Culinary Backstreets co-founder Ansel Mullins visited Osaka this past summer as part of a research trip for our newest food tours. Japan’s second-largest city is well known for its vibrant food scene, and delivers a powerful punch of personality, too. Here, Ansel shares some of his favorite food memories – from takoyaki to really excellent corn – and a bit of what we can expect from our new coverage in Osaka. In a fairly formal and reserved country, Osaka feels funky and laidback. That is reflected in the endless options for a quick delicious bite, but it’s the people, Osakans, who set the stage, and they are boisterous welcoming hosts. Belly up to a standing bar or settle into a tiny izakaya and you can expect to be engaged. For me, that always elevates the culinary experience to a higher level.

Osaka may be especially well known for its bright and busy Dotonburi district, but that same vibrancy is easily found all over the city, both in the people and urban scenery. It’s the same when it comes to the city’s nightlife, with no shortage of local eateries and street vendors to experience – places that are similarly appealing to photograph as well as step inside – whether it be a sit-down restaurant, a standing bar, or simply a spot to grab a quick snack when on the go. There is something special about wandering Osaka at night and seeing it come to life, including hidden gems that may have been easily overlooked in the daylight. Locations that are made all the more memorable by the people who own and frequent them, as the general stereotype of Osaka natives being friendly and open invariably rings true, meaning eating spots are as convivial as they are colorful. It’s a combination that makes each and every night out in Osaka a fun and varied one.

Eastern Osaka's Joto shotengai, or commercial district, is a sleepy shopping arcade frozen in a bygone era. Walking down its twisting alleyways of faded storefronts leads to a colorful candy shop whose stacks of sugary treats conceal a hidden cafe called Hakusendo. Built to look space-age futuristic in 1970 to coincide with the Osaka World Fair, this kissaten (a term for similar Western-influenced Japanese coffee and tea shop of the 20th century) is now considered a retro masterpiece. This one-of-a-kind treasure has caught the eye of Japanese TV programs, local newspapers and influencers alike – attracting visitors to what would otherwise be an off-the-radar location.