I have family in Osaka and love visiting for seeing my loved ones, but also for the fun food culture. Osaka has many shōtengai shopping arcades, many of them covered, so even if it’s raining a visit won’t be dampened. Many of these arcades have street food. Tip – don’t eat and walk. Purchase your food and stand and eat in front or nearby the shops. There will be trash cans to discard any trash. If you love the food, feel free to tell the staff oishii – delicious or oishikatta – it was delicious.

On spring break we checked out a few shōtengai including Tenjinbashi 天神橋. Here are some of our favorites (part 1/2):

Rontan 弄堂 yaki shōronpō. Not in the Tenjinbashi shōtengai, but nearby and worth the walk. Kita-ku, Higashi Tenma 1-11-15

Nakamuraya 中村屋 croquettes. The mashed potatoes that taste like nikujaga, a popular beef stew dish, are breaded and deep-fried and only 90 yen (70 cents).

Onigiri Musubiya おにぎり結び屋. Rice balls with fillings like spicy cod roe, tuna and mayonnaise, and grilled salmon. Lunch special here includes two onigiri, miso soup, omelet, and three side dishes for only 660 yen (less than $5).

Wakana わかな takoyaki. Savory pancake like batter with octopus. The batter is still runny on the inside and very hot. Takoyaki, octopus balls are one of the most popular street foods in Osaka.

Taiwanese foods are trendy in Japan. Taiwanese castella cakes are light and fluffy. This one is made with kokutō black sugar and is steamed. Fan Pai Pai @fanpaipai.

Kissaten Pinokio for coffee and an incredible morning set. With the purchase of a coffee or tea for an extra 110 yen (85 cents) get a Japanese breakfast of rice, miso soup, nattō fermented soybeans, and four small bites.

Hatsutatsu bakery @hatsutatsu_pan has an impressive selection of savory and sweet breads including some Japanese seasonings like soy sauce, sesame seeds, and matcha. There is also a colorful selection of sandwiches including Kansai style dashimaki tamago sando.

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