42 mouthwatering foods everyone should try in Japan

There is so much more to Japanese cuisine than sushi and ramen.

From Japanese-style barbecue to hibachi, Japanese cuisine has a huge diversity of regional and seasonal dishes. Plus, the Japanese diet — generally healthy and light — is sometimes credited with longevity.

Here are the 42 best dishes to try in Japan.

Tonkatsu is a thick, deep-fried pork cutlet that is eaten with sweet brown sauce. Because it is heavy and rich, oftentimes a pile of shredded cabbage will come alongside the tonkatsu.

Oyakodon translates to "parent-and-child donburi." Chicken, sliced onion, and eggs are simmered in a soy-based sauce to create an omelette-like dish that's draped over a bed of rice.

Takoyaki is a popular Japanese snack. A piece of octopus is fried inside a wheat flour batter, then topped with bonito flakes, seaweed, mayonnaise, and tare (a thick, salty sauce).