The best things I ate in Japan
Japan is all the rage at the moment, so we’ve listed the best Japanese snacks and where to find them in Adelaide.
If you don’t have a trip to Japan booked this year, then you definitely know someone who does (we partly blame those Return For Free Jetstar flights). So much so that people are dubbing it the new Bali for Australian tourists. In January this year, ABC reported a 50 per cent increase in visitor numbers from Australian tourists travelling to Japan. They also said 920,200 Australians visited the country in 2024, compared to 613,062 in 2023.
I was in the lucky category (though not lucky enough to get those damn Return For Free flights) and spent two winter weeks there in January this year.
Of course, I did the tourist-ey activities – skiing in Hakuba, go-karting around the streets of Tokyo, bullet training from city to city – but there was really only one reason I was there: to eat.
So read on to find my favourite things I ate while travelling to Japan this year, and where you can get the next best alternative of each item in Adelaide.
Onigiri
When I hopped off the plane at Narita International Airport, the first thing I did was make my way to the closest convenience store (this one was readily located inside the airport) to taste the famous Japanese onigiri. The plastic is wrapped around the onigiri so the condiments are separated from each other – the rice stays moist and the seaweed stays dry. There are even numbered steps on the wrapping detailing how to open it, so in one slick movement, the onigiri is perfectly placed in your hand (it takes a fool to open one incorrectly, but it can still – and did – happen). The tuna onigiri was the first thing I ate on Japanese soil and became my regular breakfast for the rest of the trip.
You can try a tuna onigiri, as well as a range of other fillings, at Yuku dō on Hindley Street.
Chicken katsu sando
If I slept in and didn’t make it to my nearest convenience store by 10am (going to a convenience store was a part of my morning routine), it was highly unlikely I’d find a chicken katsu sando as they were almost always sold out. But when I eventually did get my hands on one, they quickly became my favourite lunch snack and favourite sando option. The chicken was succulent, the shokupan bread was fluffy and the sauce was smeared evenly along the chicken.
You can try a chicken katsu sando at Katsumoto in the Adelaide Arcade, or any of the other places listed here.
Strawberries and cream sando
While we’re on the topic of sandos, it would be remiss of me to not mention the TikTok viral strawberries and cream sando. Again, one that you need to keep an eye out at the convenience stores as they so frequently sell out. Though I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, the savoury shokupan bread balanced out the strawberry and cream mix, leaving me wanting more.
You can also get this at Yuku dō on Hindley Street.
Ramen
The average weather in Tokyo in January is a low of five degrees, and a high of 10 degrees. We were Uniqlo Extra Warm Heattech-ing it every day as this Australian winter climatised body couldn’t handle that type of cold. But there’s no better feeling than escaping the freezing cold by walking indoors to a bowl of ramen. This random ramen place in Kyoto that my friends and I quite literally stumbled upon was the best spot we found all trip. Bonus points when you get an egg!
You can try ramen similar to this at Minimono on Rundle Street.
Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savoury pancake filled with ingredients like (but not limited to) chopped cabbage, noodles and more. Each style of okonomiyaki changes depending on which Japanese city you’re in. We had a range of different okonomiyaki, but this Osaka-style one – which they cooked in front of us – was topped with savoury sauce and Kewpie mayonnaise. It was hearty and boomed with flavour.
You can try okonomiyaki at Yuna on Henley Beach Road.
Pork buns
551 Horai is a chain that was founded in Osaka. It’s best known for its pork buns, and so when my friends and I discovered its existence, we’d often find the closest one and pop by for a bun. All 551 Horai buns are handmade, and they use roughly 3000 kilograms of onion a day when making the pork mince. If you can’t find a 551 Horai near you, the convenience store alternative is just as tasty.
You can try pork buns at Ding Hao on Wright Street.
Famichiki burger
One of Japan’s best-kept secrets is Family Mart’s Famichiki burger. Famichiki is their famous boneless chicken which is greasy, juicy and flavourful. It’s sold separately to the Famichiki bun which was specifically designed to eat with the chicken. The bun has tartar sauce which can settle every craving. And you place the chicken in the bun yourself – how satisfying!
There’s really nothing similar to this DIY concept in Adelaide, but you can buy a fried chicken burger at Gunbae Chicken & Beer on Union Street.
Souffle pancakes
Again I must profess, I’m not a sweet tooth! And when my friends wanted to wait in line at Flippers to order the viral souffle pancakes, I was hesitant. But when we finally got a seat at the TikTok-able café, I was pleasantly surprised and excited when the thick pancakes jiggled in my direction. They were soft, fluffy and oh so much fun.
You can find souffle pancakes at Leisurely Coffee on Gilbert Street.
Wagyu sando
This wagyu steak sandwich was, hands down, the best thing I ate all trip. It melted in my mouth and was perfectly coated in a Dijon mustard. We found this steak sandwich at the Tsukiji Fish Market and watched the chefs prepare it with such precision – cutting the wagyu into fine pieces, painting it delicately with seasoning and then cooking it in front of us.
We are yet to find a wagyu steak sandwich of this calibre in Adelaide but know that East End Cellars on Vardon Avenue do a mean minute steak sandwich.
Gyukatsu
We came across Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu after go-karting in costume around the streets of Tokyo (humiliating, yes, but so worth it). We were hungry but filled with adrenaline. The ‘Choose your own adventure’ style menu meant we could pick the cut of meat we liked and then were able to cook it to our preference. I chose the wagyu because… when in Rome, and was given sides like katsu curry sauce, rice, an egg and more.
You can have a similar ‘cook it yourself’ experience at Niku House Yakiniku on Sturt Street.
Takoyaki
Takoyaki are wheat-flour batter balls usually filled with octopus along with other ingredients. They originate from Osaka and have a chewy yet soft and tender texture. The store we tried these Japanese treats at was Takoyaki Wanaka Dotonbori – located in the heart of Osaka’s food and beverage strip.
You can try Takoyaki at Umai Kitchen on Union Street.
