A Breakdown of Chinese Food in Japan

A full spread of typical Chinese food in Japan.

I happen to love chuuka ryori 中華料理, Chinese food (who doesn't?). From upscale PF Changs, to humble Panda Express, I love it all. Just like Americans (and basically everyone else on the planet), Japanese people love Chinese food, too. Chinese restaurants are as abundant in Japan as Mexican restaurants are in California – you can find one virtually on the corner of every street. Of course, every country foreign cuisines adapts to its own tastes – hence, you will find that Chinese food in Japan is very different from what you're used to in America. You won't find any beef with broccoli, general tso's chicken, kung pao chicken, or even orange chicken on the menus here (you'll have to go to the Panda Express located in Kawasaki for that). That being said, I think you'll find that it is much closer to authentic Chinese dishes (having never been to China myself, I'll leave this up to the pros to decide).

Here's a look at the Chinese dishes served in Japan. Eat your heart out (or not, on some of these items).

1. Subuta 酢豚

Subuta

This is my favorite Japanese-Chinese dish, mostly because it's the closest to orange chicken. The pork is deep fried and served with peppers, onions, and carrots in a sweet sticky sauce.

2. Ebi-chili エビチリ

Spicy ebi-chili

This is another of my favorites! You can't go wrong with plump shrimp in spicy sauce.

3. Mapo-tofu マーポー豆腐

Spicy tofu

This is probably the most popular Chinese dish in Japan, as it's even served in school lunches. It's tofu served in spicy sauce with ground pork and a garnish of green onions.

4. Tan tan men タンタンメン（担々麵）

Spicy noodle soup

Basically a spicy version of ramen (which also originated in China). It has ground pork, bean sprouts, and spinach in a spicy broth.

5. Chahan (fried rice) チャーハン

Fried rice!

A classic favorite: fried rice, called chahan.

6. Hiyashi chuuka 冷やし中華

Cold noodle dish hiyashi chuuka.

This is a cold noodle dish usually eaten in summer to cool off. The noodles sit on top of the broth with thin slices of ham, egg, and cucumber arranged on top.

7. Nira (Chinese chives) and liver ニラレバ炒め

Don't be fooled; it aint beef, it's liver.

Don't be deceived by this one! It looks deceptively like beef, but it is in fact liver. I mistakenly picked it up from the supermarket thinking it was a beef stir-fry, but it was not the texture of beef at all! It tastes disgusting – I could not finish it, and I was never tricked again.

8. Happou sai (chop suey) 八宝菜 :  squid, shrimp, and veggies

Chinese chop suey

A stir-fry with squid, shrimp, and veggies in a sauce of cornstarch and soy sauce.

9. Hoiko-ro ホイコーロー: twice cooked pork, cabbage, green peppers

If you like pork and cabbage, hoiko-ro is the dish for you.

A stir-fry dish of pork and veggies.

10. Annin tofu 杏仁豆腐

A light, healthy dessert.

Like other Asian cuisines, dessert is more of an afterthought and limited to a few items. The most popular is this sweet tofu gelatin, often served with fruit because flavor is very light. Besides annin tofu, other desserts are usually mango pudding and sesame dumplings.

11. Shark fin soup (fuka hire) ふかひれスープ

Shark fin soup.

I haven't been brave enough to test-taste this, so I can't tell you exactly what this is like, but it's on almost every Chinese menu in Japan.

12. Chanjaoro-su  青椒肉絲

Try saying the name of this dish five times fast.

A very thinly sliced pork dish with peppers in oyster sauce.

13. Jelly fish (kurage)クラゲ

Caution: these are NOT noodles.

This looks deceptively like noodles, but once again do not be deceived! This is a plate of jellyfish. I'm really not sure which part. Japanese people really love eating this, at least the ones I've been around, but I have kept my lips firmly sealed on this one.

14. Shoronpo ショーロンポー: dumplings with soup inside

What's better than dumplings? Dumplings with soup in them!

These dumplings are super delicious, but hard to eat – the soup comes out piping hot! I would recommend eating them in one bite, otherwise take a small bite and suck out some of the soup so it doesn't all spill out.

Of course the best places to eat Chinese food in Japan are Chinatowns, the most famous of which is in Yokohama. There are so many Chinese restaurants it's almost impossible to choose one! Most are tabehoudais (all you can eat), but make sure to check how many menu items it includes in the price, so take time looking around for best price before you commit.

And I can't resist adding this from my favorite Chinese restaurant in Omika, Hitachi in Ibaraki-ken (called 中華食堂 天海):

Anyone up for some noodie?

No thanks, I've eaten enough 'prewns' today.

You're welcome.