Almost 600 meters in length, Kuromon Ichiba is an undercover market that serves Osaka the best in a variety of produce, street food, and fresh seafood. Abuzz with frenetic energy, Kuromon Market features hundreds of stores specializing in miso-smattered pickles, curious mushrooms, and Japanese sweets like freshly-made mochi. Expectant crowds gather around stalls selling sea urchin, scallops, and shrimp, or choose from crab legs to squid and have them grilled before your very eyes. Taste tempura to-go, wagyu beef steaks on a stick, or succulent bites of freshly-sliced sushi, plus Kuromon Market also offers a handful of sit down restaurants found amongst the fray. A short walk away is Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shopping Street, Osaka’s go-to place to buy professional knives and assorted kitchenware. In an arcade that stretches 150 meters, Osaka’s “Kitchen Street” is decked out with dozens of shops selling high-quality kitchen tools (excellent souvenirs for the cooking-inclined). Markets for all things foodie in Osaka, Kuromon Ichiba and Doguyasuji Street bustle in the heart of the city.

Kuromon Market

Osaka Prefecture proudly stretches itself across the Kansai region, a modern metropolitan area with some of the best food in Japan. In the wake of Japan opening up to foreign trade, Osaka Prefecture operated as an essential trading hub, where the boisterous capital city of Osaka still overlooks the industrial Osaka Bay to the west. Once a port town but now the third largest city in Japan, the glittering city of Osaka is like Tokyo’s rowdy younger sibling, famous for its laidback nature and slower pace of life. Far less serious than their Tokyoite counterparts, the people of Osaka harbor a widespread love for comedy shows performed in the Kansai dialect, matched with a wild party culture that seems to never sleep. Osaka Prefecture is also the center of the Osaka-Kyoto-Kobe regional trifecta, collectively known as the Keihanshin metropolis area. 

As the capital of Kansai, Osaka is proudly attributed with the creation of two classic Japanese food favorites: okonomiyaki (savory Japanese pancake, “grilled as you like it”) and takoyaki ( molten balls of batter filled with octopus pieces and topped with savory-sweet sauce). Lovingly nicknamed the “Nation’s Kitchen,” Osaka has a loud reputation for high-quality food and so much of it. The region’s obsession with food fuels the local motto, kuidaore, meaning (and encouraging) “to eat yourself into ruin.” You’re spoilt for choice with street food on every corner (kushikatsu deep-fried skewers is a must-try) and izakayas offering all-you-can-eat dining; let alone the number of high-class restaurants serving fresh fugu (pufferfish) and premium wagyu beef. Osaka Castle lies in the heart of the city, while the colorful characters of Universal Studios live on the city’s outskirts, plus all kinds of business, shopping, and nightlife from Namba to Shinsekai, with pockets in-between and beyond.

Osaka

Osaka Prefecture is the birthplace of Kansai-style okonomiyaki and many classic Japanese street foods. Centered around Osaka (the prefectural capital), the clash of trade, traditions, and modern technologies contributes to the dynamic energy of this prefecture overlooking Osaka Bay.

For the best local produce and the freshest seafood in the city, look no further than Kuromon Market, “Osaka’s Kitchen,” bursting with pickles, sweets, and delicious street food that’s grilled on the spot.

Gluten-free

Halal

Kosher

Vegan

Vegetarian

Pescetarian

Family-friendly

Regional food

Shopping time

With 1 drink

In the city of kuidaore, meaning “to ruin oneself by food,” you know the Osakans mean business when it comes to serving up delicious meals. So when we say Kuromon Ichiba Market is known as “Osaka’s Kitchen,” the name comes with a certain gravitas. And it’s a reputation the market lives up to, with 39 fishmongers, 10 grocery shops, 12 butchers, 7 candy shops, and 24 restaurants. Boasting all types of wild seafood, a rainbow of pickle varieties, and scrumptious street food offerings, Kuromon Market is the go-to place for foodies, chefs, and restaurateurs alike! On this Osaka Kuromon Market Tour, you’ll find yourself immersed in the smells, sights, and flavors of Osaka. 

After your cravings for takoyaki and Osaka street food is satiated at the Kuromon Market, kickstart your digestion by taking a little walk over to Osaka’s “Kitchen Town,” Sennichimae Doguyasuji, where you can admire the local craftsmanship of razor-sharp cooking knives, gorgeous Japanese ceramics and lacquerware, and even the lifelike Japanese shokuhin sanpuru, or “food samples.” You might have seen these intricate plastic Japanese food samples in restaurant display cases and in department stores, but you probably didn’t know that you can buy them for yourself! Take home a foodie souvenir to remember your Osaka food tour by, or pick up something at the Kuromon Market to give to friends or family back home! 

Food tour at a market (such as a fish market).

Market Tours

Osaka Kuromon Market and Kitchen Town Tour

With dinner

Osaka is the vibrant food capital of Japan that’s also famous for it’s wild nightlife. With hundreds of bars, restaurants, izakayas, and clubs in the central area of Osaka alone, there’s so much choice when it comes to party time! Endless adventures are just waiting to happen, but some of the best hidden places can be hard to find. With the help of a local guide during The Ultimate Osaka Night Tour, you’ll surely have an action-packed night out in the youthful and delicious party city of Osaka! 

The first stop on The Ultimate Osaka Night Tour is an izakaya where you’ll have an authentic Japanese pub dinner, enjoying some of the best food in Osaka with your first drink. Next, you’ll explore some of the cool backstreets of Namba in a walking tour of its alleyways, getting a feel for the more hidden parts of the city. Away from the crowded tourist lights, you’ll experience a different side of Osaka nightlife during this awesome night out on the town. Your friendly local guide will introduce you to some unique hidden bars, each with their own character that comes to life once the sun goes down. This is the chance to learn more about different Japanese beverages and drinking culture in the vibrant city, with great tips on how to have a night out like a local. 

Next up, you’ll head off to see the glittering neon lights of Dotombori before heading the massive party centers of Shinsaibashi and Amemura. On Friday nights and Saturday night’s you’ll be able to experience a quintessential piece of Osaka culture, a live comedy show featuring English-language stand-up comedians (entry is an additional 1000 yen). After the show, you’ll receive a “Pub Passport” that gets you discounts to some of the city’s best venues, including free shots and cheap drinks as well as discounted nightclub entry when you buy your first drink in each place. All you have to do is buy your first drink at each club to get over 3000 yen worth of gifts to keep the night going!

A tour of several drinking establishments.

Bar Hopping

The Ultimate Osaka Night Tour

With dessert

Minami Osaka (South Osaka) is a hub of restaurants, entertainment, shopping, and nightlife. Like in Tokyo’s Shibuya, surrounded by shining neon lights and towering billboards it can be easy to be dazzled (or overwhelmed) by the city’s fun-loving, boisterous character. That’s where this Osaka Food Tour at Night comes in. Going on an Osaka food tour is the perfect way to explore the off-the-beaten-path areas, to see those truly local Osaka spots that are still unknown among foreign tourist circles, and dip a toe into Osaka’s rowdy nightlife. 

The tour will begin in the Dotonbori area, iconic for its massive billboard of the Glico Running Man, advertising the Japanese food company best known for Pocky. It can be easy to get trapped in this commercial area, just going to the same old establishments, but this tour will take you on a winding journey through little alleyways, to see another side of Osaka. Sample local dishes, like kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers), and of course the famous takoyaki (molten-hot grilled balls of batter with a piece of chewy octopus in the center). You’ll also get to visit a local izakaya (Japanese gastropub) and have a drink alongside yummy seasonal dishes like yakitori (meat skewers), tempura, and sukiyaki (beef hot pot). 

You’ll also be shown around Osaka’s retro drinking alleys, with tons of tiny izakaya bars crammed together, each bar with its own unique point. These artsy, hole-in-the-wall izakayas are worlds in and of themselves, with different themes or twists on the classic Japanese bar. Lastly, finish up with a dessert, and then feel free to explore the area on your own, checking out some of the local guide’s recommended spots. You’ll likely want to stay out all night!

Food tour of a particular area or neighborhood.

Neighborhood/Area Tours

Osaka Food Tour at Night: Backstreets, Bars, and Bites!

With lunch

In the city of kuidaore (meaning, “eat oneself into ruin”), street food is taken seriously, especially in Shinsekai Osaka. The Shinsekai district is built around Tsutenkaku Tower, which is considered the Eiffel Tower of Japan, but rather than a Parisian feel the atmosphere is more akin to that of a fairground. The neighborhood is a super local attraction in Osaka with retro and nostalgic vibes, referencing the early 1900s to the 1960s. You can find some of Osaka’s famous street food specialties here, like kushikatsu (battered and fried skewers of meat, seafood, or vegetables) and takoyaki, at restaurants and shops that operate for 24 hours a day, though the area truly becomes the most vibrant after dark when the streets are aglow with color.

The Shinsekai Osaka Street Food Tour will give you an inside peek into the local restaurants and shops here, and the flourishing culture of street food. Both daytime and evening tours are available, so this street food tour will fit any schedule. You can choose to see the vibrant side of Shinsekai in the evening, glowing with multicolored lanterns and signs, or take a more leisurely daytime stroll through the charming district during the daytime. Either way, you’ll get to try local dishes at 5 food stops while hearing about Shinsekai’s history and food culture from a local expert, and find out why Osaka is known as “The Nation’s Kitchen.”

Nostalgic Shinsekai Osaka Street Food Tour

With recipe

In this immersive, hands-on Osaka Sushi Cooking Class, you’ll learn how to make several types of sushi, like nigiri sushi, gunkan maki, and maki sushi, alongside other classic Japanese dishes like yakitori and miso soup. With a professional to show you the ropes, you’ll learn how to use Japanese ingredients, make perfectly seasoned sushi rice, and slice and roll your sushi like a pro. You’ll make juicy, sizzling yakitori chicken to go along with your fresh sushi, as well as the classic Japanese miso soup. At the end of the Osaka Sushi Cooking Class, you’ll be rewarded by some sweets, and be able to take home recipes so you can impress your family and friends at home. This is the perfect class if you want to learn the history of Japanese cuisine with the guidance of an expert, as well as a variety of sushi-making techniques.

Menu:
-Nigiri Sushi(9)
-Gunkan Maki(2)
-Maki Sushi(1)
-Yakitori(2)
-Miso soup with Tofu
-Pickles
-Sweets

A fun, hands-on cooking experience for home cooks, people with basic cooking skills, or kids.

Casual Cooking Classes

Osaka Sushi Cooking Class

With green tea

Made with simple ingredients (sweet white bean paste and glutinous rice flour), wagashi can be enjoyed by vegans, vegetarians, and Muslims alike! And don’t be fooled by the name “glutinous rice flour” because this wagashi class is actually gluten-free!  A delicious and aesthetically-pleasing plant-based treat, wagashi are very traditional Japanese sweets that pair best with a cup of tea, and often accompany the Japanese tea ceremony. While this Osaka Wagashi Making Class includes matcha making, it is not a tea ceremony experience and the matcha making is a very simple component of the class. Still, learning to make wagashi is a beautiful way to connect to Japanese culture and make something steeped in history and traditions. Often, wagashi reflect the current season with motifs such as cherry blossoms and maple leaves. It’s almost too beautiful to eat, and as an added bonus it’s naturally vegetarian, vegan, and Halal!

Osaka Wagashi Making Class (Traditional Japanese Sweets)

Every region of Japan seems to have its own special twist on ramen, from Hakata ramen in Fukuoka to Hokkaido miso ramen. But you ramen fiends out there might not want to stop at just one bowl of ramen. Why not join the Osaka Ramen Cooking Class and make three varieties of ramen, with noodles made totally from scratch!

The shio ramen (salt ramen) you’ll be making is topped with sweet, succulent pork, bean sprouts, and seaweed; the shoyu ramen (soy sauce ramen) has steamed cabbage, green veggies, and sweet corn; and the miso ramen is topped with spicy chicken, boiled egg, and green onion. Note that the ingredients may change depending on seasonality, but that just means you’ll be getting the freshest produce!

If you’re worried about the sheer amount of noodles, don’t be! The bowls of ramen are smaller than average, and the total amount of noodles is about 100 grams. But make sure you save some room, because after you’ve made and indulged in these three types of ramen, you’ll get to have dessert!

Menu:
-Shio ramen
-Shoyu ramen
-Miso ramen
-Dessert!

Osaka Ramen Class (Noodles from Scratch & 3 Types of Ramen!)

Deep fried and crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, tempura can be prepared with a number of ingredients from vegetables to seafood to meat. Due to tempura’s versatility, this Tempura in Osaka Cooking Class can make accommodations for vegan, vegetarian, and Halal diets, so everyone can enjoy this popular Japanese dish.

Amazingly crisp and light without the oiliness of other fried foods, the recipe to make tempura is specially formulated to maximize crunchiness. Learn the secret to tempura’s deliciousness in this Tempura in Osaka Cooking Class, where you’ll make 4 pieces of vegetable tempura and 2 pieces of fish tempura, to be enjoyed alongside a  clear soup, steamed rice, and chilled tofu.

Menu:
-Vegetable tempura (4)
-Fish tempura (2)
-Clear soup
-Steamed rice
-Chilled tofu

Tempura in Osaka Cooking Class

osaka

Food

Drinks

Tableware

Traditional Japanese / Kaiseki / Kappo

There’s plenty to love about Taian, a traditional kaiseki restaurant in Osaka: fantastic chargrilled dishes, innovative wine pairings, and a modern-classic interior design which sets the tone for the meal to come. The main secret to this restaurant’s success, however, is the forward-thinking mentality of the chef. 

His use of ingredients from all over the world in his modern interpretations of kaiseki classics has won Taian the coveted three star status in the Michelin Guide. A meal here includes a course of amuse bouche bites, moving through a range of seasonal and signature offerings such as black wagyu spare ribs in honey and red wine, and ending with desserts infused with a French touch.

While you watch the chef prepare all of this behind the counter, the manager (the other half of this culinary power couple) will make sure you’re totally comfortable, topping up your glass with your choice of sake or wine. 

The three Michelin star rating has brought a wave of fresh interest in Taian, so make sure to reserve early to secure your spot at one of the most consistent and inventive kaiseki restaurants in Hiroshima.

A traditional restaurant in Osaka with an international outlook and three Michelin stars. Place your reservation now on byFood. dweded 

Taian | Traditional Japanese Restaurant in Osaka | byFood

Taian

Fugu / Crab / Other Seafood

Blowfish season is a cause for celebration among the foodies of Japan. This fish, known as fugu, is at its peak in the colder autumn and winter months, when the fish are at their biggest and freshest. 

The third-generation owner of Takoyasu, one of the best pufferfish restaurants in Osaka (with 2 Michelin stars to prove it), has the connections to procure some of the absolute best fish possible — huge, sea-caught fugu from the best markets in the country. He prepares it in a variety of styles, each of which shows a different facet of this Japanese seafood favorite. Expect expertly-cut sashimi, rich hot pot, and skin marinated in a citrus sauce.

Unfortunately the fugu pufferfish season ends with the start of spring. If you’re visiting Takoyasu in the warmer months, you’ll instead be treated to a set-course meal of conger eel and kelp bass instead (which is equally delicious, of course). Reserve a spot in one of their traditional tatami rooms for an unforgettable seafood experience.

One of the best Michelin-starred fugu restaurants in Japan, where you can try the fish in all of the classic forms. Reserve now on byFood.

Food Experiences

Restaurant Reservation

Gourmet Product

Kuromon Market

Taian

Takoyasu