How to Eat and Drink Like a Local in Japan - Guide to Sampling Japanese Delicacies and Beverages during a Trip to Japan

Ranked among the world's most fascinating destinations for foodies, Japan offers travellers a dizzying array of culinary treats to savour. Regardless of your dining preferences, traditional Japanese cuisine as well as its fusion dishes is likely to make you fall in love with the local food culture. From wining and dining on well-loved street food items to sampling lesser-known delicacies in the Japanese canon, here's a comprehensive guide to eating your way through Japan's best local dishes. 

1. Grab a Japanese Breakfast

Brücke-Osteuropa, Japanese breakfast, CC0 1.0 

Whether you are based at the Grand Park Otaru or any other hotel close to the best restaurants in Hokkaido, Japan, nothing beats ordering a traditional Japanese breakfast during a tour of Japan. Served in most hotels and fine dining restaurants, a traditional Japanese breakfast will consist of miso soup, steamed rice, pickles and grilled fish. Popular side dishes that are often placed alongside a breakfast platter include raw/half-boiled eggs, cold tofu and fermented soybeans. Don't be surprised if seaweed salads and green beans doused in sesame sauce are also part of the breakfast you ordered as restaurants like to include seasonal dishes in their breakfast spreads.

2. Sip on Local Coffee Concoctions

When in Japan, it is best to grab coffee out of a can as there are a number of famous canned coffee drinks that are sold via vending machines all across Japan. Although they may be low on caffeine, these classic Japanese drinks that are served both hot and cold are loved by locals and visitors. Some of the best canned coffee brands to check out during a trip to Japan include JapanBounce, traditional kissaten and combini coffees that are sold in convenience stores.

3. Hit a Local Bakery

Japan's baked goods are some of the most delicious local treats on offer and TokyoBread is a staple that's revered by locals and expats alike. There is also a plethora of bread with different fillings including the Mentaiko Furansu Pan, which is essentially a baguette with mayonnaise and a cod roe filling. Japanese curry is the main filling in Kare-Pan while other baked goods include red bean paste pretzels, mugwort croissants and pastry cubes that feature a filling of soy milk cream and black beans. Some of the biggest bakery chains in Japan where most of these treats are available include Katane, Little Mermaid, City Bakery and Anderson.

4. Drink Tea with Wagashi

Japanese sweets come in all shapes and sizes but none are quite as addictive as Wagashi. As a common side dish that's served in Japanese tea ceremonies, this delectable sweet is made using dried fruit, raw nuts, sweet bean paste and glutinous rice. Resembling little charms with intricate details, the sweet is often made to resemble an element of nature or a Japanese folk story. 

5. Buy a Bento Box

Head to a Depanchika or the basement of a department store to pick up a Bento Box during your time in Tokyo as it is a signature Japanese take-out meal that's ideal for those on a budget. Having been a fixture in Japanese food culture since the Edo period, locals buy Bento boxes as those in the west buy TV microwave dinners. Full of savoury and sweet edibles, what's inside a Bento box varies greatly based on the manufacturer. 

6. Dig into Soba Noodles Hot and Cold

No trip to Japan would be complete without enjoying a soba noodle dish from a street vendor. Served with tempura, sushi and other toppings, a dish of soba noodles is served either hot and cold and made with buckwheat flour. 

7. Enjoy Sake

Head to the Yata Sake Bar or the Moto sake bar to enjoy traditional sake in some of Tokyo's favourite drinking holes.