If anyone can give the Bengalis a run for their money when it comes to eating fish, it is definitely the Japanese. Eating raw fish may gross out a few but sushi is what put Japan on the global food map ages ago. Sushi and its variant sashimi are easily available anywhere but it is tough to beat a sushi experience in Japan – street cart or high end sushi bar – take your pick. Eating that much healthy seafood is probably why the Japanese have such glowing complexion.

In Japan you can have soup for breakfast, lunch and dinner and a different one each time. The most important thing in a Japanese soup is the dashi or stock. Based on that there are many soups you can choose from but our top pick is ramen. What apparently originated in China is now a Japanese street staple and is fast becoming a global comfort food. Noodles and an array of condiments in a salty flavourful broth finished off with an egg (half fried or poached) on top. A piping hot bowl of ramen is the perfect way to deal with any type of gloom.

Japan is a heaven for health freaks too. A Japanese meal includes all tastes and nutrients from all food groups. Starchy rice or noodles can be had for every meal and there are enough types to easily let you do so without getting bored. Soba or buckwheat noodles from North Japan are a popular healthy option. While meat dishes are important, a good amount and variety of veggies are also included in each meal. Fermented foods ingredients like tofu, miso, bean curd and soy provide you with plenty of nutrients and a balanced taste. Cooking methods and recipes from different zones will never leave you out of options. Teppenyaki (cooked on girdles), yakitori (grilled on sticks) and tempura’s (coasted with a light batter and deep fried) are must tries.

If you are adventurous with food and don’t mind some creepy crawlies going down your tummy you are going to love eating in Japan. It is an island nation of seafood lovers, so you can easily get shrimp, octopus, squids and a wide variety of fish, but the real steal is whale meat – which is something you can sample in a very few other places than Japan. Horse meat, crispy fried tarantulas, cockroaches, sea urchins and even poisonous puffer and stone fish – Japan is bizarre food paradise. Eating out in Japan too is a complete experience and goes far beyond just the food. Themed restaurants are really the in thing in Japan. Eat at places like spooky vampire café’s to prison and hospital themed restaurants, and even a place where everything right from the food to the décor is reminiscent of a toilet. If this isn’t funky enough we don’t know what is.

If you have the moolah then you definitely can make your food journey through this country more memorable than ever. Japan is home to a number of food ingredients which make it to the list of the world’s most expensive food. In the midst of its other brilliant seafood the big catch in Japan really is a Bluefin tuna, a few pounds of which make your pockets relatively light. Wagyu - graded as one of the best beef in the world, matsutake mushrooms which cost a bomb for their flavour, aroma and meaty texture, black densuke watermelons and square shaped Yubari melons – Japan has all of these and more ridiculously expensive but beautifully exclusive food to offer.

Start off with this exciting culinary journey of Japanese food in your own home kitchen. For recipes you have SanjeevKapoor.com. You can also learn to prepare some delicate Japanese delights from expert chefs at SK Culinary Studio.