Osaka Food Origins: A Merchant Out of Time

Osaka, present day. You were a merchant of the Edo period, sailing to Dotonbori to trade in the finest goods Japan could offer. A storm at sea hurled you 300 years into the future. The canal still shimmers. The smell of takoyaki and grilled offal still drifts through the alleys. But the signs are burning with electric light, and nobody recognizes your clothes. The city they once called the Kitchen of the Nation has kept its promise, and then some. This walking quest through Osaka's iconic food district traces the real history of Japan's most celebrated cuisine, from the origins of street food to ancient market traditions, through the temples and theatres that shaped the city's soul.

- Discover how Dotonbori became Japan's most famous food district, from its 17th-century origins to the neon-lit present - Taste the real histories behind iconic Osaka dishes: takoyaki, horumon, and the seafood of Kuromon Ichiba - Explore a temple founded in 1637, a puppet theatre tradition born in the same century, and a comedy institution that has made Osaka laugh for over a century - Uncover the mythological guardians woven into the city's architecture, and meet the giant lion that watches over it all

Start: Ebisu Bridge. Finish: Namba Yasaka Shrine. 10 challenges included.