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My Trip To Japan: Street Food- Grilled Scallops

There are plenty places to eat street food in Japan. Osaka has many areas of town that are fun to walk the streets and grab small meals. You can get items like takoyki, okonomiyaki, temperu, and many other delicious things to eat. One of my favorites were grilled scallops. The scallops were huge. The shell was bigger than my hand, and I have big hands. The scallop itself was about the size of a small hamburger, like McDonalds. I did not know that scallops got that big.

The scallops are either cooked over charcoaled or cooked with a propane torch. They are cooked in the shell and  usually have type of flavoring added to them, like soy sauce or garlic. They are absolutely delicious. They cost about $5 or $6 US and worth every cent.

My Trip To Japan: A Few Photos From Dotonbori In Osaka, Japan

When I travelled to the Kyoto, Japan area I decided to stay in Osaka due to the vast numbers of restaurants to eat at. I definitely made the right decision. There are hundreds or even thousands of places to eat at. One of the most famous (touristy) areas to eat at is the Dotonbori section of Osaka. It is easy to get to with the subway system.

The place is street after street of restaurants filled with tourists and a few locals. It is a great place to people watch and just relax.

 There is a lot of neon along the canal that runs through Dotonbori.

It is pleasant to walk along the canal and people watch. There are also boats that take tourists on rides up and down the canal.

Dotonbori is full of interesting advertising due to the competition between the restaurants.

The mechanized crab is one of the most famous signs in Osaka.

This is one of the many walking streets full of restaurants and small shops.

My Trip To Japan: Takoyaki (Octopus Balls)

One of the most famous foods that visitors to Japan want to eat is takoyaki. Takoyaki is a wheat flour ball with a piece of octopus inside. They are usually served with takoyaki sauce and green onions on top. Also, they are EXTREMELY hot. I would say they are about the same temperature as the sun!

I only ate takoyaki one time in the Dotonbori area of Osaka. There are many sidewalk stands and restaurants that serve takoyaki. You must eat at the sidewalk stands to get an authentic Japanese experience. It is a lot of fun to watch the cooks make the octopus filled balls.

Personally, I was a little disappointed in the taste of takoyaki. However, I would eat it again if I ever get the chance to travel to japan again. I thought the taste was a little bland, even with the sauce. I also think that the batter could be a different consistency. I wonder what they would taste like with a corn meal batter.

Most people loved eating takoyaki. I liked it but didn't love it. I didn't eat it a second time because there were just too many foods that I wanted to try while I was in Japan. It is definitely something that every visitor to Japan should try. Plus, it is a bargain at 500 yen or about $4 US.

Here is a big tray of takoyaki cooking.

Fresh made takoyaki, molten hot, ready to eat.

My Trip To Japan: More Tokyo To Osaka Shinkansen Photos

Here are a few more photos taken while travelling between Tokyo and Osaka.

 

My Trip To Japan: Kyoto English Class Students

Many times during my visits to Japan and South Korea I have witnessed groups of students who were assisting tourists and asking questions for school assignments. At Kyoto Station I talked with a group of students from one of the local schools. They were asking basic questions about what country the tourists were from and what they enjoyed most about Japan. The short survey probably took about 3 minutes. You could see that they were really enjoying practicing their English. The students had a couple teachers to help out with any communication problems. If you see a group of kids doing this type of activity please spend a little time participating with them.

At Kyobo Bookstore in Seoul, I was interviewed for a college English class video assignment. I had to answer 10 questions about myself and South Korea. There were 4 students and after the video we all went out and had coffee. It was a memorable time for me. I was able to share some information about some American colleges that a couple of the students would be attending the next year. They recommended a couple of hidden tourists spots that I had never heard of. Again, anytime that you are approached by some foreign students you should do your best to spend a few minutes talking with them. The times that I spent talking with the people from Japan and South Korea are some of my favorite travel memories.

However, do be cautious. If something feels wrong, ignore them or leave the area. Always trust your gut.