A good start on our first day in Osaka: Ramen and Gyoza

A quick breakfast if you don't have time to look for a restaurant: Energy drink and Onigiri (in a huge variety of tastes) from the next 7eleven shop

Who said that a food blog is just about food?

Tonkatsu, something like Schnitzel with scrambled eggs on rice

Lunch after the tea ceremony in Kyoto with a nice view into the zen garden

Gyoza in Nara. Google Maps translates "Gyoza Restaurant" as "Knödelrestaurant" ... well it's not exactly what you should expect 😃

Onigiri again, a small but tasty intermediate snack for less than 2 €

An Okonomiyaki is being prepared in Tokyo on a Teppanyaki table

Happy Sandro with seafood on a table grill (which is very popular here)

Assorted skewers + Corndogs, calories much?

Last supper in Osaka: The best Tsukemen Ramen we ever had!

As for food, there is one golden rule: Enter any random restaurant and pick any dish - it will always be excellent! We preferred restaurants with many local customers, which is always a good sign.

Food is a VERY important subject in Japan. About 80% of all broadcasts on TV is about cooking, restaurants and eating.

We were surprised how cheap food is. In general we spent half as much as at home, drinks included.

And another small surprise: Green tea is generally not offered in restaurants. Sometimes they offer cold Oolong tea. Beer is very common, Sake as well, and soft drinks with plenty of ice cubes. Most soft drinks are a bit sweeter than in Europe.

Very common: Vending machines or tablets on your table where you select and order your food and drinks. It will then be brought to your table. You pay when you leave at the cashier at the entrance. If there is no tablet, there will be a QR code at your table and you order with your mobile phone.