Japan Travel Guide

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Cuisine

Japanese cuisine involves fresh, delicate flavors. The easiest place to try sushi is a kaiten-zushi restaurant, where many varieties pass on a conveyor belt and diners can pick up what they fancy without any language difficulties; the prices will also be far more reasonable than a traditional sushi restaurant where the quality of fish and presentation will be higher.

A variety of international restaurants are also available, catering for every taste and budget, from French and Italian to Chinese, Indian and Thai. Western dishes in expensive places are good, but cheaper restaurants may disappoint. While sake (rice wine) is still regularly served, beer is by far the most popular alcoholic beverage.

Things to know: Restaurants have table service and in some places it is customary to remove footwear. There are no licensing hours. Drinking is subject to long-standing rituals of politeness. The host will pour a drink for the visitor, and will insist on the visitor's glass being full. It is bad manners for a visitor to pour one for him or herself.

National specialties:
• Teriyaki (marinated beef/chicken/fish seared on a hot plate).
• Tempura (deep-fried seafood and vegetables).
• Sushi (slices of raw seafood placed on light and vinegary rice balls).
• Sashimi (slices of raw seafood dipped in soy sauce).
• Ramen, soba and udon (varieties of noodles, which can be served hot or cold, in soups or dry).

National drinks:
• Green tea is extremely popular. The quality of the tea varies greatly from houjicha (a common brown-colored tea) to matcha (a bitter green tea used in tea ceremonies).
• Sake (rice wine served hot or cold).
• Shochu (strong vodka-like spirit usually mixed with soft drinks to make cocktails).
• Popular brands of beer are Asahi, Kirin, Sapporo and Suntory.

Legal drinking age: 20.

Tipping: Tips are never expected. In some upmarket places, a 10 to 15% service charge will be added to the bill. In some bars, there may be a table or "charm" charge too, which can be quite steep; it's best to enquire in advance if you're in any doubt.

Nightlife

Tokyo has an abundance of cinemas, theaters, bars, coffee shops and nightclubs. Karaoke bars are one of the most popular forms of entertainment in Japan. A wide range of bars is available, from the upmarket and stylish to cheap street stalls, with the key areas being Shibuya, Roppongi and Shinjuku in Tokyo. In summer, rooftop beer gardens are also popular.

Be wary of clubs with hostesses who expect to be bought drinks and snacks. There are thousands of other bars and clubs that do not charge entry and do not offer hostess service. In Tokyo, there are concerts of all styles of music almost every night. Foreign opera and ballet companies, orchestras and rock/pop stars visit Japan all year round. For those who would like to try the traditional Japanese performing arts, there is kabuki and noh theater in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya and other major Japanese cities.

The Tokyo English-language guide Metropolis (http://metropolis.co.jp) is a good source for finding out what's on. It is advisable to purchase tickets in advance because shows are quickly sold out. Osaka is also renowned for its nightlife as is Sapporo on the northern island of Hokkaido and Fukuoka on the southern island of Kyushu.