【Reading】おおさか

【English Name】Osaka

To understand Osaka's food culture, one should first look to its geographical and historical background. Located at the heart of the Kinki region, this commercial city, where water transport developed, gathered products from all over the country throughout the Edo period. The vast inflow of goods gave rise to the name "the nation's kitchen" (Tenka no Daidokoro), but that title goes beyond a mere distribution hub and also symbolizes the maturation of a culture that perfects taste.

The greatest mark Osaka left in the field of sushi lies in the creation of Osaka sushi (pressed sushi / box sushi). This technique of packing vinegared rice and ingredients into a wooden mold and shaping them stands in fine contrast to the Edo-style manner of forming by hand. The custom of biting whole into a thick roll facing the lucky direction on the night of Setsubun also began in Osaka, and it has now taken hold as a nationwide event food under the name ehomaki.

Osaka's contribution to Japanese cuisine as a whole is also broad, with major culinary fields such as kaiseki, kappo, and hot-pot dishes having been refined in this land. Hamo (pike conger) and fugu (pufferfish) are representative ingredients of Osaka, and about 60% of domestic fugu consumption is concentrated in this metropolitan area. In addition to the rich marine resources brought by the Seto Inland Sea, the merchant culture nurtured a voracious appetite for food, resulting in the formation of a multilayered tradition of taste. Osaka, where the spirit of "kuidaore" (eating oneself into ruin) permeates every corner of the city, is a city that still strongly attracts people who love food.