One of the greatest pleasures of traveling abroad is enjoying the local cuisine. For example, I often use Google Maps, social media, blogs, and YouTube to find popular restaurants. After all, having invested time and money to visit a foreign country, I want to dine at a highly recommended place! With this thought in mind, I head to the restaurant.
However, popular places are often crowded, and I frequently hesitate to go in. Since I can’t speak English well, I worry that even with a translator, I might cause inconvenience due to the crowd, and so I end up not entering the restaurant.
In Japan, compared to other countries, there is less English signage, and fewer people speak English. Therefore, it might be quite challenging for foreigners to line up or enter a crowded restaurant.
While the desire to dine at popular spots after spending considerable time and money to visit Japan is understandable, what I want to convey here is that “most Japanese restaurants are generally delicious even for Japanese people.” (I can’t speak for restaurants in other countries, but this holds true for Japan.)
Dining at a popular and crowded restaurant is one experience, but I also think that enjoying Japanese food at your own pace can be a wonderful experience. If the restaurant isn’t crowded, you can use a translator to place your order. Interacting with the staff can also become a memorable part of your journey.
I hope you can enjoy as many experiences as possible during your limited time in Japan. Have a great trip!