Osaka Street Food: Tasting the Town in Japan’s Kitchen

Introduction

I heard it repeatedly — for a taste of Japan’s very best food, I had to sample Osaka’s street food. And in Osaka, street food in the Dotonbori neighborhood was the best-of-the-best. As a foodie, I clearly had no choice, so I booked a hotel in Dotonbori and set out on a four-day exploration of its legendary cuisine. I quickly found out that I’d hit the jackpot.

The Vibrant Dotonbori Market

On Day One, I joined thousands of people roaming the vibrant Dotonbori market and sampling its countless small food stalls. Osaka is an ancient port city, and by the 17th century Edo period, it had become one of Japan’s major trading hubs. That’s also when Osaka earned its nickname as “Japan’s Kitchen.”

Must-Taste Dishes

But let’s get back to Dotonbori street food. What follows are my 13 must-taste dishes, all set against a vivid backdrop of unique street memories — the giant red octopus displays protruding from the tops of buildings. A massive animatronic crab pinching the air above a pedestrian crossing. And the ever-changing and mouth-watering smell of fresh-cooked Japanese classics like these…

Mitarashi-Dango

Mitarashi-Dango

Daifuku Mochi

Daifuku Mochi

Torikara

Torikara

Takoyaki

Takoyaki

Conclusion

Anthony Bourdain nailed it — “Good and hot, that’s how they like things in Osaka,” he said after trying Osaka’s most famous snack. These octopus batter balls generate absurdly long lines of loyal customers at the numerous takoyaki stalls in Dotonbori. They’ve become emblematic of Osaka’s tasty street food.