Takoyaki are tako (たこ, Octopus) balls cooked on a grill fresh to order, with a solid outside layer of flour, and a gooey filling of tako. They typically come topped with katsuobushi (鰹節, Bonito Flakes), nori (のり, Seaweed) flakes, mayonnaise, and takoyaki sauce, a savoury sweet sauce.
Osaka Travel Guide
Nicknamed Japan's Kitchen, famous for its Bustling Nightlife and Food Scene
Osaka is Japan’s third-largest city, often nicknamed Japan’s kitchen. Of all the local delicacies, three stand out, Osaka's Three Great Delicacies (大阪三大名物, Ōsaka San Dai Meibutsu): takoyaki (たこ焼き, Octopus balls), okonomiyaki (お好み焼き), and kushikatsu (串カツ). The Minami (みなみ, Minami) area of Shinsaibashi (心斎橋), Dotonbori (道頓堀, Dōtonbori), and Namba (難波, Nanba) form one large shopping belt filled with shops, departmental stores, food stalls and restaurants. Osaka is also home to Universal Studios Japan, a popular amusement park with many Japan-exclusive anime-themed rides, as well as the Kaiyukan (海遊館), considered one of the world’s Top 10 Aquariums with its huge tank and whale shark display.
Nature
Culture
Gourmet
Volume
Local Specialties
たこ焼き
Takoyaki
お好み焼き
Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki is a dish in which vegetables are diced, cooked on a hotplate, mixed with a flour mixture, cooked till solid on both sides, and finally, topped with a tangy sweet sauce, mayonnaise, nori (のり, Seaweed) and katsuobushi (鰹節, Bonito Flakes).
串カツ
Kushikatsu
Usually served by the stick, kushikatsu are skewers that are lightly battered and then deep-fried. The skewers are then dipped in a sweet and savory sauce before being eaten.
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Popular Destinations
Osaka's Minami (南, lit. South) district serves as the city's lifestyle and nightlife district.
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The Shinsekai area is an old neighborhood that feels like it has been left behind by Osaka’s modern development. The area has a distinctively different feel to the rest of Osaka, with its rundown and yesteryear appearance, you can find many old shops, cheap restaurants, bars and more.
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One might deride aquariums as being for children, but there’s a reason why the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan is considered Japan’s 2nd Best Aquarium and one of the Top 10 aquariums in the world. This eight story aquarium is designed as an experience, as you meander through the route, circling the buildings exhibits, eventually ending up at the largest tank with 5,400 tons of water and hosting a massive whale shark.
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Osaka Castle has a beautiful tenshu (天守, Main Keep) that stands in the middle of the bustling city, and is one of the most accessible castles in Japan. The castle, however, is not one of the twelve original castles (日本現存十二天守, Nihon Genzon Ju-ni Tenshu) in Japan, instead being a reproduction with a modern museum inside.
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Cup Noodles are a part of daily life for many of us, and it’s something we take for granted as part and parcel of everyday life. Yet, if you really think about, the idea of cooking food with just hot water is actually a rather amazing one, and how it’s done in such a straight-forward and convenient way is actually nothing short of a major feat of engineering.
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Getting Around
The best way to get around Osaka is by Osaka Metro, which has an extensive coverage throughout the city. You can also get the Osaka Metro Pass to give you unlimited rides on the metro. In general you should not need to take the bus whilst in Osaka. A few attractions that are further in the suburbs, such as the Cup Noodle Museum (安藤百福開発記念館, Ando Momofuku Kaihatsu Kinenkan) are not covered by the Osaka Metro network, but the vast majority of downtown attractions are part of the network.
In general, most of the major attractions in Osaka are grouped around Northern Osaka (where Umeda (梅田) and Osaka Castle (大阪城, Ōsaka-jō) are located), and the Southern Osaka (みなみ, Minami) (where Dotonbori (道頓堀, Dōtonbori), Namba (難波, Nanba), Shinsaibashi, and Shinsekai (新世界) are located).
Northern Osaka is where Osaka Station, Osaka-Umeda Station, and Umeda Station are located, and is where most connections to Kyoto (京都, Kyōto) and Kobe (神戸, Kōbe) stop at. Further north is Shin-Osaka Station, which is where the Sanyo Shinkansen and Tokaido Shinkansen stop in Osaka. Southern Osaka is where Namba Station is located, and is where the fastest connection to the Kansai International Airport as well as connections to Mount Koya, Nara, and Nagoya are located.
Getting There
京都
Kyoto
The fastest way to get between Osaka and Kyoto is via the JR Kyoto Line. The Special Rapid Service runs between Kyoto Station and Osaka Station, taking only 29 minutes, and only 3 stops away.
JR Kyōto Line
Towards Osaka Station
JR West
Kyoto Station
to
Osaka Station
29 mins
¥580
神戸
Kobe
The fastest way to get between Osaka and downtown Kobe is by taking the JR Kobe Line between Osaka Station and Sannomiya Station.
JR Kobe Line
Towards Kyoto Station
JR West
Sannomiya Station
to
Osaka Station
21 mins
¥420
東京
Tokyo
The fastest way between Tokyo and Osaka is via the Tokaido Shinkansen that directly connects Tokyo Station and Shin-Osaka Station. The fastest service Nozomi trains can make the journey in 2 hours and 27 minutes.
Tokaido Shinkansen
Towards Hakata Station
JR Central
Tokyo Station
to
Shin-Osaka Station
2h 27m
¥13,870
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