Nabeyaki udon is a traditional dish consisting of thick udon noodles and vegetables that are cooked in a flavorful dashi stock and served with various toppings. The dish was named after a specific cooking style in which the ingredients are cooked and served in small clay pots called donabe or nabe.

The most common condiments served on top are tempura shrimps, fish cakes, boiled chicken, and poached or boiled eggs. Since it is always served hot, nabeyaki udon is considered to be a comforting winter dish and can be found on the menus of traditional Japanese udon restaurants throughout the country.

A favorite in the Kanto region, kitsune soba is a dish consisting of thick buckwheat noodles topped with chewy pieces of aburaage – the deep-fried tofu slices. Served in a flavorful broth consisting of mirin, soy sauce, and dashi stock, the noodles are often accompanied by rice cakes, various vegetables, diced tofu, or sliced green onions.

The name kitsune means fox in Japanese, deriving from the ancient belief that these wild creatures delight in the consumption of deep-fried aburaage.

Onomichi is a ramen style that consists of soy sauce-based broth that is occasionally flavored with pork, seafood from the Seto Inland Sea, chicken, or dashi. The broth is served hot with flat wheat noodles of medium thickness and a generous serving of seabura - pork back fat.

The toppings may vary, but they typically include spring onions, roast pork, and bamboo shoots. Although it first appeared in the late 1940s, Onomichi ramen became popular in the 1990s. It still remains a local specialty of Onomichi.

Kitakata ramen is characterized by thick, flat, curly noodles in a rich soy sauce-based broth that is typically flavored with niboshi (sardines) and tonkotsu (pork bones). Soy sauce and niboshi are used in this ramen style because they have been produced in Kitakata for centuries, and the quality of both niboshi and soy sauce is quite high.

After the noodles have been added to the broth, the dish is topped with spring onions, thinly sliced roasted pork known as chashu, naruto (groundfish), and fermented bamboo shoots. Interestingly, Kitakata has the highest per-capita number of ramen shops in Japan. 

Toshikoshi soba is a simple and traditional Japanese noodle dish that's served on New Year's Eve. In its simplest form, it consists of buckwheat soba noodles in a hot dashi broth, topped with chopped scallions. However, the dish can be elevated by adding raw eggs, tempura, or fish cakes.

The tradition of eating toshikoshi soba dates back to the 13th or 14th century, but it became popular during the Edo Period. These noodles are eaten on New Year's Eve as they symbolize a new beginning, provide strength and resilience, and bring fortune and a peaceful life.

Zōni is a versatile Japanese dish which consists of mochi rice cakes served in a flavorful broth, complemented with various toppings. In the Kanto region, zōni is usually prepared with the clear dashi stock seasoned with fish flakes, while the Kansai-style usually employs an opaque broth seasoned with white miso.

The choice of toppings and the shape of the chewy mochi cakes are also regionally specific and might include chicken, fish cakes, daikon, and (in some coastal regions) even various seafood ingredients. It is believed that zōni initially appeared as a nutritious dish in the traditional samurai cuisine and was later incorporated in the Japanese New Year’s tradition. 

Although it was originally invented as a variation of Kurume ramen, over the years, Kumamoto ramen has developed into its unique style. It is characterized by thick and strong noodles which are served in a rich tonkotsu broth made with pork bones.

The broth is not as oily as the one found in Hakata ramen, making this ramen suitable for those who aren't used to strong-tasting broths. This ramen is also known for the inclusion of fried garlic chips and sesame oil, both complementing the noodles extremely well.

Butajiru is a simple Japanese miso soup elevated with tender pork slices and a variety of vegetables. The base of the soup is a hearty miso broth which incorporates water or dashi stock infused with the fragrant miso paste. Numerous vegetables are added to butajiru, but the most traditional options include typical Japanese root vegetables such as daikon, carrots, taro roots, and the slightly sweet gobo root.

Common additions can also incorporate the gelatinous konnyaku, ginger, tofu, and scallions, but the choice of elements can be adjusted according to personal preferences. All ingredients are thinly cut and sliced in order to ensure fast and convenient preparation. 

Sūpu karē or soup curry is a watery, brothy curry sauce that is usually served with big pieces of meat such as chicken legs and coarsely cut, chunky vegetables. The earliest versions of the dish contained spices from India and Sri Lanka, but today, cooks are using ingredients from Indonesia and China as well.

Sūpu karē was invented in 1970 in Ajanta, a restaurant in Sapporo, Japan. However, it didn't receive much attention until 2002, when hundreds of restaurants serving the dish started popping up all over the major cities of Japan. Sapporo still remains the number one spot for sūpu karē lovers, with more than 250 restaurants serving the dish.