Dotonbori is a bustling and shimmering tourist spot in Osaka, Japan. It is known for its billboards with dizzying neon and LED lights, restaurants and kiosks offering traditional and modern Japanese chows, and the mechanical or three-dimensional signs that announce these eating establishments.
My previous post is a virtual walk around Dotonbori. This post is all about those almost-hypnotizing installations that dominate the façades of the diners in Dotonbori. They not only encourage but force people to look up and take photos of these advertisements. The signs include smaller-than-life-sized dragons (based on depiction of dragons of Game of Thrones), normal-sized bulls, and giant crabs and octopuses.
While walking along Dotonbori, I had to stop several times to take photos of these traffic-inducing and neck-rotating fixtures. I am happy to say that I did not crash into anyone doing the same thing or walking towards me.
I am not sure if the hungry people line up outside a restaurant because of the food or because of the huge octopus that looks like King Kong’s pet that inhabits the outer wall of the place.
For related entries, please read Dotonbori (Osaka, Japan) and Food – Dotonbori (Osaka, Japan).
Here are some of the mechanical and 3D signs along Dotonbori street in Osaka, Japan:
Dotonbori’s Kukuru specializes in takoyaki. Takoyaki is batter filled with octopus and shaped like a ball. These hot balls are sprinkled with bonito flakes and topped with sauce that the customer likes. They are cooked in front of the customers while they move up the line. I saw how the cook makes takoyaki from scratch, and his hands easily manipulated the batter to make the perfect ball of happiness.
Zubora-ya has a giant blowfish lantern suspended outside its premises. Zubora-ya offers all edible parts of the fish.
Genroku Zushi Dotonbori Store has a giant hand holding a giant tuna sushi as its signboard. Genroku Zushi is the first restaurant to introduce sushi doing its round in conveyor belt.
Showa Taishu Horumon Dotonburi Store has a suspended cow and 3D representation of diners enjoying the wagyu beef the cow produced.
Kushikatsu Daruma sells deep fried kebabs, meat and vegetables. This place has been serving golden food since 1929. It has only one rule – never double dip! Or the frowning man will do things to you.
How to get to Dotonbori:
It is around five minutes’ walk from Namba Station on the Nankai and Kintetsu Railways and Osaka Metro Midosuji, Sennichimae, and Yotsubashi Lines.