Osaka street food
Jan 12, 2009, 10:22 am
#1
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 749
Osaka street food
OK TItle says it all, may I have your best tips for street food. I have five nights from Feb 22-26.
Daytime is taken up with trips to places like Kyoto, Hiroshima etc etc but we really want to do the street food thing.
I welcome the tips
Thanks in advance
Daytime is taken up with trips to places like Kyoto, Hiroshima etc etc but we really want to do the street food thing.
I welcome the tips
Thanks in advance
Jan 12, 2009, 12:43 pm
#3
Senior Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: UA Plat/2MM [23-yr. 1K, now emeritus] clawing way back to WN-A List; MR LT Titanium; HY Whateverist.
Posts: 12,397
Happy to oblige the thread's move to our Travel->Japan forum. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.
Jan 12, 2009, 2:06 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota,USA
Programs: UA, NW
Posts: 3,752
Osaka is best known for okonomiyaki, which is too floury to be an omelet and too eggy to be a pancake. It's made on a grill in front of you, and has your choice of vegetables, meats, and seafood cooked in. Then it is slathered with ribbons of mayonnaise and steak sauce. Filling and delicous.
If you're referring to actual foods that you can find in street booths, as opposed to hole-in-the-wall restaurants, the standards throughout Japan are raamen noodles, oden (a kind of seafood stew), yakitori (chicken shishkebabs--be sure you're not getting skin or guts, both of which are options), yakisoba (fried noodles), corn on the cob with soy sauce, Okinawan-style doughnuts, shave ice (summer only), takoyaki (deep-fried octopus), taiyaki (fish-shaped cakes filled with bean jam), roasted chestnuts, charcoal roasted yams, and a host of others, which other FlyerTalkers will probably remember. Some of these vendors come out only at night. Others are most common at shrine or temple festivals, and in a city the size of Osaka, some shrine or temple is always having a festival.
If you're referring to actual foods that you can find in street booths, as opposed to hole-in-the-wall restaurants, the standards throughout Japan are raamen noodles, oden (a kind of seafood stew), yakitori (chicken shishkebabs--be sure you're not getting skin or guts, both of which are options), yakisoba (fried noodles), corn on the cob with soy sauce, Okinawan-style doughnuts, shave ice (summer only), takoyaki (deep-fried octopus), taiyaki (fish-shaped cakes filled with bean jam), roasted chestnuts, charcoal roasted yams, and a host of others, which other FlyerTalkers will probably remember. Some of these vendors come out only at night. Others are most common at shrine or temple festivals, and in a city the size of Osaka, some shrine or temple is always having a festival.
Jan 12, 2009, 3:50 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: TYO / WAS / NYC
Programs: American Express got a hit man lookin' for me
Posts: 4,623
Takoyaki is the classic Osaka street food, and if you walk around any trafficked area of the city in the evening you will almost certainly find a takoyaki cart pretty quickly.
Jan 13, 2009, 2:51 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SFOSJCOAK
Programs: AA-EXP & 1MM+, AS, MR-LTT, HH Gold
Posts: 7,600
Osaka is one of my favorite cities in Japan.
You might have seen this, if not click or copy/paste this link for Osaka food culture story:
http://www.osaka-info.jp/en/culture/2007may/07.html
Same web site has full treatment of Osaka tourism.
SInce you are there in the winter, you must try shabu-shabu at dinner.
Kita area – for entertainment and shopping
Dotombori area – for restaurants, street food, shopping and just walk and browse (Namba Station, Exit #14)
Shinsaibashi – for shopping, fashion, restaurants and nightlife
If you are touring on your own (not with organized tour group), then look into getting a Kansai Pass that covers trains and bus transportantion.
Tell us a bit more of what you plan to do, FTers in this sub-forum maybe of further help.
You might have seen this, if not click or copy/paste this link for Osaka food culture story:
http://www.osaka-info.jp/en/culture/2007may/07.html
Same web site has full treatment of Osaka tourism.
SInce you are there in the winter, you must try shabu-shabu at dinner.
Kita area – for entertainment and shopping
Dotombori area – for restaurants, street food, shopping and just walk and browse (Namba Station, Exit #14)
Shinsaibashi – for shopping, fashion, restaurants and nightlife
If you are touring on your own (not with organized tour group), then look into getting a Kansai Pass that covers trains and bus transportantion.
Tell us a bit more of what you plan to do, FTers in this sub-forum maybe of further help.
Jan 13, 2009, 9:31 pm
#10
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: TYO / WAS / NYC
Programs: American Express got a hit man lookin' for me
Posts: 4,623
If you happen to have a day or part of a day in Osaka, you might also want to wander over to Osaka Castle--there are usually festival-style food vendors parked around there, especially on weekends and holidays.
It's a cool castle, too, if you can ignore the giant elevator sticking out of the side.
It's a cool castle, too, if you can ignore the giant elevator sticking out of the side.
Jan 14, 2009, 9:52 am
#11
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 749
WE will get into Osaka 22nd Feb spend 23 in Osaka. 24 Hiroshima, 25 Nara, 26 Kyoto and 27th Osaka and lfy back in the evening. WE will stay each night in ANA / CRowne Plaza. I am sure the train pass will be a big help. Thanks again to everyone so far
Jan 14, 2009, 10:15 am
#12
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Central California
Programs: Former UA Premex, now dirt
Posts: 6,531
I suggest changing the 27th to another night in Kyoto. One day/night is simply not sufficient to see and do what you will want to see and do. You already have a couple of nights in Osaka at the beginning of your stay. In fact, I'd suggest combining Kyoto and Nara into a 3 night stay and just use the local train to get to/from Nara.
For the departure day, it is just as easy to depart out of KIX by leaving from Kyoto as it is from Osaka - less than 30 minutes more on the airport train.
All those one day/night stays in different locations seem very wearing and an inefficient way to see the country.
Jan 14, 2009, 5:31 pm
#13
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: TYO
Programs: Tokyo Monorail Diamond-Encrusted-Platinum
Posts: 9,664
If I were the OP, I might spend the first night in Osaka. Second night in Hiroshima (or maybe on Miyajima, since it looks like a Monday, which means better prices and availability on the island). Then all subsequent nights in Kyoto.
As for the Rail pass. I haven't done the sums. It might not be worth it ...
If the OP is spending his whole time in Chugoku and Kansai, the JR West pass would be enough.
Jan 14, 2009, 6:49 pm
#14
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: YVR
Programs: AC E75, SPG Plat, HH peon-by-choice (ex Gold)
Posts: 8,090
Yeah, the JR Rail pass isn't always worth it.
One thing to note for Kyoto - There's a small tourist info booth outside Kyoto station. You can get an all-day bus pass there for 500 yen. Excellent deal.
One thing to note for Kyoto - There's a small tourist info booth outside Kyoto station. You can get an all-day bus pass there for 500 yen. Excellent deal.
Jan 16, 2009, 8:31 pm
#15
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SFOSJCOAK
Programs: AA-EXP & 1MM+, AS, MR-LTT, HH Gold
Posts: 7,600
I think the OP can use a 4-day JR West pass which can be used on the Loop line as well (including to/from KIX). Save the hassle of buying tickets all the time.