Being a Picky Eater in Japan

This is a topic that gets very popular when talking about going to any country that's different from what you're so used to. Food is one of the greatest things we enjoy in life (at least I do), and when you throw yourself into a new environment that is not your own the biggest question you have for yourself is"how will I survive?" (a.k.a "what will I eat?"). In regards to traveling to Japan and living in America, it may seem like a necessary concern. What will you be able to eat in Japan? They seem to like their food raw and fresh, like just jumped out the water "fresh."

I'm here to reassure you that you will be just fine in Japan when it comes to food. There is something for everyone.

I am actually a picky eater. My family and friends all know I'm a picky eater, and I always have been. When I first went to Japan on a summer study abroad program the first thing people asked me was what are you going to eat. They knew I didn't like fish (still don't) and were concern because all they knew about Japan was that Japanese people ate fish. This is very true. Japanese people typically eat fish, but it's definitely not the only thing they eat.

Fancy bento in Nara, Japan. Ate everything but the fish.

As everyone's concern grew as my time to leave for Japan was coming up, I did more research and found out I was going to be just fine. Japan may be a country surrounded by water but it's not limited to fish. I found out about so many different kinds of foods I could eat without worrying about fish. I'm very much a meat eater with chicken being the most consumed in my diet, then beef. As long as I could find dishes with chicken or beef I would be just fine. And guess what? I was fine.

Chicken curry rice.

Beef bowl restaurant next door to the college in Kyoto, Japan.

Yep, that's right. I ate spaghetti.

Pork ramen.

And ya' know, there's always McDonald's if you really can't find anything you like. There's literally a McDonald's on every main street in Japan, even in train stations too. Another American chain that can be found in Japan is KFC. Then Japanese always has American style restaurants and diners that you can at least get a really good hamburger steak from.

A McDonald's right across from a bus stop in Kyoto, Japan.

The point is that you can definitely find something to your liking over in Japan. It's not all fish. Even in small towns you can still find dishes like ramen. Don't let food be the reason to stop you from going to Japan. That should not even be a reason!

If anything, going to Japan will make you more adventurous with food. I ate so many things that I never would have eaten before. It was scary at times but that lingering question of "what if" always stayed in my head when I was presented with a new food. What if I never get to try it again? What if I really do end up liking it? If you try the new food, then you have a great conversation piece. I can say, "Yeah, I've tried takoyaki in Osaka before." Even if I didn't like it (yeah, not a big fan of takoyaki, fried octopus balls) I can still say I tried it. There's more to this story that I will talk about in a future blog post, but it's a great story that I wouldn't have had unless I actually tried it. The worse thing that can happen is you end up not liking it. If that's the case, then you just avoid that food. No problem!

I hope this helps you consider going to Japan. Food is not going to be your problem. Just go and enjoy. You will find something you like, and then when you leave Japan you will be very sad that the food is not so easy to get anymore (how I feel about curry and ramen).

Thank you for reading my blog! For more Japan related content or just to keep up with what I'm doing (like my new job), follow me on social media: Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Also got a YouTube channel if you like videos on Japan and of Japan.

Until next time!