Japan's Most Popular Foods Explained

[@LifeWhereImFrom]

If you'd like a tenugui (traditional Japanese Hand Towel), we're selling them at shop.lifewhereimfrom.com/ Please note that we were only able to do an initial run of 500 of the popular Japanese Foods tenugui and 200 of the previous scenes from Life Where I'm From tenugui. The shokunin (artisans) are incredibly busy at this time of year. The first batch of orders will be shipped in early December 2024. The second batch will be shipped in early February 2025. Once shipped it should arrive in 2-4 weeks. Thanks! Greg

[@acasccseea4434]

The question is, how much of these are tax deductable 😂

[@adrianadciocan]

They look amazing! Could you share the dimensions for the hanger option? I need to check if it will fit on my wall before I buy it. Thanks!

[@premitive1]

I promised myself not to buy anything this month, so if they exist in december I'll pick up the pair. If not, I have to wait until the third printing!

[@misanthropicsophist]

Not gonna lie i always thought you were white mixed, didnt expect the asian background.

[@LifeWhereImFrom]

@@adrianadciocan The hand towel itself is 37cm x 98cm. With the tapestry hanger, it would be something like 45 cm x 105 cm (I'm guessing since I'm on a filming trip at the moment).

[@wendy-pz4pq]

I am a Japanese with experience as a chef. His explanation is excellent and flawless. I recommend this video to all visitors to Japan! Welcome to great Japanese cuisine! Enjoy!!!

[@type64f48]

非常によくまとめられていて、日本人から見ても説明として間違いがない　 この動画はよく研究されていて素晴らしいです👍

[@maachinimamaachinima]

You must have one of the most relaxing channels on YT!

[@ravenlozo2256]

Thanks for the new upload, Greg. i haven't been feeling okay lately and I've been binge-watching your videos.. quite surprised that this video was just uploaded today hehe

[@hmsmowood]

Thank you for posting this today. I really needed something comforting to watch. (Akko's nails are fantastic.)

[@takanochannel]

I think it's a very thorough, well-researched, and accurately made video. Personally, I would have liked to see grilled fish introduced as well. This is also something that Japanese people eat on a daily basis, and it has been a staple food for Japanese people since ancient times. すごく丁寧で、よく調査され、正確に作られた動画だと思います。 個人的には「焼き魚」も紹介してほしかったです。 これも日本人が日常的に食べるもので、しかもこれは大昔から日本人の主要な食べ物でした。

[@nish221100]

True, but I've heard that this is changing over the last 40 years. My cousins eat much less grilled fish than our father's generation when they ate fish often for breakfast and dinner.

[@ayakasayaka1399]

@@nish221100 さん 昔に比べて減った　とはいっても、 お寿司や焼肉、天ぷら、すき焼き等よりは多く食べられていると思います。 例えば定食屋や居酒屋で安く食べられますし、おにぎりの具の鮭も焼いてますよね。 コンビニでもパックの焼き魚がいつもたくさん売ってるし。

[@CatFish107]

​@@ayakasayaka1399Thank you for sharing these insights. I find it interesting that seafood would be the affordable protein choice. Fish of any kind (even lowest cost catch) is often more expensive here than other meats or poultry.

[@raabcv]

Longtime watcher of your channel. Thank you for this video, Greg. Watching this is a comfort for me living here in the US on this particular post- Election Day. Having curiosity about others and their way of life, and making effort to understand, is much more in the spirit of how I want the world to be. ☮️

[@trdartz]

Really love your longer form content . Even tho I know most of the facts regarding the foods presented. The way you present your content is so enjoyable and relaxing to watch. Thank you ! 🙏❤

[@limitedmobro]

I love how your videos uses almost no music. It's really calming

[@jammydoughnuts]

What a wonderfully informative video! I’ve been a fan of Japanese food for many years and really enjoyed this!

[@nolandderlugner1351]

man the production quality is off the chain

[@BreizhVince]

Ikr ? Always hyped for new videos ! One of my favorite channels on youtube by far !

Thanks! I am Portuguese, and I was always suspicious of what many teachers and dictionaries said about the origin of the Japanese "tenpura" (天麩羅, てんぷら) being the Portuguese word "tempero", because it doesn't sound alike… I had never heard of "têmpora", but I researched it and I was really surprised to have learned about it. It sounds very much like the Japanese word, and the explanations I found make sense entirely. The Wiktionary entry for tempura links to two credible Japanese sources, and summarizes as follows: "When Portuguese explorers (mostly Jesuit missionaries) arrived in Japan, they abstained from eating beef, pork and poultry during the Ember days, a Catholic series of holidays. Instead, they ate fried vegetables and fish. This was the first contact of the Japanese with fried food, and since then they began associating the Portuguese word têmpora (which they pronounced tenpura) with such food."

[@Bakapooru]

A tour guide in Lisbon said arigato is from abrigato.

@@Bakapooru It's a common misconception that "arigato" derives from the Portuguese "obrigado" (not "abrigato", that's not a word), also meaning "thank you." However, "arigato" was in use in Japan well before Portuguese contact in the 16th century, indicating that the similarity is coincidental. These two words are in fact false cognates.

[@w3957]

ポルトガル語は日本でも当たり前に使われてます タバコ、パンなど今でも日常的に使われてるものが多いです

[@joannewang86]

Even if I'm already familiar with all of these foods it's really nice to watch how you will present them for us in your videos. This channel is always so comforting.

[@Elonquin]

Great, now I am hungry. Thank you for the delicious visuals alongside the story.

[@e.5227]

Excellent program. Just back from Japan and I don't even know half the things I ate while I was there lol. Thanks for all the useful explanation and Hi from Galway Ireland 🇮🇪☘️🙂.

[@glass_parton]

I went to Japan in September for the first time, and one day I ate in a small, neighborhood sushi place that could only seat seven people. It was outside of any of the touristy areas, and there were no other non-Japanese people there; no one spoke English to me. So I ordered the lunch special and let the chef serve whatever that came with. I loved all of it, and it was obvious what almost everything was, except for this oddly sweet fried pouch with rice. I didn't ask, since my Japanese is limited, and didn't know what it was, but it was tasty. You've solved this mystery for me; it was definitely inari sushi, which is something I have never seen at any of the Japanese places I've eaten at in the U.S. Thanks for this wonderful video!

[@calvinl2149]

If there's a Kura sushi near you (A conveyer belt sushi chain restaurant from Japan that has some locations in the US), they have Inari for about $4 for 2 pieces.

[@alliecamembert3900]

my first time buying merch from a youtuber! thx for this opportunity greg!

[@laquavian]

That camera work is clean!!

[@goldenpeninsula]

Hi Greg, you are really doing a great job presenting in front of the camera. Now it really feels like a proper documentary 😊

[@1lovetheocean]

I LOVED this episode and Japan is definitely on my top list of places to visit because of your videos! I'm Portuguese and some of my favourite dishes are octopus stew, seafood rice, duck rice, deep fried tiny fishes (tempura) and cod cakes.

[@Lemonroots]

Love the amount of research and effort you're putting in compared to other surface level videos! Always excited to watch a LWIF video even if I know some of the material because I'll always learn something more!

[@jessethelopez]

Truly one of your best videos yet! I'm heading to Tokyo in a few weeks and I can't wait to try some of these foods. Thank you, I learned so much.

[@roshuta-highlow]

日本の食事が海外からどのように見られているか分かって面白かった！ 紹介されているほとんどが米と一緒に食べてるおかずだ笑 改めて日本人は米に合うか合わないかで選んでるなぁ笑

[@miguelsandiko]

You did a lot of research and it's a nice vlog.... salute to you sir...

[@CptFitzgerald]

Every cook knows that a cook's integrity is based on mastering the skill of preparing eggs in every form possible. It sounds simple, but it is the baseline for measuring everything that follows.

[@GokkunGuru]

All my favorite Japanese foods. I’ve tried them all. Thanks for this historical origins!

[@ojerrejo]

watching this while eating my late lunch made my food tastier, thanks Greg.

[@Righteous1ist]

The tasty Unagi (grilled eel) is also popular and sold and eaten everywhere in Japan

[@hitachicordoba]

Thanks for the upload, after yesterday's result, Hayaku Nihon ni Sumitai!

[@AlanCostaPlus]

The Mrs. and I are always coming back to your videos. We love everything that you produce, there's so much care and noticeably a lot of effort from you and your family. ❤ Just wanted to tell you that we are thankful 😊

[@JapanMediaTour]

Love this little rundown of some of the popular Japanese foods. So many good foods to try. You could make a whole channel out of this!

[@blumtnpaj23]

I really needed this video today😢❤

[@andyyang5234]

I remember distinctively that Ippudou back in 2005 was just a hair under 1000 for their most basic broth, and 1000-ish for any additions. So really ramen had remained remarkably stable in price for 20 years, despite "inflation". For that matter, the vast majority non-imported items have pretty much stayed exactly as I remembered them, even through the recent "inflation", which is really mild if at all.

[@zoe.lazaro]

loved this video so much!!

[@ヴァンサン]

I understand this can't be exhaustive, but I think you should have added 焼き魚(grilled fish) to the list. Especially salted grilled mackerel (サバの塩焼き) is the most classic Japanese lunch, and is not seen much in the western world.

[@ZaneRichards-pk3bb]

Agreed, yakizakana was a big favorite of mine when I was in Japan. Also in autumn there was grilled sanma which was so delicious.

[@LeonidJP92]

I know this is not in context, but... Thing that motivated me to learn Japanese was sudden appearance of the mask of JR-231-500 in Yamanote line livery in my head. Back then I don't even think about even visiting Japan, I started only because I wanted to learn about Japanese Railways on internet, that's it.

[@urouroniwa]

Back in the 90's I was frustrated because I couldn't seem to learn to speak French (I'm Canadian). I decided to learn a completely different language and picked Japanese basically randomly. Fast forward to today and I've been living in Japan for over 15 years (and also met and married my wife here). Life moves in mysterious ways 🙂

[@LeonidJP92]

@urouroniwa Thank you for response. I wanted to ask or say something, but I forgot.

[@Zeroist1000]

Another banger vid. Oh my gosh I’m loving this.

[@mfaizsyahmi]

The stars aligned and this feels like a double feature with Chris Broad's video.

[@yesfinallygot1]

I wasn't expecting to learn anything I didn't already know about Japanese food from this video but I actually learned so much. I love that you included the history and typical places and situations a Japanese local might encounter each dish. I'm visiting Japan for 3 weeks 9 days from now so this is getting me extra hyped for my trip. I really want to make sure I try out some non-touristy places like famiresu and tachigui. Btw I didn't know your family is Indian, and I definitely agree that West Indian curry is superior haha

[@kiddwong4186]

Cold soba is the GOAT in the summer.

[@boomshakalaka415]

Such a thorough, easy to understand and delicious video! Can't wait until my next visit to Japan!

[@mr_mr]

I live part of the year in Japan and I'm familiar with a range of japanese food, but I learned so much from this video. I'm glad I clicked on it and have now subbed. I really appreciate the Nihongo bits as well. Thanks

[@krullenbos94]

Yakiniku looks exactly like the Dutch counterpart: Gourmetten. Cooking small parts of meat and vegetables on a grill at home. Mostly done during the holidays like Christmas. Most people do it on electric grills, and some have tiny pans as well. Cleaning the grease from your entire hime is the biggest chore of the year. Love to see there is a Japanese counterpart!

[@Bakapooru]

Ponchiken is in Kanda. Closest subway station is Shin-Ochanomizu. It’s my “go to” tonkatsu place and my first meal when I arrive in Japan. Yum!

[@Hobo_productions]

Your channel inspires me and has ever since your first video ❤ It helps my mental health. Keep going.

[@CatFish107]

Ramen shops are showing up all over the BC coast, not just Vancouver! I dig it. Eagerly awaiting a spurt of popularity for yakimiku here.

[@1Katakana]

I have the goal of one day visiting Japan, because there's so much of the traditional/popular japanese dishes I want to try. (And also it would be nice to get to see the landscape and shrines/temples).☺

[@nguyendl4477]

Delicious Japanese foods: sushi, soba, gyoza, tempura. Thanks LWI'F for a nice video, food easy made at home. From Canada Montreal

[@pokemontrainer34]

You kinda forgot that salmon sushi was not eaten in japan . It was introduced by a Norwegian country into japan and heavily advertised. It was to open new markets for salmon fish. And now it is common place.

[@CatFish107]

Bet it was one of the big Norwegian aquaculture firms. They ran a lot of pens around the world. And have started to be shuffled out of the waters around BC.

[@zuhrisony9190]

Always great to watch the video from life where i'm from. I just recently watched again and last time i watched two of your kids were very young

[@martinvalencia798]

Another wonderful video!

[@MxPotato84]

Watching this while eating tonkotsu ramen on a chilly night.

[@markshen3280]

Hong Kong 🇭🇰 locals go to CHAR CHAANG TENG (local for teahouse) for breakfast and eat ‘Pineapple Bun’ filled with thick butter 🧈 and drink a mix of half-coffee-and-tea called, ‘JAI FEH’. For a quick bite during lunchtime, locals like to go for Cantonese DIM SUM.🥟 🥟🥟🍲🍲

[@artboymoy]

Love me some tonkatsu and katsu kari. Always like getting chicken yakitori that has nice thick carmelized glaze.

[@condod414]

Thanks Greg, a mouth watering and informative video.

[@Lildizzle420]

these videos are such good quality, thank you

[@i0001w]

The best channel about Japan

[@Nico-ff2xo]

Another great and informative video. Thank you!

[@annapa8610]

Excellent as usual!

[@sintarsp]

Thank you for the english subtitles 😊

[@Chuck8541]

It sounds like it's wonderful to eat at your mother-in-laws house. Bless her soul! :)

[@herihachiro]

Ah this one video is epic explaining about cuisine in Japan for worldwide, and i so interested on Japanese foods if i was there in the future i will taste it as much as possible. I am from the country that has much variety of cuisine for each ethnic/island, yeah for my city the main dish is Gudeg made from unripe jackfruit and cook it with coconut sugar boil it till dry and serve with rice, chilli, egg, chicken, tofu.

[@andyyang5234]

Personally I'd place udon over soba, though ideally try both. They're done very similarly, and often available at the same locations, but udon is more special for its chewy texture.

[@hilarymoonmurphy]

Thank you for such a lovely food tour!

[@hozerius5590]

I love Gyoza and tempura. I would love to try breaded pork cutlet on rice.

[@Manulajes]

Is this a coincidence? Or are these Japan KZbinrs coordinating with each other? 😂 This is uploaded days after Chris’ 12 must try food

[@Solko]

this time I got my part of merch :D also you made me wish to cook gyoza this week end

[@XSpImmaLion]

Another great video Greg, thanks! It's the one I'll be showing whenever people ask "What do people actually eat in Japan day to day"? There are lots of misconceptions on this... mostly because of the sushi restaurant boom.

[@A_G_H_A_N_I_M]

I'm surprised that it appears you haven't brought up gyudon/donburi at all. I think it's the next thing that should come to the west out of Japan. I grew up in southern California where we luckily had a local Yoshinoya but now that I live in New York, I've had to make my own at home. Some of my friends have no idea what to expect; but after trying it, end up asking me to make some for them too because they like it so much. I strongly believe with the "beef culture" that we have in the west that the beefy-oniony umami flavor of gyudon would do amazingly well. My cravings have gotten to the point where anytime I go to Toronto, it's the first thing I try to get (followed by Nando's lol) Please try to pull some strings Greg 😂. Thank you for the videos.

[@n1k1george]

My must eat item on every visit to Japan is Katsudon!

[@Sarah-sy4vg]

Thank you so much for posting this today... a little bright spot.

[@EpiphanyDraws]

i loved eating all of these foods except maybe gyoza and soba. the yakitori made with the chicken skin was soooo good.

[@Lonewolfnocub1988]

Many of these dishes like Tonkatsu I had yesterday, I am learning at home in the U.S.. Many of the indgredients I have to order on Amazon, most I can get in grocery store.

[@v.d.2738]

Udon, Yakisoba, various rice bowls, Okonomiyaki, Takoyaki, Oden... if I list more. I love nerimono too like Chikuwa, Kamaboko and Naruto.

[@1199kat]

What a great and informative video! Since I am hoping in visiting Japan sometime in the next two years, I am interested in how easy it will be to eat there as a vegetarian tourist. I do eat fish occasionally, so that might make it easier for me, I assume. And now I am of to grab this tenugi

[@ryuzakitodoroki2604]

Really entertaining and informative

[@williamyang6197]

Thank you for another wonderful video.

[@KelsomaticPDX]

I had no idea that meat was essentially BANNED for 1200 years in Japan. I truly can’t believe I wasn’t aware of this before, so thank you. Reading up on some of the history now 😅

[@iamo_san]

you've got to make a video that covers our "yoshoku" or 洋食 cuisine culture! curry rice and ハンバーグ (hanbaagu) was an example of them but there's more as you may already know. ナポリタン、オムライス、ハヤシライス... erm are there any more? lol

[@iandanforth]

Fun curry rice story. I was testing a continuous blood glucose monitor and happened to make this for my family. My glucose levels spiked like I had just eaten two bowls of ice cream. The combination of white rice (seasoned with mirin) and japanese curry has an insane glycemic index, and I never would have known had I not seen my own blood sugar go wild.

[@cboy0394]

White rice does that to you. Also the curry is made with sugar/honey and the most comment ingredient is sweet apple. If you use the blocks they contain apple paste and the sweetener.

[@Mel-qr5ob]

never thought I'd see the day... a man mansplaining to another man 😮

[@cecilearquette1637]

I really love your videos, thank you!

[@barbarosa220]

Such a delicious video!

[@idiinletholdus]

thank you very much for this informative video. I loved it

[@huss1205]

I remember eating beef rice-curry at some restaurant in the underground floors of Ikebukuro station back in 2003, it was delicious and sweet.

[@CatFish107]

Gyoza: straight up Japanese pirogies. Awesome.

[@Nathan-hk5xp]

16:35 It's also used within the JMSDF to mark a specific day of the week, Friday. At times, with limited stores and food supplies, while underway and out at sea, it would be difficult to remember the day of the week when busy with work on the ship or other things.

[@werdnawee]

Hi Greg, Great video. We'll use your list and play food bingo when we're in Tokyo in December. What are the measurements of the tenugui? Thanks.

[@krisk7374]

Thank you! Great video and very informative 😊

[@cfgp]

'tempura was introduced by the portuguese, who also brought guns' well, that's one hell of an introduction 😅

[@dodgelightyear]

Yes. I love my tempura with a side of guns

[@Calcprof]

There's a wonderful complex of Ramen Restaurants -- serving different regional varieties, in/near the Kyoto train station.

[@funtonite]

Yakiniku grill rental outdoors is pretty awesome. Highly recommend.

[@人修羅-j6r]

日本人だけど面白かった。ありがとー

[@hella9068]

thank you for the interesting video!

[@しおんぬ-i9p]

Fun fact: It is true that beef and pork were banned until the Meiji era, but there were people who ate them secretly by making up excuses. During the Edo period, the common people used euphemisms for the names of meats so that they wouldn't be found out by the authorities. Venison was called momiji (maple leaves), boar meat was called botan(peony), and horse meat was called sakura. Nowadays, these names have become established as separate names for each type of meat, and their origins can be seen in the names of dishes today. For example, a hot pot dish that mainly uses pork is sometimes called 'botan nabe'. Beef was not distributed as food in the Edo period. However, there is also an interesting piece of trivia here. Beef in the Edo period was treated as a “medicine” for nourishment and strengthening, and was presented to the shogunate family. This beef is the Omi beef of today's Shiga Prefecture.

[@mydogisbailey]

I love Japanese food. But as a Chinese person, I find it super weird that Japanese noodles are called ramen. Ramen literally means hand pulled noodles, but Japanese noodles are never hand pulled.

[@ZarianPalma]

I love your content

[@andyyang5234]

This was very briefly touched upon at 26:55, but absolutely, definitely, try wagyu teppanyaki style. The cooking is an experience, the wagyu is an experience, and while on the expensive side, it's hands down the top way to experience wagyu.

[@wzukr]

That was a very interesting video, Greg, thank you! I have a few tricks for you how one can improve the Hanbaagu-recipe: Roast the onion until its medium brown. Then let it cool down and mix it into the minced meat. Do not (!) mix the breadcrumbs into the mass, instead soak 1-2 one day old rolls (buns) in water and squeeze the water out, mix it with the meat. The meat loafs you formed roll in the breadcrumbs before frying. We call this dish "Faschierte Laibchen= minced loaf". Enjoy your meal and thank me later ;-)

[@toriaezu_nama]

I spy Ramen Adventures Brian. 😁 Great work as always, Greg!