25 Amazing Japanese Street Foods You Need to Try

25 Japanese Street Foods

Japanpedia - Each year Japan holds more than 100,000 festivals and events. One of the charming features of Japanese events is the traditional street food vendors that appear in great numbers offering both sweets and savory snacks.

Most street food vendors, known as yatai in Japanese, follow an event circuit around Japan. While yatai can be found independently of events, its somewhat rare. Many Japanese cities don't have much street food at all. Exceptions do exist, for example the Nakasu district of Fukuoka is known for its street food. Classic Japanese street foods include:

1. Yaki Imo

Yaki Imo

Yaki Imo are baked sweet potatoes cooked over a wood fire. Yaki Imo trucks and carts fitted with wood stoves can be found all over the Japan. The trucks may drive around slowly repeating "yaki imo ... yaki imo ... yaki imo" on a loudspeaker. This is either annoying or charming depending on your outlook. Most people become nostalgic about them. They are an aspect of old Japan that's quickly fading into the past.

Yaki Imo

2. Okonomiyaki

Okonomiyaki

Okonomiyaki are savory Japanese pancakes. They are traditionally prepared to use up leftovers at home. The matsuri version is usually packed with filling items such as thick cut bacon.

3. Imagawayaki

Imagawayaki

Imagawayaki resemble a thick-pancake with a filling of red bean paste, custard, cheese, meat, potatoes or curry. They are known by more than 20 different names depending on region of Japan, type and brand name.

4. Crepes

Crepes

It's difficult to imagine how many crepe shops there might be in Japan. Certainly over 10,000. Many are trucks or street stalls. Crepe shops are usually surrounded by high school girls seriously contemplating the vast menu.

5. Ikayaki

Ikayaki

Grilled squid.

6. Nikuman

Nikuman

Nikuman is the Japanese name for Chinese Baozi dumplings filled with pork.

7. Bento

Bento

Japanese business districts attract bento yatai. They open for an hour or two at lunch on business days. The best of them sell out in 10 or 15 minutes.

This is a tough business that depends on loyal customers. Tokyo office workers are thinking about lunch all morning. They're looking for something spectacularly tasty.

There is intense competition for their business from restaurants, convenience stores and yatai. Word of mouth spreads. A bento yatai with a good reputation will enjoy a long line of customers each business day.

8. Jaga Bata

Jaga Bata

Baked potato with skin peeled topped with butter.

9. Onsen Tamago

Onsen Tamago

Onsen tamago are eggs that have been cooked by a natural onsen hot spring. The slow cooking process gives the egg a texture like custard. It's typically served in dashi and soy sauce.

Onsen Tamago

10. Japanese Curry Rice

Japanese Curry Rice

Japan is obsessed with mild curry similar to a spicy gravy. It's a staple of the Japanese diet. It's common to eat it twice a week.

11. Tomorokoshi

Tomorokoshi

Corn grilled with miso, butter and soy sauce on a stick.

12. Taiyaki

Taiyaki

Fish shaped cakes filled with custard, chocolate or cheese.

13. Takoyaki

Takoyaki

Savory ball-shaped pancakes with octopus at the center topped with mayonnaise, ginger pickles and fermented fish flakes.

14. Ramen

Ramen

Fukuoka is known for its many excellent ramen noodle yatai.

15. Yakisoba

Yakisoba

Fried wheat noodles with pork in a thick, sweet sauce.

16. Bebi Kasutera

Bebi Kasutera

Kasutera is a Japanese sponge cake inspired by Portuguese Pao de Castela. Bebi Kasutera are the bite sized or "baby" version of this popular cake.

17. Shioyaki

Shioyaki

Baked fish, often mackerel, on a stick. Saltier than salt itself.

18. Oden

Oden

Oden is a winter dish of meats, fish and vegetable items stewed in a light broth for a very long time. Good for warming up on a cold night. Oden yatai are often surprisingly lively.

19. Senbei

Senbei

Senbei are Japanese rice crackers that come in hundreds of varieties both sweet and savory. Yatai offer fresh grilled senbei that are a step up from packaged senbei. The town of Nara has senbei yatai for tourists who want to feed the town's many deer. This practice has turned these quiet animals intosenbei crazed troublemakers.

20. Kare Pan

Kare Pan

A bun with Japanese curry in the center. Similar to a curry donut.

21. Kakigori

Kakigori

Kakigori is Japanese shaved ice that's considered a summer classic that hasn't changed much in the past 50 years. It's typically topped with flavored syrups and condensed milk.

22. Dango

Dando

Japanese mochiko dumplings on a stick. Typically in a shoyu and sugar sauce.

23. Ichigo Ame

Ichigo Ame

Ichigo Ame are the strawberry version of candy apples. Japanese strawberriesinclude several usually large types that are ideal for mounting on a stick. Ichigo Ame are somewhat rare and are easiest to find at the height of strawberry season.

24. Ramune

Ramune

Ramune is a lemon-lime soft drink that comes in an interesting glass bottle sealed with a marble at the top. It's a classic that dates back to 1876 and is most commonly available from street vendors.

25. Poteto