The largest city in Western Japan, Osaka is known for it's delicious eats. Of the neighborhoods in Osaka, the Umeda area is not only especially easy to access, but a paradise of tasty foods all brought together here. This time, though, we'll be looking at something a little different than your standard Osaka foods like takoyaki and okonomiyaki, with five incredible seafood restaurants. From oyster bars to crab courses to low-priced seafood rice bowls, you can enjoy all kinds of deliciousness from the sea right by the station.

An incredible meal, with a hands-on seafood course: DANCING CRAB

DANCING CRAB is a seafood restaurant from Singapore.
In all of Western Japan, Osaka is the only place you can find it! The cuisine is largely American in style, and the restaurant's most distinctive feature is that diners use a state-of-the-art handwasher before their meal, and then dive in to eat their seafood by hand.
In great part thanks to this fun and unusual style of dining, DANCING CRAB instantly gained popularity after its opening.
The most popular menu item here is the "Eat-with-your-Hands Course of Favorite Dishes." For this course, a bag of seafood, including crab and shrimp, is shaken and spread out on the table. Of course, you'll be eating it not with a fork or knife, but with your hands!

The hearty crab cakes are another popular dish, and as the name suggests, DANCING CRAB has a lively, party-like atmosphere, with dance performances by the waiters. You can also set up surprise performances, making the restaurant popular for dates and birthday celebrations.
You can even crown your group with adorable crab headbands!
Aprons are also available, so you don't need to worry about getting your clothes messy.

Direct from the port! Cheap and delicious French food: Fisherman Araki's French Dining

At Fisherman Araki's French Dining, fish caught in Kochi Prefecture are shipped directly to Osaka, where they're served as delicious seafood dishes, prepared with French cooking techniques.

While this is a French restaurant, the food here is offered not only in courses, but is both reasonably-priced and delicious.
Whether you visit alone or with a friend, with an a la carte dish and some wine to share, you'll feel just as if you're in a bistro in a European port city,

Bonito is one of Kochi Prefecture's most well-known fish. If you visit this restaurant, you can't miss the "Bonito Fisherman's Straw-Grilled Carpaccio with French Guérande salt and extra virgin olive oil," a mix of local Japanese cooking and French preparation techniques!
The straw-grilled bonito and has a slightly crispy skin and a wonderfully fragrant aroma, and the natural Guérande sea salt and extra virgin olive oil enhance these flavors even more.
You can enjoy a great many dishes at Araki, prepared with carefully selected ingredients and cooking techniques.
The "Ham-wrapped fresh fish meunière with sweet orange and dill sauce" is another menu items taht pairs wonderfully wth white wine.

Fisherman Araki's French Dining is a wonderful choice at which to enjoy the lovely harmony of Japanese fish and French cooking.

A Japanese-style Izakaya where you can enjoy spiny lobster and Matsusaka beef: Sanshoku Senshu Miejin

Japan's Mie Prefecture is famous for both its foods from both the sea and the mountains.
The famous spiny "Ise" lobster, as well as Matsusaka beef, which is one of Japan's three types of wagyu, are both products of Mie Prefecture.
At the izakaya (Japanese-style restaurant and bar) Sanshoku Senshu Miejin in Umeda, Osaka, you can enjoy these delicious Mie specialities.
The restaurant interior is clean and bright, and there are lots of a la carte dishes available.

Since Mie Prefecture is blessed with both Ise Bay and the Kumano-nada Sea, it's home to a great variety of seafood.
Aside from spiny lobster, its large and plump Kuwana clam is also loved by foodies across Japan. Mie tuna is also incredible.
Make sure you don't miss out!

A Sophisticated and Fresh Oyster Bar: Gumbo & Oyster Bar

Gumbo & Oyster Bar is not to be missed if you're a fan of oysters and seafood.
The oysters here are carefully selected from all across Japan, are purified with deep sea water from Toyama Bay, and because they meet safety standards, they're even safe to eat raw.
Menu options here are plentiful, and there are also many different options for alcoholic beverages. The restaurant interior is modern, with an urban atmosphere.

In Japan, the standard way to eat oysters is with a sprinkling of lemon.
The acidity and aroma of the lemon enhances the richness and flavor of the oyster.
There are also a variety of other luxurious options, including a roast beef and wasabi oyster cocktail, grilled oysters with sea urchin and soy sauce, and oysters that will soon be in season.
If you prefer a larger main dish, there are also various pasta dishes with oysters.

Also be sure to check out events like all-you-can-eat and half-off promotions that are held from time to time.

A Cheap and Delicious Seafood Rice Bowl Shop: Osaka/Dojima Toro-ya

If you want to eat your fill without putting a dent in your wallet, you'll have to head to Osaka/Dojima Toro-ya for a seafood rice bowl!

Seafood rice bowls at Osaka/Dojima Toro-ya specialize not just in the freshness of the fish, but in the ingredients like rice and sauce that bring out the dish's umami. Toro-ya's seafood rice bowls are incredible dishes made with carefully selected Japanese rice, and topped with a homemade sauce that goes perfectly with both rice and sashimi.

A special recommendation is the "Toro-ya Specialty Tuna Rice." Served in a stacked box with plenty of tuna, you can enjoy it with Toro-ya's special soy sauce or sesame sauce. It's a perfect dish for tuna lovers.

If you'd rather eat something other than tuna, try the "5 Seasonal Seafoods Rice Bowl." The exquisite dish comes with tuna, salmon, squid, roe, and other seasonal fish. No matter what season you make your visit in, the freshest seafood will be waiting for you.

*Information in this article is accurate as of the date of posting. There is a possibility that details regarding these products and services have changed, or that some shops have since closed.