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Dotonbori

Osaka Starbucks has one of the city’s coolest photo vantage points, but it’s going away soon

We head to Osaka to say goodbye to Ebitsuta, and get a new view at one of the city’s most famous landmarks.

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Japan’s cafe that won’t let you go home until you solve a puzzle is opening in Osaka’s canal district

Hatena Coffee continues to make customers smile as they scratch their heads.

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Osaka establishes first designated smoking area in Dotonbori canal district to fight “overtourism”

Street food hot spot wants to be cleaner, but it might just be pushing the smoke down the street.

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China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning seems to be affecting Osaka’s Namba and Dotonbori neighborhoods

We head to Osaka’s world-famous canal district and see who’s thriving and who’s struggling with the drop in travelers from China.

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Osaka dragon’s tail must be cut off, high court rules in Osaka ramen restaurant case

Landmark Dotonbori ramen restaurant’s famous dragon is going to be cut down to legally allowable size.

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Takoyaki store in Osaka becomes a hot topic on Reddit, but is it any good?

What’s good for a visitor isn’t always good for a local. 

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Johnnys’ Jr. group leader makes breakthrough discovery in marine biology in downtown Osaka

You don’t get much more Japanese than an idol fishing for eel on the Dotonbori.

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Osaka’s powerful Crab Ice Crab doesn’t pull any punches【Taste test】

It’s a taste that’ll make you shout “Holy crab!”

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Huge crowds gather for Halloween in Japan despite calls to stay home【Photos】

Scenes from the weekend show not everyone was interested in staying away from hotspots like Shibuya and Osaka during Halloween.

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Osaka icon loses legs, restaurant says famous crab is exhausted

After losing its giant fugu blowfish, people are now worried about the health of the city’s big crustacean. 

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Man jumps off bridge in Osaka to celebrate Heisei era’s end, hits something other than water【Vid】

”Heisei, thank you…” SPLAT.

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Brand-new Gundam Cafe, biggest branch yet, to open in Osaka this month

Anime eatery’s first branch in central Japan offers exclusive food and merch for mecha fans.

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Taco Bell Osaka branches now selling okonomiyaki burritos, promise delicious fusion flavor

A tortilla stuffed with all the tasty trappings of okonomiyaki? Sign us up!

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Gyoza Hot Dog: Japan’s new must-try local street food

The Japanese city famous for eating takes its local food game to another level.

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Osaka reminds everyone not to go jump off a bridge during World Cup, don’t jump on it either

Yes, even during the World Cup.

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  • Apr 26, 2015

We love Gudetama so much, we turn him into adorable okonomiyaki pancakes and eat him!

Remeber Gudetama, the lazy egg character from Hello Kitty owner Sanrio? Well, it turns out that the unmotivated egg with an extremely unmascot-like personality has gained quite a following in Japan. Apparently, his soft appearance and to an even greater extent, his lazy disposition, which prompts him to mutter phrases like “I have no strength” and “I can’t feel motivated enough to do anything” have earned him considerable popularity. In fact, he’s popular enough to have had his very own character cafe for a limited time in the past, and recently, he’s been collaborating with Dotonbori, a chain of restaurants that serves okonomiyaki, which are Japanese pancakes containing various ingredients such as cabbage, meat and seafood.

That’s right, at Dotonbori, you can use actual eggs to add realistic Gudetama faces to your food. Now, that sounded like too much fun to pass up, so our reporters from our Japanese sister site went to one of the Dotobori shops and actually tried it!  Read More