Japan has long been known for its culture and style, and Japanese cuisine especially attracts people across the world. In fact, in addition to the familiar dishes such as sushi, ramen, and sukiyaki, there are many more dishes in Japan than you might imagine. Japan has 8 regions and 47 prefectures, and each region's cuisine has unique characteristics you'll want to savor.

Osaka's Umeda area isn't just a cultural and economic center - it's also the place to try delicious foods from across Japan! Here, we'll guide you through its popular eateries representing Japan's cuisine from north to south. Even if you don't have much time, in Umeda, you can enjoy a culinary journey across Japan.

Hokkaido: Hakodate's Popular Conveyor Belt Sushi Restaurant, Kantaro

Kantaro is a very popular conveyor belt sushi restaurant that hails from Hakodate, Hokkaido. Its location on the 7th floor of GRAND FRONT OSAKA's South Building is the first one to open in Kansai. Every day, fresh, seasonal seafood from Hokkaido is delivered directly to the shop, and expertly prepared by the sushi chefs into fresh, delicious sushi that same day. In addition, the restaurant manager heads to Osaka's fish markets each day himself to select the freshest fish and seasonal ingredients from across Japan to be used in their sushi. The wide variety of sushi available here can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

Kantaro's sushi chefs are committed to the belief in "making sushi in the Hakodate way," and they craft each piece of sushi with extreme care. The rice that the sushi chefs mould with their own hands is kept at the same temperature as the skin to ensure customers can enjoy the perfect texture when they take a bite. Kantaro uses a unique balance of size in its sushi, in which the pieces of fish are large compared to the smaller amount of rice. You can order your sushi directly from the sushi chef, and they'll always respond with a smile. This kind of warm service is just one of the reasons Kantaro has received such high praise from so many.

Tohoku: Sendai's Famous Beef Tongue and Sake at Morino-ya

Sendai's famous beef tongue cuisine has a history that stretches back more than 70 years. Morino-ya is a specialty restaurant where you can enjoy beef tongue dishes and sake.Only ingredients with clear origins and distribution routes are selected according to strict standards, so customers can enjoy the highest quality meals with peace of mind.

The restaurant's most highly recommended dish is the Extra Thickly Sliced Grilled Beef Tongue, which is made by Morinoya's experienced chefs, cutting the most tender part of the beef tongue into thick slices and carefully grilling it at the perfect temperature. Namban Miso is a spicy seasoning marinated in miso, which is an exquisite accent that further enhances the umami flavor of the beef tongue. This makes grilled beef tongue delicious and an excellent accompaniment to rice or as a small dish to enjoy with alcohol.

During the day, they offer a variety of beef tongue set meals, and in the evening, in addition to their signature grilled beef tongue, you can enjoy a la carte dishes such as stewed beef tongue. Morino-ya is the perfect choice for either a hearty meal or a light drink.

Central Japan: Nagoya's Famous Miso Katsu at Yabaton

Miso katsu is one of the most famous dishes of Nagoya's culinary culture, but it's more than simply pouring miso sauce onto fried pork cutlets. If these two strongly-flavored ingredients were simply tossed together, the flavors would be too strong and make for a heavy dish. The secret to making miso katsu delicious and light is not only using carefully selected ingredients, but also the way the tonkatsu is fried and the ratio of the miso sauce.

Yabaton started as a street stall in 1947 and has since developed into a miso katsu specialty restaurant in Nagoya. The chefs lovingly prepare the ingredients by hand and the staff provide service with care, aiming to be a first-class inexpensive restaurant that provides healthy and sustaining meals. Using a secret miso sauce that has been naturally fermented and aged for a year and a half, carefully selected pork, wheat flour, and unique breadcrumbs, and using an elaborate frying method, the restaurant offers a rich and satisfying traditional Nagoya flavor.

The HANKYU SANBAN GAI store is located in the Food Hall on the second basement floor of the North Building. Come and get them a visit!

Kinki Region: Hyogo Prefecture's Local Cuisine, Akashiyaki, at Bubutei

Takoyaki ("octopus balls") is a well-known dish from Osaka, but fewer have heard of akashiyaki. This regional dish comes from Akashi City in Hyogo Prefecture, and is made by adding octopus pieces to a batter made of eggs, wheat flour, potato starch, and dashi stock, and then grilling it in round moulds. Compared to Osaka's takoyaki, akashiyaki uses more eggs, which gives it a fluffier, softer texture. Also, while Osaka takoyaki is eaten with sauce, akashiyaki is generally eaten dipped in dashi soup stock. This dashi is an important part of what makes akashiyaki delicious!

Bubutei, a restaurant in HANKYU SANBAN GAI's South Building, specializes in both akashiyaki and Osaka-style takoyaki. The restaurant uses the secret dashi stock from famous Japanese restaurant Kawatomi, made using carefully selected ingredients such as kelp and bonito flakes for a beloved flavor that hasn't changed in 40 years. This dashi stock pairs well with the freshly grilled akashiyaki, making it even more fun to eat. The restaurant also serves Osaka-style takoyaki, so you can enjoy both at the same time!

Kyushu: Miyazaki's Chicken Cuisine at Mansaku

Miyazaki Prefecture is known for its abundant food resources and local cuisine, the fruit of tradition, nature, and the effort of its people. Since the 90 year-old restaurant Mansaku has opened its door in the Kansai area, you can now enjoy the flavors of Miyazaki Prefecture right here in Umeda, Osaka!

Food at Mansaku centers around chicken dishes, and all of the fresh chicken used is shipped directly from Miyazaki. The chicken breeds and how the chickens are raised and fed are carefully considered to ensure the highest quality and freshness. At Mansaku, there's a variety of Miyazaki chicken dishes to choose from, including Nanban chicken and the specialty, juicy grilled chicken thighs. In addition to local Miyazaki chicken, the restaurant also serves beef, pork, and fresh vegetables from Miyazaki, all of which are shipped directly from the source and prepared with the utmost care by the chefs. When you taste them together with Miyazaki shochu (a distilled spirit), which is considered the best in Japan, you'll be able to experience the best of Miyazaki's food culture.

The restaurant has a simple, Japanese-style design and includes table, tatami, and counter seating. Even if you visit the restaurant alone, you'll have the perfect spot to enjoy some delicious food.

Okinawa: Okinawan Homestyle Meals at Shimanukaji

Shimanukaji, an Okinawan restaurant located in the South Building of HANKYU SANBAN GAI, has an interior reminiscent of a traditional Okinawan house. When you enter the restaurant you can almost feel the tropical heat and the ocean breeze.

Shimanukaji serves over 40 dishes using a variety of carefully selected ingredients from Okinawa, including classics like goya champuru (a stir-fry with the bitter vegetable, goya) and soki soba noodles. Dine here, and you'll get a rich sampling of traditional Okinawan home cooking. The lunch menu, too, is full of tasty options. In addition to food, Shimanukaji proudly serves a whopping 40 plus varieties of Okinawan awamori, a traditional distilled liquor, so you can enjoy a variety, from the popular Zanpa, to some types aged for over 3 years.

If you want to experience Okinawa's unique island atmosphere, you'll want to come to Shimanukaji for its traditional Okinawan awamori and homestyle cooking made with the fruits of the Okinawan sun.

These restaurants represent just a few of Japan's regional food offerings. If you head to Umeda, Osaka, you can sample cuisine from across Japan, and come away with a greater understanding of Japanese culture and customs. Even if you're not able to travel across the whole country, you can still get a taste of it all here in Umeda!

For more details on how to get to Umeda, see here.

For more information on Umeda, check out some of our Trip Ideas.

*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.