In part one I mentioned how popular and tasty Japanese seafood is. It goes without saying that rice is popular in Japan. Steamed rice is served as the basis of almost all dishes and is a staple of the country. In spite of rice predominance, you can't say that foods such soba, udon or ramen noodles are somehow less popular.
Soba and udon are noodles made of buckwheat or wheat. Soba tends to be thin, while udon thick. Both soba and udon can be served as a hot broth or a cold dish and are popular as quick eats or as a proper meal. Various regions in Japan are famous for their soba and udon and are always worth trying.
One of my favourite dishes is okonomiyaki, very popular in Hiroshima and Osaka. It's a dish that consists of many ingredients including cabbage, noodles, bacon, and eggs and is cooked in a way where you actually watch the meal being cooked in front of you. Preparing it part of its appeal!
Mentioned earlier, ramen is popular and actually originated in China. A hearty dish, it goes hand in hand with another food originally from China, gyoza dumplings. Tempura too, deep fried vegetables and seafood, is another prized dish. Tofu, made from soybeans is another popular food.
To those who visit Japan for the first time I highly recommend trying all kinds of dishes. Japanese cuisine is world famous for a reason and to not eat it is to miss out on half the pleasure of Japan.
