The styles of Japanese food
Japanese food isn't one cuisine but many rooms — the hushed sushi counter, the steamy ramen shop, the smoky izakaya, the tableside hibachi grill. Here's what sets each style apart, its signature dishes, and where to find the top-rated spots near you.
Sushi
Sushi is the art of seasoned rice — nigiri pressed by hand, maki rolled in nori, and glistening sashimi cut to show a fish at its peak. At its best it's minimalist cooking where rice temperature, knife work and the fish of the day are everything.
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Ramen
Ramen is Japan's great bowl of soul food — a broth (tonkotsu, shoyu, miso or shio) built over hours, springy noodles, and toppings from chashu pork to soft eggs. Every region and shop guards its own recipe, and no two bowls are quite alike.
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Hibachi
What Americans call hibachi is really teppanyaki — cooking on a flat iron griddle, tableside, with a chef searing steak, shrimp and vegetables to order. It's dinner and theatre in one, and a birthday-night institution.
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Izakaya
An izakaya is a Japanese pub — the place people actually gather after work over drinks and a rolling parade of small plates: yakitori skewers, gyoza, karaage, sashimi and cold sake. Nothing is precious; everything is shared.
Top-rated Izakaya →
Teriyaki
Teriyaki is a technique before it's a dish — grilling with a glossy glaze of soy, mirin and sugar (teri means "shine"). Approachable and sweet-savory, it's often the first Japanese food newcomers fall for, from chicken teriyaki to katsu and donburi rice bowls.
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Poke
Poke is Hawaii's cubed raw-fish bowl, shaped by generations of Japanese influence on the islands — marinated tuna over rice with seaweed, sesame and endless modern toppings. Fresh, casual and completely customizable.
Top-rated Poke →