The Unique Cuisine You Can Only Get in Japan

 

We all know that different areas of the United States carry  different  foods to cater to the taste buds of different cultures and taste buds. Japan is no different – catering not only to the taste buds of the people – but the  visual appeal as well.

These Too Cute to Eat Pikachu dishes definitely appeal to the palette as well as the eyes. From cupcakes and cookies to bread, rice and even purin and eggs, these Pikachu dishes are definitely unique!
                     Picture compliments of educeed.com

Haagen Dazs actually offers some unique flavors only available in Japan. From Cherry blossom, Rose, Salty Butter Biscuit, Lemon Ginger Float, to cherry tomato and carrot these unique flavors are found only in Japan.
Another unique food in Japan is the souzai pan – which is very similar to a calzone in America, but is more of a stuffed bun full of all sorts of food. They stuff them full of veggies, meatballs, curry, noodles, and anything else you can think of.

One of the most unique items that I found comes from an American founding fast–food restaurant Burger King. They dished out the first ever Black Burger. The cheese AND the bun  both are black. The black buns and cheese comes from bamboo coal and the black of black “ketchup” comes from squid ink!
The long list of McDonald’s items only served in Japan makes this list as well, and rightly so. I’ve noticed that a lot of the lunch/dinner items have egg added to the sandwiches, which is definitely not something they do here in the U.S. Like the ‘diner double beef’ burger which has 2 beef patties, cheese, sunny-side-up egg, pepper steak sauce, and onion.

They also have some sandwiches named after some areas of the U.S. as well – the play on the popular U.S. cities and what they are famous for is not missed in these famous Japanese burgers!
IDAHO BURGER – Potato patty, beef patty, onion-flavored buns, bacon, cheese, mustard seed sauce, deep pepper sauce.

Manhattan Burger – Mozzarella cheese, lettuce, onion, sour cream sauce, pastrami,  and beef patty.

Hawaiian Burger – Gravy sauce, 1/4 pound beef patty, egg, bacon, cheese, lettuce, special buns topped with grated cheese.

American Funky BBQ Chicken – Chicken patty, cheddar cheese, lettuce, pickles, barbecue sauce, and mustard relish.

New York Burger – 1/4 pound beef patty, Monterey Jack cheese, bacon, tomato, lettuce, mustard seed sauce,  and whole wheat buns.

Also something I’m surprised is not on the menu in the U.S. – the “MEGA” McMuffin.  Stuffed inside muffin is eggs fried over easy, 2 patties, cheese, and ketchup.

“Kit Kat” sounds almost similar to a Japanese expression – Kitto Katsu. The expression literally translated as “surely win” is an expression meaning best of luck. This makes Kit Kat one of the most popular gifts among the schoolchildren. This has prompted Kit Kat’s maker, Nestle, to introduce varieties of unique flavors. These unique flavours, for some, especially the foreigners, might sound a little…crazy

Banana, brown sugar, grilled sweet potatoes, apricot seeds, blueberry fromage, red bean sandwich, pumpkin, creamy apple, melon, and kiwi are only some of the unique Kit Kat flavors sold in Japan.
Most of these foods I could try without thinking twice, but I ran into a few I would definitely have to say no to – such as the ‘uni’ which is urchin’s testicles and ovaries.

Ikura is something I personally would use as fish bait, but these salt pickled salmon eggs with rice and soy sauce are a blissful meal to some Japanese.

Ika no Shiokara looks like something out of my back yard, but a lot of people enjoy the squid mixed with the squids digestive cecum…

and last but not least, Kusaya. Horse mackerel after going through lactate fermentation by being dipped in water and sun-dried.
Let’s get back to more appetizing foods – such as ice cream!
These flavors are definitely only sold in Japan, and a few I’d be interested in trying, though I doubt they would become a staple in our freezer.
“Napolitan” is a popular Japan-ized pasta dish made of spaghetti, ketchup, onion and sausage.. and yes, this is a ice cream flavor. Not quite sure this one would be very appetizing.
Cream stew is also a favorite. along with corn soup, wasabi, and soy sauce.