Yakiniku is a Japanese meal of grilled (“yaki”) meat (“niku”), and most often involves diners cooking meat around a grill on a table front of them. Adopted from Korean cuisine, yakiniku became widespread throughout Japan in the 20th century. Oftentimes yakiniku restaurants have other dishes that people can order, but the meats and sauces are the main components to a yakiniku experience. The grilled meat is then dipped by the customer in sauce and eaten. The sauce for these dishes oftentimes can be savory and sweet, but other flavor combinations such as sour and spicy can be added as well. The flavor of the sauce depends on the restaurant, and the variety of sauces at yakiniku restaurants can be a reason for someone to visit many of them. Osaka, historically a mercantile city located in the south-central region of Japan's main island, is a place that has many fantastic yakiniku restaurants for residents and travelers to enjoy--read on to discover some of these!

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Cherry blossom season in Japan begins each year in early spring, lasting until around Golden Week in May. During that time, swaths of pink and white sakura blossoms burst into full bloom starting from the Kyushu area in the southwest and moving in a northerly direction. During this season hanami, or cherry blossom viewing parties, are common in Japan. Sakura viewing first began during the Heian period, the historical peak of the Japanese nobility and a period in which culture and the arts flourished in Japan. The Heian emperor would host extravagant feasts beneath the cherry blossoms at the imperial palace in Kyoto, which set the tradition for hanami picnics. Today, hanami parties can take place either during the daytime or at night among family, friends, and coworkers.

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Osaka Station is the busiest train station in the western Kansai region of Japan, serving over two million passengers a day. The station building, called “Osaka Station City,” was newly remodeled in 2011 and offers various shopping, entertainment, and dining establishments in close proximity to the station area. With Osaka’s reputation as the culinary capital of Japan, it should come as no surprise that the area around Osaka Station boasts some truly excellent dining. Read on for 12 Osaka Station restaurants that highlight the epicurean genius of Japan’s top gourmet city.

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Osaka, located in the western region of Kansai, is a city famous for its food culture, and prides itself on being the gourmet capital of Japan. From the Dotonbori canal district lined with various dining establishments to the Shinsekai area serving up famous local dishes, Osaka is a true foodie mecca. There’s even an old Japanese saying that people from Osaka will eat and drink themselves out of house and home. If you’re visiting Osaka and want to uncover the different types of Osaka restaurants, here's a guide to the diverse array of food experiences that await.

Continue reading Where to Eat in Osaka, from Izakaya Restaurants to Yakitori

For Japanese, the ubiquitous “yakiniku party,” may be the greatest social affirmation of group identity—the tiny, tender cuts of meat, each like a bite of heaven on the tongue, are simply much too good to be eaten alone. Yakiniku’s close cousin, teppanyaki—named for the flat iron grill upon which the ingredients are cooked—is an equally social cuisine that eschews an entirely meat centered approach to include fresh vegetables, seafood chicken and an array of exotic spices and sauce. In perhaps the ultimate expression of luxury, this inviting combination is typically cooked to order right in front of you by master chefs who transcend the boundary between cuisine and performance. Once you feast your eyes on these 5 Osaka teppanyaki restaurants, you’ll never want to cook meat for yourself again.

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Steeped in rich history, delicious cuisine, and incredible views of the flowering cherry blossoms, West Japan is also a region that features around two dozen historic castles, many of which are surrounded by picturesque sakura-filled gardens that are perfect for a day of leisurely relaxation. Furthermore, these famous attractions, when paired with the beautiful weather of March and April, can make for an amazing springtime sojourn from the city din of Tokyo and Osaka. If you would like to include hanami, history, and haute cuisine on your itinerary, then be sure to visit these five West Japan restaurants—each offering seating with lush views of sakura as well as nearby proximities to popular castles and sakura groves.

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>In the eternal city of Kyoto, yakiniku is a staple option available at popular dining venues, from the enchanting Ponto night district to the tradition-filled alleys of Gion and dining establishments by the Kamogawa river. Yakiniku, which literally means “grilled meat,” is one of the most popular types of cuisines in modern Japan. A sizzling yakiniku meal is considered a treat and is often associated with special occasions, such as birthdays or celebrations of events. Many Kyoto yakiniku restaurants are mid- to upscale dining establishments that pride themselves on serving good cuts of domestically-reared wagyu beef.

Meat makes up most of the meal, but salads and pickles such as various forms of kimchi are popular sides. The common availability of kimchi and Korean stews is a nod to the Korean origins of yakiniku in Japan. A wide range of standards dips, such as soy sauce and garlic-flavored soy sauce, as well as other original sauces specific to each restaurant, are part of the enjoyment as guests grill the meat to their preference and vary the condiments. Some restaurants provide charcoal grills while others provide gas or electric grills. Covers for diners’ bags, coats and clothes so they can enjoy the meal without bringing the scent of grilled meats with them home, and good ventilation is provided so the interior is surprisingly smoke-free. Here are some restaurants showcasing the very best yakiniku in Kyoto.

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The city of Kyoto is one of the top destinations in the world for both travel and fine dining. This ancient former capital of Japan is known for its luscious scenery, countless historical sites, and excellent dining scene. Kyoto particularly specializes in washoku, or traditional Japanese cuisine, which has been declared a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage treasure, but offers a wide range of restaurants for any cuisine. Read on to discover 14 restaurants in Kyoto that demonstrate why it is truly a culinary capital.

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One of the most popular travel destinations in Japan for both domestic and foreign tourists alike, Kyoto is an ancient city with over a thousand years of history. Kyoto Station, the city’s main transportation hub, was revamped to commemorate Kyoto’s 1,200 year anniversary in 1997. For such a historical city, one might expect the station to be a hallmark of traditional architecture; however, the building’s sleek design of curved glass and exposed steel beams—the second-largest station building in Japan, containing a hotel, movie theater, two shopping malls, several museums, and a department store—reinterprets the city’s traditional aesthetic in a modern way.

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>Teppanyaki is a style of Japanese cuisine cooked on an iron grill top which originated in Japan following the introduction of modern iron manufacturing. With the spread of teppan cooking plates, dishes such as okonomiyaki (a Japanese savory pancake) became popular in Kansai, the western region of Japan. Later, during the post-war period, a new type of teppanyaki emerged. This new style of teppanyaki cuisine—also known as “hibachi” outside of Japan—is often described as Japanese dinner theater, with a personal chef grilling up meat, seafood, and vegetables in front of dinner guests with dynamic yet graceful culinary flair.

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