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Coming to Japan and going to a fancy sushi restaurant with a counter can be a nerve-wracking experience. What should you order first as you face the chef at the counter? How should you eat it? There are so many things you may not know. In this installment, we asked a sushi restaurant in Kachidoki, Tokyo, about the world of counter sushi!

Tsukemen features toothsome noodles dipped into hot soup. The thick, springy noodles are pleasantly chewy, and take on plenty of the rich, slow-cooked pork bone and seafood based soup. These two elements combine to create an exquisite mouthful that is more than the sum of its parts. For this article, we asked the experts at the tsukemen specialty restaurant, Mita Seimenjo, for advice on the smart way to enjoy this popular dish.

“Tonkatsu” (breaded and fried pork cutlet) is a beloved dish throughout Japan. There are actually a great variety of ways to enjoy this classic favorite. We were particularly fascinated by a specialty restaurant that serves tonkatsu with a surigoma (ground sesame) sauce, and we’ve asked about their recommended methods to enjoy this dish.

Did you know that there are pubs dedicated to enjoying Japan’s iconic street food of Takoyaki (a ball-shaped octopus dumpling) alongside liquor? The beverage of choice to accompany Takoyaki is a whisky soda “highball” – this beloved combination is popular throughout Japan. For this article, we’ve visited Gindaco Highball Sakaba to learn the smart way to enjoy this delicious pairing! Gindaco Highball Sakaba’s locations are mostly centered on the greater Tokyo area, with expansions including Shizuoka and Fukuoka.

The prefecture of Akita is situated on the Sea of Japan side of the Tohoku region, the northeastern part of Japan’s main island of Honshu. High-quality spring water flows from the Ou Mountains into rivers, where it is used to cultivate superb rice, which is the primary ingredient of renowned local specialties such as nihonshu (sake) and kiritanpo (mashed rice skewers which are toasted around the hearth). Other delicious Akita specialties include iburi-gakko (smoked daikon radish), hatahata (sandfish), and Inaniwa udon (an artisanal style of udon made entirely by hand).

Kiritanpo (pounded rice cake) is one of Akita's most famous dishes. In this installment, we asked the staff at AKITA DINING Namahage Ginza to show us the best way to enjoy kiritanpo nabe!

Fukuoka’s renowned “Hakata ramen” is beloved by great numbers of enthusiastic fans. The richly-flavored tonkotsu (pork bone) broth and straight, thin noodles are hallmarks of authentic Hakata ramen. This style is rather different from Tokyo ramen, so we visited Nagahamaya, a noodle shop specializing in Hakata ramen, to learn more about the smart way to enjoy this popular regional ramen!

Kushikatsu is one of the most popular foods in Osaka. It is a perfect accompaniment to alcoholic beverages, made by coating meat, seafood or other ingredients in a light batter and deep frying them. In this installment, we visited the popular restaurant Kushikatsu Tanaka, known all over Japan, to find out how to enjoy the classic kushikatsu!

As Japan’s commercial center, Osaka earned the nickname of Tenka no Daidokoro (“The Nation’s Kitchen”) during the Edo period. As ingredients from throughout Japan became easily available in Osaka, local chefs created innovative dishes – a tradition which continues to this day. Of its many unique local culinary experiences, Osaka is best known for konamon, dishes using wheat flour. What foods will you try as you explore this vibrant city?

Monjayaki, a dish of griddle-fried batter and fillings, is a favorite dish in Tokyo’s historic downtown region of Shitamachi. While it’s hardly an uncommon dish, you might still be unsure of what to do if you find yourself in front of the griddle! We’ve asked a monjayaki specialty restaurant for some tips on how to enjoy this unique dish.

Japan’s traditional portable bento meals have influenced dining around the globe, with the phrase “bento box” now being commonly recognized. Among Japan’s diverse types of bento, noriben stands out as a true classic. In this simple favorite, a sheet of nori seaweed is laid out on a bed of rice, and topped with various side dishes. Lately, noriben made with specially selected ingredients are making waves in Japan's food scene. Mr WAGATSUMA Yoshikazu, the president of Noriben Yamanobori, is credited with starting this trend. For this article, Taiwanese author Mr Riichi Chang interviews Mr Wagatsuma to learn more about the simple, yet profound art of noriben.

At izakaya (Japanese-style pubs) that serve nihonshu (sake), you may encounter masuzake, a traditional style of enjoying sake. Let’s take a look at some techniques for beginners to enjoy this aesthetic and delicious way to drink sake.

Kaiseki traditional course dining is a fundamental element of Japanese cuisine. It is served at venues including the finest hotels, and luxury restaurants known as ryotei. For this article, we will cover the basic order of kaiseki dishes, methods to enjoy each, etiquette, and more, all explained in detail for the benefit of our guests from overseas. We visited Shimizu Japanese Restaurant at Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa to learn more about the smart way to enjoy kaiseki cuisine.

In Japan, there exists a style of tempura specialty restaurant where customers are seated at the counter. The format of frying “right before your eyes” is the true heart and soul of tempura. To enjoy this style of tempura at its very best, we’ve visited “Tsunahachi Sohonten”, a time-honored tempura specialty restaurant where guests enjoy freshly-fried tempura at the counter.

During the cold season, nabe (hot pot) containing a variety of ingredients is a favorite wintertime meal in Japan enjoyed with family and friends. Oden is one of the most popular nabe dishes. In this installment, we visited Odenya Takeshi, where you can enjoy two types of dashi (soup stock), and asked them for their recommendations on how to enjoy oden.