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Dōtonbori

A pedestrian street and canal in the Namba district, the heart of Osaka by night. The canal was opened by the merchant Yasui Dōton in the early 17th century and its bank soon filled with theatres; today what rules are the giant illuminated signs, with the Glico running man beside Ebisubashi bridge and the mechanical crab of Kani Dōraku as emblems. It is also the street where Osaka boasts of its motto, “kuidaore” (eat until you drop): stalls of takoyaki, okonomiyaki and ramen squeezed one against the next. You can walk it in a short time, but the usual thing is to stay for dinner; there are also boats that cruise the canal.

Things to do at Dōtonbori: 3 missions

• Try freshly made takoyaki at a street stallThe little dough balls with octopus are Osaka's signature bite. Choose a stall where they are turning them in view and eat them standing up, carefully: they are scalding inside.
• Get your photo with the Glico runner from Ebisubashi BridgeStand on Ebisubashi Bridge, over the canal, and look for the sign of the athlete with arms raised: it is the most repeated photo in Osaka. It looks best at night, with the neon lights on.
• Find the giant crab that moves its legsAbove the entrance of the Kani Dōraku restaurant there is an enormous crab with articulated legs. Find it among the street signs and wait to see it move.

Near Dōtonbori

Source: Wikidata