Many cuisines are known for a variety of individual dishes. Japanese cuisine, however, is a little different. While there are many dishes that the cuisine has become known for, there are also several different types of cuisine or subsets of Japanese cuisine. Knowing a little bit about these categories of dishes can make it easier to order at a Japanese restaurant.
Yakatori
Yakitori is a type or style of Japanese cooking that involves grilling items on bamboo sticks. The most common food made this way is yakitori chicken, but you'll also see beef and various veggies cooked and served in the yakitori style. The foods are usually marinated in and brushed with a sweet and salty sauce and served with a variety of other sauces for dipping. Yakitori is a delicious type of Japanese cuisine to share with friends since you can order a variety of items to share.
Tempura
Tempura is a version of Japanese cooking that consists of dipping vegetables and meats in a really light airy dough and then deep-frying them. This gives the items a really crispy, crunchy texture. Tempura veggies and shrimp are often dipped in soy sauce before eating. Some restaurants may serve them with other, house-made sauces. Tempura may be enjoyed as an appetizer before the main meal or as a part of a bento box lunch.
Ramen
What you might think of as a quick, convenience food that comes in a foil packet is actually a whole subset of Japanese cuisine. Ramen is a type of soup made with rich bone broth, wheat noodles, and various toppings. It's traditional to include a hard-boiled egg, sliced pork belly, and sprouts on top of the ramen, but restaurants experiment with different toppings and inclusions all the time. Ramen is perfect for a cool fall day or a chilly winter evening.
Onigiri
Onigiri refers to rice balls that are eaten by hand. There's more variety here than you might think. Just about anything can be wrapped up in the rice ball, from shrimp to mushrooms. Think of onigiri as the Japanese equivalent to a sandwich. It's often eaten on the go as a snack or quick lunchtime meal.
If you understand what these subsets of Japanese cuisine include and involve, you'll have a better idea of what you're going to get when you order. It's so much fun to order and taste different options, especially in a cuisine like this where there is so much variety.