Japan: Cheap eats

Contrary to popular beliefs of exuberantly priced meals in Japan, just like any other city, it’s all about knowing where to eat amidst the labyrinth. After all, not everybody can afford higher end meals (unless if you’re born with a silver spoon in your mouth). Sigh, the number of times I caught myself squandering around the clearance food section in supermarkets prior to pay day.

These cheap eateries have meals starting from ¥500 to about ¥800 and again, vending machines are utilized for ordering and cash transactions. After a tiring excursion, the sister and I ducked into this unknown eatery located along the busy streets of Shinjuku. A bowl of oyakodon topped with shredded seaweed and a plate of tonkatsu with curry and rice fed us well that night.

Another one of these cheap eateries located near our hotel in Kyoto made its way into our food diary as we headed here, once again, after a weary day out. Propped on a stool near the kitchen, we slurped up a bowl of kitsune udon, munched into a few pieces of golden chicken karaage and spooned out beef don with slivers of scallion scattered in it atop a bed of vinegar-ed rice.

While these were the only two cheap and fast paced eateries that we have been to, others such as Coco curry house and Yoshinoya are vastly available in most cities, also offering the same affordable and quick food concept.