We went to the neon lit Dotonbori district in Osaka to find the takoyaki or “fried octopus balls” that the guide books claim might be worth a trip around the world to find.

Under a gigantic blue neon crab and another twenty foot wide animated plastic crab we braved a moving crowd of hip Japanese down a street of stimuli- overload.  There was the clamor of pachinko (kind of pinball), pop music, everyone talking on cell phones and the beyond Las Vegas neon.  Also claiming your attention are the smells; mouthwatering scents of sizzling fish and savory broths.

We found takoyaki at a street vender surrounded by a crowd.  A white-capped man poured an egg looking mixture into a long iron pan with dozens of half round indentations. Then he dropped bits of octopus into each little section.  Working fast to feed the paid and waiting customers, the takoyaki chef flipped the balls with chopsticks to cook the other side.

We got eight balls in a paper tray, dressed them in a type of mayonnaise and another soy sauce based mixture and gobbled them down.  Hot gooey goodness.  Worth the trip. 

Another thing I had never had was paper shaved fish that is sprinkled on a hot dish like the vegetable pancake I had.  The heat makes the shavings sway like sea anemones.  It’s a bit daunting, but delicious.

The food here in Japan is worth a separate blog, and I feel unworthy to write about it, but I will keep trying and eating!  Oh and very soon we be getting photos at the gallery for you to look at.