7 Japanese Street Food You Must Try

Japanese cuisines are unarguably people's favourite around the globe! Well, these dishes have been known for being affordable but delicious.

The types of Japanese street food itself are well known and made in various countries, such as takoyaki, yakitori, and many more. However, you don't want to get overwhelmed by all the options available.

Listed below are seven popular Japanese street dishes that you must taste if you find yourself in Japan.

Unlike in Bangkok or Singapore, where street food is available daily, in Japan, people only set up temporary food stalls on the streets during specific times of the year. Yattai is the name of these food stands, and you can find them in almost every corner of a Japanese city during the summer or festival season (matsuri).

But, you might be heard about Dotonbori in Osaka area and Fukuoka which have great options of Japanese Street food every day. Yup, these two areas somehow has that exceptions. So, if you're seeking Japanese street food outside the matsuri season, Dotonbori and Fukuoka are a place to go.

So, without further ado let's jump to the list of 7 Japanese street food you must try

1. Okonomiyaki

Have you ever heard about okonomiyaki before? Okonomiyaki is a grilled food, a savoury pancake that usually has seafood (calamari, shrimp, scallops, etc), and meat. Not only that, okonomiyaki is served with several yummy sauce on top named okonomiyaki sauce, Japanese mayonnaise, katsuobushi, and many more!

The name okonomiyaki itself comes from the Japanese word Okonomi, which means 'what you like' and yaki, which means 'grilled. So, basically, okonomiyaki is everything you like that's is grilled at once.

But okonomiyaki is also popular with the name "Japanese Pizza", are you agree with that?

2. Taiyaki

I know you must be familiar with this dish. Taiyaki is a fish-shaped Japanese cake! Taiyaki is a perfect dessert to be eaten, it tastes sweet and crispy.

Don't get fooled with the shape, this dish has nothing to do with seafood. Instead, it has a variety of sweet filling. The common fillings you might have for Taiyaki are red bean paste, cheese, chocolate, sweet potato, and custard!

Taiyaki is a popular Japanese street food, and you can easily find it everywhere (especially Tokyo). Just like any other street food, Taiyaki is cooked right in front of you, so it'll be perfect if you eat this straight away while it's hot!

3. Takoyaki

Who doesn't know this ball-shaped Japanese snack? This Osaka-originated food is something you should definitely eat while you're in Japan.

For you who don't know, takoyaki is the kind of dumplings baked in a particular pan with a batter made from wheat flour. Pickled ginger, tempura scraps, green onion, and chopped or diced octopus are common fillings. On top of that, you can have a variety of sauces, mayonnaise, and sometimes it has katsuobushi.

4. Daiou Cheese Juu-en Pan

Image source: https://soranews24.com

Please welcome the currently so popular dishes; Daiou Cheese Juu-en Pan.

While the ones in Korea there's a cake that resembles 10-won coins, the new dish in Japan has a pancake shaped like 10-yen coins, however, you'll have to pay 500 yen to get one.

Japanese 10-yen pancake has a crunchy exterior with a soft, chewy inside. The pancake's dough was crispy on the outside and sweet and chewy on the inside; combined, the salty cheese filling and the crispy dough were a match made in heaven.

Even though it's very popular and delicious, you don't need to wait for too long. Thanks to the very hot iron griddles!

5. Dango

A dango, also known as a sweet skewer, is a Japanese dumpling made from Japanese rice flour (mochiko). It differs from the traditional process of creating mochi, which involves heating sticky rice. Dango is often finished round, and three to five dango are frequently placed on a skewer.

The flavour of plain dango balls is similar to that of sweet rice. It may sound ordinary, but the texture is what characterizes this Japanese treat. Chewy, delicate, and soft while remaining hard and toothsome. Dango, on the other hand, can be served with a delightful coating of shoyu and sugar sauce.

If you're looking for a light sugary snack, consider the hanami dango, which comes in pink, white, and green colour. On the other hand, if you're looking for something thick, rich, and gooey dango, try the sweet potato-filled ikinari dango.

6. Yakitori

If dango is a sweet skewer, yakitori is a Japanese skewered chicken dish. Yakitori is a popular, affordable dish that is often enjoyed with a glass of beer.

The word "Yakitori" comes from the Japanese words "Yaki," which means "to grill," and "Tori," which means "bird". It is a simple dish, and your country may have something similar. Yet, you might want to taste yakitori in it's origin country.

How does yakitori taste? Well, the sauce is a perfect harmony of sweet and salty, and the meat itself has a simply fantastic and slightly smokey flavour.

7. Wataame or Watagashi

Image source: https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/restaurants/momi-toys

Wataame or Watagashi means cotton candy in english terms. Children absolutely will adore this delicacy, and you may frequently find it sold at festivals in Japan. The only difference between cotton candy sold in Japan and cotton candy sold outside of Japan is the name. Therefore, cotton candy is referred to as either wata-ame or watagashi in Japan. In Japanese, wata refers to cotton, ame means candy, while kashi or gashi can be used to refer to sweets in general.

This is just a fun and delectable dish if you're looking for something sweet in the middle of the festival!