One thing I like about Japan is their enjoyment of food, and I really appreciate their tradition of eating bento lunches and other dishes that are visually beautiful, which is known as shoku no bi (lit. “the beauty of food”). Still, the Japanese get busy just like the rest of us and occasionally turn to fast food when they need to eat conveniently. McDonalds is the #1 fast food chain in Japan, and it has competently marketed interesting products to consumers like the giant Texas Burger series, or the upcoming Korean BBQ Burger, which capitalizes on the current boom in Korean food and culture in Japan. There are other Western-style fast food restaurants, like MOS Burger, Freshness Burger or First Kitchen, makers of the famed “Scrambled Egg and Bacon Burger,” plus adaptations of Asian favorites like udon and ramen you can eat quickly. My personal favorite Japanese fast food is Yoshinoya’s gyudon, or beef bowl, a delicious dish of steamed beef and onions served over rice, which is ridiculously cheap, can be eaten in less than ten minutes and tastes great. (If you want to sample the taste, we’ve got the official Yoshinoya brand furikake to sprinkle over rice, in stock today.)
