I was reluctant to try squid because in middle school, I dissected a squid for biology class and ever since, I could only associate the word with the smell of formaldehyde. In the end, I did end up trying it and have had it several times since.
The weirdest thing I tried actually ended up being cauliflower and onions covered in ketchup, which is served sometimes at breakfast. I know that ketchup served with various foods can be common in the U.S., but boy this was something I had never seen before, nor expected to find in Japan, of all places.
When I was trying all of the onigiri, all I could feel was satisfaction. I had tried it once or twice before, but being in Japan just makes it better. I wasn't sure if I would like the aurora sauce on the onigiri since I don't like tomatoes, but I was pleasantly surprised. Also, Japnese mayonnaise is a bit different than American mayonnaise. Because I don't usually like mayonnaise, I was surprised to like the Japanese version so much. Many people pour it on the cabbage we often get with our meals.
When I tried the curry for the first time, I was glad to be able to tell my friend back home that her recipe tastes just like it does in Japan. Eating ramen surprises me a little every time I eat it. It looks exactly like instant ramen and the taste comes from the broth like I am used to, but the taste is like a mix of American ramen and Japanese broth. It is a good taste. I was very apprehensive when I tried squid and octopus. I still get a lingering feeling of that when I eat squid, but I have gotten a lot better about eating it instead of avoiding it.
