Japan B-Gourmet Guide
Eat like a local across all 47 prefectures of Japan.
Featured local eats
ShizuokaFujinomiya YakisobaThe local yakisoba of Fujinomiya, at the foot of Mt. Fuji. It uses special low-moisture steamed noodles that are firm and chewy. The toppings are cabbage and nikukasu, crispy bits left over from rendering pork fat. Locals finish it with plenty of dashiko, a powder of dried sardine or mackerel, which adds aroma and umami. It won the B-1 Grand Prix two years in a row, sparking Japan's local food boom. Stop by when visiting Mt. Fuji or Sengen Taisha shrine; the city has many places serving it.OsakaTakoyakiBalls of dashi-based batter with a piece of octopus inside, grilled on a special iron plate. The star of Osaka's flour-based food culture, they are crispy outside and gooey inside. The classic topping is sauce, mayonnaise, green seaweed and bonito flakes, but some shops serve them dipped in dashi or with soy sauce or salt. Fresh takoyaki is very hot inside, so let it cool a little. Eating on the go around Dotonbori is fun, but please take your trash with you. Comparing shops is part of the fun.HokkaidoSoup CurryA Sapporo-born curry with a thin, broth-like soup instead of a thick roux. It usually comes loaded with large pieces of fried vegetables and a bone-in chicken leg, and looks as good as it tastes. Scoop some rice with your spoon and dip it into the fragrant, spicy soup. Many shops let you choose the soup base, spice level and amount of rice, so you can make it your own. Sapporo has countless specialist shops, so comparing them is fun. If it is your first time, start with a mild spice level.FukuokaHakata RamenFukuoka's ramen pairs a rich, milky broth made by slowly simmering pork bones with very thin, straight noodles. The noodles are thin so they do not go soft, and you can choose their firmness when ordering, from barikata (very firm) to futsu (regular). There is a culture of kaedama, ordering just a refill of noodles, so locals save some broth for a second helping. Change the flavor with pickled ginger, spicy mustard greens or sesame on the table. Try it at the yatai food stalls in Nakasu for the full experience.ShizuokaShizuoka OdenShizuoka City's famous oden, simmered in a dark broth made with beef tendon and pork offal. Every ingredient is served on a skewer, and the grey kuro hanpen fish cake made from sardines or mackerel is a must. Sprinkle on plenty of fish powder and green seaweed flakes before eating. Children have long eaten it as an afternoon snack at old candy shops, and today you can still order it skewer by skewer at candy shops and izakaya. There is even an alley lined with oden bars in the city center.OsakaKushikatsuSkewers of beef, pork, vegetables and seafood, battered and deep-fried. Shinsekai, home of Tsutenkaku Tower, is packed with kushikatsu shops and has long been the place for this everyday favorite. Skewers start at around ¥100 each and go perfectly with beer. The shared sauce has one rule: no double-dipping. Once you have bitten a skewer, do not dip it again. If you need more sauce, do as the locals do and use the free cabbage to scoop it on. Each shop's batter has a different texture.HokkaidoJingisukan (Grilled Lamb)Hokkaido's signature dish: lamb or mutton and vegetables grilled on a special dome-shaped iron pan. The meat juices run down to the edge of the pan and soak into the bean sprouts and onions. There are two styles: meat marinated in sauce before grilling, or grilled plain and dipped in sauce afterwards. Locals enjoy it at home, at cherry-blossom parties and at barbecues. The smoke sticks to clothes easily, so use the apron most restaurants provide.FukuokaHakata Motsunabe (Offal Hot Pot)Hakata's famous hot pot of tender beef offal, such as small intestine, simmered with plenty of cabbage, garlic chives and garlic. Soy sauce and miso broths are the most common, combining the rich umami of the offal with the sweetness of the vegetables. It was born in postwar Hakata and has even sparked a nationwide craze. Finish by adding champon noodles to the leftover soup, or make rice porridge. Most restaurants serve it for two or more people, so it is best enjoyed in a group. It warms you up on a cold day.