Foodies frequent Osaka to get a taste of its culinary delights, and one of the main destinations is Dotounbori Street, or what is often simply referred to as Dotonbori. Since it is basically clustered together with the Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade, Amerikamura, Namba Walk, and Den-Den Town a bit of a distance away, Dotonbori has become a major shopping, entertainment, and food destination. To be honest, my friend and I weren’t actually able to explore the entire complex. It was THAT vast. Dotonbori, however, we visited twice.
The first time we went was in the evening, right after traipsing off to Universal Studios Japan. Because we wanted to have dinner there. The next day, we spent mid-afternoon at Dotonbori then wrapped it up until almost midnight at Shinsaibashi-suji. What can I say, the place has EVERYTHING.
Dotonbori is a short walk from the various subway stations. The first time we went there, we reached it by passing through Namba Walk. Needless to say, Google Maps helped a lot. And when we were at a loss, we just went where the crowd was going. You can never go wrong with that tip, haha!
I will be posting a mish-mash of photos taken in the daylight and evening, so bear with me.
Whether you visit it during the day or at night, the place gives off that “throwback era” vibe. It has a bit of that “old” atmosphere, without being too antiquated. The noise from the various dining places are also comforting, never mind that they’re in a language other than your own. And the smells and aroma wafting into the evening air… wow. Simply, wow.
Upon entering the street, right past the sign/arch, is the Kani Doraku restaurant. It is a chain of restaurants, where the main one is also located in Dotonbori, but right in the other end of the street. This one, pictured below, is not the main shop. It, however, has the trademark crab on its facade. This mechanical crab’s pincers are constantly moving, by the way.
Being the tourist destination that it is (mind you, though, it is also frequented by locals), crowds are a given. The number of people increases at night.
When I said the place had everything, I meant it had everything! Karaoke places, game centers, pachinko parlors, food karts, Western cafes, dessert places, and even street artists!
I was like a kid, utterly fascinated by the signs and billboards of the restaurants. Seriously, how creative are they!?
Like this one beside the Crab (“kani”), for example. It has the face of a giant chef that looks… angry. There’s even a life-size statue right at the entrance. In any place other than Osaka or Dotonbori, this would be avoided like a plague by diners. But surprisingly, people were lining up to dine here!
Just by looking at the “cow”, you can tell this place has some serious beef in its menu.
And what about this? I personally thought this was badass. If I remember correctly, it’s a place that sells ramen and other Chinese and Japanese dishes. The dragon seems to be embedded into the building. So, so rad.
Sushi and gyoza, anyone? Then enter any of these restos.
Dotonbori is known for its kuidaore culture, which literally translates to “ruining oneself by extravagance in food”. In short, gluttony. It was derived from a proverb that basically encourages one to “eat till you drop when in Osaka.”
When you are in this street, you cannot help but practice a bit of that culture. As evidenced when we spotted the Konamon Museum, a place that sells takoyaki, which is considered to be Osaka’s soul food.
It is marked by a giant tako or octopus on the signboard. If you miss that (you’d be blind if you do), you can simply see the many people lining up.
Heaped with lots of bonito flakes, BEST. TAKOYAKI. EVAR. I was also mesmerized, watching how quick their hands were as they cooked it. Sooo good. I’ve a video of it somewhere; I have to dig it up. 🙂
While looking for a place to have a proper sit-down for dinner, we were also looking for the Glico Man. Because, really, a visit to Dotonbori won’t be complete without seeing this famous landmark!
We had a bit of a laugh when we spotted a life-size Glico Man on one of the storefronts. It’s a Glico Man store, which also sells sports supplies and goods. 🙂
We finally arrived at the end of the street, which is an intersection of Dotonbori, the Ebisubashi Shopping Street, and the Shinsaibashi Street, leading all the way to Daimaru Department Store. It is where the main store of Kani Doraku Honten restaurant is located, along with Tsutaya and Starbucks Ebisubashi branch.
This restaurant has the famous Kani Doraku Crab, a 6.5 feet mechanical crab, which has been there since 1960, when the store first opened. Right across is Starbucks, where I had to drop by quickly to buy the Osaka mugs that a friend from back home wanted as omiyage.
When I stepped out of Starbucks, I spotted NINO!!! A giant Ninomiya Kazunari, no less. So I rushed over to get a photo….
…and then I realized that, right across his billboard…. is Glico Man. Haha!
Darn. I should’ve just looked for Nino Man first, then I’d have an easier time finding Glico Man.
If you’ve been eating sweets such as Pocky, then you’d have already seen or heard of Glico Man. This symbol or illustration of an athlete running on a blue track is seen in Glico candy products. This neon sign has been in this spot, barring improvements and enhancements over the years, since 1935. It overlooks the Dotonbori Canal.
More pictures.
When in Osaka, Dotonbori is a must. Even if you are not into shopping. You can simply skip the shopping streets and hit Dotonbori instead. This is where the phrase “feast for the senses” is most apt.