Osaka-style Okonomiyaki with Okonomiyaki sauce, Japanese mayonnaise and dried green seaweed
I have heard Okonomiyaki called everything from Japanese pancakes to Japanese pizzas. It is hard to describe exactly what okonomiyaki is since there is nothing else like it outside of Japan. If you break down the name, it might help. “Okonomi” means your choice or you choose, and yaki means grilled. There are different types and styles of okonomiyaki found around Japan. For the purpose of this blog, when we refer to okonomiyaki, it will refer to the Osaka style of okonomiyaki as that is most common type found in Japan. In Osaka, okonomiyaki is very, very popular and could almost be considered another food group. As you walk around Osaka (especially South Osaka) it seems like every other restaurant is an okonomiyaki restaurant. Other, common types of okonomiyaki in Japan is “manjayaki” from Tokyo and “Hiroshima-yaki” from, yes you guessed it, Hiroshima. The ingredients used for all these are basically the same. The main difference is in how they are prepared. In Osaka style okonomiyaki, all of the ingredients are mixed together and cooked together. In Hiroshima style okonomiyaki, all of the ingredients are layered almost like a cake. Soba or udon noodles are also added to Hiroshima-yaki in another layer as well. (Although they do add noodles to okonomiyaki in Osaka. It is called “modanyaki” or modern-yaki.) Read more on “Everything you wanted to know about Okonomiyaki, but were afraid to ask” »
Noodle Shop Display
If you’re looking for a quick, tasty and inexpensive meal in Japan, noodle shops are the places to look for. Although, you don’t have to look very hard because they are everywhere. Walking into a noodle shop in Japan and ordering noodles is like walking into a Starbucks and ordering a cup of coffee. There are many different kinds and styles available to choose from. Initially, it may seem a little overwhelming, but most noodle shops will have plastic food models you can point to. Read more on “Noodle Shops” »
Fugu (Pufferfish)
Osaka is said to be a ‘Gourmet Paradise’ for the Japanese and is famous for its specialties such as Okonomiyaki (savory pancakes) , Takoyaki (octopus dumplings) and noodles. Another specialty of Osaka, especially in winter is the poisonous fugu (pufferfish). Most of the fugu in Japan is caught in the Shimonoseki area (the water between the main island of Honshu and the southern island of Kyushu). But it is estimated that 70% of all the fugu eaten in Japan is consumed in Osaka. Read more on “Fugu (Pufferfish) in Osaka” »
Tsutenkaku
Tsutenkaku is a symbol of Osaka.It means ‘tower reaching heaven’. The first tower, built in 1912, lived up to its name and was the highest in the East at that time. The original tower had an eccentric design that combined influences from the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Unfortunately, it was dismantled in 1943 to supply iron for the war. The present tower is the second one, constructed in 1956 by a well-known architect Naito Tachu, who is called the ‘father of Japanese high-rise towers’, and is 103 meters high.
Read more on “Tsutenkaku and Shinsekai” »
We will often get questions from people who are interested in taking our tours if it is possible to avoid fish in their meals. There is so much more to Japanese food other than sushi and sashimi, but escaping fish all-together is near to impossible in Japan. After all, it is a staple in Japanese cooking and the Japanese eat more fish per capita than any other country in the world! You can avoid eating the actual pieces of fish, both raw and cooked, but there are so many things that you may eat and not even realize that there is fish in it. I have enjoyed a lot of meals in Japan where they use fish broth and fish essence, and it often didn’t taste like fish was in it at all. By definition, here are a couple items that you may be unaware of. Read more on “There’s Something Fishy Going On With The Food Here…” »
