette pan (for omurice) ↗Japanese curry roux ↗
蒸し物 · STEAMED1 dishes
ChawanmushiChawanmushi¥300〜¥600
Make it at home
Chawanmushi cups ↗Japanese steamer ↗

GENRE × PRICE MATRIX

Japanese Food: Genre × Price

FREQUENCYCommonModerateRare
Japanese dishes by genre and price range. Each cell lists the dishes in that genre at that price; tag color shows how commonly you will encounter the dish.
GENRE / PRICE
Low¥100–¥500
Mid¥600–¥1,500
High¥1,600+
STAPLE FOOD主食系
Steamed Rice
— none —
— none —
NOODLES麺類
Somen
UdonSobaRamenYakisoba
— none —
SOUP汁物
Miso SoupSumashi SoupTonjiru
— none —
— none —
HOT POT鍋料理
— none —
NabeOdenMotsunabe
SukiyakiShabu-shabuYosenabeJingisukan
SUSHI & SASHIMI寿司・刺身
— none —
Maki SushiOysters
Nigiri SushiChirashi SushiSashimi
FLOUR-BASED粉物
— none —
OkonomiyakiTakoyakiMonjayaki
— none —
RICE BOWLS丼物
— none —
OyakodonGyudonTendon
UnadonHitsumabushi
FERMENTED FOODS発酵食品
NattoMisoTsukemono
— none —
— none —
SWEETS菓子類
DangoDaifukuDorayakiMochiTaiyaki
— none —
— none —
IZAKAYA SNACKS居酒屋・酒の肴
YakitoriEdamameDashimaki TamagoKaraageGyoza
— none —
Gyutan
FRIED FOODS揚げ物
— none —
TempuraTonkatsuMiso Katsu
— none —
YOSHOKU洋食
— none —
Curry RiceOmuriceSoup Curry
— none —
STEAMED蒸し物
Chawanmushi
— none —
— none —

DIETARY & ALLERGY GUIDE

Questions Travelers Actually Ask

Can I just walk into a regular ramen shop as a vegetarian?Almost always pork or chicken-based broth — dedicated vegetarian ramen exists, but it's the exception, not the rule.
Why does a 'vegetable' dish still have fish in it?Dashi — a stock built on bonito flakes and/or kelp — is the flavor base under most Japanese savory cooking, vegetables included.
What can I actually eat in Japan if I need to avoid pork?Pork shows up well beyond the obvious dishes — broth bases, extracts, and lard are common and rarely labeled.
Will they actually make it without pork (or without X) if I ask?Many kitchens will say no — not from unwillingness, but because the base is already made in bulk before you order.
Will they let me take my leftovers home if I don't finish?Usually not — most restaurants decline for food-safety and liability reasons, which is close to the opposite of the norm in the West.
Can I actually eat raw egg on rice without getting sick?Japanese eggs are produced and handled under standards built around raw consumption, which is a real difference from many other countries — though no food is ever a zero-risk guarantee.
Raw chicken showed up on my plate — is it actually safe to eat?Torisashi is a real, intentionally-served dish at some restaurants, but the campylobacter risk is real too — even many Japanese diners choose to avoid it.
Can I actually trust the allergy label on packaged food?Packaged food has real labeling rules, but restaurants generally have none at all — the two situations are very different.
Is Japan actually risky for a shellfish allergy?Shrimp and crab turn up in dashi, fish cakes, and snack foods — often in things that don't look like seafood at all.
Can I actually avoid wheat when eating out in Japan?It isn't just about soy sauce — udon, tempura batter, and karaage coating are the real everyday obstacles for wheat-free eating.

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