As might be expected of a rice kingdom, Niigata offers a dizzying array of rice crackers at its convenience stores. Niigata people swear by their flavourful rice crackers.

Tenshinhan (天津飯） is a crab meat omelette on rice deeply loved by Osaka natives. They like it so much that they pair it with ramen during their lunch. This is opposed to Tokynites who hardly eat this dish.

Black has negative connotations in Japan (people wear black for funerals, unscrupulous companies are called black enterprises). However, it can be said that Kagoshima people view black positively as they associate it with high status. That’s why its signature products include kurobuta (black pork) and black beef. When you make a trip to Kagoshima, watch out for its people and see if they are wearing black clothes and accessories!

Akita people eat miso champon. The miso broth fills the bowl almost to the point of overflowing.

Fukuoka is known for its rich tonkotsu ramen, but there is a ramen shop called Daruma Ramen in Gunma Prefecture that offers a thicker tonkotsu broth (14.7% thickness) than its famous Fukuoka counterpart (9.8% thickness)! Gunma’s broth is thicker because pig heads are used to accentuate the soup, unlike Fukuoka’s broth in which pig legs are used.

Yamagata people love to eat salami so much that they regard it as a daily snack. (As compared to people from other prefectures who pair salami with beer.) In some restaurants, you will even find packets of salami used as chopstick rests.

Okinawa people like to eat Portuguese sausages with cheese and cucumbers.

People in Gunma, Fukui and Nagano enjoy pork cutlet rice drizzled with sauce. But what separates Nagano’s sauce katsu from that of the other 2 prefectures is that it comes with a voluminous amount of cabbage.

One must travel to Hokkaido in order to benefit from its pure and humongous hotate (scallops). As if to prove that they haven’t undergone any processing, these fresh scallops sold in the supermarkets haven’t even been removed from the shells yet!

People in Hokkaido and Okinawa may live near the sea, but they ironically don’t go swimming in the sea. They regard the sea as a pretty background for them to carry out their lively barbecue sessions during summer.

America Village in Osaka is famous for selling pre-loved and vintage products, but to Osaka teenagers, it is a place where they buy takoyaki from Kogaryu Honten and savour them at Sankaku-koen/Triangle Park!

Edamame 🫛 is serious business in Niigata. The locals are not only able to distinguish between different types of edamame, but eagerly go for edamame picking from June to November, depending on which brand is in season. People who are confident of their ability to eat edamame fast can even join an edamame eating competition.

Kobe is famous for Kobe beef. But did you know that Kobe people love their butaman (steamed pork buns)? Roshoki is said to have invented butaman. Its pork buns are about the size of a child’s fist, so you can gobble them up in one bite.

The Japanese differentiate kissaten (Japanese-style tearoom and coffee shop that originated in the early 20th century) from cafes. Nagoya people love kissaten as their third space. They are known to be willing to queue in front of popular kissaten during weekend mornings to have a leisurely breakfast with their family. Be sure to visit one and try carbotoast, which combines creamy carbonara sauce and fluffy bread.

Foreigners’ mental representation of Sapporo miso ramen involves corn and butter. But Sapporo natives actually loathe the idea of tucking into their ramen with corn and butter. They like to keep it simple and include beansprouts and spring onions.

Shiga is not surrounded by seas, but thanks to its lake - Biwako - it has carved a niche for itself as a Hawaii-style destination. Cafes serving Hawaiian dishes line the beach; people engage themselves in Standup paddleboarding (SUP).

People in Yamagata love to eat hippari udon in winter. It’s a favourite household dish because of its ease of making. You just need udon, natto (fermented soybeans) and canned sardines and Voila! a dish ideal for warming the cockles of your soul is created!

Japan is known for its boisterous summer festivals, but the Saijo Matsuri held in Ehime has got to take the cake. For one, life comes to a complete standstill as schools and offices are closed for two days, thus allowing Saijio residents to celebrate it for a whooping 60 continuous hours! 77 elaborate floats are offered to the gods, and 15-20 burly young men carry each ~600kg float for 60 kilometres. That’s more than a full marathon!

Osaka is world-famous for its pork belly okonomiyaki, but did you know that Hyogo and Kyoto people love to eat okonomiyaki too? The style differs though - Hyogo people eat their okonomiyaki that comprises beef intestines and konjac, whereas Kyoto people eat their manbo-style okonomiyaki that comprises tempura batter, cabbage, and innards.

Toyama people have the bigger houses among all the people in Japan. It is so big that they can play catch ball or skip rope in the comfort of their own home. Plus, owning their own home seems to be ingrained in their culture; 15% of people in their 20s will take the plunge to build their own home.

Matsusaka beef in Mie prefecture is famous among travellers, but the locals also like chicken or pork teriyaki (grilled meat). In fact, every city in Mie has its signature dish that is characteristically different from other cities. It is customary to dip the teriyaki in miso rare sauce though.