Feast on Osaka’s Best Bites: A Guide to Kuromon Ichiba Market

A fish shop in Osaka’s Kuromon Ichiba Market, lined with fresh seafood like tuna, salmon, and sea urchin.
In addition to selling fresh seafood, it also has an eat-in space where you can buy sushi and sashimi sold in the shop and enjoy it on the spot.
The seafood rice bowls are especially outstanding, topped with high-quality seafood that changes by day, so every bite brings a different flavor.

A tuna specialty shop operating in Kuromon Ichiba Market in Osaka, the city where you eat until you drop.
In addition to takeout, you can also enjoy tuna on the spot in the eat-in space.
If you’re lucky, you might even see a tuna being filleted right in front of you. You can enjoy fresh cuts while also getting a close-up look at the artisan’s skills.

A Japanese sweets shop in Kuromon Ichiba Market with a history of over 70 years.
What stands out is its dedication to making mochi. Each year, it carefully selects high-quality rice-growing regions based on that year’s climate conditions, and uses water filtered with bakuhanseki stones to remove chlorine and germs—resulting in mineral-rich water containing calcium, iron, potassium, and more.
Everything is also kneaded by hand, creating delicious mochi that’s chewy with just the right stretch.

This spot specializes in sea urchin, scallops, and oysters, with a lineup perfect for eating on the go.
The first thing to try is the scallops grilled with butter and soy sauce. After you order, live scallops are carefully prepped one by one, then grilled over charcoal with butter and soy sauce.
They use large scallops year-round, but from February to March, extra-large scallops may arrive—making that season especially recommended.

A curry specialty shop founded in 1947 in Abeno, Osaka. The current second-generation owner moved the shop to Kuromon Ichiba Market, and it was renamed New Darney, becoming a local favorite.
The curry passed down from the previous owner isn’t focused only on spiciness, but pursues flavors suited to Japanese tastes, giving it a somewhat nostalgic finish.

A shop selling nori that’s carefully toasted sheet by sheet using traditional methods for over 60 years since its founding.
It uses first-harvest nori selected mainly from the Ariake Sea.
It’s also particular about its dashi ingredients, carefully selecting items that bring out the maximum nori flavor, including kombu from Rausu and Rishiri in Hokkaido, sun-dried seawater salt from Hakata in Ehime, katsuobushi from off the coast of Makurazaki in Kagoshima, natural soy sauce from Tokushima, chili peppers from Shimane, and shrimp from Yaizu in Shizuoka.

Around 50 shops line this 150-meter-long covered arcade.
As the name Doguyasuji (“tool street”) suggests, the shops sell tools that support Osaka’s food culture, offering everything from pro-grade kitchen equipment to tableware for everyday use.
In particular, the razor-sharp knives crafted with care by Japanese artisans are top-notch.

Hozenji Yokocho refers to two stone-paved alleys within the grounds of Hozenji Temple (Jodo sect, Tenryuzan), and is one of Japan’s best-known sightseeing spots, with worshippers visiting continuously since the Meiji period (1868–1912).
The yokocho consists of two alleys running east to west, Approx. 80 meters long and Approx. 3 meters wide. Though it’s right by bustling Dotonbori, filled with giant flashy signs, it has a calm townscape—and on rainy days, the wet stone pavement creates an especially atmospheric feel. Long-established kappo restaurants, okonomiyaki shops, kushikatsu spots, bars, and more crowd along the narrow lanes.

Dotonbori is known for its lively scene, with huge 3D signs—crabs, octopuses, cows, cranes, and more—jutting out over the street.
Many restaurants line both the Dotonbori River on the north side and the main street on the south side.
The main street is pedestrian-only, and you’ll see plenty of people eating on the go, including takoyaki.
Ebisubashi Bridge, which continues from Shinsaibashi-suji Shopping Street, is another iconic part of Dotonbori.
On the south riverbank, you’ll also find the Glico sign welcoming visitors with its arms-wide pose. The current version is the sixth generation, renewed in 2014 and now displayed as LED video.