Dotonbori: The Most Famous Tourist Spot in Osaka

I think most people who have visited Osaka have been at the “Dotonbori”.

The Dotonbori is a most lively street, so it’s popular as a tourist spot for of course Japanese tourists, but also for foreign tourists.
On this occasion, I would like to tell you about the beauties of this Dotonbori.

A souvenir snapshot with the Glico Billboard in the background

The first place you should head towards when you arrive at the Dotonbori is of course the “Glico Signboard”.

Since the signboard has received a renovation in October 2014, this spot is even more popular than ever before.

The new, 6th Generation Glico Man Signboard debuted!!

Let’s see if you can take the same pose as the Glico Man while taking a souvenir snapshot!
When we went to the Dotonbori to take some pictures the other day, we were very surprised to see two Thai women in Japanese kimono, with their hair done in a Japanese way, doing this pose while taking a picture!

Shopping at Don Quijote

After seeing the Glico Signboard and turning to the other side, you can see a big Ferris wheel.

This is Don Quijote, a famous shopping store in Japan.
Unfortunately, this Ferris wheel has been out of operation for a long time because a fault in the machinery was found, but the store itself is very popular among foreign tourists as a place to buy souvenirs.

Now I mention it, allow me to introduce a few products that are popular as souvenirs.

1 KitKats with green tea flavor
2 Beauty care electrical appliances
3 Japanese style water flasks
4 T-shirts with Japanese text prints
5 Rice Cookers

Sales of these items are supposedly very high.

Please don’t miss the chance to come and enjoy shopping here yourself!

There are a lot of big and interesting signboards

One of the beauties of the Dotonbori is its liveliness.
People from Osaka often have strong drives such as “Anyhow, I want to stand out more than others” and “I want people to have a good time”, so any shop around here has flashy and peculiar signboards in order not to lose to the other shops.
I think just looking at all these will make you enjoy your time in Osaka.
Well then, let me introduce what kind of signboards I’m talking about by showing you some pictures!

I’ll start off with the signboard of Kani Douraku. Please come to this place to enjoy delicious crab dishes!

Next up is the signboard of Zuboraya, a restaurant for blowfish dishes.
Blowfish is a type of fish which contains a poison strong enough to kill a person, but in Japanese cuisine, they are one of the most high class ingredients. By having blowfish prepared by a licensed chef, you can enjoy delicious blowfish meals.
Please overcome your fear of death and have a go at one of these dishes!

This is not a signboard, but this doll is a famous symbol of the Dotonbori, so please don’t miss your chance to take a souvenir snapshot here!

Next is the signboard of a takoyaki shop! I’ve never seen such a big octopus!

You can see how they’re making the takoyaki, and after buying them, you can enjoy these delicious takoyaki right on the spot!

This is a signboard for a type of sweets famous in Japan.

This is a restaurant for Chinese food, so the signboard is a giant dumpling!

This is the signboard of a sushi shop.
They don’t actually serve sushi this big, so please rest assured =D.

One of the famous Osaka foods is called “Kushikatsu”. This shop called “Daruma” is the most famous kushikatsu place in Osaka.

This is the signboard of a ramen noodle shop.

This is the signboard of a yakiniku (Japanese style barbecue) place.
For some reason the cow is floating in mid air.

This dragon is the signboard of a pachinko parlor.

How do you like it?
There are many spots around the Dotonbori where you can enjoy a walk, the views and the foods!

Also, during the evening you can enjoy the romantic vibes on the riversides of the Dotonbori River.

There are still many other attractive spots and shops, so please don’t hesitate to come for a visit to the Dotonbori!