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STORY Kuidaore Osaka! 3 Must-buy Souvenir Sweets by JNTO on 11 July 2019

Japan is famous for its countless kinds of “omiyage” (souvenirs) from the various prefectures. Perhaps the most popular of them, “Hakata Torimon” sets a new Guinness World Record for the most sales of a bean-paste filled confectionery in a calendar year. Japanese snacks are not only popular for their exquisite and delicate tastes, but also because they can just look so irresistibly cute! As the food capital of Japan, Osaka, has acquired a delightful nickname – “Kuidaore” (literally, “Eat yourself into ruin”). The city is known for its many delicious foods such as gyoza (dumplings) and takoyaki (octopus in batter balls). But what you really should not miss are the various omiyage. Here are the recommended3 souvenir picks to look out for before you leave Osaka!

Wagashi on the go

For people who prefer a taste of tradition, “mitarashi komochi” is something that will definitely hit you in the right spot!
You can find mochi (sticky rice cake) with “mitarashi” (sweet soy sauce) almost everywhere in Osaka. Eating this treat can sometimes be a bit messy as the sauce may get onto your hands, hair or face. And the risk of all that sticky sauce leaking out of the box means it is not the ideal souvenir to pack in your luggage.

Not to worry, Mitarashi Komochi from wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets) master confectioners, Chidoriya Souke, is the perfect solution for this sweet dilemma. Chidoriya Souke was established in 1630 and is a very famous place to buy wagashi.
The mochi is made with strictly selected Japanese rice with a filling of mitarashi. The fragrance and melt-in-your-mouth mochi goes very well with Japanese green tea. It is so delicious and addictive that you will not be able to stop eating after the first one!
They make perfect for presents for friends and colleagues. But bear in mind the expiry date for mitarashi komochi is about three days. We recommend you wait to buy it on the day you are leaving Osaka.

Chidoriya Souke（Osaka Main Store）
Address：3-4-12 Hommachi, Chuo, Osaka, Osaka
Access：6 minutes’ walk from Honcho Station on the Midosuji Line subway
Operating hours：8: 30 a.m. -8: 00 p.m.（Monday to Friday）, 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. （Saturdays and public holidays）

Osaka’s soul food in a bite-size crunch
Osaka Okonomiyaki Ebi-ten（Keishindo）

Besides takoyaki, one of the iconic Osaka delicacies is okonomiyaki. This savoury pancake dish is made with flour, eggs, shredded cabbage, meat and delicious spicy brown sauce! Many have been amazed by the taste of this simple yet heart-warming dish. The ingredients and method for making okonomiyaki are very simple, so the Japanese often cook it at home. If you can not get enough of okonomiyaki inOsaka, do not frown!
Okonomiyaki senbei is the closest alternative that you can get to the flavour of the real thing. It is a type of rice cracker sprinkled with freeze-dried okonomiyaki ingredients, giving you a real authentic flavour of Osaka.

If you want extra umami for your cracker, we recommend you the okonomiyaki-flavoured prawn cracker “Osaka Okonomiyaki Ebi-ten”. It is a prawn rice cracker flavoured with Osaka-limited "okonomiyaki" sauce. With each bite, the flavour and aroma of shrimp will fill your mouth; the subtle taste of the crisp red ginger is their addictive secret!
The shop making these, “Keishindo” was founded in 1866 at Ohno Port on the Chita Peninsula in modern-day Aichi Prefecture, a center of shrimp fishing.
For more than 150 years, Keishindo has specialized in shrimp crackers and prides itself on using only the finest ingredients.
But basically, the only place to buy “Osaka Okonomiyaki Ebi-ten” from is at Shin-Osaka Station.
So do not forget to grab a box to satisfy your Osaka soul food cravings anytime anywhere.

Keishindo（Gift Kiyosk Shin Osaka）
Address：Shin Osaka Station, 5 Nishinakajima, Yodogawa-ku, Osaka, Osaka
Access：Shinkansen ticket gate concourse opposite Shinkansen south exit ticket gate

Instagrammable traditional sugar candy – Konpeito Seikaan（Ujien）

If you love Japanese sweets, you would surely have heard of Konpeito. But do you know that the word “konpeito” comes from the Portuguese word "confeito” which means sugar-coated candy?

Konpeito was originally brought to Japan by Portuguese traders visiting Nagasaki in the early 16th century and presented to the powerful warlord Oda Nobunaga as a gift.
In those days, sugar was very rare and expensive, so konpeito was only enjoyed by nobles and high-ranking samurai families. Konpeito is also known as the traditional gift of Japan’s Imperial Family.

Konpeito is an ideal souvenir gift as most of them come in different colours and beautiful boxes. One of the most famous brands is Ujien’s Seikaan (Kinspeare). Their beautiful, sparkling konpeito candies are beautifully packaged in fashionable tins that make you want to collect all of them.
Besides the sophisticated packaging, Ujien’s konpeito is made with very high-quality ingredients. The entire process of konpeito takes around 10 to 14 days in total due to them being delicately made by coating sugar grains bit by bit with a unique ratio of liquid sugar. In addition to the traditional ones, they also come in different flavours such as soda, apple, lemon and matcha etc.

Shinsaibashi Main Store
Address：1-4-20 Ujien Bld., Shinsaibashisuji,Osaka Shi Chuo, Osaka
Access：3 minutes’ walk from Shinsaibashi Station on the Midosuji Line subway
Operating hours：10:00 a.m. - 8:30 p.m every day of the year

Shinsaibashi Main Store
Address：1-4-20 Ujien Bld., Shinsaibashisuji,Osaka Shi Chuo, Osaka
Access：3 minutes’ walk from Shinsaibashi Station on the Midosuji Line subway
Operating hours：10:00 a.m. - 8:30 p.m every day of the year