New York has its hot dog, London has its bangers and mash, Berlin has its currywurst—and Osaka has its takoyaki. While takoyaki can be found all over Japan, Osaka is the true home of the octopus ball.
Takoyaki, or fried octopus ball dumplings, are by far the most popular snack in Osaka and are absolutely everywhere. You’ll find takoyaki in street stalls, restaurants, markets, and even supermarkets. There’s even a Takoyaki Museum at Universal CityWalk next to Universal Studios Japan, featuring a collection of takoyaki restaurants and gift shops. Here, you can enjoy freshly cooked takoyaki, or pick up refrigerated or frozen varieties to take home. You’ll also find just about every conceivable takoyaki-themed souvenir—from stuffed toy octopus balls and baking pans to all sorts of quirky knick-knacks and trinkets.
Each takoyaki ball is about the size of a golf ball, made from a wheat-based dumpling batter mixed with chopped onions, pickled ginger, and diced octopus. The mixture is poured into a heavy steel baking tray with half-spherical moulds. As the batter starts to cook, it’s quickly turned with a pointed chopstick and rolled to form a ball, then cooked through. The finished takoyaki has a golden, crispy exterior and a soft, fluffy interior.
Once cooked, takoyaki is topped generously with okonomiyaki sauce, ponzu, mayonnaise, green laver (aonori), and shaved dried bonito flakes (katsuobushi). Some restaurants offer variations of the dish, incorporating different vegetables or types of seafood, such as squid or prawns. Takoyaki is delicious whether eaten hot or cold.
The origins of the dish are believed to date back to 1935, when a street vendor named Endo Tomekichi created the original recipe. His takoyaki became a local sensation, leading him to open a shop in Osaka’s Nishinari Ward called Aizuya—still considered one of the iconic takoyaki spots in the city today.
