When visiting Japan it’s hard to ignore the opportunity to eat delicious food every day, at every meal even, regardless of budget. Below are photos of every meal I ate on a trip in April, 2017 (though not every single takoyaki snack or vending machine morsel was documented). Most photos include a description and location.
Breakfast
The local conbini, or convenience store, usually provided breakfast, unless there was a French-style bakery to visit/judge or the mind was dead-set on a morning natto-don. Jet lag also forced breakfast hand, often leaving no choice but to arrive at the food markets early in the morning, before most of the other tourists.
![The best beef skewer I’ve ever had meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4181/34622083422_9f136ba516_q.jpg)
The best beef skewer I’ve ever had by the pabloest of them all
![Uni and Toro meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4267/34622336902_0653c4ebbb_q.jpg)
Uni and Toro by the pabloest of them all
![Hot meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4224/34166080163_99d0218108_q.jpg)
Hot by the pabloest of them all
![Cake meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4272/34166085883_4ed5b706b9_q.jpg)
Cake by the pabloest of them all
![Self-supporting coffee filter system meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4227/34166080523_b34f84ba97_q.jpg)
Self-supporting coffee filter system by the pabloest of them all
![Self-supporting coffee filter system meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4198/34812940202_13d32bd729_q.jpg)
Self-supporting coffee filter system by the pabloest of them all
![Komeda Coffee meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4244/34166080673_1c11583e93_q.jpg)
Komeda Coffee by the pabloest of them all
![Choco Cro meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4247/34936198386_dd983ffdb4_q.jpg)
Choco Cro by the pabloest of them all
![Breakfast set meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4200/34166080913_6ab9d3a560_q.jpg)
Breakfast set by the pabloest of them all
![Breakfast set meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4243/34936198706_8d0d6d9a75_q.jpg)
Breakfast set by the pabloest of them all
![Breakfast set meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4274/34166081093_639dbef854_q.jpg)
Breakfast set by the pabloest of them all
![Breakfast set meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4224/34936198986_c7b2247419_q.jpg)
Breakfast set by the pabloest of them all
![Breakfast set meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4195/34166081263_55c0ef0864_q.jpg)
Breakfast set by the pabloest of them all
![Breakfast set meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4246/34936199296_d271dc2379_q.jpg)
Breakfast set by the pabloest of them all
![House-made tofu meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4224/34166081463_2cbbdf499a_q.jpg)
House-made tofu by the pabloest of them all
![Brasseries VIRON meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4276/34936199526_64028c0d07_q.jpg)
Brasseries VIRON by the pabloest of them all
![Natto meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4248/34166081703_8c1016e494_q.jpg)
Natto by the pabloest of them all
![Uni & toro meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4203/34936199846_8e392aa899_q.jpg)
Uni & toro by the pabloest of them all
![Conbini breakfast meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4196/34166081863_dbb3ac54a4_q.jpg)
Conbini breakfast by the pabloest of them all
![Conbini breakfast meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4224/34936200136_2b04d45b1a_q.jpg)
Conbini breakfast by the pabloest of them all
![Natto meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4228/34166082003_ac5dcf59a7_q.jpg)
Natto by the pabloest of them all
Lunch
Lunch choices can be dizzying. Plan on having two lunches per day if you can fit it in. It’ll all be walked off anyway.
![Katsu meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4219/34166508813_11aba22ea9_q.jpg)
Katsu by the pabloest of them all
![Takaida ramen meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4224/34166508913_2015fc1b5c_q.jpg)
Takaida ramen by the pabloest of them all
![Unagi-don and fish liver soup meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4243/34813452682_0d7f84d106_q.jpg)
Unagi-don and fish liver soup by the pabloest of them all
![Fish liver soup meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4271/34589562930_19319c0319_q.jpg)
Fish liver soup by the pabloest of them all
![Tamago meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4250/34977245755_2c5f29f056_q.jpg)
Tamago by the pabloest of them all
![Market noodles meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4251/34589563100_aea5fe47fe_q.jpg)
Market noodles by the pabloest of them all
![Ekiben meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4227/34589563250_c73e1a0b4b_q.jpg)
Ekiben by the pabloest of them all
![Ekiben meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4243/34589563360_988f8d3395_q.jpg)
Ekiben by the pabloest of them all
![Soba restaurant meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4228/34977246055_c6e8b264f5_q.jpg)
Soba restaurant by the pabloest of them all
![Ekiben meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4247/34589563660_0c01afeaea_q.jpg)
Ekiben by the pabloest of them all
![Takoyaki meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4250/34977246435_1e0acab829_q.jpg)
Takoyaki by the pabloest of them all
![House made hot dog meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4225/34589563970_b8545be887_q.jpg)
House made hot dog by the pabloest of them all
![Tempura and soba meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4275/34977246695_09fcb32ca3_q.jpg)
Tempura and soba by the pabloest of them all
![Curry katsu meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4223/34589564080_984184e383_q.jpg)
Curry katsu by the pabloest of them all
![“Luxury” shabu shabu meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4220/34589564310_62e4a06e7f_q.jpg)
“Luxury” shabu shabu by the pabloest of them all
![“Luxury” shabu shabu meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4223/34977246985_cde29a546a_q.jpg)
“Luxury” shabu shabu by the pabloest of them all
![Omurice meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4220/34813455022_010a119e19_q.jpg)
Omurice by the pabloest of them all
![Strawberry cake meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4249/34589564520_12f273444a_q.jpg)
Strawberry cake by the pabloest of them all
![Strawberry cake meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4224/34589564790_519e440ab2_q.jpg)
Strawberry cake by the pabloest of them all
![Ekiben (on a plane) meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4269/34813455322_d53a02c6ea_q.jpg)
Ekiben (on a plane) by the pabloest of them all
![Ekiben (on a plane) meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4268/34589564940_396f06eeb0_q.jpg)
Ekiben (on a plane) by the pabloest of them all
Dinner
Many days were planned starting with the final destination, dinner, and from there backwards in time. Dinner isn’t the end of an evening, but it can be a highlight.
![Takoyaki meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4269/34590080700_38c3d998aa_q.jpg)
Takoyaki by the pabloest of them all
![Yaki onigiri meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4248/34590081230_2b439aaf7d_q.jpg)
Yaki onigiri by the pabloest of them all
![Seafood meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4243/34590081110_097897ff94_q.jpg)
Seafood by the pabloest of them all
![Gyoza (bite-sized) meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4275/34937248966_ea6ba2ce21_q.jpg)
Gyoza (bite-sized) by the pabloest of them all
One of the best meals in Japan.
![Gyoza patrons meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4275/34590081420_85d8bc6c3b_q.jpg)
Gyoza patrons by the pabloest of them all
![$5 dinner set meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4220/34590081590_a27f3f2630_q.jpg)
$5 dinner set by the pabloest of them all
![Aburizushi meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4219/34590082010_4b9de973fa_q.jpg)
Aburizushi by the pabloest of them all
![House-made noodles meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4272/34166995533_b3ef5747e9_q.jpg)
House-made noodles by the pabloest of them all
![Sashimi meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4271/34937249136_3eb3cf4539_q.jpg)
Sashimi by the pabloest of them all
![Nigiri meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4200/34590082150_b7ef771363_q.jpg)
Nigiri by the pabloest of them all
![Sesame dessert meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4227/34166995823_904f20f3ac_q.jpg)
Sesame dessert by the pabloest of them all
![Izakaya gyoza meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4222/34590082500_7f77268312_q.jpg)
Izakaya gyoza by the pabloest of them all
![Spring set menu no. 1 (right-to-left) meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4275/34845389561_a53d210c35_q.jpg)
Spring set menu no. 1 (right-to-left) by the pabloest of them all
![Nigiri meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4270/34590082790_e64bb39137_q.jpg)
Nigiri by the pabloest of them all
![Toro meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4204/34590087100_bcab63e646_q.jpg)
Toro by the pabloest of them all
![Spring set menu no. 2 meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4245/34845389751_8e353c9f02_q.jpg)
Spring set menu no. 2 by the pabloest of them all
![Spring set menu no. 2 (right-to-left) meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4245/34590083260_64f22041e9_q.jpg)
Spring set menu no. 2 (right-to-left) by the pabloest of them all
![Roe meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4248/34845389851_114de14a5c_q.jpg)
Roe by the pabloest of them all
![Ramen meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4199/34590083430_432b71fbef_q.jpg)
Ramen by the pabloest of them all
![Katsu meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4195/34845389971_744d390c8a_q.jpg)
Katsu by the pabloest of them all
![Spanish “izakaya” meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4204/34590083880_66360a2042_q.jpg)
Spanish “izakaya” by the pabloest of them all
![Tonkotsu ramen meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4248/34845390121_243d4595e2_q.jpg)
Tonkotsu ramen by the pabloest of them all
![Sushi meal](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4243/34590084040_95a4933f52_q.jpg)