And yet, there are better ways to find drool-worthy food in Japan. So why does Google Maps fall short? Well, most Japanese people don't use it to find restaurants, so many reviews are from tourists.

Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect ... Diners wanting to learn more about Japanese food can take classes at Tokyo Cook, a cooking school located within the restaurant.

The word “onigiri” became part of the Oxford English Dictionary this year, proof that the humble sticky-rice ball and mainstay of Japanese food has entered the global lexicon. The rice balls ...