Italy: pizza, spaghetti, cappuccino! Japan: Sushi and sashimi!
These are the maximums in the world with which Japan and our country must measure themselves in the culinary field every day!
As Italians we know that our culinary "proposal" is not limited to these 3 foods that have made our fortune in the world, but many, not being Japanese, are unable to escape from the sushi / sashimi dualism that the image of Japanese cuisine has in the world.
Il Japan in fact, depending on the area, like other countries, has its own regional cuisine and I too, who spend almost most of the year in Japan every time, taste something new and generally very good. Obviously not being able to make a huge excursus on the various dishes, I limit myself to listing a few:
Gyuudon 牛 丼: in essence it is a very simple dish based on rice and beef. The rice is placed in a bowl with the meat on top. This is generally eaten in economic chains such as Mastuya (my favorite), Sukiya and Yoshinoya who have been fighting each other for years to offer their product at increasingly lower prices. You can make a full meal consisting of miso soup, a salad and gyuudon with approx 4,50 €. Minimum expense maximum yield!
Okonokiyaki お 好 み 焼 き: literally "What you like grilled" is a species of omelette with egg and cabbage base in which to insert everything you want inside: pork, shrimp, octopus etc. Everything is grilled on the teppan plate and covered with Okonomiyaki sauce (with a sweet and sour flavor) and mayonnaise if desired. There is the version of Kansai, area of Kyoto and Osaka, where the dish originates and the version of Kanto, area of Tokyo which differ in the preparation and mixing of the ingredients and the version of Hiroshima in which they are mixed together with the dough. soba (buckwheat pasta) or udon another type of pasta similar to our vermicelli.
Windows ラ メ ン or ら め ん: ramen is a dish of Chinese origin. It's about a soup with pasta inside (there are really many types) and generally eggs, meat, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts and more depends on the type you choose. It is perhaps the most eaten dish in Japan every day, there are shops everywhere where you can eat it with prices ranging from around 6 to 9 euros.
Takoyaki た こ 焼 き: it is octopus balls wrapped in batter and fried then covered with a sauce similar to that of okonomiyaki, katsuobushi dried grated tuna and mayonnaise. It is Osaka's specialty par excellence.
Tenpura or Westernized Tempura 天 ぷ ら: it is vegetables and shrimp passed in a special batter and fried at a very high temperature which give the fried an incredible dryness and a characteristic appearance.
