To many people, Japanese cuisine is simply unrivaled in terms of flavor and technique. And while many of us are familiar with some forms of this culture’s food, like sushi, other dishes may be less familiar.

Ramen

Ramen is a Japanese favorite that has made its way around the globe. It features wheat noodles in a rich and flavorful broth, often served with miso and soy sauce. Tonkatsu is pork bone broth that makes a particularly delicious ramen base. In the soup, you’ll typically find sliced pork, bamboo shoots, seaweed, soft-boiled egg and green onions.

Teppanyaki

Teppanyaki is a Japanese cooking style that involves cooking food on a very hot iron griddle. This type of cooking is usually done in front of a circle of diners who watch the chef’s flair as he or she cooks up flavorful noodles, meat, seafood and vegetables.

Photography: Pinterest/Just One Cookbook

Donburi

Nearly as popular as ramen for Japanese diners looking for a quick lunch, donburi is a bowl featuring protein, vegetables and seasonings simmered together in a broth and then poured over rice. On Japanese menus, you’ll find a wide variety of donburi featuring different ingredients.

Yakitori

Yakatori simply means “grilled chicken” in Japanese. Skewers of bite-sized pieces of chicken are threaded onto a skewer, seasoned, grilled over an open flame and sometimes basted with flavorful sauces or spices. It’s a popular street food in many Japanese cities.

Photography: Pinterest/Jessica Randhawa | The Forked Spoon

Okonomiyaki

This delicious, savory delight is a favorite of Osakans. It’s a wheat-batter pancake that’s made with proteins and vegetables—some mixed into the batter, others added on top. In restaurants, okonomiyaki is cooked on a teppanyaki griddle in front of the diner.

Tempura

Many Americans and others around the world are familiar with tempura. In this fabulous dish, seafood and vegetables are coated in a light batter and deep fried. Tempura may be served with rice or on its own. There’s often a dipping sauce, too.

Sushi

Sushi is seasoned rice that’s served with fish. The rice is seasoned with vinegar, sugar and salt, and the fish can be raw or cooked. Sushi featuring fish atop an oblong ball of rice is called nigiri. Sushi rolls, makizushi, consist of sushi rice, fish, and vegetables rolled together inside nori, or seaweed sheets.