Wherever you go, the first thing you need to do to get to know the local culture is to visit the local market.
Each city has its traditions and culture, which are reflected in local markets. A visit to a local market will give you a quick insight into the city. And the street stalls, street food, and what's on the market will help you get better immersed in the city.
The Tsukiji Market
The Tsukiji Market is the largest seafood market in Japan, mainly for buyers, and there is a tuna auction every morning at 4 am.
Not only are there many tourists here, but restaurants of all sizes come here every day to buy the freshest seafood.
Tamago-yaki
The Japanese are very particular about how they make it, controlling the temperature just right and getting the timing right as the Tamago is cooked, layer by layer, testing the chef's skills and experience.
They are soft and rich in flavours to choose from, so you should try them during your trip to Japan.
Daifuku
Daifuku is a soft crust and refreshing interior, and its high aesthetic value.
Daifuku is a rice cake made of glutinous rice with fillings such as red bean paste or strawberries, and a thin layer of powder is attached to the outside to keep your hands from getting caught in the sticky rice cake.
Dorayaki
It's a favourite of Doraemon and has a long history in Japan, dating back to the Heian period when the Shogun used a pan to make a sweet treat to thank the Japanese people for treating him, hence the name " Dorayaki".
The filling for Dorayaki is usually red bean paste, but nowadays, there are other innovative fillings with special flavours.
Rice crackers
Rice crackers are biscuits made from japonica rice and are a must-have snack for the family, but are also often used for entertaining guests or as souvenirs. Rice crackers are often charcoal-grilled in an old-fashioned way, and once grilled they are brushed with soy sauce or topped with seaweed.
The pancakes now come in a variety of flavours including kimchi, wasabi, curry, and chocolate, and are quite popular in many countries.
Dango
The term "Dango" is used to describe the tri-coloured Dango, which is an extremely classic Japanese snack. They are made from half-moistened glutinous rice flour, without any filling, and are boiled in hot water and served with bean flour, black sesame seeds, sugar, and peanuts.