One of my favorite things about Japan is that it has so many different kinds of food. As I walk down the street from my local train station to my apartment, I pass a bakery, an Indian restuarant, a beef bowl restaurant, a tea shop, a Chinese restuarant, grilled skewers (yakitori) and many more.
A traditional Japanese meal oftentimes consists of rice, miso soup and a protein such as fish, chicken, pork or beef. What makes each meal fun is that everything is served on a variety of small plates, rather than on one large plate. Not only does this make the meal aesthetically pleasing, but it's enjoyable to try different flavors in this way. Some popular dishes include beef bowls, tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet), Japanese curry, hamburg steak and tempura.
One thing I appreciate about food in Japan is how affordable it is. Cafeterias at universities are often open to the public and serve meals for under 500 yen per person (that's less than $3.50!). As a graduate student, I often eat my lunches at my university cafeteria. Everything is cooked at the cafeteria with nutrition in mind. There are lots of convenience stores called konbini on every corner of the city, where you can buy snacks, meals and any conveniences you need.
