> A grilled breaded pork cutlet is a staple. Does anyone know the name? I saw that at in at least 1/3 of the resturants.

That's Ton-Katsu (Ton = Pork & Katsu from cutlet). It's deep fried. They usually serve it with finely cut cabbage and brown sauce called (surprise!)Tonkatsu-Sauce.

http://pds.exblog.jp/pds/1/200607/09...7850_21636.jpg

They say black pig is the best.

tcreath,

As others pointed out, don't worry if you don't eat seafood. Aside from Korean BBQ (yaki niku), yaki-tori and ton-katsu, there are McDonald's and Kentucky Fried Chicken all over the places. I heard they have teriyaki burgers to cater to local taste. ;-)

We did our first Asia trip to Kyoto, Nara and Tokyo for exactly the reasons you mention. Japan is a safe first-world country, with a rich culture, wonderful food, art and architecture. One could spend weeks in the gardens of Kyoto alone. However long you have for Japan, spend as much time as you can bear in Kyoto (with daytrips to Nara and maybe Himeji Castle). If someone says Japan is not exotic and different compared to America, then they did not spend much time and attention on their trip there.

There is plenty of non-fish food there. Bring a Japanese phrasebook with characters in it to help order. Also, most restaurants put plastic food models in the windows, making it easy to find the restaurant you want, and to order what you want. Go to a full Kyoto Kaiseki dinner. It is an art form there.

<i>Go to a full Kyoto Kaiseki dinner.</i>

This is the least helpful suggestion I could imagine making to someone who describes herself as a picky eater who does not eat seafood of any kind.

A Kaiseki often has no selections to be made -- you just plunk yourself down and get served a great many small courses. The food is elegantly presented. Much of it is fish, much of it is unfamiliar to Western eyes and palates. The chefs/restauranteurs take pride in the meal they serve. Sending someone like the OP to such a place would almost surely turn into an unpleasant experience for everyone involved.

KimJapan. Sure there are things to see and do in Japan if you have a good guide book or guide, and living in Japan for 11 years you must know all the secrets (thought of hiring yourself out as a guide?), but for newcomers to Asia, it is rather jumping in the deep end. Thailand is fairly westernised and easy for the first timer, as well as being very cheap and with nice beaches.

The first time I went to Japan I planned for a long time (because that is the kind of traveler I am) but primarily my planning was online, on this board and the JNTO and japan-guide.com sites. I found so many things to see and do of interest that I started planning my second trip before I even went on the first one. And I've never lived there. Some peopel on this board don't plan much and just go to Japan and seem to do fine (although I never understand how they can travel with just a few weeks of planing, but that is just me).

Japan is westernized enough that I find it easy to get around (most travel signage is in English, and I have been able to find someone who speaks English almost everywhere I've gone). I think Japan is easy for a first timer to Asia; it was for my teen son and me. It was my first Asia trip and I did not find it difficult at all.

I agree with emd - there are numerous ways to do research about Japan - probably as many as European countries where English is not the native language. There are excellent guide books as well. I have made two trips to Japan - the first knowing almost no Japanese and the second not much more. I found it quite easy to get around and see the sights, etc. I am looking forward to my next trip where I plan to be more adventurous and travel around a bit more rather than staying in Tokyo and Kyoto which I did on my trips thus far.

W9London, there are teriyaki burger, ebi (shrimp) burger and what else... If I ever go to Mcdonald's sort of places, in Japan usually I make it a point to order those Japanese, Asian versions of burgers. That's more fun.

Hey kaneda, I'm glad you have come back for once. When I (we) question your posts, you usually don't come back to answer (fly from haneda, openjaw, etc, remember ? ). Is this time an exception? ;-)

&quot;Sure there are things to see and do in Japan if you have a good guide book...&quot;

Sorry, I just can't imagine going someplace without learning a bit about it. I think this same thing could be said for anywhere in the world.

If you are looking at easing into Asia, I also agree that Thailand is an excellent choice. Of course, Japan is wonderful with lots to do, but only go to Japan if you've been dying to go to Japan. You sound apprehensive. Therefore, I think Thailand is a better introduction to Asia. It's so easy to get around, the people are friendly and helpful, the food is excellent and there are varied things to do and it is much less expensive than Japan. The other option is to do both, as you may have a layover in one city, anyway.

Japan and Thailand are so different there is really little point to even try to compare them. Both are easy to travel around as a tourist, though. Why anyone would travel to a foreign country for a holiday without a guidebook is beyond me. A guide is not necessary but a good one, anywhere in the world, could add a lot to a trip...depends on your travel style whether you'd want one or not.

After 11 years in Japan, I'm not even close to being qualified to be a guide. There is still much I have not seen and much I do not know. I have had the pleasure of meeting some wonderful Fodorites who have visited Kanazawa, though.

But a guide, guidebook or someone in the know is not at all the only thing that can make a good trip. The most important thing is a good attitude...if you arrive somewhere with the attitude that it's boring and expensive, it will almost surely turn out to be so. I've never been anywhere in the world that I've not found something interesting to do.

I was not dying to go to Japan when I went there. My son chose the destination and was studying Japanese. Actually, I had no desire to go there when he chose Japan, and I was somewhat bummed that he chose it. I got more into it as I started planning the trip, and ended up really liking and enjoying it. But I was certainly not dying to go. I don't understand that comment.

rizzuto - re: kaiseki dinner.

I was thinking in particular of a 9 course tofu-based kaiseki I had in Kyoto that had no seafood in it at all. Just tofu and veggies. Totally amazing.

Perhaps I was thinking more of the &quot;seafood&quot; part of what the OP said rather than the &quot;picky&quot; part. I agree that the OP probably would not like the omikase-style kaisekis, where you pay a price and the dishes and plates that you are given are based on the price at the chef's discretion.

I have also spoken to many people who have travelled to Japan on business and pleasure who did not know of the Kyoto kaiseki tradition, and it is a shame to miss it. That is also why I mentioned it, assuming people other than the OP might read this thread.

When we were in Japan last April, my daughter and me and a friend ate at a really good Japanese restaurant that had an Enlgish menu in Gion (on the main street, and one block down from Yasaka shrine, on the right if you are walking away from the shrine). They had an English menu and had the yodofu boiled tofu-based meal (which my daughter had), shabu shabu (which I had) and a lot of other traditional Japanese dishes. Extensive menu. And you could be careful about what you ordered since the menu we were given was in English. I can't imagine someone not finding something to eat in a place like that, but I guess if you are really picky, maybe so.

What kind of food do you eat at home, what do you find appealing?

sorry about the grammar and spelling, i've been in a hurry when posting today.

I agree with Kimjapan about Thailand and Japan. They are so different that you might use the USA and Mexico as being more similar. October, especially later in the month would be a great time to visit Honshu. Temperature would be nice and the threat of a typhoon would be low.

I see now that you said traveling in Croatia was ok because you foudn Italian restaurants to eat in. Then you'll be ok in mid to larger cities in Japan as there are always Italian restaurants in places like Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Osaka, etc.; I even saw one in Himeji. My daughter and I ate a lot of Italian on our last trip since she is vegetarian. We went back to one place in central Kyoto three times, it was a homestyle little Italian place w/great prices and service. If you end up going, here is my review of it from my trip report:

We couldn’t find anything good for Celine’s vegetarian diet at Teramachi shopping street, but we saw an Italian flag outside a restaurant catty corner from the main corner entrance to Takashiyama Dept. store. We were one of the last tables to be seated for the night. This restaurant (upstairs, so you get a nice view of the street below if you are by the window), called San Marcos, was so good and inexpensive- we loved it and went back there again on Friday night. I got a ½ bottle of red wine, we each got a salad and garlic bread, Celine had a cheese pizza and I had a pasta dish (really good) and Celine had dessert, all for equivalent of $27. The food is great, service is friendly, and you can add unlimted drinks and a salad to your entr&eacute;e for just $4, or also add on dessert to those for a total $5 extra. A great bargain, and I highly recommend this place when you are tired of Japanese food and want good inexpensive Italian.

Jeffrey -- fair enough explanation, and I wasn't aware of the tofu-veggie kaiseki dinner you mentioned. Good to know about.

riz - I think of myself as pretty knowledgeable food-wise, but I had never seen anything like this tofu kaiseki. Each course was totally different in texture, taste and presentation. Not at all like what we think of as &quot;tofu&quot; in a health-food store.

There were several types of seaweed, however, so depending on the definition of &quot;picky&quot; this might not be best for OP, and I agree your caution was warrented. I focused on the &quot;seafood&quot; part of OP's question (my MIL is very allergic to seafood, so we often have to scope this out), not the &quot;picky&quot; part.

TC Creath-to answer your question succinctly, as a female traveler who has always gone solo to Japan, in fact, my first international solo trip was to Japan, back in the 80's-and a fascinating journey it was. I can confirm that: yes, it is an excellent destination for first-timers to Asia, that no, you will have NO problem avoiding seafood-the Japanese are huge meat eaters, and of course, there are any number of ethnic, American fast-food, Italian-German what have you in Tokyo and the other major cities, but even in the small villages and town, meat will be on the menu.

You should not miss Japan-Kyoto will amaze you-particularly if you love the idea of visiting temples, each so distinct and fascinating in Kyoto-really unforgettable.