Cheaper meals for budget tourists in Japan
Many foreign travellers say that things of prices are expensive
in Japan. A Korean tourist who met at a Youth Hostel told me
that he could eat "Gyu-don" everyday to save money.
Foods are parts of tourists' fun. I would like to show you
cheaper restaurants and shops below to help your budget travel.
Unfortunately, you must read and speak Japanese to order there,
but some shops have a showcase of menu in the entrance,
and most shops use electric register machine, you can easily
see how much you should pay.
"Gyu-don" or Sukiyaki-like beef and rice in a bowl, is known as
cheap and quick menu for students and businessmen. There is three
sizes in
Gyu-don:"Nami"(standard),"Oh-mori"(big),"Toku-mori"(special big).
You just sit in front of a table and order the size of Gyu-don.
You can order more side menu like miso-soup, pickles, raw
egg, salads and so on. In Japan, water or green tea are free at
restaurants.
You can order Gyu-don to go("Take-out"). You can eat Gyu-don
Nami at 400 yen.
Popular nation-wide Gyu-don restaurants are Yoshinoya, Matsuya and Sukiya.
"Ten-don" is "Tenpura"(fried fishes and vegetables) and rice in a
bowl. The restaurant chain "Ten-ya" will offer you it at least 490
yen and 5% tax. You can choose the kind of tenpura on your Ten-don.
"don" or "Donburi" means "bowl" and something food and rice in a
same bowl. There are other cheap Donburis like Katsu-don(Fried
pork and egg), Oyako-don(chicken and egg ), Tekka-don(raw piceces of sliced
tuna) etc. in other restaurant.
We have a lot of McDonald's and Kentucky Fried Chicken in Japan.
You can order same ways in your country although you have to say
that in Japanese. Some menu may be offered as temporary campaign
prices. Other famous franchises shop are Lotteria, Moss Burger(I like
here) and so on.
You can easily find a noodle stand near every railway station (Eki).
There are cheapest food shops in Japan.
These is two kind of Japanese noodle: Soba(brown noodle) and
Udon(white noodle) in such a stand. Topping menu is various:
Ka-ke(nothing), Kitsune(fried thin Tofu with sweet soy source
), Tanuki(fried flour dots),Kakiage or Tenpura(gathered
tenpura), Niku(pork), Wakame(sea weeds), Tsukimi(raw egg), Nanban or
Ka-ree(curry soup).
You should order topping and type of noodle together, for example
,"Ka-ke-Udon",
"Tenpura-Soba"and so on. You may have to buy a ticket by vender
machine at the entrance and pour a cup of water by yourself to
drink(free). Of course you may be all standing during eating.
Eki-soba shop also serve some Donburis and "Curry-rice"(curry and
rice).
You can find lots of lunch packages(Bentou) and sandwiches in any
"conbini"(24hours-opened convenience store) or supermarket stores.
Supermarket store may discount them if closing time is near.
You can heat your Bentou by electric oven at cashier counter. If
clerk ask to you "Atata-me masuka"(Can I heat them?),you just say
"ha-i"(yes). You can get hot water to cook if you buy instant cup
noodles. But you must eat foods outside the store.
Those shop also sell "Pan"(bread). You may try Japanese original
bread like "An-pan"(sweet red beans paste inside) and
"Curry-pan"(fried bread within curry source).
Famous Conbini-chain are Seven-Eleven, Lowson, Family
mart, Sunkus, Mini Stop, Hot Spar, Circle K, Yamazaki daily store, etc.
Rah-men originally came form China. But because of much efforts
and developments by many Japanese chiefs, nowadays Rah-men is most
various and popular food among Japanese people.
Rah-men are classified four types by its soup: "Sho-yu"(soy
source),"Miso"(soy paste),"Tonkotsu"(pork bouillon) and "Shio"(seasoning
salt). You may be able to choose soup and topping, but some
Rah-men shops specialize to cook only one or two menu.
It is easy to find good Rah-men shop; you can see waiting queue at
an entrance of such a shop.
If you try to have "Sushi" or slices of raw fishes on small rice
blocks at saving price, go to "Kaiten Zushi" shop.
Belt conveyor system in a counter table bring you lots of Sushi
dishes automatically. You can choose any dish and eat freely,
but you should keep all dishes you take in front of you. Price is
about 100-200 yen per a dish. At cashier desk, You should tell to
clerk how many dishes you ate.
You can also buy Sushi lunch package (Bentou ) at supermarket
store. They will discount if closing time is near.
If you want to drink Japanese Sake and foods, go to "Izakaya"
like Yoro-no-taki, Uotami, Murasaki etc. You will satisfy then about
3000 yen per se . Photographes of dishes on menu booklet help you to order.
I think it is more fun if you go with your friends rather than you
alone in Izakaya.
This is not restaurant. All goods are sold at 100(Hyaku) yen there.
As Japanese economic condition goes worse, this kind of
shop increase. Interior goods, dishes and cups, cooking and
cleaning equipment, stationary, makeup goods ... You can see
Japanese daily life goods in the shop and find some souvenir.
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Copyright 1999@M.Kamegaya