Osaka: Taste of Tenma Foodie Adventure
Explore Osaka’s food culture on a guided walk through Tenma, a local-loved neighbourhood full of hidden flavours. Sample classic street foods like takoyaki and taiyaki along Tenjinbashi-suji Shopping Street, hear the stories behind the snacks, and experience the city’s kuidaore spirit through the places locals eat every day.
Highlights
- Taste 6 Osaka classics like sizzling takoyaki and fresh taiyak
- Experience the vibrant Tenma, the birthplace of Osaka’s renowned food culture
- Enjoy a peaceful escape at the tranquil Osaka Tenmangu Shrine amid the city buzz
- Explore Tenjinbashi-suji, Japan’s longest shopping arcade
- Join a 2.5-hour guided experience in a small group of max eight guests
What's included
- Local English-speaking guide
- Six tasting stops with local favourites such as Takoyaki (octopus balls), Taiyaki, Dango,
- melon bread or curry bread, seasonal fruits, J-style donuts, Korean roll sushi,
- Gyoza, and more. (selections vary by day and your guide’s recommendations).
- Expenditure of personal nature such as drinks,
- tips, souvenirs, etc
Overview
Meet your guide in Tenma, a neighbourhood that refuses to be polished for tourists, and that’s exactly why locals swear it offers the truest taste of Osaka! Join Discova’s Osaka foodie adventure and let your local expert guide show you where real Osakans go to snack, chat, and celebrate food culture. From the first step into Tenjinbashi-suji Shopping Street, Japan’s longest arcade, the city’s appetite comes alive around you: steam rising from tiny grills, vendors calling regulars by name, and the familiar crackle of batter hitting hot iron plates.
Your guide leads you through a curated lineup of flavour-packed stops, the kind of places you’d walk past without ever realizing they’ve perfected their craft over generations. Each tour follows a thoughtfully planned route, but the exact tastings vary by day, allowing your guide to pick the freshest, most delicious stops available. You might start with the iconic takoyaki: batter sizzling on cast-iron plates, soft octopus
inside, brushed with a sweet-savory glaze. Then move on to something unexpected, like a hand-grilled taiyaki with warm, fragrant bean filling or a chewy skewer of dango lightly charred over coals. If you’ve ever wondered why taiyaki is shaped like a fish, your guide will reveal the fun story: the “tai” pun, the auspicious symbolism, and why this simple sweet has become a little good-luck ritual in Japanese daily life.
Along the way, pause at Osaka Tenmangu Shrine, dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the god of scholarship and clever ideas, locals once came here for blessings before exams… and we like to think those clever ideas extended to the bakers and street vendors who experimented with fillings, textures, and flavours to create the snacks Tenma is known for today. From here, continue tasting your way through the neighbourhood: a still-warm curry bread from a tiny bakery, an impossibly airy Japanese-style donut, crisp Korean-inspired roll sushi, or plump gyoza frying behind a fogged-up window.
As you make your way toward JR Temma Station, the tour comes together in one clear picture: this wasn’t just a walk with snacks: it was an introduction to Osaka’s everyday food culture, guided by someone who
lives it. You leave full, yes, but more importantly, you finish with a genuine feel for the city’s spirit: the kuidaore that celebrates eating well, eating often, and finding joy in every bite.
Additional Information
Not Suitable for: Those with dietary allergies or dietary restrictions (e.g. Halal, Vegan, Vegetarian, Kosher, Gluten Free).
Infant :0-2 years old (free of charge)
Child : 3 and above (adult pricing)
Cancellation policy
Cancellation: There is no charge if any cancelation made 72 hours before the travel date. 100% will apply is any cancellation made after 72 hours.
