Chinese cuisine is one of the world’s three great cuisines and is loved all over the world. There are a lot of delicious gourmet foods that you definitely want to eat during your trip to China.
There are various dishes such as Sichuan’s classic home cooking “Twice Pot Meat” (Hoikoro), “Paozu”, which is popular in Japan under the name of “Chinese steamed bun”, and “Mapo Tofu”, which is addictive with the numbing spiciness of Sichuan pepper.
If you’re wondering if there is available Chinese food in Japan, the answer is definitely yes! In this article, I would drop down the most popular Types of Chinese Food in Japan that you’ll enjoy while wandering the beauty of Japan.
Scroll down to this post and get to know more about these delicious cuisines!
15 Popular Chinese Food in Japan
Rank #1 – Chinese Dumpling (Gyoza)
In China, boiled dumplings (boiled and drained) are the mainstream, and pan-fried dumplings (potstickers, steamed dumplings, etc.) are much less common than boiled dumplings.
In China, dumplings are generally eaten as a staple food and are not eaten as a ‘side dish’ (with white rice) like in Japan. There are also many Chinese restaurants in Japan so finding such will never be a hassle.
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Rank #2 – Shouronpou (Xiaolongbao)
Xiaolongbao (Shanghai: sholongbo, Mandarin: xiaolongbao, pinyin: xiǎolóngbāo) is a kind of Chinese food dim sum eaten in China. It is also called kogo-yubao or kogo-bao.
On rare occasions, it is also written as kogamo-bao (Japanese kanji for basket) or koryu-bao (no bamboo crown). Xiao long bao is a steamed bun wrapped in a thin wheat flour skin.
It is characterized by hot soup wrapped in a thin skin along with the ingredients. It is said to have originated in Shanghai, and according to one theory, it originated in Nanxiang, a town in the northwest of Shanghai.
Rank #3 – Mabo Tofu
Mapo Tofu is one of the Chinese dishes (Sichuan cuisine), and it is ground meat and red pepper, Sichuan pepper (hoa jiao, congener, and species of Japanese pepper), doubanjiang (doubanjang, bean sauce), and tochi (tofu 豉), etc., and boiled tofu with chicken bone soup.
Rank #4 – Chinese Fried Rice (Chaofan)
Fried rice is a dish in which cooked rice is stir-fried with various ingredients in oil. This chinese food is one of the popular family food in China. There are many types of fried rice depending on the ingredients but the most famous one is called Hokkien.
Rank #5 – Chinjaolose (Green Pepper Meat String)
In China, where Qīngjiāo ròu sī originated, it is standard to use pork. Alternatively, it is abbreviated and written as green pepper beef or green pepper beef. In Japan, even if beef is used, it is often called by the name of Chinjaolosu.
Rank #6 – Shrimp Chilli (Dried Shrimp Kernels)
Shrimp chili sauce (Chinese: dry brown shrimp jin or dry brown shrimp) is a spicy stir-fried shrimp dish. It is often called by the abbreviation Ebichiri.
Rank #7 – Peking Duck
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Peking duck (Peking duck, Peking roast duck, Peijing kao ya, běijīng kăoyā) is a Chinese dish of whole-prepared duck roasted in an oven. One of the representative dishes of Beijing cuisine. It is also known as “Baking tin’aap” in Hong Kong and “Běipíng kăoyā” in Taiwan.
Rank #8 – Yurinchi Chicken (Oil Chicken)
Yurinchi (Yurinji, Simplified Chinese: 油LIN鸡 yóulínjī) is a Chinese dish of fried chicken topped with chopped green onions and a soy sauce-based sauce.
Chicken (jī) is pronounced voiceless in Chinese contrary to the spelling, but Japanese ears sometimes hear it as “ji”, so it is also called yowlingjie. Some Chinese restaurants in Japan do not write Yurinji on the menu, but instead, write Fried chicken with green onion flavored sauce.
Rank #9 – Annin Tofu
Annin tofu or most commonly known as almond tofu is a dessert that originated in China. It is also called ‘Kyoninkan’, and the most common name is ‘Annindoufu’ (Karaon). It is a soft dessert with a jelly texture that only has a few ingredients like sugar, agar, and apricot kernel milk.
Also Read: Types of Cake in Japan
Rank #10 – Hoikorou (Twice Pot Meat)
Twice pot meat (hoikoro Chinese: 回锅肉, Pinyin: Huíguōròu) is one of the Chinese and Sichuan dishes. Kairinabe does not mean rotating the pan (frying or flipping the pan), but returning the cooked ingredients to the pan and cooking them again.
Rank #11 – Spring Roll (Harumaki)
Spring rolls (Harumaki, traditional Chinese: spring roll; simplified Chinese: 春卷; Pinyin: chūnjuǎn, Chunjuan) is a type of Chinese dim sum.
Although the name spring rolls dates from the Qing Dynasty, similar dishes can be found in the Yuan Dynasty and are thought to have originated in the Middle East.
Rank #12 – Tantanmen (Dandan Noodles)
Tantanmen (Chinese: dandanmien, Chengdu dialect: dandalmien, pinyin: dàndār miàn) is a noodle dish that originated in Sichuan, China, and is topped with spicy minced meat and shredded Chinese chives. This is one of the famous ramen noodles to try when you’re in Japan. Especially if you love spicy foods.
Although it is well-established as a type of Japanese noodle dish, it has been greatly arranged in various places, and the flavor is different.
Rank #13 – Sweet and Sour Pork (Subuta)
Subuta or sweet and sour pork is a Chinese dish of seasoned cubed pork that is coated in batter, fried in oil, and coated with sweet and sour bean paste.
It is a popular dish in Europe and America, where there are many Cantonese restaurants. In Nagasaki, it is also called Supaiko (Some Chinese restaurants in Kyushu and other prefectures also call it Supaiko).
In many Chinese restaurants in Japan, sweet and sour pork is a common menu, and it is often made at home, and it is often on the menu of bento shops in addition to retort packs and seasoning packs. In Europe and the United States, tomato ketchup is preferred over vinegar, so it is often served with tomato ketchup sauce.
Rank #14 – Happosai (Stir Fry)
Happosai (苼音: bābǎocài babao tsai) is one of the Chinese dishes. Originally from Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui. Gomoku umami simmered. “Hachi” in Happosai does not mean “eight types” but simply “many”.
This Chinese food is a combination of different veggies, kinds of seafood, and meat which has a thick savory flavor.
Rank #15 – Mapo Eggplant
Mapo eggplant (mabo eggplant, mabo chiezu) is a type of Sichuan cuisine (Chinese cuisine) adapted in Japan. Originally known as ‘Yushang Chiezu’, this is a dish of eggplant and minced meat.
In Japan, it has the same seasoning as Mapo tofu, and is often made using fried (sometimes steamed) eggplant instead of tofu, and special seasonings are also sold. Also, in-home cooking, carrots and green peppers are sometimes added to the ingredients.
The difference between the seasonings of fish-flavored eggplant and Mapo tofu is mainly that doubanjiang and Sichuan pepper are not added, and that vinegar and sugar are added.
What is the Best Chinese Food in Japan
Since I have listed the types of Chinese foods that you can also try in Japan, I know your tastebuds will enjoy trying some of the foods listed above. I would definitely recommend you try some of these dishes when you go and visit Japan.
Which do you think ranks high among the various menus? Let us know what Chinese food you recommend!
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