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PaperclipPerfector  5mo ago (text post)   2447 thread views

Friday Fun Thread for May 31, 2024

Be advised: this thread is not for serious in-depth discussion of weighty topics (we have a link for that), this thread is not for anything Culture War related. This thread is for Fun. You got jokes? Share 'em. You got silly questions? Ask 'em.

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What advice could you offer to a traveler inexperienced with Japanese cuisine?

Etiquette-wise? Do what other people are doing. Also, don't worry about looking retarded when eating, as a foreigner Japanese people will automatically assume you're retarded and there's often nothing you can do to convince them otherwise.

Recommendation-wise? This is all personal taste, but:

  • Go for Korean BBQ over Japanese yakiniku. Japanese yakiniku is more expensive and less flavorful
  • Small local chain kaitenzushi restaurants are often really good and pretty affordable. Avoid national chain kaitenzushi unless you just want something decent and dirt cheap.
  • Go for hipster "gourmet" ramen places over greasy cheapo places. The latter are cheap but are often pretty meh unless you have a local friend who knows where the cheap AND good places are hidden.
  • When you're outside of Tokyo, try whatever the local specialty or delicacy is, it's almost always delicious.
  • Eat all the seafood. Eat at least once any sea creatures you've never eaten before. Kaisen-don are a decent way to get a lot of good sashimi at an affordable price.
  • Try okonomiyaki, it's great
  • Avoid most Chinese food here, most of it has been neutered to cater to the bland Japanese palate
  • Drink nihonshu/sake, and especially local sake (jizake) outside of Tokyo
  • Try the different kinds of shochu, they're interesting and unique.
  • You can skip beer here, the macro brews are unremarkable and the craft beers are decent but terrible value for money compared to any western country
  • Go to a really good soba place once

I think that's all I got for now.

Thanks for the helpful tips.

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