10 Most Popular Areas for Foodies in Osaka

In Dōtonbori, you’ll find Osaka's famous food-crazy townscape with its huge crab and octopus signs and giant Glico billboard alongside the Dotonbori River, one of the city's essential sights. The nearest stations are Namba Station and Osaka-Namba Station. In the Edo period, the area was known for its many theatres, and the tradition of entertainment remains in places like Shochikuza Theater and Namba Grand Kagetsu.  

You can enjoy street food such as octopus balls (takoyaki), deep-fried skewers (kushi katsu) or charcoal-grilled red king crab, or deepen your knowledge of the local food at Dotonbori Konamon Museum. You can also find one of the best ramen restaurants in Osaka here in the Dotonbori area.

The shopping street that connects Ebisubashi Bridge and Namba Station is called Ebisubashi-suji Shopping Street. Ebisubashi Bridge is the site of the Minami district’s main landmarks, the huge Glico billboard and the imposing crab sign of Kani Doraku.

This is one of the main shopping streets in the Minami district, an arcade street where you can really feel the unique energy of Osaka. You will find many signs advertising pork buns (butaman), a soul food of Osaka, but there are also ice lollies, Western confectionery and Japanese sweet shops that are extremely popular among locals. Whenever you get tired, simply take a break and enjoy something sweet to recharge your batteries.

Kuromon Market, which is located just steps away from Subway Nippombashi Station, is one of the best markets in Osaka, the city renowned for extravagance in food. This market has been prospering as Osaka’s kitchen since the Edo period. There’s an incredible variety of seafood on offer, as it developed from originally being a fish market, but there are also abundant vegetables, fruits and meat.  

Kuromon Market has transformed into a place that could be described as a food theme park. Try out the fresh seafood here; tuna-cutting displays are very popular. Make sure you get a stroll-and-eat guide map or a free newspaper guide to make the most of your time. Note that most shops close in the evening.

Shinsaibashi-suji Shopping Street is a sophisticated area with fashionable shops and department stores, just steps away from Subway Shinsaibashi Station. In the Edo period, it was the largest retail shop district in Osaka, lined with stores selling books, Japanese harps (koto) and Japanese guitars (shamisen).  

Today this bustling area is popular with visitors from all over the world. You’ll find stellar street food here, but why not enjoy a little luxury and try something special like beef and vegetable hot-pot (sukiyaki), Japanese barbecue (yakiniku) or charcoal-grilled beef? There are also many famous Japanese savoury pancake (okonomiyaki) restaurants in this district. Many stores sell Japanese traditional sweets, freshly baked tarts, frozen yoghurt and freshly baked castella sponge cake (kasutera).

If you fancy getting away from the hustle and bustle of Dotonbori and enjoying some quiet time, then Hozenji Yokocho is an ideal retreat. Known as the setting for Sakunosuke Oda’s novel, “Meoto Zenzai,” this is a restaurant district with quaint cobblestone alleyways retaining the retro ambience of the Showa period. And it’s just a 5-minute walk from Namba Station. 

When the sun goes down, lanterns at Hozenji Temple are lit, producing a fantastic atmosphere. The alleys of Hozenji Yokocho are lined with many famous restaurants, some of which have even earned Michelin stars. To try traditional Japanese food (kappo or kaiseki) at one of the long-established restaurants in the area, it’s necessary to make a reservation in advance.

Fukushima Shotendori Shopping Street is located right next to the huge JR Osaka Station (Umeda), yet it still clearly has an old-time atmosphere. Once a month, on ‘Fortune-telling Day', the roads of this shopping district are lined with the stands of fortune-tellers. 

This is based on a story that relates how Namboku Mizuno, a physiognomist in the Edo period, changed his attitude after hearing the words of the head of Shoten Ryotokuin Temple. Because it’s located close to Umeda, you will find a lot of Japanese-style bars (izakaya) and standing bars for office workers, but in fact there are also many cafés offering delicious desserts. Whether at night or in the daytime, this is a fascinating place to visit.

Osaka Station City is a commercial complex around JR Osaka Station. It consists of the North Gate Building on the north side of the station and the South Gate Building on, yes, the south side of the station. This is one of the largest commercial complexes in Japan, with a department store, cinema, hotel and shopping centres. 

Practically a small town in its own right, Osaka Station City has a full range of amenities. These include Umesan Kouji, a casual restaurant area, and EKI MARCHÉ, a convenient place to buy souvenirs. There's also a luxury restaurant on the top floor.

Tenjinbashi-suji Shopping Street is one of the longest covered shopping streets in Japan, with 600 shops and a total length of 2,600 metres. The nearest stations are Subway Ogimachi Station, Tenjimbashisuji 6-chome Station and Minami-Morimachi Station. This is one of the most popular shopping districts in Osaka where you can enjoy shopping and street foods in the atmosphere of the Showa period.  

You’ll find sushi bars, beef cutlet (gyukatsu) restaurants, octopus ball (takoyaki) stalls, freshly fried potato croquette (korokke) shops, ramen restaurants and bars, as well as stylish coffee shops, wine bars and fresh juice stalls. For virtual time travel, check out the Osaka Museum of Housing and Living and learn about life in Osaka in the late Edo period.

Sennichimae Shopping Street is located southeast of Dotonbori, bringing the distinctive downtown atmosphere of Osaka’s Minami district. It’s always crowded with tourists, especially visitors from Asia, because it appealingly combines home appliance stores with an old-town atmosphere. The arcade ceiling allows you to stroll around regardless of the weather. 

This area is known for its numerous Japanese savoury pancake (okonomiyaki) and octopus ball (takoyaki) stalls and is called the Mecca of flour-based cuisine (konamon). Sennichimae Shopping Street is a great place to try local cheap eats. It's also a hotspot for ramen.

Juso is as an entertainment district, but there are many affordable and delicious restaurants. Juso is the perfect place for those who want to enjoy Osaka at night without breaking the bank. Juso has every kind of Japanese food you could hope to find, including classic dishes from Osaka and beyond such as Japanese stew (oden), Japanese savoury pancake (okonomiyaki), Japanese barbeque (yakiniku), tempura, skewered chicken (yakitori), tripe dishes, sake and starters, traditional Japanese cuisine (kappo), blowfish, crab, deep-fried skewers (kushi katsu) and sushi.  

The styles of the venues are pretty diverse, too, from standing bars and bar spaces in liquor shops to casual Japanese-style bars that make great date-night spots.