Eating My Way Through Japan
Japan is one of my favorite places to visit because:
You can't go wrong with the food there
It's the cleanest country I've ever seen
People there are extremely polite and considerate
When people think of Japan, the first thing that comes to mind is probably sushi. Although the sushi is as fresh as it gets, there's also millions of other foods that you have to try. Here's my list of places you have to hit up and foods you have to try.
Depachikas (every major city) - My all time favorite thing to do in Japan is to visit the department stores...not for the clothes, but for their basements filled with food. It's truly a sight to be seen. The Japanese are all about presentation so even though the food is meant to be taken to-go, everything is still packaged beautifully. Some of my favorite stores are Takashimaya, Isetan, and Mitsukoshi. The food is very reasonably priced but if you wait until the end of the day, almost everything gets marked down 20-50%! Just whatever you do, don't go to Seibu in Shibuya because that one is LAME.
TOKYO
There are so many great restaurants all around the city that you could just walk into one and can count on it being a pretty good meal. I didn't document every little shop (mainly because the names are in Japanese) but here are the ones that I did:
Umegaoka Sushi No Midori (Shibuya) - This place is probably a tourist trap because 1. the line is crazy long and 2. most of the customers aren't speaking Japanese. But regardless of that, it's good for sushi and it makes for a pretty picture.
Clinton Street Baking Company (Minato) - I've always wanted to visit Clinton Street in NYC but never wanted to deal with the long wait. I actually really wanted to go to Gram while in Japan but because they don't open until 11am (jet lag had me waking up at 6am everyday), I never got the chance. However, the pancakes at Clinton Street were so good I wasn't even mad. They're pretty pricey at $16-18 per plate, but these were some of the fluffiest pancakes I've ever had so it was worth it to me.
KYOTO
Kyo No Tamaya (Nakagyo) - Probably my favorite restaurant in the world. I'm not even exaggerating. I've eaten here 4 times over the course of 2 short stays in Kyoto. That's how good it is. You can order a la carte or they have a 10 course pre-set menu for about $30 per person. BEST. DEAL. EVER. Every single dish is godly. Sit at the counter and watch the chefs make the food right in front of you. Now that I think about it, I shouldn't even be telling people about this place in case it becomes too popular and I'm not able to get a reservation next time.
Iyemon Salon (Nakagyo) - Best casual Japanese style breakfast spot. The interior is modern but with Japanese influences. They offer a couple different breakfast sets that generally include fish or egg with rice and tea. Don't forget the dessert and drinks because those are worth getting as well! Make sure to go early if you go on the weekend because lines get looong.
Somushi Tea House (Nakagyo) - Located right across the street from Iyemon, I came here for a late breakfast because Iyemon had already ended their breakfast service. The interior is so cute and doesn't look like anything I've ever seen before. Their menu is limited and the dishes are priced pretty reasonably but they get you on the drinks . However, as soon as I tried the black sesame latte, I completely forgot about how overpriced it was and immediately wanted 10 more.
Hotaru at Brighton Hotel (Kamigyo) - Traditional Kaiseki style dining with multiple courses. I had breakfast and dinner here and both were amazing. Each individual breakfast set came with porridge and 10 different little dishes including salmon, tamagoyaki (egg omelet), and pickled veggies. For dinner, we ordered a variety of dishes a la carte and every single item was delicious. This place is not cheap but it's definitely a treat.
Ujicha Gion Tsujiri (Gion) - A menu where every item contains matcha?? Yes, please! If you love all things matcha, then this is the place for you! Order at the counter and wait for your food before heading upstairs to sit.
MUST TRY ITEMS
Mochi - My favorite types are sakura mochi (pink sticky rice filled with red bean and wrapped in a shiso leaf) and dango (mochi on a stick with a miso glaze).
Taiyaki/Imagawayaki - Mochi pancake batter filled with your choice of red bean, custard, chestnut, green tea, etc. Taiyaki is shaped like a fish and can be found in croissant form as well and imagawayaki has a circular shape. Usually found at small stands in the train station, in depachikas, or on the street.
Takoyaki - Pan-fried octopus balls. My favorite place is Gindaco, which is a chain that can be found in cities throughout Asia.
Tamagoyaki - Sweet and silky egg omelette with layers on layers. If you visit the Tsukiji market, there's a lot of street vendors that make them on the spot and serve them hot.
Soft Serve Ice Cream - The Japanese seem to have perfected the ice cream swirl. Their standard flavor is usually milk instead of vanilla.
