It appears that food is one of the universal reasons why people visit different countries. Food culture identifies the history of a country and in many way runs parallel with the development of other aspects of it's culture, for instance language.
It is such an integral part of the development of a country because it determines at what stage the country was able to sustain a certain quality of life through more than sufficient nutrition of it's population. Malnutrition was a commonplace prior to the industrialisation of food production processes and this is an important determinant for the development of the country as a whole. After-all, a countries workforce cannot function properly without being properly fed.
My favourite classical Japanese food cuisine is the ramen noodle soup. The soy egg is one of the most unique tasting eggs you will ever eat, it's not just a boiled egg, it's actually called the Sugar Heart Egg and they are some what similar to braised eggs. The center of the egg is a bright orange, and it's been cooked so that it's on the verge of becoming solid but not quite. It's a sort of gel texture. The way to make this egg is to bring the eggs to boil and immediately turn off the eat. Then put them in ice to stop the cooking process.
The other thing about ramen is the broth which usually has been prepared for atleast 24hours. Soups usually retain much more taste when the foods they cook are allowed to stay in the broth for a longer period of time. The juices transfer from the foods to broth and the result is a thicker and richer taste.
What did the Japanese like to eat for dessert? Well the snow ice desserts are very popular. Usually people make the snow with ice, but in this case, it is a block of creme that is carefully shaved. The ice itself tastes like ice cream so even without the delicious topping, it is sweet on it's own.
If you've ever been to a Japanese store, you'll realise the Japanese adore eating mini snacks. These are a selection. You can see some of the mini breads, mochi's and green tea mini cakes.
The last two main foods i'd say are predominant in Japanese cuisine is of course sushi. The umbrella term for eating raw fish either on a bed of rice, or on a small bite of rice. The fish is fresh and the meat selected from the finest cuts.
The breaded chicken curry is another popular dish and it's usually served on a bed of steamed rice. This was the early development of food for those with less money, however it has become a standard dish in Japanese cuisine even for high end diners.