Japan has a variety of street foods. Though not as prevalent as Thais or Taiwanese, Japanese street foods are so unique and a reflection of the country's rich culinary tradition. They range from classic to modern Asian- Western fusion of foods.
Street food vendors, also known as yatai, display most of their items whenever there is a festivity in a town. They follow a festival from one place to another. Sometimes, a yatai will sell his foods in one town during the day and will move to another place at night time.
Although some restaurants are offering street food menus, it is still recommended to experience eating them outside- in the streets. Here are some that you must definitely try.
Takoyaki, ball shaped pan-cakes made from a batter of octopus, ginger, green onions, and ginger and tempura bits. The batter is fried till crisp and topped with green onions, fish shavings, mayonnaise and a special sauce. Takoyaki is very popular in Osaka where it originated but can also be found in pretty much any place in Japan.
Okonomiyaki--or Japanese pancake because it looks like pancake and is being cooked in a griddle. The savory pancake is a mixture of flour, eggs, cabbage as well as any left-over meat and vegetables.
Yakitori, small pieces of chicken that are skewed with a bamboo stick before grilling. The meat can come from different parts of a chicken- skin, small intestines, giblets, heart, etc. The meat is seasoned with salt or a special sauce.
Taiyaki are fish shaped pancakes that are often filled with red bean sauce, custard, cheese or chocolate. Even Nutella or a peanut butter can also be used as filling. A heavier version of this snack might have sweet potatoes, cheese, sausages and vegetables.
Senbei, rice crackers cooked over a charcoal grill. They come in a variety of flavors, shapes, and sizes. For more information on where to find the best street foods in Asia, Travelers Today has more articles.
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