There has been plenty of incredible action from the Tokyo Olympics so far — but we're not here to talk about that.
We're here to talk about all the amazing food items that have been on display and talked about during the Games, and there's enough to inspire a trip to Japan some time in the future.
From the secret to perfect sushi to fast food to the unbelievable assortment of culinary creations the Olympic athletes get to dine on, here are the best food items we've seen.
The Secret to Perfect Sushi
It's no secret that sushi is one of the most popular dishes in the world. But did you know fish isn't supposed to be the focus? Natalie Morales learns how to prepare and present the perfect dish in sushi school.
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Spicy Ramen
Olympians Gus Kenworthy, Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir explored Japanese cuisine by trying three types of ramen — and found out which one is too hot to handle. While it might not be for everybody, everything still looked delicious, but maybe sticking with the basic one is perfect for starters.
Fast Food
There’s a shrimp filet sandwich, the Ebi Filet-O, only available at Japanese McDonald’s restaurants that got a very high review. Another chain, KFC, has a big presence in the country too — and for good reason.
Plastic Food?
OK, so this one isn't edible, but it's still incredible to see. The food in Kappabashi Street’s window displays looks real, but it’s not. It’s all plastic replicas of food, ready to be displayed in restaurant windows across Tokyo.
They have all the local Japanese favorites — nigiri, sashimi, etc. — but also feature dishes like cakes, Italian pastas, American burgers, even ice-chilled beers, and it all looks so real!
Pizza
It's no New York slice, but Japan has some interesting and wild pizza flavors that are more than tempting. Never thought flavors like char-grilled beef, fish & chips and butter chicken curry would belong on a pizza, but don't knock it until you try it.
Olympic Village Dining Areas
"Not to be dramatic, but these are the best gyoza dumpling things I've ever had in my life," Ilona Maher, an American rugby player, declared on TikTok, adding that she eats them for every meal.
In another video, Maher raved about the deep-fried Camembert, ramen and spring rolls. The food at the Olympic Village looks like it can't be missed.
Daria Gavrilova, an Australian tennis player, shared a tour of the main dining hall of the Olympic Village on TikTok that highlighted the many options available, from pizza to Asian cuisines to a gluten-free section. Gavrilova, who also competed in the 2016 Olympics, said the selection and quality "looks so much better than Rio!"
More From Tokyo Olympics
Catch all the action on NBC
Kit Kats — All 200 Varieties
The popular chocolate brand didn’t get started in Japan, but it has a large following in the country. That’s in part because it’s common for parents to gift their kids Kit Kat chocolates as good luck charms before a big test or school project.
To this day, the company has developed more than 400 flavors in Japan, like whole wheat flour biscuit (which got high marks), summer ice cream, salt caramel, mint, cookies and cream, and a salty-sweet collaboration (which wasn't well received).
Pig Cafes
This one isn't so much about the food, but rather the environment.
Cat cafes have become slightly more common throughout the U.S., which allow people to have a cup of coffee and a snack while meeting some new feline friends. But Japan took that approach to another level with their pig cafes.
At Mipig in Tokyo, guests can enjoy their coffee while little piglets roam around freely. Adorably, the piglets enjoy running around, licking customers' shoes and falling asleep on patrons' legs. The goal of the cafes is to raise awareness about having pigs as domestic pets in Japan.
Cool Vending Machines
Aside from amazing foods, Japan also has reimagined many things that are part of American life — but not nearly in the same manner.
For example, vending machines in Japan of course serve food, but contain some items no one would expect (vending machine milk, anyone?). The country’s five million vending machines also offer anything from bugs (the toy version) to tiny chairs.
And Convenience Stores
Then there are the country's impressive and wide-ranging convenience stores, which rival some of the best delis and bodegas in NYC, or matchup with Wawa any day (gasp!).
Aside from food staples like egg sandwiches, which are slightly different that the ones found in the U.S., and hot meals, the Japanese "konbinis" will offer items like clothes, make-up, and thermometers, and even offer phone charging stations and wifi.
