Japan Foodie Bucket List

Eat sushi in Japan, the birthplace of this iconic dish, known for its fresh ingredients and traditional preparation

Experience traditional sushi preparation

Enjoy authentic Kobe beef, a premium Japanese delicacy known for its tenderness and flavor, in Japan

Participate in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony, a cultural activity centered around the preparation and presentation

Experience the traditional Japanese rice wine, sake, known for its unique flavors and brewing process

Experience traditional Japanese matcha tea, a finely ground green tea powder used in tea ceremonies

Enjoy yakitori, Japanese grilled chicken skewers, often served with various seasonings and sauces

Try miso soup, a traditional Japanese soup made from fermented soybean paste

Participate in traditional tea ritual

Enjoy tonkatsu, a Japanese dish of breaded and deep-fried pork cutlet, often served with cabbage and tonkatsu sauce

Experience traditional fish auction and market

Try okonomiyaki, a savory Japanese pancake with various ingredients, often cooked on a griddle

Enjoy shabu-shabu, a Japanese hot pot dish where you cook thin slices of meat and vegetables in a simmering broth

Try unagi, a traditional Japanese dish of grilled freshwater eel, often served over rice

Experience the traditional Japanese tea ceremony by making matcha the authentic way

Enjoy a traditional Japanese green tea known for its fresh, grassy flavor and health benefits.

Enjoy umeshu, a traditional Japanese plum wine often served as an aperitif or dessert drink

Try shochu, a traditional Japanese distilled spirit made from various ingredients like sweet potatoes, barley, or rice

Try dashi, a fundamental Japanese soup stock made from kombu seaweed and katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)

Experience the world's largest fish market in Tokyo

Tour traditional sake production

Experience dining at a sushi conveyor belt restaurant (kaiten-zushi) in Japan, where plates of fresh sushi rotate past your seat for easy selection.

Learn to make authentic sushi in Japan, mastering techniques like nigiri, maki, and sashimi preparation.

Fukuoka’s riverside yatai food stalls serve the original pork-bone ramen — creamy, rich and eaten elbow to elbow with strangers.