As Japanese food grows in popularity across the world, most people know of many famous dishes, such as ramen, sushi, teppanyaki dishes (like okonomiyaki), and desserts like mochi. Did you know that while many of these are enjoyed across Japan and have uncertain origins, plenty of them enjoy fierce local pride! Not just in each prefecture, but cities and even towns have well established specialities that locals enjoy often, but tourists may pass by delicacies without even knowing. This comprehensive list serves to guide your palate if you plan a trip to Japan. If you want to enjoy delicious and authentic okonomiyaki, make sure to stop by Osaka or Hiroshima (depending on your preference- including yakisoba or not!), and if you want to take a risk eating freshly prepared blowfish sashimi (only kidding, it's exceptionally safe with all the certifications required to serve it), there's nowhere better than Shimonoseki! Let your stomach guide your next trip! Image: Kawara Soba in Yamaguchi.
