Uber Eats is really something else in Japan, offering a Japanese-dominant food menu with amazing variety and affordable prices!
As a foreigner with weak Japanese-speaking skills, it can be reassuring to know that international food delivery services such as Uber Eats are still thriving big in Japan!
In this post, I’ll be describing how my first ordering experience with Uber Eats in Japan went down, from navigating the app to reviewing the goods!
The Same Old Uber Eats App!
The awesome thing about using Uber Eats in Japan is that you don’t have to download a new or special app to access delivery services from Japan’s participating restaurants.
Instead, all you need to do is update your address (yes, this could even be a hotel or hostel), and get ordering!
Most restaurants typically have English translations of their menus along with Japanese, but in some cases, you may have to resort to translating it yourself.
I recommend Google Lens to get a quick Japanese-to-English translation of the menu items if necessary.
Other than that, you won’t find any major differences with your ordering experience and will still be notified of any promotions and discounts on offer!
Timely Delivery
Having made my first order from my home in Mukaijima, Kyoto, I was surprised at just how many restaurants had delivery services available.
If you know anything about Mukaijima, you’d be aware of how secluded the town is from major shopping areas and restaurants.
However, that doesn’t stop Uber Eats delivery partners from making long trips from Kyoto’s main city area down to the humble little village of Mukaijima!
Ordering my lunch from a restaurant about 10 kilometers out, I expected to wait at least 40 minutes to get my food, but was pleasantly surprised when it came in just 20!
Fresh Sashimi Options
Another surprising aspect of my experience with Uber Eats in Japan was how they managed to keep my bowl of sashimi and rice perfectly presented and optimally fresh.
The quality of the raw fish was on par with a high-end sushi dining experience, including fresh thick-cut slices of tuna sashimi on top of a steaming bed of cushiony rice.
They also included some nice amenities like soy sauce, spring onion, and fresh ginger to enhance the experience.
Best of all was the price, this rather filling and delicious meal costing me no more than 1,700 yen (11.50 USD) including delivery and servicing fees!
Delicious Tempura Rice Bowls
There’s more to Japanese food than raw fish, in fact, there is a plethora of fried food options that are iconic to the world of Japanese cuisine.
Take for instance this tempura bowl consisting of battered shrimp and vegetables fried to perfection over a bed of steamed rice.
Yes, I ordered this not long after my tuna bowl lunch, after all, I’m a man of late lunches and early dinners.
Naturally, with a small but significant amount of time between the preparation of the food and reaching my dinner table, the fried goods were not as crunchy as they could have been.
However, it all comes down to the flavor, and in this instance, there was nothing lacking from the tasty tempura goods and flavorsome dipping sauce that came with it!
The Usual Suspects
If you’re not a fan of Japanese food altogether, well you probably shouldn’t be in Japan to begin with.
But if one of you Japan food haters do find yourself here, then rest assured the usual suspects of Uber Eats are still here for your convenient enjoyment!
This includes global favorites like KFC, McDonald’s, and Domino’s Pizza.
I also noticed a seemingly increased number of Korean restaurant options compared to where I’m from in Australia, probably to do with Japan and Korea’s close geographical approximation from each other.
Other cuisines include Indian, Thai, and Arabian, however, Mexican was nowhere in sight, unfortunately.
That being said, with low delivery fees, amazing options, and timely arrivals, I highly recommend giving Uber Eats in Japan a go!
Of course, if you are planning to visit Japan, you’ll need a way to get around the country as efficiently and affordably as possible. Japan Rail provides an abundance of travel passes to suit your travel needs. So whether you are traveling individually or as a group, the JR Pass is every traveler’s go-to for getting around and making the most of your time in Japan!