We ate a lot of interesting foods in Osaka Japan, but the most interesting were the delicious crazy pancakes at Kogasin on Tenjinbashi Shopping Street. Watch our video to see what they’re all about.
As we walked down the seemingly endless Tenjinbashi Shopping Street in Osaka, our anticipation grew as we approached Kogasin. We had heard about their crazy pancakes that combine two Japanese classics, the okonomiyaki and the taiyaki, to create the ultimate Osaka snack food – the okonomiyaki taiyaki. But really, how good could they taste?
As it turns out, the whimsical sandwiches lived up to their hype. Shaped like fish and stuffed with cabbage and meat, the okonomiyaki taiyaki are the ultimate finger food. We tasted three (for research purpose) and loved them all, though the winning flavor was bacon and egg, a literal and figurative flavor fantasy.
Leave it to the snack food geniuses of Osaka to reinvent the wheel or, in this case, the taiyaki.
Taiyaki stands in Osaka are ubiquitous and generally offer fish-shaped pancakes stuffed with two filling choices – red bean and sweet potato. Kogasin is a refreshing change of pace that is not only imaginative but also super tasty. We were in our happy place as we munched on “McFishles” while playful Japanese music pumped through the snack shop’s sound system.
If you’ve never visited Osaka, or Japan for that matter, shops like Kogasin will fill your heart with glee and satisfy your taste buds as only great Japanese food can. This type of Osaka street food is as iconic as sushi and ramen.
Sadly, Kogasin has permanently closed, Happily, Osaka has many other snack food shops to satisfy its hungry masses.
Kogasin was located at 1 Chome-18-13 Tenjinbashi, Kita Ward, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture 530-0041, Japan. It is now permanently closed.
Delicious Crazy Pancakes in Osaka Japan Video
Watch our YouTube video and see why eating okonomiyaki taiyaki at Kogasin caused us to dance in our chairs.
Hungry for More in Osaka?
Check out our Osaka Food Guide for the best things to eat in Osaka Japan.
About the Authors
Daryl & Mindi Hirsch
Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on the 2foodtrippers website and YouTube. The married Food and Travel content creators live in Lisbon, Portugal.
Original Publication Date: December 11, 2016
Kirsty
Tuesday 27th of December 2016
Oishi! Love your Osaka foodie adventure, and your 'ofishial' degustation menu :)
Daryl and Mindi Hirsch
Wednesday 28th of December 2016
It's official - we love Osaka food!
Anastasia
Thursday 22nd of December 2016
I was also fascinated by these pancakes when I saw them first time! I heard that they even manage to hide ice cream inside, but never tried it myself.
Daryl and Mindi Hirsch
Thursday 22nd of December 2016
You should try them!
Lara Dunning
Monday 12th of December 2016
If I make it to Osaka I am so trying these pancakes. They sound delicious!Interesting that they are called pancakes and not waffles, as I always associate waffles with being a shape and pancakes with being round and flat. What a great food adventure! Thanks for sharing!
Daryl and Mindi Hirsch
Tuesday 13th of December 2016
You must get to Osaka. You will love these crazy pancakes, also known as taiyaki, as well as the rest of the food.