Dotonbori: Where Osakans Eat

Above, Kani Doraku. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When Denise Santos and I, along with her son Aiden, went to Japan so I can gather more material for the updated The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan, we took the bullet train from Tokyo down to Osaka so we could visit it and Kyoto.

While in Osaka one night, we took a subway from our hotel to Dotonbori, the foodie center of the city. We were amazed at how many restaurants were clustered in the district. It took us a while to choose one. There's restaurants in Dotonbori that will fit anyone's budget.

Above, the Dotonbori restaurant where we had our meal. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Japan Times has an article on what you can find in Dotonbori.

They wrote (in part):

The roaring heart of Osaka is not its commercial center but Dotonbori: a canal and entertainment district, crammed with bars, peep shows, small theaters and karaoke joints, it is best known as a food emporium. 

The two most conspicuous dishes offered by Dotonbori street vendors are takoyaki, dumplings griddle-cooked with octopus, ginger and green onions, a filling snack that can, and is, eaten at any time of the day, and okonomiyaki, a pancake mix made with shrimps, pork, mountain yams and vegetables. The preparation of the latter originated in Hiroshima, but is strongly associated with Osaka. 

If there is a symbol for Dotonbori, it is the much-photographed Kani Doraku, a model of a giant crab attached to a popular restaurant of the same name, one known for joyful over-indulgence. Watching the undulating motion of its claws mesmerizes large numbers of pedestrians.

Along with the aforementioned things in Dotonbori, it also as a number of love hotels. We stumbled upon them by making a wrong turn. We turned left instead of right after a short walk from the subway station.

Anyone planning to visit Osaka, a visit to Dotonbori is a must.

To read more, go here.