Ashiharabashi Osaka Restaurant Guide: 10 Local Places

Ashiharabashi (芦原橋) is a small, working-class neighborhood in Naniwa Ward, located just south of Namba and bordering Taisho and Nishinari wards along the JR Osaka Loop Line. Long associated with leather processing and related trades that supported Osaka’s industrial growth, the area also carries a history of social discrimination tied to those occupations. Liberty Osaka, Japan’s first comprehensive human rights museum, opened in 1985 near Ashiharabashi and documented the history of discrimination, social inequality, and movements for dignity and equal rights in Japan before closing in 2020 due to a land dispute.

Today, the area around Ashiharabashi Station is emerging as a residential hub for young families and a growing population of Asian immigrants. Visitors will notice wide, almost empty streets that are perfect for a daytime bike ride or an evening stroll. Tucked away from the usual tourist routes is a small but appealing cluster of inexpensive restaurants and cafés. Compiled over several visits, this list follows the rhythm of the day, offering suggestions from morning through night, with options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Cafe Kobina

Google Map: 2 Chome-9-19 Naniwanishi, Naniwa Ward, Osaka, 556-0026. Open: Wed, Thu, 9:00-17:00. Fri-Sun: 8:00-16:00. Closed: Mon, Tue. Instagram: @cafe_kobina English Menu Available

Cafe Kobina is a small café on the first floor of a house, about a five-minute walk from the station’s south exit. It opened just over two years ago. The owner’s name is Kyoka. She lived in Australia where she was trained as a barista and speaks English. Having never been to the land Down Under myself, I turned to Google Maps reviews written by Australian visitors to get a sense of how the café measured up to their standards. Apparently, there are several traveler lodgings in the neighborhood. Review after review praised the coffee, including flat whites, along with the food and desserts, describing them as both authentic and delicious. It felt like the equivalent of a Japanese diner raving about a standout sushi restaurant discovered in Melbourne. Fired up by their enthusiasm, I skipped breakfast, boarded the train to Ashiharabashi, and set out determined to tackle the biggest brunch I could manage.

The morning sets (available until 11:00 A.M.) include shokupan toast or cultured butter crossaint, strawberry jam boiled egg, cinnamon honey yogurt, and hand-brewed coffee, a Brazilian base, complemented by Indonesian and Guatemalan beans, created for Kobina Cafe by Le Premiere Cafe Roastery in Shinsaibashi. Add-ons to the set such as vegemite, ham bacon, cheese are available for a small fee.

House-Made Matcha Granola Bowl and Cafe Latte

In the mood to try something different, I decided to order from the all-day breakfast and brunch menu. The Blueberry Bagel (¥500) and the Pizza Lava Toastie (¥700) both looked especially tempting. After ordering a café latte (¥550) decorated with a koala, I ultimately went with the Matcha Granola Bowl (¥700), seduced by the enticing description on the English menu: “Toasted rolled oats, roasted almonds, crunchy freeze dried azuki beans, goji berries. Topped with fresh straweberries, banana and white chocolate bits, and a side of honey cinnamon yogurt and milk.”

I tend to be somewhat of a skeptic when it comes to rave reviews online, but I have to say without any exaggeration or hype that this was one of the best breakfasts I have had in Osaka. The latte was outstanding and the Matcha Granola bowl contained fresh ingredients and was prepared with a delicate touch and extreme care. Although this was a very hearty breakfast, I was fired up to order one more item.

Toastie of The Day

I was informed that the toastie of the day was grilled chicken thigh and cheese with lettuce and tomato (¥650 a la carte). The set (¥1,250) comes with a bowl of onion soup and a side of a side salad and a cup of their blend coffee (For an extra ¥100 you can upgrade to a latte). It was another fantastic choice, and I’m glad I got to try my first Australian-style toastie after hearing so much about them.

Warm Vibes and Chill Music

The decor at Cafe Kobina is on point, with a soft, natural lighting and a tasteful selection of books, artworks and objects such as a vintage-looking camera. Being the only customer at the time, it felt like being a guest at someone’s house. I cannot stress how much I enjoyed the tastefull selection the music played while I was there including song by Tame Impala, Beach Vacation, World Brain, Men I Trust, Guru, and Durad Jones & The Indications. I can’t wait to visit again to try some of their desserts such as Basque cheesecake and banana bread.

Miku Shokudo 三久食堂

Google Map: 2 Chome-4-19 Shiokusa, Naniwa Ward, Osaka, 556-0024. Tel:06-6561-3959. Open:10:30-14:00. Closed. Fri, Sat, Sun.

The term 大衆食堂 (taishū shokudō) describes a neighborhood diner that serves up affordable meals at low prices. Miku Shokudo, which has been a neighborhood fixture for over 50 years, is considered the quintessential taishū shokudō. The simple menu has a loyal following that attracts fans of expertly-prepared Showa-style dishes from all over Kansai. From Ashiharabashi Station exit the Norh ticket gates and walk towards Naniwa-suji avenue and head south for about two or three minutes.

Recommended Menu Items

A Lunch or B Lunch ?

Ordering lunch at Miku Shoduko is extremely simple. The A Lunch consists of tonkatsu (pork cutlet), mini hamburger steak, ebi furai (2 fried shrimp), a fried egg and rice. All this for only ¥950 yen. If you want a lighter meal then order the B Lunch (¥850), which just consists of the tonkatsu, fried shrimp and rice. The pork cutlet can be ordered a la carte for only ¥600. The tenderness and flavor come from pork, lightly breaded and fried, then paired with sauce and rice in classic taishū shokudō style.

Secret Menu Item: Ki-Soba for ¥200

Ki-soba (黄そば) is a old-school noodle dish that can best be described as a cross between ramen and udon. Instead of the standard ramen noodles, ki-soba contains yellow Chinese-style wheat noodles found in chuka soba. The difference is that ki-soba is made with a clear lightly seasoned kombu or bonito dashi broth instead of a rich pork or chicken broth. Its usually topped with simple ingredients such as green onions, kamaboko, nori and in some cases a small amount of meat. Ki-soba has been a staple of taishu shokudo since the end of the war, originally to cut costs, but over the years it has become a beloved nostalgic dish known for its gentle flavor.

If you’re in the mood for a meal, add the ki-soba to the A Lunch or B Lunch. I couldn’t eat all that food at once, so I paired it with the simpler tonkatsu set (¥600), which only comes with rice, and it was more than filling. Other popular menu items include beef katsu (¥700), hamburg steak (¥600), and minchi katsu, a breaded ground-meat cutlet (¥600).

Ashihara Michi no Eki 芦原 道の駅

Heading back in the direction of the station, you come across a picturesque fruit an vegetable stand called Ashihara Michi no Eki. In the age of big supermarkets, it’s nice to know that old neighborhood places like this one still exist. The shop is known for its excellent quality, the ripe bananas are said to make excellent fruit juice. Another regular patron suggested trying the baked sweet potatoes.

Ashihara Station Plaza 芦原ステーションプラザ

Near the south exit of the station you will find Ashihara Station Plaza, which is made up of a dozen businesses under the overpass. This shopping area was constructed in 1966 when they built the station, but several of the shops have been shuttered, giving the area a bit of a rough-around the edges feel. The completion of a high rise building containing luxury condominiums just steps away seems out of place.

Two weather-beaten rusty freestanding directory signs (集合看板 shūgō kanban) have spaces for a total of 24 shops on both sides of the tracks, but it seems like they haven’t been updated in quite some time and many several of the entries are blank. I imagine the signs lit up at night during the heyday of Ashihara Station Plaza.

Cafe Yanagi　カフェやなぎ

Google Map: 1 Chome-4-3 Naniwahigashi, Naniwa Ward, Osaka, 556-0025. Tel: 06-7181-3003. Open:11:30-19:00. Closed:Tue, Sun. Instagram: @yanagi.fun Website. Facebook.

This café is a fine example of how an old neighborhood shop can be reborn. Café Yanagi originally began life as a snack bar, and you can still spot the name “Snack Yanagi” on the aforementioned weathered directory sign outside. For 30 years, the original snack was a local fixture, until it closed following the owner’s passing. In 2019, a relative named Shizue made the decision to leave her job and revive the space, determined to keep the business alive. Having visited Ashiharabashi since childhood, she felt a deep personal attachment to the neighborhood and its history.

The interior of Cafe Yanagi was designed by the stage designer for Ishinha, one of Osaka’s leading theater companies, which disbanded in 2017. The space feels open rather than expansive, shaped by natural light and earthy textures. It’s the kind of place that invites you slow down and stay awhile. During my visit, I happened to run into Osaka.com writer Rodney Smith and his lovely family, which confirmed for me that this is also a family-friendly spot for those with small children.

Recommended Menu Items

I ordered the blend coffee and cake of the day, which was cheesecake. If you order a drink with dessert you can save 50 yen. Refills for hot coffee are ¥200. The Adult Coffee Jelly and French Toast (takes 20 minutes to prepare) are served with Mamemitsu bean syrup from Amami Oshima.

Cafe Yanagi uses flat noodles from Awaji Seimen, which is located on Awaji Island and has over 110 years of history. According to the menu: “Their fresh pasta is made using traditional hand-stretched methods, carefully kneading eggs and water to create a delightfully chewy, springy texture.” Options include Carbonara or Chicken and Tomato with Ragu Sauce served with house-made rusks.

Workshops and Events Upstairs at Cafe Yanagi

Shizue is actively involved in events that promote and strengthen Ashiharabashi. She is a member of the Ashiharabashi Hamidashi Market, held on the third Sunday of every month under the the station’s elevated tracks. Suzuki Nao, author of the book Osaka Loop Line: Get Off, Walk Around, and Drink (in Japanese) writes: “Hamidashi Market is a market specializing in craftmanship unique to the town’s history with the leather industry. It sells leather scraps and parts from local factories and hosts workshops where participants can reuse scraps to create original goods.” I decided to order Suzuki’s book after thumbing through it at the cafe.

The café also plays an important role in supporting local artists, musicians, and craftspeople. For information on upcoming events such as workshops, art exhibitions, concerts, and picture book readings for children, check Cafe Yanagi’s Instagram or Facebook page. While these events are held in Japanese, they offer a great opportunity to practice the language and connect with a close knit local community.

Kuishinbo 食いしん坊

Google Map: 1 Chome-5-8 Naniwahigashi, Naniwa Ward, Osaka, 556-0025. Tel: 06-6561-5062. Open: 11:00-21:00; Sun: 11:00-18:00. Closed:Mon

I had to check out this okonomiyaki shop in Ashihara Station Plaza the moment I spotted it. Kuishinbo means “a person who loves to eat,” and Osaka is famously known as the city of kui-daore, where people are said to happily ruin themselves for good food. I wasn’t planning to order a full serving of okonomiyaki, but places like this usually offer a wide-ranging menu with plenty of other options to choose from.

Kuishinbo has no social media presence and very few reviews online, which gave me that familiar thrill of discovery. My ego quickly convinced me that I must be the first foreigner to set foot in this local establishment in years, perhaps even the very first. That illusion didn’t last long, though, as the owner immediately told me she had served a large group of Europeans the day before. The era of gatekeeping so called “hidden gems” (cliche) is long over, and places like this are meant to be enjoyed by everyone.

Recommended Menu Items

• くいしん坊焼 — House-style okonomiyaki … ¥1,600
• ミックス焼 — Mixed okonomiyaki … ¥1,200
• モチチーズ焼 — Mochi & cheese okonomiyaki … ¥1,200
• 広島焼き—Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki…¥1,200
• モダン焼 — Modern-yaki (okonomiyaki with noodles) … ¥1,200
• ミックスモダン — Mixed modern-yaki … ¥1,100
• カキモダン焼 — Oyster modern-yaki … ¥1,200
• ねぎ焼き—Green onion pancake…¥900
• エビ玉—shrimp okonomiyaki…¥950
• 豚玉(pork) /牛玉 (beef) / イカ玉 (squid) okonomiyaki…¥900 each

Horumon Yaki Udon

I decided on the horumon yaki-udon (¥1,200). Most readers are probably familiar with yakisoba, which is made with buckwheat noodles, but I prefer the thicker udon noodles when ordering them fried with meat. hormon yaki-udon is said to have originated the mountainous region stretching from Hyogo Prefecture to Okayama Prefecture. It is considered local specialty in both Sayo Town in the former and Tsuyama City in the latter.

In Osaka, horumon yaki-udon is typically cooked on a teppan using well-rendered beef offal, with a simple soy-based seasoning (rather than miso) that lets the horumon fat coat the noodles. I had a birdseye view of the teppan and enjoyed watching the owner prepare my meal. She started off grilling the offal and then placed cabbage, moyashi sprouts and the noodles on top before adding the udon noodles and sauce. It’s a simple no-frills dish that has a rich hearty taste that I love. You can’t beat Osaka soul food at a place like this.

Karaoke Time at Kuishinbo

Most restaurants don’t include a set up for karaoke on the premises, but Kuishinbo is a place where neighborhood residents, many of them older, can spend an afternoon singing their favorite songs while enjoying a meal and a few drinks. The only other customer inside at the time was a woman who seemed to be a good friend of the owner. She delighted me with a wonderful edition of “Showa Izakaya”, a 2020 single by the late singer Yashiro Aki, who passed away in 2023. Enka singer Itsuki Hiroshi, 77, released a fantastic cover of this song last year. I felt like the only audience member at a private performance. The song was appropriate for the setting, given the Showa feel.

After the song was finished, I was offered the microphone. I performed by go-to version of Take Me Home, Country Roads, which went over well thanks to the bottle of beer that I ordered. Then I attempted to sing a song in Japanese, “Omoide,” the theme song of my favorite Japanese drama, “Shinya Shokudo” (Midnight Dinner) by Suzuki Tsunekichi. Let’s just say that I need more practice on that one.

Izakaya Daruma 居酒屋だるま

Google Map: 1 Chome-4-17 Naniwahigashi, Naniwa Ward, Osaka, 556-0025. Tel: 06-6568-2515. Open: Tue-Thur 11:30-14:00; 17:00-23:00. Fri-Sat: 17:00-23:00. Sun: 15:00-23:00. Closed: Mon. Instagram: @daruma_ashiharabashi.

Izakaya Daruma, no relation to the famous kushikatsu chain, was recommended to me by the owner of Kuishinbo. It is the only other restaurant still open on this side of the tracks. It’s impractical to provide an English menu for this restaurant because the menu changes daily, but it’s easy to order since most of the items are laid out obanzai style on the counter.

A Neighborhood Bar

From the moment I stepped inside, it was clear that most of the patrons were neighborhood regulars, each greeted by name, like Norm walking into the bar on Cheers. I don’t know whether the owner has a background in photography, but his Instagram is filled with compelling portraits of regulars of all ages, all shot from his vantage point behind the counter and worthy of an exhibit. Speaking of the regulars, this is one of the best places to listen to rapid fire banter in the Osaka-ben dialect if you are interested in the Japanese language.

Since I wasn’t very hungry, I only ordered two dishes, subuta, a Japanese version of sweet and sour pork, and ageshumai, deep fried shumai. They paired very well with a bottle of Asahi Super Dry. Although this was a short visit, I felt like I learned a little more about the character of the neighborhood from sitting at the counter with the other customers.

Chuka Soba Fujii 中華そばふじい

Google Map: 3 Chome-9-19 Shiokusa, Naniwa Ward, Osaka, 556-0024. Tel: 06-6568-9455. Open: Sun-Wed: 11:00-24:00; Fri-Sat: 11:00-25:00. Closed Thur. Instagram: @ramenfujii Website: https://www.ra-men.co/

Chūka Soba Fujii is a popular local Chinese restaurant that opened in Ashiharabashi in 2011. It has since expanded with additional branches in Namba and Nodahanshin, and Tokyo’s Shin-Nakano. Apparently, a lot well known comedians promote this restaurant on social media, so it’s not unusual to find a line outside. Fortunately, I was able to grab a seat at the counter right away, one of the small advantages of dining alone. My server switched effortlessly between Japanese with customers and Chinese with the kitchen, even taking phone orders in between. It was so much better than having to use my smartphone to order, which is becoming the norm these days.

Recommended Menu Items

Chuka Soba

Their signature dish is, unsurprisingly, chuka soba. While I enjoy a bowl of ramen from time to time, I wouldn’t call myself a connoisseur, and for years I was never entirely clear on the distinction between ramen and chuka soba. Put simply, chuka soba refers to a nostalgic, soy sauce based soup, whereas ramen is a broader category that includes both traditional and modern styles. Another popular option here is kashiwa soba, which is made with a chicken based broth.

I decided to go with the chuka soba. The noodles are slightly thin and cooked on the firm side. After placing my order, I realized I could choose the noodle firmness, the amount of soup, either light or regular, and the amount of back fat. It pays to know these terms in Japanese, though I am still a ramen novice.What arrived was an impressive bowl with a generous amount of chashu pork. Since I had ordered two other dishes, I appreciated the lighter soy sauce based soup, which left me satisfied rather than bloated.

Gyoza

The gyoza served here are hanetsuki gyoza (羽根つき餃子), cooked with a flour and water slurry that crisps into thin, lacy “wings” connecting each dumpling. The result is a contrast of textures, with tender bottoms and juicy fillings beneath the crunch. In all my time in Osaka, I can’t recall ever being disappointed by gyoza at a restaurant like this. It’s one dish that simply can’t afford to be mediocre without driving customers away. After all, nobody wants soggy gyoza like the kind you might find in a cheap discount supermarket bento.

Fried Rice (Chahan)

The fried rice has a rich soy sauce flavor and is well seasoned, and goes well with the ramen broth. A quick look at the menu afterward revealed that I could have saved 200 yen by ordering the Showa Set, which includes all three items I chose for ¥1,650. An even better value is the Saihan Set A, priced at just ¥1,000, which comes with chuka soba, a half portion of fried rice, and two pieces of karaage.

Yakiniku Gen: All-You-Can-Eat Buffet 焼肉三昧 玄

Google Map: 3 Chome-9-19 Shiokusa, Naniwa Ward, Osaka, 556-0024. Tel: 06-6567-4140. Open: 11:30-23:00. Closed: Tues

This all-you can eat yakiniku restaurant located next to Chuka Soba Fujii was covered in a previous article about NYC novelist Arthur Nersesian, which you can read here. As mentioned in the article, the 70-minute buffet includes a variety of meats including beef belly (bara), beef tongue (gyutan), offal (horumon), Korean grilled short ribs (galbi/kalbi, chicken thighs (momo). You also get unlimited servings of rice, miso soup, kimchi, salad, moyashi sprouts, and curry. Plus sliced oranges and shiratama zenzai (red bean soup with mochi) for dessert. All for only ¥1,400, which is currently $8.93. The price is ¥900 for elementary school students ¥500 for pre-school age children. Please note they only accept parties of two or more and everyone must order one drink. Still a great deal for under ¥2,000.

Yakiniku Gen remains a special place for me because my search for a cheap all-you-can-eat buffet is what brought me to Ashiharabashi in the first place. After that first visit, I started exploring more of the neighborhood. Only very recently did I stumble upon another nearby restaurant that will appeal to meat lovers on a whole new level: Happy Buffalo. Read on!

Happy Buffalo ハッピーバファロー

Google Map: 3 Chome-3-16 Shiokusa, Naniwa Ward, Osaka, 556-0024. Tel: 06-6561-5587. Open: 11:30-14:30; 17:30-21:00. Closed: Tue. Twitter English menu can be found here.

Happy Buffalo is a teppanyaki steak restaurant that serves large portions of beef at very reasonable prices (¥1,000-¥2000). What I really like about this restaurant is that it is run by a butcher, and if you sit at the counter you can see him knives in hand slicing the meat for your order. The restaurant was named Happy Buffaloes because the owners are massive fans of the Orix Buffaloes, a professional baseball team. Although it is tucked away on a sleepy street, the restaurant attracts a lot of foreign diners through word of mouth. Ordering in English is not a problem, and the menu’s a nicely illustrated with photos What you see is what you get.

Extra Large Steak Bowl (Kaimino Cut) 特盛ステーキ丼 (カイミノ）

Given the choice of the Large Steak Bowl (大盛ステーキ丼) for ¥1,000 or the Extra Large (特盛ステーキ丼) for ¥1450, I decided to go with the latter because it contains 1.5 times the amount of meat. a specific cut of beef taken from the flank area near the rib and tenderloin. Kainomi is closer in texture to tenderloin in texture, with more fat. It contains sliced steak over rice, topped with chili oil, fried onions, green onions and a couple of large french fries, and comes with a small bowl of Awaji Island onion soup. An incredible deal for only USD $9.26. This delicous meal was beyond my expectations. If you are really hungry you can order the steak bowl with a larger portion of rice for only ¥100 extra. A refill of the Awaji Island soup is only ¥40.

Harami Steak Set ハラミステーキセット

The Harami Steak Set is the most popular item at Happy Buffalo. Harami (skirt steak) is ideal for teppanyaki cooking because it has an intense beefy flavor paired with a fine grain and just enough fat to stay juicy without feeling heavy. It absorbs seasoning well and becomes tender when cooked over high heat. You can select 120 grams (¥1000), 200 grams (¥1,400), 300 grams (¥2,000), or 400 grams (¥2,000). During dinner hours you can upgrade to onion gratin soup and a choice of regular or garlic-flavored rice for an additional ¥800.

Kyuhachi Takoyaki 久八

Google Map: 1 Chome-1-6 Naniwanishi, Naniwa Ward, Osaka, 556-0026. Tel: 06-6562-1416. Open: 12:00-20:00. Closed: Tue

The sign above the red awning of this small takoyaki shop features an illustrated superhero with a takoyaki head, clearly inspired by Anpanman, the beloved anime character for young children. The text reads みんな 今日も元気でね (Minna kyō mo genki de ne), which roughly translates to “Everyone, be well today.”

Takoyaki here is very affordably priced: six for ¥300, ten for ¥500, fifteen for ¥700, and twenty for just ¥900. Takosen costs ¥150. It’s the kind of place where schoolchildren can stop by after class, coins in their pockets, and grab an inexpensive snack from the takeout window.

Eat in or Take Out

Ikayaki is also available for ¥250 or ¥200 without the egg. Cans of softdrinks and beer are also offered. Standing out in the cold, a printed notice catches my eye: “Ten’nai nite yukkuri inshoku dekimasu (店内にてゆっくり飲食出来きます). This translates as “You are welcome to sit inside and eat and drink comfortably.” I order 10 takoyaki topped with mayonnaise, sauce and green onions. Other flavor options are salt, ponzu, and soy sauce.

Kyuhachi isn’t aimed at gourmands, and the takoyaki here isn’t going to be awarded any stars for innovation. The texture is soft and slightly runny inside, a style many people prefer because it recalls the cheaper, hastily prepared takoyaki they enjoyed as children. Being from New York, I understand this mentality when it comes to pizza, where the best tasting slice is often the one that reminds you of childhood.

Standing Bar Take 立ち飲み岳

Google Map: Big West Bld., 3 Chome-10 Shiokusa, Naniwa Ward, Osaka, 556-0024. Open: 17:00-21:30. Closed: Sat, Sun

This standing bar which comfortably fits around 12 to 15 people around the u-shaped counter has been in business for three and a half years. It was originally an old sunakku bar that was in the neighborhood for many years. My friends and I found it by chance on a Saturday when our destination, Watabe Saketen, was closed. We were there for only a short time, and didn’t order much food, but we all agreed it had a great vibe. A few months, later I went to the bar myself and had a great conversation with the owner and a couple of regulars. Sometimes it takes more than one visit to fully understand the appeal of a place like this, which never seems to be crowded.

Recommended Menu Items

There are about 25 menu items, handwritten on a whiteboard hanging on the wall. The owner told me he doesn’t get foreign customers at all, but that everyone is welcome. I’ve translated several dishes that I think people will enjoy, though these days many diners seem to relish the challenge of walking into a place without an English menu and deciphering the offerings with their phones.

My initial impression of this standing bar was that it was simply a place for inexpensive drinks in the ¥300–¥500 range, including large bottles (大瓶) of Sapporo, Kirin, or Asahi for just ¥550. On my second visit, though, I was struck by the quality of the food: small, thoughtfully prepared dishes that packed a lot of flavor, including one original creation that completely floored me.

Gyu Tataki (¥450) 牛タタキ

Gyu Tataki is thinly sliced beef that is quickly seered on the outside and left rare inside. It’s topped with fried onions and dipped in pozu sauce. The flavor and texture similar to roast beef, and I’ve always wondered how it would taste in between two slices of rye bread.

Kimchi Karaage (¥450) キムチ唐揚げ

I’ve never seen kimchi karaage on a menu anywhere, not even in Koreatown, so I had to ask the owner if it was an original creation. He told me that he’d come up with it only a month ago. He was even kind enough to share the recipe: add katakuriko (potato starch) to kimchi, then fry in oil on high heat for 10-15 seconds. I could not believe that such a simple method could produce such glorious results.

Kasu-jiru (¥400) 粕汁

Blown away by the last dish, I asked the owner to do an omakase on the next two dishes. The first dish he suggested was kasu-jiru, a winer soup with a sake kasu, daikon, carrot, onion, and pork. Sake-kasu is the pressed lees from the production of sake that is used in cooking. I don’t like to mix sake and beer so I asked the owner about the alcohol content and he assured me it was very low.

Omelet with Shirasu ¥450 しらす玉子焼

The last dish of the evening was another of the owner’s suggestions: omelet with shirasu, which is translated as “whitebait” in English. They are tiny immature fish, usually sardines or anchovies. This omelete also contained a generous portion of green onions.

Ashiharabashi after Dark

Once the sun goes down, Ashiharabashi takes on a completely different character. At night, the area beneath the tracks is sparsely lit by the few shops that remain open, while the glow from the platform overhead washes the street in a soft, cinematic light. With so few pedestrians, the whole scene feels unusually calm and almost serene. While areas of Osaka like Dotonbori are undeniably magnificent at night, I have grown to appreciate the quieter atmosphere of neighborhoods centered around elevated stations, where the silence is briefly broken by trains passing through overhead.

Taiko Masa

On my way to the station I pass Taiko Masa (太鼓正), a local company established in 1931 that handcrafts, repairs and sells Japanese drums (Wadaiko) and other traditional instruments. The shutter was already halfway down but the building looked much different lit up at night than when I walked past it during the day. For more information in English click on their website here.

Human Rights and Taiko Road 人権・太鼓ロード

I came across a bench shaped like taiko drums at a bus stop near the station. Curious about their origin, I decided to investigate further. Here’s what I found out: The route between Ashiharabashi Station and the former site of Liberty Osaka is lined with taiko-inspired monuments and signage. Known as the “Human Rights and Taiko Road,” it was established in 2004 as a way to highlight the history and culture of Osaka’s Naniwa district. Taiko imagery can be found in unexpected places as well, including bus stops, telephone boxes, and parks. Source: osaka.doukiren.jp