10 Japanese Foods That Aren't Sushi Or Ramen That You Should Totally Give A Try

Ramen and sushi are great but there are so many other wonderful Japanese foods to try. And while we're in the mood for trying new things, give GEICO a try! See how much you could save on car insurance by switching today.

1. Takoyaki

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Takoyaki is a street food you can find all over Japan but it originated in Osaka. It is essentially pieces of octopus fried inside batter and topped with various ingredients like takoyaki sauce, mayo, seaweed, and fish flakes. Some people like cheese as a topping! This dish is served piping hot in Japan at food stalls, festival stands, and even frozen at convenience stores.

2. Okonomiyaki

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A sort of "cousin" to takoyaki is okonomiyaki. You could think of it as a savory pancake made of cabbage and batter, and topped with pork, sauce, and other savory condiments. "Okonomi" means "as you like it" in Japanese, so you can customize this dish in many ways. For example, you can make Kansai style (ingredients mixed together) or Hiroshima style (ingredients layered).

3. Nikujaga

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If you like meat and potatoes, then you should try nikujaga, which literally translates to meat and potatoes! It's a stew that's often cooked at home because it's hearty and easy to make. Another ingredient that is often in nikujaga is konnyaku noodles, which is made from konjac (similar to taro).

4. Donburi

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There are many types of donburi, or rice bowls, that you'd almost be certain to find one you like. Each donburi consists of a bowl of rice with a type of protein laid on top. Pictured above is katsudon, deep-fried pork cutlet and eggs on top of rice. Some other examples are tendon (various tempura), oyakodon (chicken and egg), and gyudon (beef).

5. Oden

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On a cold winter's day, you might want to try a steaming pot of oden, a comforting stew made with dashi, a Japanese broth. Traditionally made in an earthenware pot, oden is filled with fish cakes, hard-boiled eggs, konnyaku (yes, this again!), fried tofu, and other veggies. During the winter, you'll often find Japanese convenience stores serving oden! Buying from a food stall or convenience store is a great way to try different ingredients, as you pay per each individual ingredient.

6. Tamago Kake Gohan

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Tamago kake gohan is simply a raw egg eaten on top of a bowl of warm rice, sometimes with soy sauce or other condiments. Raw eggs are actually quite safe to eat in Japan because of their strict rules on egg production. So while you might not want to eat a raw egg normally, take the opportunity to try tamago kake gohan if you ever visit Japan!

7. Kushikatsu/Kushiage

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Another food from Osaka is kushikatsu (also known as kushiage). They are pieces of meat or veggies dipped in batter and deep-fried on sticks. It's a fun type of food to eat with a group of people so you can order a variety platter and share with everyone. Many kushikatsu restaurants offer sauce you can dip the skewers into but please don't double-dip! If you want more sauce for your skewer, you can take the cabbage usually provided for free at the restaurant and use it as a spoon to scoop up more.

8. Taiyaki

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Taiyaki is another street food you can normally find at Japanese festivals. It's a fish-shaped waffle/pancake-like dessert usually filled with sweet red bean paste, but another popular filling is custard! 

9. Dango

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You may have tried mochi before but have you ever tried dango? They are very similar but while mochi is made with whole rice grains, dango is made from rice flour. Shown in the photo above is mitarashi dango, one of the most popular varieties. The little rice balls are placed onto sticks, grilled, and covered in a sweet soy sauce, so you get a lovely sweet and savory experience when eating it.

10. Anmitsu

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Anmitsu is a traditional Japanese dessert that consists of a variety of ingredients beautifully placed in a bowl. The main ingredients are usually red bean paste (anko), agar/kanten jelly cubes, dango (which you learned about above), fruits, and a brown sugar syrup called mitsu poured on top. Anmitsu is usually eaten during the summer as it is served cold and some recipes even include ice cream!

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