March 23-30, 2019
When you’re given an opportunity to travel to another country for experiences you have only read and dreamed about…. You take it.
Exploring Japan with UCLA Anderson’s MBA program and their 2019 Japan Trek was a trip of a lifetime! Being a Sig-O has its perks. :)
For an entire week, we roamed around the cities of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, hopping on trains and busses that took us from temple to temple, and shrine to shrine. On occasions we could step away from the group, we managed to wander into museums, sakura filled parks and street food markets to look for some yummy finds from our forever growing foodie list. Recommendations provided by friends, saved instagram posts, and the many YouTube videos we’ve drooled over watching over the years, sent us on a mission to fill our bellies this trip.
Sushi and Shashimi
Fresh fish was readily accessible in every city we visited. Some of the highest rated and most popular sushi restaurants (with the longest lines) could be found at Tsukiji Fish Market. While we opted to sit down at a place with a shorter line, wandering through the market’s many street vendors enticed us with all the seafood we could imagine.
Our group made a tip over to the famous Zauo fishing restaurant at its Osaka location. With the fish swimming through the waters of the restaurant, caught, prepped, then brought straight to your table, it really doesn’t get any fresher than that.
Street Food
Street Food stands and vendors were everywhere in Japan. Just walking down the street, you could get something to eat at every corner you turned. Alleyways were markets, and almost every shrine or temple we visited had food at their gates before entering. The variety was endless. You could get something bbq’d, or something savory, or sweet, whatever your heart desired!
Osaka specifically, is known for their Takoyaki, boasting countless restaurants and food stands though-out the city. All of them had lines, and were worth it with every bite.
Ramen
Some of our favorite places in Japan were for ramen. Eating Ramen in the US will never be the same again.
Our first stop was at Rokurinsha for their Tsukemen style Noodles (or dipping noodles) located at “Tokyo Ramen Street” inside Tokyo Station. Made internet famous by David Chang, the long but fast moving line occupied by tourists and locals was worth the wait.
Ichiran, with its multiple locations throughout Japan, was recommended to us by EVERYONE. The restaurant emphasized an experience of enjoying a meal in solitude that allows you to focus on their broth layered with flavor.
Yakiniku M Dontonbori
Yakiniku M Dontonbori
A trip to Japan would not be complete without tasting famous wagyu beef. There are several yakiniku or Japanese BBQ places throughout the cities we visited, but we saved our meal for our last day in Osaka.
This was by far our favorite meal of the trip. Each cut of meat had a unique flavor, that literally melted in your mouth.
Matcha Desserts and Sweets
Soft serve was everywhere! Every shrine or temple had a soft serve stand with flavors like Matcha and Cherry for Sakura season. We made it a point to try many matcha flavored desserts in each city, and ended up adding to our growing list of sweet treats.
Kyoto’s Kaiseki or Kaiseki-ryōri Style Meals
Some of my most memorable meals were in Kyoto with their traditional multi-course Japanese dinners. There were so many textures and garnishes that showed various skills and techniques of how traditional Japanese food is prepared that emphasized the fresh ingredients of the region.
Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disney Sea
Some of the cutest and creative foods I have ever eaten were found during our quick trips to the Tokyo Disney Resort. There were so many fun mickey shapes, 11 unique flavors of popcorn, and such a large variety of street food snacks incorporating different international cuisines.
These photos really don’t do the food justice, and there are so many other delicious things we ate that I didn’t bother to take a snapshot of. A trip like this, immersed in such a beautiful culture is all about living in the moment and enjoying the bite in front of you, because you never know when you’ll experience it again. There were sooo many other foodie places throughout all three cities that we really wanted to try, but our tummies could only take so much. Guess we will have to save our ever-growing list for another trip.
hehe. ;)
And for more photos of the things we saw in Japan, follow along on my personal instagram @msjanellesabile and check out my stories in the Japan highlights! Visiting during the beautiful cherry blossom or Sakura season made the trip even more memorable.
What are some of your favorite foods or places to eat in Japan?
