I just returned from my first ever visit to Japan to celebrate my girls’ college graduation. One big takeaway: Japan is quite the foodie destination! So naturally, we ate our way through the country.
Japan also has a culture of rituals, where food is often at the center. Here are three of our favorites:
Omakase
Everyone who visits Japan should try to experience an omakase meal. Omakase, which means “I leave it up to you,” entrusts the chef with “full creative control” of the meal. Which, I have to admit, made me nervous as there’s a bunch of food I don’t eat! However it ended up being amazing, and thankfully the gracious chef let me skip a few things.
While part of the omakase ritual is the surprise and delight of what you’ll be served, you also get to sit at the counter, facing the chef and learning about everything from the fish they got that day from the fish market to their personal sushi-making style. Our favorite was the yellowtail!
Ramen
Another highlight was going on a ramen tour hosted by Brian MacDuckston of Ramen Adventures (btw, did you know there are over 9000 Ramen restaurants in Tokyo?). Brian introduced us to two awesome restaurants, but he had me at hello when he showed up with a copy of my book, Rituals Roadmap!
Our first ramen stop, at 11 AM, already had a line out the door! Turns out, part of the ramen ritual is “queuing up” and waiting to go into the ramen shop (plus most places are quite small). But once inside, it’s all about the ramen. That means you put your bib on and your phone away. Because diners recognize there’s a long line of people waiting outside (having just been in the line themselves), everyone is focused on eating and being present!
Sushi
Lastly, we participated in a sushi-making class. Side by side with the sushi chef, this experience is rife with rituals. Sushi making is an art, and it was fun to get into the flow and make it ourselves. We learned how to scoop the rice, place the wasabi and the fish onto the rice, shape it using our index finger, and on and on. There’s a lot of precision, which required our full presence.
As I reflect on the trip, I realize there was a real magic in the experience of having food at the center. Whether we were connecting with the chef or the food or ourselves, it all felt very intentional.
The next time you sit down for a meal—wherever you are in the world—I hope you take a moment to connect.
6/24/25
