東京車站拉麵街

東京車站拉麵街，真的是我很推薦大家來的地方，因為這裏應該可以說是東京拉麵的名店密度最高的地方。交通又方便，又不需要在室外排隊，特別適合時間不夠又想多吃幾家店的朋友。這麼強的卡司（八家中有六家是超有名的店家，且九段 斑鳩，麺や 七彩，麺処 ほん田都是本店之外第一次展店）和舒適的用餐環境（和一般拉麵店相比店中都很寬敞，推嬰兒車都沒問題），這要其他的拉麵主題樂園怎麼混啊XD。誰還要去那新橫濱拉麵博物館啊，哈哈XD　九段斑鳩不需要多說，是我心目中東京的拉麵第一名。麺や 七彩則是我想要吃的拉麵第一名。從此不需要去交通不便的都立家政和九段下，在寒風酷暑之中排隊了。位在池袋北邊東十条的麺処 ほん田也是個名店，在各大排行榜中都有上榜。在2009東京拉麵排行榜(食樂+Tabelog) 中，歸在新開幕的店家中的第一名。

在牆上有每家店的介紹不停的播放。

就像這個影片。

目前就我吃過的七家中，個人排名是：
斑鳩=麺処 ほん田
> 塩専門ひるがお
> 六厘舎TOKYO~麺や 七彩
>
けいすけ 北の章 = らーめん むつみ屋>東京タンメントナリ=とんこつらーめん　俺式　純

個人覺得斑鳩，麺処 ほん田最好吃（五星），另外三家四星就看你喜歡什麼，都不差。兩家新開的則不太合我們的口味。
東京車站就吃的到朝思暮想的斑鳩：豬骨魚介東京站拉麵（五星）
麵處本田（麺処 ほん田），清爽又醇厚的雞骨魚介芳醇醬油拉麵（五星）

鹽拉麵專門ひるがお(沾麵五星/拉麵四星)   –>愛沾麵不想排隊的人
六厘舍: 超粗彈牙濃厚人氣沾麵! (四星)　–>愛粗麵不怕排隊的人（這家至今還是最大排長龍的）
都立家政的名店，麵屋七彩東京車站分店：特製喜多方拉麵（四星）   –>喜歡清淡味道的人
北海道月形町來的らーめん むつみ屋味噌拉麵 (四星)     –>喜歡清淡味道的人（已停業）

Tabelog評順序：
六厘舎TOKYO   3.59 [ 口コミ：1172件 ]  旅行酒吧連結
麺処 ほん田 （東京）3.53 [ 口コミ：412件 ]  旅行酒吧連結
塩専門　ひるがお 東京駅店  3.54[ 口コミ：458件 ]  旅行酒吧連結
麺や 七彩 東京駅 （東京）3.53[ 口コミ：331件 ]   旅行酒吧連結
トナリ 東京駅東京ラーメンストリート店 3.52   [ 口コミ 45件 ]
東京駅 斑鳩 （東京）3.41[ 口コミ：338件 ]    旅行酒吧連結俺式 純    3.24[ 口コミ  29件 ]

前面是1~5的分數，越接近五越高分。口コミ是指評價，人數越多表示越有人氣，數字越可信。點進去口コミ則可以看到日文的評價。

以下是我的食記，就照我的排名順序介紹吧！

五顆星：超級好吃，專程去一次絕對不會後悔 (例子: 一風堂)
四顆星： 很好吃，順路的話推薦來吃 (例子: 澀谷梅丘壽司の美登利)
三顆星：不好不壞   (例子: Seven的關東煮)
二顆星：有特色，吃過一次就好 (例子: 京都的和果子雲龍)
一顆星：不好吃 不推薦   (例子: 阿美橫町的鐵火蓋飯)
三四五星都是值得再訪的 然後如果 價格太高 C/P值稍低 會在後面註明(C/P值稍低)

1.東京站斑鳩

我在一個假日下午一點半到斑鳩，竟然僅有3人排隊，七彩還排了12人呢…..我還真不習慣沒有排隊的斑鳩啊XD

除了賞櫻或到武道館看演唱會，你可能不太會來九段下，但這裡藏著我們心目中東京最棒的拉麵。系出中野老店: 青葉的W-soup（Ｗスープ）， 有魚介的清香，也混合著豬骨的濃郁。W-soup是指同時混入豚骨及魚介類系兩種湯頭，讓豬骨的香味變高雅而不會有腥味，是由青葉這家店所始創的。但我覺得青出於藍，青葉對我來說有點太鹹了。斑鳩店主坂井保臣，在電視冠軍有得過優勝，另外在"料理東西軍"的拉麵嚴流島〜乱世統一編〜中，坂井先生也有參戰，可惜輸給了 「せたが屋」的前島司，詳情請看這篇: 2009晚春東京貴婦遊 美食速報(拉麵三家/烏龍麵)。不過，分店到底有沒有維持我記憶中的味道呢？來之前就有聽到一些朋友說分店不如本店的心得，讓我有點擔心。

本店沒有的菜單：豚骨魚介東京駅らー麺，是W-soup（Ｗスープ）的湯麵，也有加入雞骨燉煮。

起士乾拌麵，我個人沒吃過，但好像多半朋友不太喜歡。

豚骨魚介東京駅らー麺980yen（★★★★★）

本店沒有的菜單：豚骨魚介東京駅らー麺　980yen，但和我吃過的本店的很相 似，還是一樣好吃回味無窮。麵條偏細極有彈性，湯頭是W- soup，是指同時混入豚骨及魚貝類系兩種湯頭，讓豬骨的香味變高雅而不會有腥味，是由青葉所始創的。W-soup(Ｗスープ)還是一樣， 有魚貝類的清香，也混合著豬骨的濃郁。和昨天吃的.麺処 ほん田鶏と魚介の芳醇特製醤油ラーメン相比，位道還是濃了一點，但不會令人有負擔，不油不鹹，忍不住就喝完了湯。叉燒軟嫩，但沒有像七彩一樣到入口即化 的地步。半熟卵和天神下大喜的差不多，有入味，很讚。然後我出來的時候，馬上又排了十幾個人，這才是班鳩啊︿︿ 從此不用跑到九段下在寒風中等待，可以在東京車站吃到斑鳩真的是太幸福奢侈了啊！

我們東京最愛的一碗: 斑鳩拉麵(五星)  (本店的食記)

東京車站就吃的到朝思暮想的斑鳩：豬骨魚介東京站拉麵（五星）

東京駅 斑鳩 （東京）3.27[ 口コミ：249件 ]    東京裸奔連結
九段 斑鳩 （九段下） 3.51[ 口コミ：469件 ]
地址: 千代田区九段北1-9-12 九段下ビル1F
時間:  [月～金]11:00～15:00,17:00～23:00
[土・祝日]11:00～16:30,18:00～22:00
休日:日曜日
交通:東京メトロ東西線九段下駅7番出口から徒歩3分、東京メトロ東西線飯田橋駅A5番口から徒歩7分
官網:  http://emen.jp/ikaruga/

2.麺処 ほん田

2011年某個星期天晚上9:30PM到東京車站拉麵街，先選我最想吃的麺処 ほん田，快閉店前僅有三人排隊。這家的店主年紀輕輕才24歲卻已經闖出名號，算是系出池袋名店大勝軒的弟子。

菜單有濃厚系的沾麵：濃厚豚骨魚介特製つけ麺 (醤油)980円還有清爽系的鶏と魚介の芳醇特製醤油ラーメン （980円）可選，因為這幾天吃太多了，我就選後者。

鶏と魚介の芳醇特製醤油ラーメン980yen（★★★★★）

湯頭應是混合雞和魚介的綜合，真的很清爽但如其名，又芬芳又醇厚，一喝湯就有驚豔的感覺。半熟卵很入味，叉燒有適中的肥肉，不是特別軟，但表現的也是水準以上。日本拉麵少見的青菜還有很脆的筍乾，大量的蔥都大大的加分。整體來說，非常有完成度且令我很滿 意的一碗。又一家五星店確認^^

鶏と魚介の芳醇特製醤油ラーメン980yen（★★★）

2012年2月再訪，一樣點清爽系的鶏と魚介の芳醇特製醤油ラーメン （980円）給小狸吃。不過小狸的評價不高，他覺得湯是很清爽，但有點太鹹了。我自己再喝一口，好像那醬油的鹹味確實有點多。不確定是店家退步了還是我自己舌頭的問題？半熟卵沒有全部入味，叉燒也soso。他只能打三星。

濃厚豚骨魚介味玉つけ麺(味噌)900yen（★★★★）

麵處本田的味增沾麵，醬汁偏鹹，不過對於已經吃膩吃怕純魚介系的我來說，還滿好吃的。沾麵的麵有比較粗一些，沾汁有一些小小的辣味，酸辣酸辣的，不錯吃。

之前的食記：

麵處本田（麺処 ほん田），清爽又醇厚的雞骨魚介芳醇醬油拉麵（五星）

麺処 ほん田 （東京）3.52 [ 口コミ：320件 ]  東京裸奔連結

麺処 ほん田 （東十条）3.86[ 口コミ：252件 ]

住所     東京都北区東十条1-22-6
交通手段    京浜東北線東十条南口から徒歩5分位。
営業時間     11:30～16:00(材料切れ次第終了）[火・金]夜も営業
定休日     水曜日

3.塩専門ひるがお

如果六厘舎或其他店人太多了，我想這家塩専門 ひるがお會是你不太用排隊的好選擇。 這家店很幽默，世田谷駒沢總店的白天和晚上賣的是兩種不同的拉麵，店名也不同，一家店兩種面貌！最近玩這樣遊戲的店家越來越多了。白天叫ひるがお是鹽拉麵，晚上叫せたが屋(世田屋)， 是青葉系的Ｗ湯頭醬油拉麵，有魚貝系的清香。 東京車站的分店，一整天都是ひるがお。 品川拉麵七人眾的分店，一整天都是せたが屋。 世田屋已經開了很多分號，品達，羽田機場國際站和京都，甚至紐約都有世田屋分店，但ひるがお只有本店白天和東京車站吃的到歐！

塩玉つけ麺　900円（★★★★★）

我要強力推薦這碗沾麵！對我來說 這碗比六厘舍好吃！麵和下面的湯麵不同，比較粗且很有彈性和嚼勁，是北海道産的小麥製成的麵。

店主前島司很注重沒有加化學調味的天然素材，湯頭是使用九十九里產煮干(小魚乾)，北海道利尻昆布，大山雞的雞骨加上特選海鹽燉出，強調沒有加化學調味。這碗沾湯中的精華我覺得就是加了這些干貝，使整個湯頭變甜了，很棒的味道。

塩玉らーめん　850円 （★★★★ ）

湯頭基本上就是比較不鹹的沾麵湯頭，兩者味道一樣。沾麵的沾汁是用來沾的，當然會比較重口味，但也可以另外加湯，就可以喝啦。

我吃過品川拉麵七人眾的せたが屋醬油拉麵，湯有點鹹，但ひるがお好多了，不油不膩。

台灣樂天市場目前進了六家日本各地的人氣拉麵，包括了這家鹽拉麵專門ひるがお，有興趣的朋友可以參考一下歐。
http://goo.gl/yc4d0m

食記:

東京車站拉麵街 鹽拉麵專門ひるがお(沾麵五星/拉麵四星) 

塩専門　ひるがお 東京駅店  3.51[ 口コミ：400件 ]  東京裸奔連結

4.六厘舎 Tokyo

六厘舍本店是在JR大崎站，近年來大紅大紫的店，帶動了超粗麵的風潮。不過一般來說，我還沒吃過的"麵屋吉左右"評價似乎更高一些歐~ 雖然現在已經有八家店，但六厘舍還是最容易大排長龍的。2012年5月22日在新開幕的天空樹下的商場六樓，六厘舎　TOKYO開了第二家分店，應該可以讓東京站分店的人潮少一點吧^^

更多天空樹資訊在此：
東京最夯新名所開幕：東京晴空塔（天空樹，Tokyo Sky Tree）懶人包。

另外在台場的新複合設施：DiverCity的美食街也開了一家六厘舍的新分支店：久臨，看了小剎的食記感覺和東京車站賣的很像，不確定有何變化？網友回報規畫的比較像台灣百貨公司的美食區，有很多座位，至少不用等座位，就是先去找位子再去點餐就好。排五分鐘就吃到啦！

六厘舍Tokyo，終日大排長龍。即使到後來擴增到八家店，還是最受歡迎的。我們在星期一的下午兩點到訪，由於店內位子還算多，消化人潮還算快，我們大概20分鐘排到。

2010年一月初想來吃時，很殘酷的在我跑來排隊時，店員亮出了本日終了的牌子，哭哭

菜單很簡單，基本的つけめん(沾麵) 850円，味玉就是加半熟卵950yen，辛つけ就是多了辣醬。大盛，特盛就是麵量會變多的。我點了最大的特盛(+200yen)，因為小小狸很愛吃麵！

味玉つけめん 850円 （★★★★ ）

這是我點的950yen加蛋沾麵，再加200yen變特盛，麵量就是如此多。麵很粗又Q，十分的有彈性。但是粗到中間甚至有一些沒煮熟，所以也許有些人可能會不喜歡。不過我個人是很喜歡這樣的麵，因為會增加嚼勁^^ 沾汁上面還灑了鰹魚粉，海味非常的重。整個沾汁偏鹹，吃到後來(特別是麵量多，沾汁不斷減少後)，我覺得很膩很鹹，還忍不住加水進去XD 給大家良心的建議，隔壁沒人排的ひるがお的沾麵，絕不會比這碗拉麵難吃的，沒時間就別排隊吧。(不過，其實覺得太鹹也是可以加沾汁的啦…)這碗麵，我只能給到四星。

中華Soba 700円 （★★）

六厘舎Tokyo 的拉麵，因為小狸喜歡有湯的麵，所以有叫這碗，麵就是細的了。湯頭和沾麵的汁基本味道是一樣的，只是沒那麼濃和鹹。但小狸還是覺得有點鹹，麵條soso(比較細)。不特別好吃，也不難吃，算是不太會留下記憶的一碗麵。

詳細食記：東京/六厘舍: 超粗濃厚人氣沾麵! (四星) 

六厘舎 （大崎） 3.82[ 口コミ：152件 ] 
六厘舎TOKYO   3.58 [ 口コミ：1003件 ]  東京裸奔連結

地址:東京都千代田区丸の内1-9-1 東京駅一番街　B１Ｆ　東京ラーメンストリート内
時間:  11:00～22:30(L.O.22:00)

[朝つけめんの営業時間]　8:00～10:00目前就我吃過的七家中，個人排名是：
斑鳩=麺処 ほん田
> 塩専門ひるがお

> 六厘舎TOKYO~麺や 七彩

東京車站就吃的到朝思暮想的斑鳩：豬骨魚介東京站拉麵（五星）
麵處本田（麺処 ほん田），清爽又醇厚的雞骨魚介芳醇醬油拉麵（五星）

鹽拉麵專門ひるがお(沾麵五星/拉麵四星)   –>愛沾麵不想排隊的人
六厘舍: 超粗彈牙濃厚人氣沾麵! (四星)　–>愛粗麵不怕排隊的人（這家至今還是最大排長龍的）
都立家政的名店，麵屋七彩東京車站分店：特製喜多方拉麵（四星）   –>喜歡清淡味道的人

日本的超市&便利商店美食

這篇匯整了這一年在日本吃過令我魂牽夢縈的零食。

當然是個人觀感不代表每個人吃都覺得好吃XD

純粹給來日本玩的人參考參考用。

以下是按我心目中的排行榜順序。

第一名 

lawson ホットケーキ

去年剛來日本時遇到他讓我驚為天人。

這輩子沒吃過這麼好吃的東西，一直到現在他還是我心中全日本最好吃的東西。

裡面楓糖跟奶油的搭配真是絕妙。

不二價125，而且只有lawson有賣，百元law跟natural law都沒有賣。

其實日本很多類似這種口味的東西，但那兩片麵包如果是もちもち口感就失敗!!!

只有lawson的這個才合格!!!

第二名

 爽(簡單明瞭的名字)

  

這個台灣好像也有看過，但賣很貴。

最好吃的口味我覺得是抹茶，サクサク的口感真是讓人欲罷不能。

炎熱的回家路上配一個爽真的是...

好吃到李清照都會跳起來說：這次第，怎一個爽字了得!!!!!

我家附近業務超市賣78!!但便利商店好像賣120左右，忘了@_@

第三名

ピルクル

  

這玩意兒其實就是養樂多，但比台灣的還好喝。

四年前第一次來日本喝到這東西時真的老淚縱橫。

這次在日本待這麼久幾乎是天天一瓶。

因為有乳酸菌所以對腸胃也很好(自以為)

第四名 紀文豆乳

類似像台灣的磨來磨去香豆奶~那種東西

對於我來說，離開日本最放不下(?)的就是這牌子的豆乳了，

後來每次去日本都固定早晚各來一瓶，這個好喝的東西為什麼台灣沒有進!!!

個人最推紅茶跟抹茶口味~紅茶喝起來就像奶茶，

抹茶的話茶味不會很重，怕菜味的人也可以喝。

第五名

可爾必思蒸糕(對不起我不知道中文他該叫什麼就亂翻囧)

這是夏天限定!!!

一開始帶著懷疑的心情買下他，吃了一口後真的是覺得我該屯十個!!!

很重的可爾必思味配上綿密的蛋糕，好~好~吃

如果有幸看到請務必買來吃吃看，就我所知他好像只會在超市出沒。

買過最便宜的價格是110。

第六名

長條狀餅乾(毆)

  

這東西台灣7-11有進，只是口味不多而且很貴。

我封這個餅乾是日本的零食奇蹟。

他有各式各樣口味，有甜的也有鹹的。

我覺得最好吃的是抹茶口味

  

真的會讓人一口接一口默默的一條就不見惹!!(抖)

原價好像是一條100，學校生協賣75，但馬場車站前面的餅乾店賣69!!!

該囤!!!

第七名

lawson ロールケーキ

光看他的包裝就知道這東西來頭不小。

總之就是年年得獎就對了，依照季節還會出現限定口味。

像五月新茶季節時有出現抹茶口味。

普通就是原味跟巧克力。

很特別的是他是用湯匙吃的。

中間的奶油不會太甜，但外圍那圈蛋糕比中間的奶油好吃很多。

第八名

森永牛奶布丁

 

這個就真的見仁見智，我覺得很好吃XD

顧名思義牛奶布丁就是白色的，底下也沒有統一布丁黑黑的那一圈。

但他稀有度很高，三大便利商店都沒賣，通常只會出現在各大學校的生協以及超市。

我在京都吃過抹茶口味，東京則只有看過原味，有夠傷心。

第九名

雷神巧克力

  

這個最近超夯的，一個才30日幣。

我看日本妹好愛買這個，因為他們午餐都要裝幼秀不能吃太多，

課堂空檔只好吃這個果腹XD

不過真的不錯吃，有點像台灣的蓋奇巧克力(?)

第十名

野菜生活100

  

我每天一定要一瓶的野菜生活，揪竟能不能補充到野菜真的是個謎。

但我看日本人人手一瓶應該是真的有菜在裡面吧。

他有很多各式各樣的口味，而且常常出現限定款XD

   

便利商店賣105，學校賣90，但唐吉軻德可以買到79的。

第十一名

明治 優格

日本人超愛吃優格的，家庭主婦在超市都會買大桶裝的原味優格

但原味的我實在是吃不下去，超酸XDD

我比較愛這種有加料的優格~~~便利商店跟超市一定都有賣!!

你知道，人身在異地，就會突然的在意起自己的身體健康來XDDD

早餐吃優格配豆奶就超飽!

第十二名

山崎的口袋餐包

 

趕車的早上大多會到便利商店買這種麵包，可以超快速解決不浪費時間XD

而且他有很多種奇奇怪怪的口味，什麼地方限定啊，學校聯名啊的一堆。

蒐集他的限定口味也是一種樂趣XDDD

  

考試前夕還會出現這種應援考生跟名校聯名的口味XDDD

第十三名

日清 どん兵衛泡麵

   

這個應該很多人都知道了。

私以為是日本最好吃的泡麵!!!!

而且我只愛きつね口味!!!!

裡面就只有烏龍麵跟一片油豆腐，但這樣就夠了!!!

嗚嗚嗚以後吃不到這泡麵怎麼辦TAT

以上，沒頭沒腦的停在13名。

おまけ

前陣子終於喝了我想喝很久的全家珍奶

  

一杯要價250我都快可以喝春水堂了。

狠下心買來喝的感想是，奶茶不錯但珍珠根本就不是珍珠。

五十嵐都要哭了。

他只是黑色的蒟蒻，翻到後面的熱量表一杯才90大卡。

如果日本妹知道台灣人天天一杯900大卡的珍奶不知道會怎麼想...

Osaka (Mascots) for reference

Osaka (Mascots)

Posted on November 20, 2012

Billiken

In Japan, every tourist attraction and nearly every city has their own mascot.  Mascots are very popular in Japan as a way to bring more people into an area or even a shop or restaurant.  There are mascots to represent Tokyo Tower and Tokyo Sky Tree.  There are mascots to help sell products at shops such as Don Quijote.  When visiting Osaka, I had a chance to see some of the famous and even not so famous mascots.  The most infamous mascot has to be the kuidaore.  Kuidaore Taro is a drummer boy like mascot that was originally the mascot of a restaurant by the same name but is now considered the main mascot of Osaka.  There are other figures in Osaka that are nearly as important, such as Billiken Man.  Billiken Man represents Osaka very well in his motto, “The god of things as they ought to be”.  It is a pretty laid back motto which really fits for Osaka.  There are so many mascots and most of them can easily be seen in Dotonbori, but it can be difficult to find a lot of information about them.

Kuidaore

Kuidaore Taro, first name Taro, is a life sized doll of a young teenager in a clown costume playing a drum and symbol.  It is a very creepy looking doll that has been in Osaka since 1950.  He was originally brought to the Cui-daore restaurant as a gimmick to bring more customers into the shop.  Kuidaore is a Japanese expression to say that you are eating too much.  The nuance of the expression kuidaore is a little complex as it also includes gluttony and eating just for the sake of eating something.  It is a little fitting for for me in Osaka as I would just eat until I was nearly dead as I wanted to eat everything possible.  Over the years, Kuidaore’s popularity never waned but the restaurant’s popularity did.  In 2008, the restaurant folded and the CEO of Cui-daore decided to take a vacation with Kuidaore.  The CEO took Kuidaore on a trip throughout Japan that lasted nearly a year before Kuidaore was put back to work.  Cui-daore as a restaurant has folded, but Cui-daore as a management company was born.  Today, wherever you go in Osaka, you are bound to see Kuidaore.  He is now on display in Dotonbori just a block or so away from the original restaurant.  The original restaurant is still standing but it has been shuttered and awaits its future.  Kuidaore is just as creepy today as he was in the past.  He continues to play his drum and symbol every day and still has hundreds of people taking his picture or getting their pictures taken with him.  He is a huge icon of Osaka and regardless of him being a little creepy, people still love him nonetheless.

Billiken

If scary or creepy clowns are not interesting, Osaka is also famous for Billiken, a god that was created by an American.  Billiken is a charm doll that was created by Florence Pretz in St. Louis around 1908.  It was brought to Japan in 1908 and placed in the original Tsutenkaku Tower.  Other Billiken dolls were also created and placed in a few shrines in the Kansai region as well and they can still be seen to this day.  During WWII, the original Tsutenkaku Tower, modeled after the Eiffel Tower, was severely damaged due to a fire and subsequently dismantled.  During the dismantling of Tsutenkaku, the original Billiken was lost.  The tower was rebuilt after the war and around 1980, a new Billiken statue was placed in the tower.  Billiken dolls and statues can be found throughout the area surrounding Tsutenkaku.  Billiken is the defining symbol of the area around Tsutenkaku.  Billiken is the god of “things as they ought to be” which is quite fitting for Osaka.  The quote has a very laissez faire feel to it and many people in Osaka are very laid back in their attitudes.  Billiken is also a god of good fortune for those who have him.  He brings even better luck if he is given to you rather than you having to buy him.  The combination of his laissez fair godliness as well as brining good fortune makes him the best mascot of Osaka.

Glico Man

Glico is one of the most famous confectionery companies in the world.  They are primarily known for Pocky, the biscuit like sticks coated in chocolate.  In Japan, Glico is not only known for Pocky, but also for their caramel products; Pretz, a savoury version of Pocky; and Bisko, a popular cookie for kids.  Before coming to Japan, I didn’t know what Glico was, but I was always familiar with Pocky.  They are delicious and a lot of fun to eat.  Glico in Japan conjures up various thoughts and images from Japanese people, but there is one image that represents, not just the company, but Osaka as well.  The main mascot of Glico is the Glico Man.  Glico Man is a 300 metre race runner who is running down a blue track with his hands in the air.  A 300 metre race is a very strange number, but there is a serious reason Glico chose 300 metres.  Glico originally started as a caramel candy company, and after doing some math using an average male, a 300 metre run burns the same amount of calories as eating one piece of Glico caramel.  It is a little strange to hear, but whoever designed this character thought a lot about the backstory.  In Osaka, a trip to Dotonbori would not be complete without a visit to Ebisubashi and a photo of Glico Man.  Glico Man has been adorning the side of a building next to Ebisubashi for nearly a century.  The Glico Man has been upgraded from time to time but the basic image has remained the same.  He is running with his hands up on a neon blue track with a few Osakan landmarks in the background.  I heard that they change the sign a little to commemorate various achievements within the city itself.  The light show from the billboard is a lot of fun to watch and you can spend a lot of time just watching the show.  It is probably one of the most well-known pictures in Japan and anyone who sees it will recognize it and photograph it.  While Glico Man may not be the most popular mascot in Osaka, he is probably one of the most recognizable mascots of Osaka in the world.

Kinryuu Ramen

Kuidaore, Billiken, and the Glico Man are the most famous mascots in Osaka.  They are not the only mascots as many of the other shops also have their own mascots.  Walking in Dotonbori is a great way to see the various mascots that are in Osaka.  A crab restaurant called Kanidoraku is one famous restaurant that has its own “mascot” on the outside of their buildings.  They have a large crab where the legs and claws move.  It is very cheesy but a lot of fun to watch.  Unfortunately, they are probably trying to conserve power in Japan so the last time I was there, the legs and claws were not moving at all.  There is also Kushikatsu Daruma.  It is a kushikatsu restaurant whose mascot is an angry looking Asian chef with a fu manchu.  It is strange to see but you can see it in many places around Osaka.  Next up is Kinryuu Ramen, which has a large dragon eating a bowl of ramen.  It is a somewhat large chain of ramen shops, but the ramen never looked very good to be honest.  Kinryuu is a combination of the words “gold” and “dragon”, so it can easily be translated to be “Golden Dragon”.  Next up is Bikuri Donkey, which, as you can guess, has a donkey as its mascot.  This mascot is not very well known as I only saw it at their Dotonbori branch and never anywhere else.  Probably the most famous mascot is the Donpen of Don Quijote.  Don Quijote actually has two mascots, one of the god Ebisu, and one of Donpen.  Donpen is their official mascot and can be found at all of their stores and in all of their advertisements.  It is pretty cute but Donpen isn’t actually from Kansai as the store is headquartered in Tokyo.  However, the Dotonbori branch of Don Quijote is a major symbol of the area and Osaka as well.

Kushikatsu Daruma

As you can see, there are lots of mascots everywhere in Osaka.  There are many ways to see the mascots of Osaka.  One of the best ways to see them is to take a stroll through Dotonbori which will also bring you to a place that is full of life at night.  People are walking everywhere and you can see all of Osaka’s mascots in one place.  Many shops capitalize on the popularity of their mascots and you can find various souvenirs within Dotonbori that sell items related to the various mascots.  Some are monetized better than others such as Kuidaore.  You can find various miniature sized replicas of various mascots; candy that looks like various mascots; and an array of small toys that fit onto cell phones.  It can sometimes be a bit overwhelming and difficult to choose just one if you love all of the mascots, but it is a lot of fun to see everything.  The mascots may not mean much to most foreigners at first but they do grow on you very quickly.

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osaka food for reference

Osaka (Food)

Posted on March 5, 2013

Chibo (Okonomiyaki Restaurant)

Japan can easily be considered the culinary capital of the world with its varied amounts of food.  The number of Michelin 3 star restaurants in Japan is unrivaled and the variety of food available that focuses on regional specialties feels unrivaled as well.  Coming from Canada where all of the food is pretty similar, Japan is a place where you can eat a lot of different things.  In Canada, there really isn’t anything that I could call “Canadian food” as most of it has come from other areas of the world through the immigration of immigrants.  Japan is different as a lot of the food is older, although a lot has also come from other countries.  Osaka is one area where you can get a lot of great food if you know what to look for.  It is not healthy and Osakans rarely eat the food that has been attributed to them every day but they do eat it often.  It is part of their culture and you really can’t do any better than by going to the source.

Okonomiyaki at Chibo

One of the first things one must try is okonomiyaki.  I explained in a previous post that okonomiyaki is a cross between a pancake and a pizza.  It is very much like a pancake in that it uses batter mixed with various ingredients.  It is closer to a pizza in the way that it is savoury, crispy, and sometimes greasy, but in a good way.  When eating okonomiyaki, you also have to learn how to cut the okonomiyaki itself.  In Tokyo, people tend to cut it into pizza slices whereas in Osaka, people cut it into squares.  Making okonomiyaki is very easy and takes very little effort.  All you do is mix a bowl full of batter and vegetables, then put it onto the griddle and flip it when it is ready.  When it is done, you top it off with okonomiyaki sauce, mayonaise, and aonegi, a type of dried seaweed.  While it is pretty easy to do it yourself, many shops will also cook it for you.  In Osaka, many shops let you do it yourself but you can also ask them to cook it for you if you are worried of making a mistake.  It can also be fun to see them finish it off for you too.  Some shops make a show of adding mayonnaise to the okonomiyaki.  In Tokyo, one shop will squeeze mayonnaise from about 1-2 metres from the okonomiyaki itself.  It is fun to watch mayonnaise fly across the room and onto the okonomiyaki but it is just a show.  It is still amazing to watch them put it on top as they do it very quickly and with enough style to amaze you.  The flavour of the okonomiyaki will depend on the shop you visit but they generally have similar flavours.

Tonpeiyaki

Another quintessential dish in Osaka is the tonpeiyaki.  It is a dish that is similar to okonomiyaki but rather than a pancake, it is more akin to an omelette.  Tonpeiyaki is a mix of cabbage and pork surrounded by egg.  You start by grilling the pork on the teppan griddle and then you add the cabbage.  This is followed up by pouring egg all over it and rolling it to resemble an omelette.  You can add various other things to it, such as mochi or cheese, but the basic style is pretty simple and delicious on its own.  When it is done, you just top it off with okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise, aonori, and bonito flakes.  Making tonpeiyaki may sound simple, but it is anything but simple.  Like making an omelette, it looks simple but it generally isn’t.  It takes time and practice to get it right each and every time.  Knowing when to serve it is also very important.  I am a person who enjoys runny eggs and tonpeiyaki is best served runny.  Many shops will unfortunately over cook the egg to be safe but having it a little runny means that when you do eat it, it won’t be over cooked.

Takoyaki

Takoyaki is something that must be tried in Osaka.  There are several types of takoyaki and Osaka’s takoyaki is unique.  In Tokyo, there is a company called Gindako that is well known for their takoyaki.  It is very crispy on the outside with a soft molten core of batter and a large piece of octopus inside.  This is very nice but Osakans don’t enjoy this style of takoyaki.  In Osaka, the takoyaki is grilled and served soft.  It isn’t too soft but it isn’t crispy either.  It is also just as hot as the Tokyo variety.  I do find that the overall taste between Tokyo and Osaka is generally the same but the softer style of takoyaki allows the flavours to blend a little more.  It doesn’t taste as greasy as the crispy style, but I do enjoy both.  There is another variety of takoyaki you can eat and it is called akashiyaki or tamagoyaki.  Akashiyaki is derived from the marriage of the words Akashi and takoyaki.  Akashi refers to a city west of Kobe and located at the main gateway to Shikoku.  Legend has it Akashi was the first area to develop the takoyaki in Japan.  Akashiyaki is similar to takoyaki, but it is much, much softer.  It is almost liquid in texture and you dip it into a special sauce rather than lathering okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise on top.  It is a little difficult to find, but you can find akashiyaki in Osaka as well and it is delicious.  It can be difficult to find it in other regions of Japan but it is still pretty famous.

Kushikatsu

When visiting Osaka, teppanyaki is the main type of food you will eat but it isn’t the only type.  Kushikatsu is very famous in Osaka.  Kushikatsu is a type of food where you batter, bread, and deep fry small sticks of meat and vegetables.  It was originally designed for pork but it has expanded a lot.  It is particularly popular in the Shinsekai area of Osaka.  Kushikatsu is not the healthiest food in the world but it isn’t the unhealthiest either.  I was very surprised that kushikatsu is not as oily as I had expected.  You are basically given several skewers that you order and then you proceed to dip it into a special sauce and eat it.  The special sauce is usually a big box in the middle of the table that is used for all of the customers.  There are a lot of signs that say “no double dipping” but you never really know if everyone follows this rule.  It is very delicious and something I highly recommend trying.  I initially thought that kushikatsu would be very heavy as it is deep fried food on a stick, but I was very surprised by the light feeling of kushikatsu.  While I wouldn’t eat it every day, I did enjoy it enough that I would love to try more.  The atmosphere of eating kushikatsu is also a lot of fun.  In Shinseikai, the atmosphere of being in a touristy style restaurant was fun and helped me feel as if I was on vacation.  They tend to be older establishments as well, adding to the atmosphere that the dish has a lot more history than you would imagine.

551 Horai

The last food people must try when they visit Osaka is the Chinese buns.  A company called 551 Horai is very famous in Osaka and everyone loves to eat at 551 Horai.  In Osaka and Kansai, people call it 551 (go-go-ichi), but in Tokyo, most of the people I have talked to understand Horai more than 551.  It is a strange way of communicating the name of the shop, but I still prefer 551.  551 is not the best Chinese restaurant in the world but I would argue that it is the best Chinese restaurant in Japan.  The main items they have are nikuman, shu mai, gyoza, and chimaki.  Nikuman is a simple steamed pork bun, but unlike the Cantonese version, in Japan they just use a plain sauce and dip it in soy sauce and hot chili oil.  Shu mai are simply steamed pork dumplings.  They are pretty standard in both China and Japan but I find the Japanese version to be too smooth.  The meat is usually too soft to the point it feels as if I’m eating a dense pudding.  551 does a good job with their shu mai so that it doesn’t feel so soft, but it isn’t the perfect texture for me.  The gyoza at 551 is very standard for Japan but the chimaki is special.  I love to eat chimaki, also called zongzi in Chinese.  It is meat and mushrooms wrapped in sticky rice, which is then wrapped in bamboo leaves and steamed.  It can be a little difficult to find chimaki in Japan but it has been becoming more and more popular.  I find that 551 does one of the best jobs with it and I love to get it when I visit 551.  While many people eat 551 at the restaurant, I often prefer to get take out and eat it at my hotel or on the Shinkansen.  When visiting Osaka, it is a tradition for many people to buy a bunch of nikuman at Shin-Osaka Station and eat the buns on the train.  It is a great way to make people jealous but you can’t beat having Chinese food and a beer for a 3 hour journey back to Tokyo.

551 Food

Any foodie will tell you that Japan is a great place to eat.  There are so many restaurants and so many things to try.  Osaka is no exception and whenever I visit Osaka, I am hell bent on eating as much as I can.  Whether my stomach can handle so much food or not is always out of the question.  I will be eating whatever I can get my hands on, and I won’t stop till I nearly collapse from overeating.  It is a terrible waste to go to Osaka and not eat the various local foods.  You cannot get the same foods in Tokyo because it is very difficult to find people who are skilled enough to make Kansai food.  Osaka is one of the few areas where you can actually find travel magazines that talk about nothing but food and where to get the best food.  Hopefully some of the places I have mentioned and the foods I mentioned will help you narrow things down and you can easily find good eats.