Japanese food has many tasty meat dishes that show the country's rich food history. From soft wagyu beef to crunchy karaage chicken, Japan knows how to make delicious meat meals. We are looking at Japan's long history of cooking meat. In this guide, we list 110 must-try meat dishes from Japan. We give short descriptions of beef, chicken, pork, and other meat dishes that taste great. Let's explore the tasty world of Japanese meat dishes!

Japanese Meat Dishes

A

Agedashi Gyūtan (揚げ出し牛タン)

• Fried beef tongue

Agedashi Tofu (揚げ出し豆腐)

• Tofu cubes fried and served with tempura sauce

Ajitsuke Tamago (味付け卵)

• Flavored egg side dish

Ankimo Yaki (安肝焼き)

• Monkfish liver with ponzu

Azuki Mesh (小豆めし)

• Rice with azuki bean paste

B

Bacon Potato Salad (ベーコンポテトサラダ)

• Potato salad with bacon bits

Basashi (馬刺し)

• Raw horse meat

Beef Curry (牛肉のカレー)

• Japanese curry with beef

Beef Negimayaki (ねぎま焼き)

• Thinly sliced beef and scallions

Beef Sukiyaki (牛すき焼き)

• Thinly sliced beef cooked in sweet soy broth

Beef Tataki (牛タタキ)

• Seared thin slices of beef

Buta Kakuni (豚角煮)

• Braised pork belly

Buta no Kakuni (豚の角煮)

• Braised pork belly

Buta no Shogayaki (豚の生姜焼き)

• Thinly sliced pork with ginger

Butabara (豚バラ)

• Pork belly slices

C

Chicken Karaage (チキンからあげ)

• Japanese-style fried chicken

Chicken Nanban (チキン南蛮)

• Fried chicken with tartar sauce

Chicken Namban (チキンナンバン)

• Fried marinated chicken

Chicken Teriyaki (チキンのテリヤキ)

• Chicken glazed with teriyaki sauce

Chicken Tsukune (チキンツクネ)

• Chicken meatballs

Chūtoro Sushi (中とろ寿司)

• Medium fatty tuna sushi

Curry Pan (カレーパン)

• Curry stuffed bread

Curry Udon (カレーうどん)

• Thick udon noodles in curry broth

D

Duck Soba (鴨そば)

• Soba noodles with roasted duck

F

Fried Oyster (カキフライ)

• Breaded and fried oysters

G

Ginger Pork (ショウガポーク)

• Thinly sliced pork sautéed with ginger

Goma Dare Yaki Niku (胡麻ダレ焼肉)

• Seared beef with sesame sauce

Green Onion Meat Jun (ねぎま肉じゅん)

• Pork and scallions wrapped in crepe

Gyu Tan (牛タン)

• Beef tongue grilled with sweet sauce

Gyūdon (牛丼)

• Rice bowl topped with thinly sliced beef

Gyūniku no Teriyaki (牛肉のテリヤキ)

• Beef teriyaki

Gyūtataki (牛タタキ)

• Seared thin slices of beef

H

Hamburg Steak (ハンバーグステーキ)

• Japanese-style hamburger patty

Hamu no Teriyaki (ハムのテリヤキ)

• Pork teriyaki

Hayashi Rice (ハヤシライス)

• Japanese beef stew with rice

Hire Katsu (ひれカツ)

• Breaded deep fried pork cutlet

Hireniku no Miso Itame (ひれ肉の味噌炒め)

• Stir fried pork with miso

Horumon (ホルモン)

• Offal dishes

I

Ika Meshi (イカ飯)

• Squid cooked with rice

Iwana no Shioyaki (イワナの塩焼き)

• Salted grilled char

Izakaya Karaage (居酒屋からあげ)

• Japanese pub style fried chicken

K

Kakuni (角煮)

• Braised pork belly

Kani Cream Korokke (カニクリームコロッケ)

• Crab cream croquettes

Karaage (唐揚げ)

• Japanese fried chicken

Kashiwa Mochi (柏餅)

• Rice cake filled with fried chicken

Katsudon (カツ丼)

• Rice bowl topped with pork cutlet

Korokke (コロッケ)

• Breaded mashed potato patties

Kushiage (串揚げ)

• Fried meat and vegetable skewers

Kushikatsu (串カツ)

• Deep fried skewers of meat and vegetables

M

Mapo Tofu (麻婆豆腐)

• Spicy tofu dish

Menchi Katsu (メンチカツ)

• Breaded deep fried ground meat cutlet

Minchi Katsu (ミンチカツ)

• Deep fried beef patties

Miso Nikomi Udon (味噌煮込みうどん)

• Thick udon noodles cooked in miso broth

Miso Ramen (味噌ラーメン)

• Ramen in a miso flavored broth

Miso Yaki Onigiri (味噌焼きおにぎり)

• Grilled rice balls with miso paste filling

Mizutaki (水炊き)

• Chicken and vegetable hot pot

Motsunabe (モツ鍋)

• Offal hot pot

Motsuni (もつ煮)

• Simmered pork and vegetable innards

Mutenka (無添か)

• Deep fried chicken cartilage

N

Nankotsu (軟骨)

• Soft cartilage skewers

Niku Dango (肉団子)

• Ground meat dumplings

Nikujaga (肉じゃが)

• Beef and potato stew

Nikumi Ankake Udon (肉みそあんかけうどん)

• Udon noodles in meat and miso sauce

Nikuya no Soba (肉屋のそば)

• Chilled soba noodles with meat dipping sauce

O

Oden (おでん)

• Japanese hot pot dish

Oki Negi Karaage (大葱唐揚げ)

• Japanese leek fried chicken

Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き)

• Savory cabbage pancake with meat

Omu Soba (オムそば)

• Fried egg soba noodle dish

Omu Somen (オムそうめん)

• Fried egg somen noodle dish

Omurice (オムライス)

• Fried rice wrapped in a thin fried egg omelette

Oyako Donburi (親子丼)

• Chicken and egg rice bowl

Oyakodon (親子丼)

• Chicken and egg rice bowl

R

Rāmen (ラーメン)

• Chinese style wheat noodles in broth

Reba (レバ)

• Beef or chicken liver

S

Sakana no Nitsuke (魚の煮付け)

• Fish simmered in soy sauce

Satsumaage (さつま揚げ)

• Fried fishcake

Shabu Shabu (しゃぶしゃぶ)

• Thinly sliced meat and vegetables boiled in broth

Shabu Shabu Pork (しゃぶしゃぶポーク)

• Thin slices of pork for shabu shabu

Shogayaki (生姜焼き)

• Ginger pork

Shōgayaki (生姜焼き)

• Pork belly with ginger sauce

Sukiyaki (すき焼き)

• Thinly sliced beef cooked in sweet soy broth

Sumibiyaki (炭火焼き)

• Charcoal grilled meat

Sushi (寿司)

• Vinegared rice with seafood and vegetable toppings

T

Taco Rice (タコライス)

• Japanese rice dish inspired by taco

Takoyaki (たこ焼き)

• Ball-shaped snacks with octopus

Tanindon (タニ丼)

• Rice bowl topped with sea cucumber

Tebasaki (手羽先)

• Deep fried chicken wings

Tonjiru (豚汁)

• Miso soup with pork and vegetables

Tonkatsu (豚カツ)

• Deep fried breaded pork cutlet

Tonkotsu Ramen (とんこつラーメン)

• Ramen with rich pork broth

Toriniku no Miso Itame (鶏肉の味噌炒め)

• Chicken stir-fried with miso

Toriniku no Teriyaki (鶏肉のテリヤキ)

• Chicken teriyaki

Tsukune (つくね)

• Chicken meatballs

U

Umeboshi (梅干し)

• Pickled and salted plum

Unagi Donburi (鰻丼)

• Grilled eel rice bowl

Uno Hana (鰻花)

• Grilled eel with burdock root

Usuyaki Tamago (薄焼き卵)

• Thin fried egg

W

Wafū Sātē (和風サーティー)

• Japanese-style Salisbury steak

Wagyu Steak (和牛ステーキ)

• Japanese wagyu beef steak

Wagyu Sukiyaki (和牛すき焼き)

• Wagyu beef cooked in sweet soy broth

Y

Yakiniku (焼肉)

• Grilled meat

Yakitori (焼き鳥)

• Grilled chicken skewers

Yakitori Donburi (焼き鳥丼)

• Grilled chicken rice bowl

Yakiniku Don (焼肉丼)

• Grilled meat rice bowl

Yakiniku Donburi (焼肉丼)

• Grilled meat rice bowl

Yakinasu (焼きナス)

• Japanese style roasted eggplant

Yakitori (焼き鳥)

• Skewered grilled chicken

Yosenabe (寄せ鍋)

• Meat and vegetable hot pot cooked at the table

Yukhoe (육회)

• Seasoned raw ground beef

Essential Tips for Enjoying Japanese Meat Dishes

When savoring Japanese meat dishes, keep these tips in mind:

• Use high-quality ingredients like wagyu beef or free-range chicken to get authentic flavors.

• Cook meats like pork belly or chicken thighs low and slow to achieve tender, fall-off-the-bone texture.

• Balance rich meats like katsu pork with tart or tangy accents like tonkatsu sauce.

• Let meat shine by avoiding heavy marinades and keeping seasoning simple.

• Cook in small batches on high heat for wok dishes to get smoky, charred edges.

• Pair meats with complementary sides like pickles, rice and miso soup.

• Use chopsticks to gracefully pick up bite-sized cooked morsels.

• Say 'itadakimasu' before eating to show gratitude.