#6 Japan 🇯🇵 | Street Food, City Vibes & History in Japan’s Food Capital

#6 Japan 🇯🇵 | Street Food, City Vibes & History in Japan’s Food Capital

[Music] the train takes us from Kyoto to Osaka Japan’s kitchen and one of the most vibrant cities in the country known for its warm talkative locals rich food culture and buzzing street life Osaka feels like a city that’s always in motion historically it was Japan’s merchant capital and a major port during the Edo period a hub of trade energy and culture and today we’re diving into those same streets to show you what’s cooking [Music] coming from Kyoto it’s an easy hop the train takes just 30 minutes for the first part of our stay we’re based near Osaka Castle in the city’s business district despite the modern setting it’s packed with cozy ramen joints and tiny eeries there’s absolutely no shortage of good food here we kick things off with Sukammen Ramen then walk it off on our way to Osaka Castle [Music] originally [Music] built in the late 16th century the castle played a key role in several historic battles including the famous siege of Osaka it has been destroyed and rebuilt more than once each time rising again as a symbol of power and resilience one of the most striking features is its massive stone walls some of the largest in all of Japan stones like the Takishi or better known as octopus stone weigh over 100 tons they were hauled in from far away quaries and stacked without mortar using craftsmanship and clever engineering it wasn’t just about defense these walls were a show of power the bigger the stone the bigger the ego behind it [Music] is it [Music] From the top you get a panoramic view of the city modern Osaka stretching out in every direction [Music] as the sun sets the city transforms osaka lights up beautifully at night the next morning we head to Kuramon Ichiba Market often called Osaka’s Kitchen with roots going back nearly 190 years this historic market is bursting with fresh produce seafood and street snacks you can try snow crab sea urchin grilled eel or just grab a juicy piece of fruit [Music] for lunch we dive into one of Osaka’s most famous dishes okonomiyaki the name comes from okonomi meaning how you like it and yaki meaning grilled thick savory and absolutely packed with flavor it’s kind of like a Japanese pancake only much more satisfying there are endless variation and trying a few different ones is part of the fun beef of course beef osaka is the kind of city that’s made for wandering every street has its own character small markets hidden shops food stalls and a mix of old and new architecture that keeps your eyes moving [Music] today [Music] Ew disgusting [Music] later on after a quick rest we head to doi the beating heart of Osaka after dark here the neon never sleeps the iconic Leo man shines above the crowds weaving past giant crab signs and glowing billboards [Applause] yes you can buy it on Amazon we grab some takoyaki those crispy octopus filled balls and later on we have some sushimi to end the night [Music] [Music] just took [Music] [Music] [Music] After waving goodbye to the parents we continue our food journey at Katsu for you guessed it tonkatu tonkatu is a breaded deep fried pork cutlet crispy on the outside juicy and fatty on the inside it’s not a light meal but if you’re into rich comfort food this one hits the spot [Music] and because we’re clearly not done eating we stopped for what might be the highlight of the day a super creamy chicken ramen with tender slices of chicken breast and a perfectly softboiled egg we also tried sukummen the dipping noodles served separately from the broth this was really rich and filling and super satisfying [Music] before heading to the vintage shopping district we fuel up with a hearty bowl of udon noodles thick chewy and served in a delicate broth simple but super comforting osaka takes its title as Japan’s food capital seriously we’ve been doing our best to sample as much as possible and honestly we think we’re doing pretty well [Music] [Music] [Music] the vintage district itself is charming narrow alleys hidden shops and tiny bakeries and cafes tucked in between [Music] we are not the biggest shoppers but we had to check out a few essentials the Pokémon floor at the mall the Gibby shop and of course Snoopy and Chinchen [Music] finally [Music] [Music] back [Music] to my eyes [Music] characters [Music] [Music] hidden inside one of the city’s many train stations we stumble upon a tiny ramen spot that came highly recommended [Music] [Music] and for dinner a small local sushi spot serving some of the freshest fish we’ve had on this trip [Music] [Music] [Music] we wrapped things up with a stroll through America Mura or American Village it started in the 1970s when American vintage fashion and culture took hold here now it’s a melting pot of street art indie shops fashion and youth culture our [Music] last stop is a final bowl of that incredible creamy chicken ramen one last bite before we say goodbye to Osaka [Music]

Welcome to Osaka, where every street feels like a kitchen! 🍜 In this vlog, we dive into the flavors of Japan, wander through the vibrant city streets, admire iconic architecture, and explore a bit of history at Osaka Castle.

👉 We’ll take you to local street food hotspots like Dotonbori and Kuromon Ichiba Market. From takoyaki to okonomiyaki – this is the heart of Japanese comfort food.

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