Osaka is the Japanese city most closely associated with the invention and popularization of takoyaki street food.
Takoyaki are round batter balls cooked in a special molded pan, usually with a piece of octopus at the center. They are commonly topped with takoyaki sauce, mayonnaise, green laver, and bonito flakes. The hot snack is served at festivals, markets, shopping streets, and dedicated restaurants.
Street vendor Tomekichi Endo is widely credited with creating takoyaki in Osaka in 1935. He adapted choboyaki, a small wheat-flour snack, and drew inspiration from akashiyaki, a soft octopus dumpling associated with nearby Akashi in Hyogo Prefecture.
Takoyaki is sometimes mistaken for a dish originating in Tokyo because it is now sold throughout Japan. Osaka’s connection is stronger: the city helped establish the snack’s identity and remains famous for its takoyaki vendors and food culture.