Pablo Estrada

Every Meal in Japan

When visiting Japan it’s hard to ignore the opportunity to eat delicious food every day, at every meal even, regardless of budget. Below are photos of every meal I ate on a trip in April, 2017 (though not every single takoyaki snack or vending machine morsel was documented). Most photos include a description and location.

Breakfast

The local conbini, or convenience store, usually provided breakfast, unless there was a French-style bakery to visit/judge or the mind was dead-set on a morning natto-don. Jet lag also forced breakfast hand, often leaving no choice but to arrive at the food markets early in the morning, before most of the other tourists.

meal

The best beef skewer I’ve ever had by the pabloest of them all

Kuromon market, Osaka
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Uni and Toro by the pabloest of them all

Kuromon market, Osaka
meal

Hot by the pabloest of them all

Kuromon Market, Osaka
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Cake by the pabloest of them all

Kuromon Market, Osaka
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Self-supporting coffee filter system by the pabloest of them all

Salaryman hotel, Osaka
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Self-supporting coffee filter system by the pabloest of them all

Salaryman hotel, Osaka
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Komeda Coffee by the pabloest of them all

Osaka
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Choco Cro by the pabloest of them all

Osaka
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Breakfast set by the pabloest of them all

Hotel Kanra, Kyoto
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Breakfast set by the pabloest of them all

Hotel Kanra, Kyoto
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Breakfast set by the pabloest of them all

Hotel Kanra, Kyoto
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Breakfast set by the pabloest of them all

Beniya Mukayu
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Breakfast set by the pabloest of them all

Beniya Mukayu
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Breakfast set by the pabloest of them all

Beniya Mukayu
meal

House-made tofu by the pabloest of them all

Beniya Mukayu
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Brasseries VIRON by the pabloest of them all

Shibuya, Tokyo
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Natto by the pabloest of them all

Salaryman hotel, Shimbashi, Tokyo
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Uni & toro by the pabloest of them all

Tsukiji market, Tokyo
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Conbini breakfast by the pabloest of them all

Salaryman hotel, Shimbashi, Tokyo
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Conbini breakfast by the pabloest of them all

Salaryman hotel, Shimbashi, Tokyo
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Natto by the pabloest of them all

Salaryman hotel, Shimbashi, Tokyo

Lunch

Lunch choices can be dizzying. Plan on having two lunches per day if you can fit it in. It’ll all be walked off anyway.

meal

Katsu by the pabloest of them all

In a roppongi office tower, a wonderful katsu eatery.
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Takaida ramen by the pabloest of them all

Osaka-style ramen at 7.5Hz+ (Osaka station)
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Unagi-don and fish liver soup by the pabloest of them all

With all the other tourists in Inari
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Fish liver soup by the pabloest of them all

Interesting side dish
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Tamago by the pabloest of them all

So soft, so tasty
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Market noodles by the pabloest of them all

Curry noodles
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Ekiben by the pabloest of them all

One of the perks of train travel
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Ekiben by the pabloest of them all

3x3
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Soba restaurant by the pabloest of them all

Lots of wood and tatami
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Ekiben by the pabloest of them all

Another train bento
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Takoyaki by the pabloest of them all

Not in Osaka
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House made hot dog by the pabloest of them all

Homemade sausage, homemade bread
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Tempura and soba by the pabloest of them all

Malls often have great, reasonably priced meals
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Curry katsu by the pabloest of them all

Mmmmm
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“Luxury” shabu shabu by the pabloest of them all

In a luxury pot
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“Luxury” shabu shabu by the pabloest of them all

Dipping sauces
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Omurice by the pabloest of them all

Tastes pretty much how it looks
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Strawberry cake by the pabloest of them all

With two ice packs and cardboard cushioning
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Strawberry cake by the pabloest of them all

Worth the packaging care
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Ekiben (on a plane) by the pabloest of them all

On the return flight, the last bento
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Ekiben (on a plane) by the pabloest of them all

The last bento

Dinner

Many days were planned starting with the final destination, dinner, and from there backwards in time. Dinner isn’t the end of an evening, but it can be a highlight.

meal

Takoyaki by the pabloest of them all

Dōtonbori, Osaka
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Yaki onigiri by the pabloest of them all

Dōtonbori, Osaka
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Seafood by the pabloest of them all

Dōtonbori, Osaka
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Gyoza (bite-sized) by the pabloest of them all

Tenpei, Osaka The entire menu: * Gyoza * Pickles * Beer * Shochu

One of the best meals in Japan.

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Gyoza patrons by the pabloest of them all

Outside Tenpei, Osaka
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$5 dinner set by the pabloest of them all

Sukiya, a gyūdon chain restaurant / quasi-fast-food place.
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Aburizushi by the pabloest of them all

Omen Nippon, Kyoto
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House-made noodles by the pabloest of them all

Omen Nippon, Kyoto
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Sashimi by the pabloest of them all

Sushi Iwa, Kyoto
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Nigiri by the pabloest of them all

Sushi Iwa, Kyoto
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Sesame dessert by the pabloest of them all

Sushi Iwa, Kyoto
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Izakaya gyoza by the pabloest of them all

Kurakura Bar, Kyoto
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Spring set menu no. 1 (right-to-left) by the pabloest of them all

Beniya Mukayu
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Nigiri by the pabloest of them all

Beniya Mukayu
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Toro by the pabloest of them all

Beniya Mukayu
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Spring set menu no. 2 by the pabloest of them all

Beniya Mukayu
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Spring set menu no. 2 (right-to-left) by the pabloest of them all

Beniya Mukayu
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Roe by the pabloest of them all

Beniya Mukayu
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Ramen by the pabloest of them all

Ramen Street, Tokyo Station www.tokyoeki-1bangai.co.jp/shop/21 (it can be overwhelming in there)
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Katsu by the pabloest of them all

Hirata Bokujo, Roppongi, Tokyo
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Spanish “izakaya” by the pabloest of them all

Shimbashi, Tokyo
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Tonkotsu ramen by the pabloest of them all

Shinjuku, Tokyo

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Sushi by the pabloest of them all

Ginza, Tokyo