FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD

Many restaurants display exact replicas (either models of colour photos) of each menu item, together with the price in their front window. Where prices are not shown the food is probably expensive. For most popular restaurants it is not possible to book. Eager diners will sit on chairs outside the restaurant and wait for places to become available. Many inexpensive restaurants have a ticket vending machine at the entrance, or just inside, and you can purchase a ticket for each item you want, and give it to the staff. It is considered bad manners to blow your nose loudly inside a restaurant, so you should try and be discreet. Smoking is still common in most Japanese eateries. If required, a non-smoking table may be available, though occasionally these are not available, so you should check before you order. Most Japanese restaurants, apart from the expensive ones, do not accept credit cards, so you must pay by cash. Normally tips are unnecessary, although sometimes there will be service charges shown on the bill.

WHERE TO DRINK

Western style bars are available in large cities, but why not try an Izakaya restaurant? these are found everywhere and are open late. They serve beer, Japanese sake, cocktails and other alcoholic beverages, as well as a wide range of food from fried chips to grilled fish.

DINING

Some tips for dining out at a reasonable cost: Fast food outlets are often found around train stations. they offer inexpensive meals in a casual atmosphere. Well known multinational fast foods are so common that in some places you will wonder if you've left home! there are also some Japanese variants of these fast foods, so for fun try a Japanese style burger. In addition, for less than ¥500, there are Japanese fast foods such as gyudon (rice topped with cooked beef and sautéed onion) and oyakodon (rice topped with cooked chicken, egg and sautéed onion). Budget breakfast set meals are available at many coffee shops until 10:30. Shopping, entertainment and business centers also have many restaurants which offer fixed price lunch menus at reasonable prices (¥700 to ¥1,000) from 11:00-14:00. Both western style and Japanese style set meals are available. Sushi restaurants vary from high-grade expensive restaurants to inexpensive Kaiten-zushi shops (serving small plates, each with a couple of bite-sized pieces of sushi, on rotating conveyor belts). You can enjoy a sushi lunch from ¥800. A small plate of sushi starts from ¥100, while a set menu of a variety of sushi dishes is about ¥1,500.

One unique Japanese cuisine custom is Otooshi; a simple side dish served for you to enjoy with an alcoholic drink in traditional restaurants in Japan while you are waiting for dishes you have ordered. e dish is normally made using seasonal ingredients and its cost is included in the bill. Sandwiches are found in convenience stores, most family restaurants and on long distance trains. Convenience stores carry a wide assortment of fresh, inexpensive meals, both Japanese and Western in style. Hot meals can be microwaved in the store. Upmarket versions of these fresh meals can be found in supermarkets and the food halls of department stores.

Vending machines market a wide range of hot and cold drinks, including alcohol. there will usually be a choice of coffee, soft drinks, teas, fruit and sports drinks. You can even buy unique products such as Oden, a Japanese hot pot dish popular in winter! The range of coffees and wines will surprise you. In wine shops and supermarkets you can expect to find good wines from Japan, Australia, Europe, South America, New Zealand and the USA. Excellent coffee (and cake) shops are found around all major transport hubs, throughout department stores and scattered along the covered shopping streets. Look out for one of the older style coffee shops, where you choose the bean variety which is then prepared with a special filter technique.