and in that time we've been extensively researching Japanese food.

Be it through shooting documentaries with some of Japan's most revered chefs,

to travelling all over Japan to a lot of farms and factories to learn about Japanese products

We taste and document it all on this channel.

What's that?

You calling me a hipster? You calling me a foodie?

You're goddamn right. We take this shit seriously.

And in the time we've been here in Japan, we've learnt a lot of things about food culture,

so today, we're going to give you some tips on how to eat like a local,

rather than as a tourist,

and at the same time we're going to dispel some of the myths you've heard about Japanese food,

especially when it comes to sushi because there's a lot of bullsh*t online about that and we need to dispel that

no more of these dumb sushi rules you've seen online

let me tell you what it's all about!

(Music)

Before you head out and start eating everything in Japan,

first thing's first:

you need to open a computer and head on over to Tabelog.

FYI: this is not a paid advertisement. Tabelog is just a really big deal here.

I'm not ~adverse~ to doing a paid advertisement, Tabelog

*whispering* Tabelog, you have my number, call me

*dial tones* two phones at once!

*hangs up*

Tabelog is hands down the best food review system in Japan

It's what people in Japan use the MOST

not Yelp, not anything else

Use Yelp if you wanna see how foreigners feel about restaurants here

Use Tabelog if you wanna see what people living in Japan like

Now Tabelog isn't a small review site either

it's really serious stuff

Their annual award ceremony brings in some of Japans most revered chefs

It's kind of like the Oscars for Japanese chefs

There are even some famous Tabelog reviewers- like there are famous Youtubers

Sometimes a positive review from one of these reviewers

can change a business overnight

and there will be line ups outside of the place for weeks

The gold medal recipians of the Tabelog awards

are kind of like our food bucket list

We've been to a bunch of these restaurants already and I wish that we could go to all of them

We've been to >Amamoto< We've been to >L'Effervescence

We've been to >Miyoshi< We've been to >Saito

(Music)

You've seen the video on that

We've been to >SUGALABO

Martina: locally grown Asparagus and Truffles are in season right now

This needs to be at least five times bigger

Seen the video on that as well

We've been to >Suzue< I wish we could do a video about that place

And we've also been to >Yanagiya< Which you've seen a video about

And >Tenzushi< which.. as well you've seen a video about

(Music)

M: (background) what we are trying to say is.. we really like food

S: We really really care about food

For regular days though, when we're not going high end

we use it for whenever we're looking for a new category of food like Ramen or Unagi or even Deserts

Or we use it if we're exploring a new part of town and we wanna see what's really the best in that area

S: Nikomi..Organ stew

(drooling)

M: Oh.. Arigatōgozaimasu (Thank you)

(Music)

Online food review sites like Tabelog and Google are also really important for you to know Business hours

because business hours in Japan are f***ing weird

M: Oh.. Simon

We've walked past this place 11 times

we've only got to go in ONCE Every other time it's closed

it's maddening

M: It's open between 11:30am and 1:30pm is last order

and I think it's actually closed these days of the week

S: (joking) But I think also it depends on the full moon

if there's a full moon the night before then it's only open every 15 minutes

and you have to through that portal in the train station at Harry Potter where you walk through the brick wall

and then you get there. Then you gotta swing on a vine. Then you gonna make a blood sacrifice

These schedules make no sense to me at all

Grumpy! Really wanted this Ramen!

It can be mega frustrating if you're on vacation in Japan

and you aim to go to a place that's like a bucket list and you get there and it's closed

Here are the three things you need to know about business hours in Japan

Number one: Unless you are a chain restaurant, every business has different business hours

because most of our favourite food comes from local mom and pop shops

You gotta kinda get to know what their hours are

So.. this is our favorite Udon shop. It's closed on every single Thursday consistently

but every once in a while they're closed on a Friday and sometimes they're closed on a Saturday and

they post the schedule manually on this little cork board, so that you can see how the hours change each month

If it's not possible for you to come in person to check the shop which I totally understand

that's why you wanna check things out on Tabelog, Google Maps or even find their Twitter account

or their Facebook page where they'll post more personal messages like

'Sorry guys we're closed today for an emergency'

(Music)

Second things is: Be aware that most of the small shops will have a last order for the afternoon

as well as a break time between lunch and dinner

Majority of shops we know, tend to be open between 11 and let's say 3 o'clock for lunch hours

But last order will be around 2 or 2:30pm

Which means there is this bizarre limbo between 2:30 and 5 or 6pm where

nothing seems to be open in Japan.

And that's when you can head to like a convenience store and grab an Onigiri or get an Egg Salad Sandwich

Or maybe check out a chain restaurant

(Music)

What up, home fry?

Just having a normal snack. Delicious soft boiled egg, with a delicious carton of milk

because Japan has THE best milk I've ever had. And then.. a vitamin bag

S: Oooohhhh

I don't know if these bags are lying but I like having my 12 vitamins given to me in chopped up jelly format

Gotta keep those little muscles going

Lawsons has my favourite hard boiled eggs *shocked* Is that it? We're in 7eleven

Eating a delicious Ramen egg

You don't even know how creamy these are

it's like premiere level mouth feel

I feel like making a video about 'top 5 things in Japan you should do'

I'm like EAT AN EGG! That's right, I said it!

Sorry vegans!

Vegetarians you can swing this right?

Pescatarians you're good

Gluten free.. you got this

No carb.. this is your jam

What's that one where you're a caveman? When you're like 'I only eat caveman food'

S: Paleo M: Paleo! You can do this

Really.. it's the winning food

And the third thing I wanted to talk about was: between 11 and 3pm there tends to be a lunch set

and of course it's different for each restaurant, but they'll usually include a drink of some kind

maybe like an iced coffee or a hot coffee. Sometimes even an alcoholic drink if you want

When you arrive at dinner time that lunch set just doesn't exist anymore

Let's go to a less noisy area for the next points, shall we?

S: Let's do it M: Let's do that

(Music)

Good thing about midweek parking: a lot of people don't know about the secret spots

This one is usually full on the weekend but we f..(interrupts)

thing is also I'm not sure how this is not a fire hazard This seems..

M:.. under the stairs. It's like so Harry Potter

S: This is.. just.. what am I doing here?

Alright watch out, it's pretty tight, let me take you to another point now

(Music)

Now you could find yourself in a situation in which you're traveling to Japan

and you don't have any data or WiFi on your phone

How do you know what's a good place to eat?

A very easy rule is to get into any line that you see for a restaurant

In Japan.. golden Rule:

GET IN THE LINE

It is worth the wait

For real, I'm not used to waiting in lines back in Canada

and I know a lot of people who will see a line and just walk away

You see this line up right here? Get into it! Even if you don't know what it is.. Get into it!

Most of the time they have very very good food

This rule however does not apply on the weekends, because on the weekends many more people are out

and you'll even see line ups in front of chains

For real this line literally doubled since we started filming this

We did a video about this place before

They're really really really good meat balls. I.. I mean have you seen the video of my dad?

Dad: it's un- f*cking- believable

S: Un- f*cking- believable! And you wonder where I swear from. It's my dad who taught me

Dad: Oh! It's like orgasm! S: Okay..

Dad: Oh! S: Easy dad!

(Music)

Another tip

This is Kichijōji Station.. it is always hella busy

Why are all these people here?

Because the rent is so expensive around the station, it's mostly just chains you're gonna find

(Music)

M: But just walk about 5 to 10 minutes away from the station

a whole new world of possibilities will emerge

Seriously this is where you're getting more of like the mom and pop shops

The places that have been here for a while that have a lot of character

So go for it.. 5 to 10 minutes away and find yourself something that's like local

and something that will have like a really impactful memory in your heart

Did I mention that we're hipster foodies? S: Yep!

Cause we're hipster foodies I'm wearing hard glasses in an unironic way

And look.. this little folly thing What am I.. once of those women?

I don't know.. I just do it cause I like it

It's a romper. Rompers are so.. so hipstery. Except such a pain in the butt when you have to pee.

Just gotta get totally naked

Let me tell you.. awkward on the plane. Learnt my lesson once on that..

What's that? My backpack has a cat? *meow*

Oh my god..(?)

It's all of it, mashed together

And I'm canadian, and I'm a girl, and I have EDS and I'm doing okay

S: You're doing great!

(Music)

(people talking in the background)

Now you're not gonna be able to get all of your restaurant recommendations online

One of the best things that you could do is

when you go to like busy bars like this..

especially when you have communal tables which you're sharing with strangers

Ask other people where they like to eat. Ask them for their recommendations

In fact, if you've seen our Rome and Barcelona videos

some of our best spots that we filmed were based on peoples recommendations

So ask other people! Don't be afraid. They'll give you a good list of restaurants

And make sure you check those out, because they know better!

S: I need a big piece of chicken M: You know what.. it's Canada day

S: (eating sounds) Oh yeah!

S: My mic can not hear anything that you're saying girl

M: It's Sushi myth busting time!

It's time for us to bust some Sushi myths

Why did I punch? Punch them away.. that's what I did.

(Crying baby)

That's right crying baby. There are a lot of things going around the internet that are just..

totally incorrect about Sushi

Here's something we need to dispel right away

Do you use chopsticks or do you use your hands? It doesn't matter!

For those of you that have said, you're not supposed to use chopsticks

Why would the chef put chopsticks in front of you then?

Do you think it's some kind of trap to get unsuspecting foreigners deported from the country?

No! If you wanna use chopsticks, use the chopsticks that are provided

Don't come in there with your own chopsticks that you're unsheathing

Cause that would just be a little bit weird. But whatever you're comfortable with, please use that.

(Music)

Let's talk about soy sauce and wasabi

So to begin with, if you go to a high end restaurant

this is no longer a problem for you

because a high end Sushi chef is going to prepare the piece for you

But if you're gonna go to a shop that does have soy sauce or wasabi on the table

This one I like a lot because it has a little kind of soft, bubbly, spongy button

and it's basically for dispensing a single drop of soy sauce at a time

so, I just use that to individually apply to the outside of my Sushi piece