Beyond sushi and ramen: Japanese chefs recommend 9 lesser-known foods

Japan is a diverse land of culinary pleasures, but lately it seems all America cares about are the raw and slurpy parts.

Sushi and ramen aren't the sole culinary delights from the Land of the Rising Sun. So to spotlight some of the culture's lesser-known delicacies, we asked Japanese chefs to offer some recommendations. Here are nine under-the-radar Japanese eats to help break up the spicy tuna and tonkotsu monotony.

onigiri
Flickr/AnnieAnniePancake

Onigiri

"One of my favorite lesser-known Japanese snacks would have to be onigiri. Onigiri are seasoned rice balls filled with various foods such as ume, salmon, and boshi flake. I like to stuff them with roasted pork belly and give a quick grill to the rice ball. Fun fact: it is said that onigiri originated when samurai needed a quick snack in the fields during wartime in the 17th century." - Philip Speer, director of culinary operations, Uchi Restaurants (Austin, TX)
 

Jellyfish maki

"Jellyfish maki is an extremely popular staple in Japan that's easy to find -- and has been since the jellyfish invasion. Despite its widespread popularity in Japan, jellyfish is not something that we often see, eat, hear of, or really know anything about here in America. It has a nice, clean flavor that works well on hand-rolled maki sushi without rice." - Chris Clime, executive chef, PassionFish (Reston, VA)

kaiseki
Flickr/amanderson2

Kaiseki

"Kaiseki started as a tea ceremony meal and evolved to become the ultimate multi-course Japanese cuisine. Traditionally the details and ingredients of the meal depend on the season. It is not a type of dish, but a certain style that was developed in Kyoto." - Tatsu Aikawa, executive chef/owner, Ramen Tatsu-Ya (Austin, TX)

Takoyaki
Flickr/Charles Haynes

Takoyaki

"I've always loved takoyaki, when it's prepared correctly. It's made with a batter similar to that of pancakes and contains bits of octopus and green onion. It's usually set into balls using a particular 'takoyaki' pan and then grilled on one side to order." - Kaz Edwards, chef de cuisine, Uchi Houston(Houston, TX)

Omu-rice
Flickr/Chris Harber

Omu-rice

"It's a very popular meal made at home in Japan. Practicality the national food, it has rice, eggs, ketchup, meat, and veggies. When I was a kid, I believed this dish came from the US, since it's basically an omelet but with rice. I would dream about the US while eating it. This is my husband's favorite dish too." - Kayo Asazu, chef/co-owner, Kome (Austin, TX)

Nabe
Flickr/Yamaguchi Yoshiaki

Nabe

"Nabe is basically a Japanese version of hot pot. It’s a fun Winter dish for gathering friends and family. In Japan there are lots of chankonabe shops that are run by retired sumo wrestlers because it is usually the wrestlers' main diet.

Chankonabe has more ingredients, but is very healthy. They just eat lots of it to get big. Nabe is also very regionally oriented, if you go to Northern Japan you will find seafood nabes with salmon, monkfish, and shellfish." - Tatsu Aikawa, executive chef/owner, Ramen Tatsu-Ya (Austin, TX)

Japanese dango
Flickr/Charles Kim

Japanese desserts

“Many Americans know mochi but are unfamiliar with other Japanese desserts such as monaka, dango (pictured), and anmitsu. The flavors are subtle and less sweet than desserts here, and feature savory complements from bean curd or soy-based sauces. And like many Japanese dishes, the visual presentation is often quite striking.” - Hiroyuki Naruke, chef, Q Sushi (Los Angeles, CA)

oden
Flickr/[puamelia]<br /> &nbsp;

Oden

"Oden is something the Japanese want to eat when the weather gets cooler, as it's basically Japanese stew with different veggies and meat. It has a dashi broth; the Japanese put a lot of things in it and feel like they can't go wrong with that. Oden is popular enough you can get it from convenience stores in Japan like 7-Eleven." - Kayo Asazu, chef/co-owner, Kome (Austin, TX)

Una don
Wikimedia/663highland

Una-ju or Unadon

"It’s simply grilled eel over rice in a box. You might see it on some Japanese restaurants' menus, although 99% of the time it’s an eel already flavored from a package that's warmed up on top of the rice.

If you’re in Japan there are Unagi-ya, which are dedicated eel shops. They first fillet an eel, skewer (or steam, depending on the region), dip the skewer in a sauce, and grill to perfection. Some shops have used the same dipping sauce for generations, adding an umami that you cannot create overnight. To master the art of making unagi they say 'skewering three years, filleting five years, grilling lifetime'. If you’re in Japan, I would suggest seeking out one of the old-school shops near the Asakusa or Ginza area. I think it’s great; it really melts in your mouth, and it also has nice charred and smoky flavors. - Tatsu Aikawa, executive chef/owner, Ramen Tatsu-Ya (Austin, TX)

Dan Gentile is a staff writer on Thrillist's national food and drink team. A dedicated eel shop sounds like a place he could really dedicate himself to eating at once or twice a week. Follow him to dreams of unagi at @Dannosphere.