Akita Prefecture offers Japanese dining at its best. You can look forward to traditional favorites and a few Akita-specific dishes. Japan is known to offer many different options from fancy restaurants to vendors, to themed restaurants about robots. No matter what you like, you will find it here. Many of the Japanese restaurants specialise in only one type of food. So, here is a guide on what to expect.
Specialty Restaurants
Sushi-ya – A sushi-ya is a sushi restaurant that offers the sushi dishes that most people are familiar with. These restaurants offer seating either at tables or at the sushi bar. (Very much like we see in the movies)
Soba-ya and Udon-ya – These two types of restaurants specialise in noodle dishes. Sobay-ya specialises in soba noodles and udon-ya specialises in udon noodles. You will find noodle dishes in most restaurants, but these two types specialise in them. Noodle dishes are usually served in a hot broth or with a side of dipping sauce. Noodles can be ordered with toppings of vegetables, tempura, etc.
Kare-ya – These restaurants specialise in rice dishes, more specifically, curry rice dishes. You will find one of these restaurants around all major public transport stations or shop areas.
Kaitenzushi– This is another type of sushi restaurant where you can pick the sushi pieces you want from a conveyor belt. You can also order from the menu if what you want is not available on the conveyor belt. These restaurants are often less expensive than sushi-ya.
Gyudon-ya – The gyudon-ya specialises in beef domburi or gyodon. They are easy to find all over Japan and in every city or town. They are often the cheapest restaurants around if you are dining on a budget.
Yakitori-ya – Yakitori are grilled chicken skewers that are cooked over a charcoal fire. These restaurants are very popular among locals and tourists alike. Yakitori is often enjoyed with ramen-ya.
There are several more of these single-dish type restaurants that specialise in tempura, pork cutlets, and more.
General Restaurants
Izakaya – This type of restaurant serves a larger variety of dishes that are often finger-food type items. We may call them platters that are shared among the individuals that are eating together. You can expect dishes like yakitori, tempura, salads, and grilled food.
Teishoku-ya – These restaurants offer set menus that you order from. The dishes mostly consist of a meat like fish, cooked rice, pickles, and miso soup. This type of restaurant is popular for lunch and for having a quick bite.
Family Restaurants – These are mostly chain restaurants that can be found across the country and may serve a combination of Western, Japanese, and Chinese dishes. You won’t find these restaurants in the heart of the city, but rather on the outskirts on the countryside.
These are only some of the restaurants you will find. You will find mostly Japanese type foods, but there are restaurants that serve more Western dishes as well. You will even come across a coffee shop or two when you visit museums or certain shopping areas. You are guaranteed to have a wonderful dining experience everyday with all the options out there.
