When you visit Japan, you should see there are many kinds of restaurants and at the restaurant also there are many menu even only for Japanese foods. In order to help you to understand Japanese foods and choose better restaurant and menu, I'd like to introduce overview of Japanese foods and how we can categorize it. Also it is to tell you positioning of what I'd like to introduce the detail as deep real information in following my blog later.
I made a chart to show the overview. Please see it to make you understand easier.
I'd like to classify Japanese foods under ways to cook as an aspect.
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| *for blue colored food specific restaurants are available |
1. Raw (生(nama) )
As you might know we like to eat raw fish called Sashiimi and most famous food with it is Sushi which is vinegared rice with raw fish or other seafood. It is popular to have Sashimi in many restaurants and you can find it with reasonable price at Izakaya which is casual bar restaurant but Sushi is usually very expensive.
2. Grilled, Roasted, Fried (焼く (yaku))
This way is also popular and grilled fish is one of main food even in Kaiseki style. Also grilled eel ( Unagi ) is very popular, which is usually charcoal‐broiled. And charcoal‐broiled chicken(Yakitori) is one of most popular menu in causal bar as affordable one. Also it is popular to roast on a hot steal plate (Teppanyaki). Although in USA and Europe the Teppanyaki is famous as expensive dinner , in Japan usually it is rather affordable withOkonomiyaki ( a thin, flat cake of unsweetened batter fried with various ingredients ) and Yakisoba ( fried noodle ). Takoyaki ( ball shaped octopus dumplings) is also popular as light meal especially in western area like Osaka.
3. Deep Fried(揚げる(ageru))
With this way most famous one is Tempura which is deep fried prawn, fish , vegetable in a light batter and is also usually expensive. As I wrote before, Tonaktsu (deep fried pork) is great delicious food and not so expensive. Also you can find many deep fried menu in a casual restaurant bar.
4. Stewed, Boiled(煮る(niru))
Because "Dashi" (Japanese soup stock made from fish and kelp) is one of the most important factor for the taste, we have many stewed, boiled menu. Usually it seasons with soy sauce. "Niku jyaga"is stewed with potato and meat (usually beef) and very popular at a casual restaurant bar.
5. Hot-pot(鍋(nabe))
We have the "Nabe" which is a hotpot cooked at the table and very popular especially in winter season. There are many kinds of "Nabe" depends on which is put and with which it seasons and Sukiyaki is very famous with beef seasoned with soy sauce as expensive one.
I skipped steamed way because there are not so many menu in Japanese foods although it is available.
I made the chart with aspect with price.
The most expensive one is "Kaiseki" or "Kappo" which is style of food, serving and restaurant. If you visit higher class luxury restaurant, you might see this style with which many kind of dishes with some cooking ways would be served as a fullcourse meal. Also Sushi, Tempura and Sukiyaki are very expensive and we, local Japanese people have them with a special occasion or event and don't have so often. We have rather more causal and affordable foods as usual meal. Also one of casual affordable style of Japanese foods is rice bowl and also noodle is very popular foods so I put them on the chart.
I'd like to introduce the affordable and casual menu later because I would like you to know more about real deep Japan cultures.
