Kuromon Ichiba Market

Food & Drinks

Start your tour of Osaka outside Nipponbashi Station, and then venture into the Kuromon Ichiba Market. Walk along a street with over 500 meters of stalls selling fresh meat, fish and vegetables. Experience downtown Osaka’s lively market culture up close, enhanced by rich aromas and the boisterous Kansai-ben (Osaka dialect) of the locals.  Move on to Doguyasuji to see the infinite array of Japanese cooking utensils. Take a look at the ubiquitous "fake food" selection, and then saunter over to Dobutsuenmae Station to walk to Shinsekai. Enter the true heart of Osaka in Shinsekai (literally meaning "New World"), created as an amusement area in 1912 and modeled on New York City. Complete with a viewing tower and the now infamous Luna Theme Park, Shinsekai represented Japan’s ambitious move toward the future. The area is still home to the ghosts of those ambitions over 100 years later, caught between the hum of neon lights and the gentle swaying of traditional paper lanterns. Discover a traditional Sento (Japanese bath) and a newer Supersento - a stalwart of everyday life in Japan. Sample the much-loved Shinsekai kushi-katsu (deep fried or basted meat and vegetable skewers), and pass the atmospheric and traditional izakaya (Japanese-style pubs) en route to Dotonbori. Dotonbori is easily the most famous site in Osaka, complete with a long canal flanked with shimmering shops and restaurants, a well-known running man and a giant mechanical crab. The subject of postcards and tourist photos alike, the area is home to endless clusters of restaurants, street vendors, bars and pubs. Try some of Osaka’s most famous food with a serving of takoyaki (fried batter balls containing octopus legs). Stroll along the canal, passing neon signs and the billowing steam of Osaka’s liveliest restaurants.

Play a 1.5-hour exploration game in the heart of Osaka city and discover the historical changes of the city from the Edo period to the present. Explore food heaven in Osaka, follow the clues, and try delicious and peculiar dishes along the way. Follow each culinary clue on your smartphone and get exact directions to the next location so you will not need a map, GPS, or guide. Unlock the secret story of each place as you solve the problems and guess the answers. Play individually, as a group, and solve the clues together as you walk or split into smaller teams and compete against the others. Download the app, go to the starting point, and begin the adventure!

Meet your guide on the basement floor of Nippombashi Station at around 10:45 AM. For your first tasting, you will try Yakitori at the local chicken store, where they only sell Japanese local chicken. Then, taste an Oden, a minced meat cutlet, and enjoy conversation with locals. You then head to the nearby Kuromon market, where there is a sushi restaurant preferred by locals. Here, you will try some sushi. After sushi, you will go through Doguya-suji street, a favorite street of kitchen professionals, and enjoy viewing "Plastic Food". Then, eat Osaka's soul food, Takoyaki & Okonomiyaki. You can have a go at making your own Okonomiyaki yourself on this tour. After your stomach is full, explore Dotonbori Street: the craziest place in Japan. You can also find a hidden quaint spot nearby. Your guide will accompany you on your trip like a local friend: don't be afraid to ask if you need any help.

Meet your guide at JR Osaka station and first visit the Umeda Sky Building and Kuchu Teien Observatory, one of the most famous buildings in the city, known for its striking architectural design. Then, take a short train ride and visit Osaka Castle. This famous castle is home to a museum where you can learn about its historical significance. See various traditional military artefacts from the time of its construction. From the top floor of the castle, there is an observation deck where you can enjoy spectacular views of the entire city. Take another train ride to the Shinsaibashi district, a major shopping hub in Osaka where long-established department stores and international luxury brands are located. Walk to Dotonbori Street, one of the most colorful and lively areas of the city, where you can snap some photos of the striking advertisements all around you. Stroll down Hozenji-Yokocho, a side street that exudes a serene atmosphere. Admire the moss-covered Buddha statues and the maze-like narrow alleyways which make this place an oasis of calm amongst the hustle and bustle of downtown Osaka. Stop at the Kuromon Ichiba Market known as "Osaka's kitchen" where you can find fresh seafood, vegetables, and fruits from all over the region. Discover the vibrant Den-Den Town where you will learn more about Japanese pop culture, browsing various stops selling various anime, manga, and video game paraphernalia. Take another train ride and arrive at Shitennoji Temple, which has a fascinating 1,400-year history. Finally, finish the tour in the Shinsekai area of the city. with its many restaurants and theaters as well as the famous Tsutenkaku Tower, the symbol of Osaka.

Spend the day with a local host and discover the true nature of Kobe and its staggering food scene. Within 24 hours after booking, receive a short questionnaire about your personality and interests. Based on your responses, you'll be assigned a like-minded host who will communicate with you directly to suggest an itinerary to show you what makes the city unique. You'll be paired with guides that are passionate about the place they call home and who choose to spend their free time sharing it with like-minded travelers matched to them. Your itinerary is flexible, so during the experience, you can always change your mind about what you want to do. Discover one of Kobe's eclectic neighborhoods, exploring the thriving Kobe Motomachi Shopping Street and indulge in authentic cuisine while soaking up the vibe in Nankinmachi, Kobe’s Chinatown. Scale the Kobe Port Tower, where you can see the city's sweeping skyline highlighted by the neon, which casts its colors across Kobe. Or take a trip to Mount Rokko Garden Terrace, where you can breathe in the fresh alpine air, sit down for lunch in the terraced garden and enjoy magnificent sunset views of the city from the observatory deck. Discover hidden gems along the way, like the smaller shrines and historic streets that many visitors miss - but not you! Heads up - there are tons of weird, wacky and fun places hidden between the hotspots on your hit list that your host can’t wait to share with you. The only thing you have to do is tell your host what you want to do and see. That could mean strolling along the Maiko Marine Promenade on a sunny day, or crossing the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge - just be sure to look down as the floors are made of glass. You could amble up (or take a cable car) to the top of Mount Rokko, visit the Kobe Maritime Museum, or explore Chinatown, where you’ll find all manner of unusual delicacies to try!

Enjoy a guided tour through the famous Kuromon Market to learn more about its history and get to know the local products. You will not only learn about the market, but also get an insider’s perspective on the culture, local people, food, and the Osakan way of life. During your market tour, you’ll try high-quality, seasonal fish, produce, and beef. Try Osaka’s most famous street foods and enjoy the colorful sights and sounds around the lively vendor stalls. The market has a special energy that welcomes both visitors and locals and there is something new to see and experience every month of the year. After finishing in the main market area, go with your guide to the nearby Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shopping Street, Osaka’s so-called “Kitchen Town” to see cooking tools and equipment crucial to chefs and restaurateurs. Every kind of Japanese kitchen item you could want can be found here: knives, bowls, takoyaki grills, neon signs, plastic food, utensils, appliances, and much more.  The plastic food is a special feature here. Called “food samples,” this tradition originated in Japan more than 100 years ago when some entrepreneurial restaurateurs started to display wax and later plastic food dishes outside their shops to show diners what they can expect. Find your own perfect plastic sushi or other dish as a unique souvenir of your trip to Osaka.

Kuromon Market, also known as the "Kitchen of the Nation,” is one of the most important culinary centers of Japanese culture. Most of the family-owned businesses in the market have been there for decades. Renowned for its bounty of delicious street foods, Kuromon is much beloved by locals. Try authentic local foods, like takoyaki, grilled scallops, grilled yakitori skewers, and much more — your guide will help you sort through the array of food stalls to pick the best that the market has to offer. With the tour including enough food samplings to fill you up, make sure you come hungry. All the while, you’ll pick up insights into authentic Japanese culture as you learn about the fascinating history of the market, as well as Osaka’s contemporary and historical role in the country’s culture. You’ll also get some great tips from your guide about where to buy some souvenirs if you so desire.