A Walk-and-Eat Tour of Osaka’s Popular Gourmet Alley “Hozenji Yokocho”

The Hozenji area, located in the downtown Minami, the southern bustling area of Osaka, is full of quaint atmosphere. Originating the precincts of ‘Hozenji Temple‘ (法善寺), which enshrines Mizukake Fudoson (水掛不動尊), an alley with a width of 3m extends around 80m from east to west, and is called “Hozenji Yokocho” (法善寺横丁). Along the tasteful cobblestone alley, you’ll find many famous eateries including authentic Japanese cuisine restaurants, Okonomiyaki places, Kushikatsu restaurants and bars. Even Osakans who have strong preferences about food often say “There is no doubt that this alley is the place to go for food.” In this issue, let’s look at some eateries in the area that are truly recommended and endorsed by locals.

Be addicted to the chewy dough and the unique sauce at an okonomiyaki place “Yakizen”

As you might know, okonomiyaki is one of Osaka’s specialties. “Yakizen” (やき然) on ‘Hozenji Yokocho’ alley is a renowned eatery where you can enjoy various okonomiyaki and teppanyaki in a cozy atmosphere. The specialty ‘Modanyaki’ (モダン焼き) and ‘Yokochoyaki’ (横丁焼き) are made with the chewy dough that doesn’t make you feel powdery at all. Pursuing the golden ratio of several kinds of the highest quality flour and water for the best dough, they carefully cook the dough one by one in front of you. The less sour sauce for “Yakizen” based on its original recipe is full of the condensed flavor of fruits, enhances the aroma of the dough. Since its okonomiyaki is made with plenty of vegetables, it’s also popular with ladies. FYI, English, Chinese, and Korean menus are available.

Opening Hours	Weekdays 11:30AM – 3:00PM, 5:00PM – 10:30PM / Weekends and National Holidays 11:30AM – 10:30PM Closed on Wednesday *In case Wednesday is a national holiday, closed on the following Thursday.
Address	1-1-18 Namba, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture
Access	A 4-minute walk from Hotel Gracery Osaka Namba
URL	https://tabelog.com/en/osaka/A2701/A270202/27003472/

Enjoy unique Kushiage at “wasabi”, one Michelin star restaurant

Kushiage or Kshikatsu (串揚げ, 串カツ) is another signature gourmet Osaka has to offer. “wasabi” on the alley is a Kushiage restaurant that’s been awarded one Michelin star. Inside the restaurant with the elegant interior, there are only 9 counter seats, and one course menu is only available. By ordering the course, you will be offered an unlimited number of Kushiage made with seasonal seafood, mountain foodstuff, and plenty of natural farming vegetables until you say it’s enough. There are always more than 25 kinds of items. Since its Kushiage is fried in vegetable oil with the fineness of raw bread crumbs, and the best ratio in the composition of the deep fry batter is well pursued, you can feel a light taste that does not make you feel the greasiness. If you have any ingredients that you cannot eat, you can tell them in advance so that they will be taken into consideration.

Opening Hours	5:30PM – 10:00PM / Closed on Sunday and Monday
Address	1-1-17 Namba, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture
Accress	A 3-minute walk from Hotel Gracery Osaka Namba
URL	http://www.hozenji-wasabi.jp/

Eat and compare each part of Matsusaka beef at “Matsusakagyu Yakiniku M Hozenji Yokocho”

参照：食べログ『松阪牛焼肉 M 法善寺店 はなれ』

If you want to enjoy high-quality beef at your pace, just head to “Matsusakagyu Yakiniku M Hozenji Yokocho” (松阪牛焼肉M 法善寺横丁店), a Yakiniku restaurant that specializes in Matsusaka beef that said to be the art of beef. It is a winner of the 2018 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice awards for restaurants, ranking number 1 in Japan. Since they procure one whole Matsusakaushi cow directly from the production area, customers can enjoy different tastes for each part, from refreshing lean meat to marbled meat. The presentation is also very gorgeous. For those who don’t like greasy tastes, we also recommend ‘Matsusaka Beef Aburi Sushi’ (松阪牛炙り肉寿司, sushi with roasted beef) with which you can enjoy the refreshing taste of meat.

Opening Hours	5:30AM – 10:00PM / Closed on Monday
Address	1-1-19 Namba, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture
アクセス	A 5-minute walk from Hotel Gracery Osaka Namba
URL	https://www.matsusaka-projects.com/english/restaurant/yokocho/