YUM!
I have been doing this for a long time. 59 years in total.
Hey girls and guys it's Cathy Cat and today team Ask Japanese
has come to Osaka. The second largest city in Japan.
BIG GYOZA
BLOWFISH!
Japan's most famous CLOWN.
This is Japan's longest shopping arcade...
called "Tenshinbashi Suji Shoutengai"
It's over 2600 meters long
and I can't even see the end of it yet.
It's so long! So many people! So many signs! This is exciting.
So let's find top things to do at Japan's longest shopping arcade.
It's still morning but this place is busy!
Right in the morning there are already so many people.
Hello!
What type of restaurant is this?
Kushikatsu 7 gods. (deep-fried meat and veg on a stick)
Shichifukujin are the 7 lucky gods of Japan.
I heard Osaka is famous for its Kushikatsu restaurants.
Yes it's a local speciality. And we have several stores inside this arcade.
Can I have your recommended items on the menu? - Of course!
Please give me 7 pieces.
So here is my hint for you Japan travelers. If you see a store that is
packed right in the morning, with Japanese people, with the locals, you know
that place must be good! So it's not just for tourists, actually the locals enjoy it.
I'm really excited about this.
I am really happy because there is also an English menu
so I can actually read everything. There is quite a variety of things
that you can get on the kushikatsu fried sticks.
It's good to have it in different languages here.
So there is English guys!
Also Korean and Chinese... just in case.
It's done.
This looks tasty!
Do many customers just order the "recommend"?
Sometimes they do but we have many frequent customers.
They will just order "The usual".
You remember what they usually order? - We do remember our regulars.
For those who see this dish for the first time, how is it eaten?
How to eat Kushikatsu... we are in Osaka so...
You dip Kushikatsu into the sauce only once.
Turn it around like this.
Now you can eat it like this.
Eat it straight off the stick.
If you want a second dip, use this spoon here instead.
Spoon it up...
And pour it over the food.
So people don't dip bitten stuff. - Yes.
How long has this restaurant been running?
For over 20 years.
I'll have a try then.
Sometimes you can see pickled red ginger with sushi, you can eat it like this.
Crunchy, spicy, tasty, very satisfying.
It's gonna get meaty. Meaty meat and miso.
It's super juicy.
I like the flavor of the Miso with it.
One dip into the sauce, ready...
Oh that looks good.
The outside is crunchy and inside they have the nice bite from the shrimp.
It's also soft in there.
Asparagus.
It's so crunchy but so fresh inside as well.
When you get some Kushikatsu, you generally get some cabbage with it
break down the oil in your stomach as well.
And it's free!
Thank's for the feast. - Thank you.
Please do come again.
Next time I am in Osaka I will come again.
Thank you all for the meal!
So here is the Shichifukujin place where we had our katsu...
There is a convenience store on the right hand side.
And on the left here is a nice little side street, very interesting.
Kind of secret and hidden, let's find out what's in here.
It's really charming those side streets and....
there is a Takoyaki place!
Hello. - Welcome young lady.
Nice you came to my place.
I have been making Takoyaki here for a long time. For 59 years.
When the Olympics come to Japan, I will have made Takoyaki for 60 years.
So when the Olympics happen it's gonna be 60 years!!!
That's amazing!
Because so many people have supported me, I am still here.
I am actually 82 years old.
I married when I was 23 and started working here in this arcade.
At that time I didn't have kids yet.
When I was 29 I had my first child and that child is already 59 years old now.
All the people here are so kind to me.
Gentle ladies and gentlemen come and purchase their food here with me.
Is there a secret to making tasty Takoyaki.
I wake up at 4 every morning and prepare the kelp and skipjack soup stock.
I prepare the ingredients the night before, laying out all the items.
Then I boil it all well, for the right flavor.
So if you just add everything to the water, it won't be tasty.
That's why all my customers say how tasty my Takoyaki is.
Thank you so much!
Look at this, it's hot and steaming! This is the taste, of Takoyaki that
has been made here for over 59 years.
I just heard that you always change your hair accessories?
I change it every day dear.
I received so many different accessories.
Please take one of my hair pieces too, so you don't forget me.
As a little memory.
I can have that? You're sure?
Whenever you feel like looking sparkly. - Then I will wear this one!
I will change it now. - Now? That's sweet.
Takoyaki Hiroko is just on one of the side streets of the main arcade.
Don't miss your chance of seeing a Takoyaki place that has been running for
over 59 years. And she is so cute and lovely. And she changes her hair pin every day.
Thank you so much. - I will treasure this.
I am so glad. - I am happy too.
Bye bye! I'll do my best. - Thank you too director. - Director: Thank you!
Thank you for the good meal! Bye!
Back on the main arcade I found a retro game plaza here
with all of it being super old retro games.
Tetris and the game is only 50 yen to play.
That is such a bargain.
I will focus on this...
It started out as three and now we are a huge group taking pictures.
I do YouTube. - YouTube?!
The people of Osaka also have a big sweet tooth.
I found a good looking cafe here that just looks, like it travelled out of time.
This place is so cute and also there is so many nice decorations.
I take so many pictures on instagram.
This looks so good!!!
Mmmmh I feel great.
Just cross the street and now we are at Tensan3, so this continues.
You can see on the roof there is actually a Torii.
Many Torii!
Which is your standard dish?
This one is the most standard Taiyaki.
Let's have that then.
This is the traditional way of actually having the hot irons
So one by one each and every Taiyaki is made right in front of you.
Thank you!
Oh it's nice and hot.
It doesn't only look cute, i smells good too.
It's good!
Hello there....