What I Ate Around Abeno Harukas in Osaka, Japan

What I Ate Around Abeno Harukas in Osaka, Japan

       As I mentioned in my previous entry, my husband and I visited Osaka in December 2019. After we enjoyed seeing Osaka skyscape from Abeno Harukas (あべのハルカス), the Japan's tallest building, we decided to have some foods around Abeno area. Because we used to live in Osaka for years, and my former workplace was located in Abeno-ku, I really know this place. When we lived in Osaka, we sometimes went to this area and enjoyed shopping and dinning.

       Today, I'm going to share what I ate near Abeno Harukas with you.

Abeno Hoop (あべのフープ)

Abeno Takoyaki Yamachan (あべのたこ焼き やまちゃん)

Takoyaki Store

Abeno Takoyaki Yamachan Main Store (あべのたこ焼き やまちゃん本店)

Abeno Takoyaki Yamachan Main Store (あべのたこ焼き やまちゃん本店)

1-2-34 Abenosuji

Abeno-ku, Osaka City

Osaka Prefecture, Japan

 

Open : 11 a.m. Through 11 p.m.

3rd Thursdays and January 1st are closed.

     Abeno Takoyaki Yamachan (あべのたこ焼き やまちゃん) is one of the most famous and popular takoyaki stores in Abeno-ku, Osaka.  When I lived in Osaka, we really loved their takoyaki. That's why we decided to have Yamachan takoyaki. There were two Abeno Takoyaki Yamachan branches in Abeno-ku. The photo above was the main store of Abeno Takoyaki Yamachan. Their main store doesn't have tables, so some people were standing and eating takoyaki around this store. We wanted to sit and eat takoyaki, so we decided to go to the other branch, Abeno Takoyaki Yamachan 2nd Store (あべのたこ焼き やまちゃん２号店).  It takes only one minute by walk from the main store to the 2nd store.  

Abeno Takoyaki Yamachan 2nd Store (あべのたこ焼き やまちゃん２号店)

Abeno Takoyaki Yamachan 2nd Store (あべのたこ焼き やまちゃん２号店)

2-3-53 Matsuzaki-cho

Abeno-ku, Osaka City

Osaka Prefecture, Japan 

Open : 

12 p.m. Through 11 p.m. on Weekdays

11 a.m. Through 11 p.m. on Saturdays

11 a.m. Through 10 p.m. on Sundays and Holidays

January 1st is closed. 

Abeno Takoyaki Yamachan 2nd Store (あべのたこ焼き やまちゃん２号店)

Abeno Takoyaki Yamachan 2nd Store (あべのたこ焼き やまちゃん２号店)

    We ordered 6-piece takoyaki for 520 yen. You can choose sauce and topping from their menu. We chose Young (ヤング), which are takoyaki sauce + mayonnaise.

Best (ベスト) : without sauce and topping

Young (ヤング) : takoyaki sauce + mayonnaise

Regular (レギュラー) : takoyaki sauce + aonori (seaweed flakes)

Karakuchi (辛口) : takoyaki soysace + Mayonnaise

Gomaabura Shio (ごま油塩) : sesame oil + salt

Karashi Maynnaise Nomi (からしマヨネーズのみ) : spicy mayonnaise only

Kansaifu Shoyu to Mayonnaise (関西風しょうゆとマヨネーズ) : Kansai soysauce + mayonnaise

Kansaifu Shoyu to Aonori (関西風しょうゆと青のり) : Kansai soysauce + aonori (seaweed flakes)

Assari Shio Ponz to Mayonnaise (あっさり塩ポンズとマヨネーズ) : ponzu soysauce + mayonnaise

Assari Shio Ponzu to Aonori (あっさり塩ポンズと青のり) : ponzu soysauce + aonori (seaweed flakes)

Yuzu Sauce to Mayonnaise (ゆずソースとマヨネーズ) : yuzu citrus sauce + mayonnaise

Yuzu Sauce to Aonori (ゆずソースと青のり) : yuzu citrus sauce + aonori (seaweed flakes)

Umezu Sauce to Mayonnaise (梅酢ソースとマヨネーズ) : Ume liquid + mayonnaise

6-Piece Takoyaki with Young (Takoyaki Sauce + Mayonnaise ) at Abeno Takoyaki Yamachan 2nd Store

     Their takoyaki tasted so good! These were crispy on the outside and melty inside. If you are planning visiting Abeno Harukas, I recommend you to try these takoyaki at Abeno Takoyaki Yamachan. It takes a few minutes by walk from Abeno Harukas to Abeno Takoyaki Yamachan.

Manneken Belgian Waffle (マネケン ベルギーワッフル)

Belgian Waffle Store

Manneken Belgian Waffle - Kintetsu Abenobashi Branch (マネケン ベルギーワッフル - 近鉄阿部野橋店)

Manneken Belgian Waffle - Kintetsu Abenobashi Branch (マネケン ベルギーワッフル - 近鉄阿部野橋店)

1-1-43 Abenosuji 

Abeno-ku, Osaka City

Osaka Prefecture, Japan

Open : 10 a.m. Through 9 p.m.

        When I lived in Osaka, I also loved Belgian waffles from Manneken, which started selling the Japan's first Belgian waffles in Osaka Umeda in 1986. There are many branches of Manneken Belgian Waffle, and many branches are located inside of train stations and depachika (デパ地下), which is delicatessen on underground floors of departmentstores. (Depachika have the finest foods from many famous restaurants, confectioneries and etc.)

Manneken Belgian Waffle - Kintetsu Abenobashi Branch (マネケン ベルギーワッフル - 近鉄阿部野橋店)

     There are many types of Belgian Waffles you can choose from. I chose Plain (プレーン) Waffle, which is rich in honey and butter taste, for 130 yen.

Plain Waffle from Manneken Belgian Waffle

      I enjoyed their freshly made waffle! It's nicely sweet and good. It was crispy on the outside and soft inside.  If you are Belgian or are from Belgium, I want you to try Manneken Belgian Waffle, and please tell me how different taste is between authentic Belgian waffle in Belgium and Manneken Belgian Waffle in Osaka.

     If you are planning on visiting Abeno Harukas, I recommend you to try Manneken Belgian Waffle. It takes a few minutes by walk from Abeno Harukas to Manneken Belgium Waffle.  

       Then, we walked around Tenjinbashisuji Shotengai, the longest shopping street in Japan. I'll write about it next time.

       These are my entries you might like.  

♥Abeno Harukas in Osaka - The Tallest Building in Japan

♥ The Mint Museum in Osaka - You Can Touch the Huge Bars of Real Gold and Silver with Your Hand!

 

♥What I Ate at Snack Park - Hanshin Umeda Department Store in Osaka, Japan

♥Hotel Room Tour and Review - Conrad Osaka - Osaka, Japan

♥16 Best Japanese Beauty Products I Purchased in Japan - Drugstore, Discount Store, Daiso and Amazon Japan

♥Japanese Snack and Candy Haul - What I Purchased in Japan

♥Japanese Grocery Haul - What I Purchased at Supermarket, Department Stores and Kitano Ace in Japan

♥10 Products I Purchased at Costco in Japan

♥Japanese Bread Haul - Shokupan, Melonpan, Anpan and More

♥7 Products I Purchased at Muji Store in Japan - Muji Haul
 
♥ Starbucks Japan Geography Series City Tumbler - Osaka   

♥ Top 3 My Favorite Delicious Souvenirs from Osaka

♥Top 5 Breakfast Restaurants around Tenjinbashi in Osaka, Japan

♥ The Best Places to Eat in Tenjinbashi in Osaka   

♥ Must Go to Places in Namba - Our Traveling in Osaka, Japan

♥10 Best Japanese Beauty Products on Amazon Japan, You Can Also Purchase Them at Drugstores in Japan



     My entries related to Osaka can be seen here.

     My entries related to Best Japanese Beauty Products can be seen here.
 
     My entries related to Japan can be seen here.

     My entries related to beauty can be seen here.

     My entries related to Japan Haul can be seen here.

     You can find my beauty entries by categories from here.

 

Abeno Harukas in Osaka - The Tallest Building in Japan

Abeno Harukas (あべのハルカス)

     As I mentioned in my previous entry, my husband and I visited Osaka in December, 2019. This time, we went to Abeno Harukas (あべのハルカス), which is located in Abeno-ku (阿倍野区), for our first time. Abeno Harukas is a 300 meter tall skyscraper, and it is the tallest building in Japan.

     Actually, we used to live in Osaka for years, and we often went to Abeno-ku, Abeno ward, for shopping and dining at Tennoji Mio (天王寺ミオ), Abeno Hoop (あべの フープ), and Kintetsu department store (近鉄百貨店). You can check out my previous entry, Must Go to Place in Japan - Tennouji Mio. Moreover, I used to work for a university hospital located in Abeno-ku before I worked in Kita-ku, so I really know this place. When I heard that Abeno Harukas (あべのハルカス) opened in 2014, I thought that I really should visit there some day. My dream of visiting Abeno Harukas finally came true. 😊

Abeno Harukas (あべのハルカス)

1 Chome-1-43 Abenosuji

Abeno Ward, Osaka

Japan

 

Open : 9 a.m. through 10 p.m. (Last Entry at 9:30 p.m.)

Admission Fee : 

   1,500 yen (Ages 18+) 

   1,200 yen (Ages 12-17)

   700 yen (Ages 6-11)

    500 yen (Ages 4-5)

   Free (Ages 3 and under)

60th Floor (Observatory)

Abeno Harukas (あべのハルカス)

     On the 60th floor, there was the huge observatory which offers breathtaking 360-degree views of Osaka.

Glass Flooring

      You can stand on the glass flooring. It was a bit scary though.

Glass Flooring

     Osaka has many high-rise buildings, which are hotel, hospital, office buildings and etc. Moreover, some of them are high-rise condominiums, which are called tower mansion (タワーマンション) in Japanese. The tallest condominium in Japan is located in Osaka and is a 209.4-meter tall building with 54 floors.

 

JR train

     I used to commute by train in Osaka city every day.

Tanimachi-Suji

       You can find the Tennoji Park (天王寺公園), Tennoji Zoo (天王寺動物園), Osaka City Art Museum (大阪市立美術館) next to the Tanimachi Suji (谷町筋), one of the main streets in Osaka.

Shitennoji

     You can see the five-storied pagoda, goju-no-to (五重塔). This Buddhist temple is Shitennoji (四天王寺). 

Cemetery in Osaka City

       You can see the huge cemetery, Osaka Shisetsu Minami Reien (大阪市設 南霊園).

Osaka City University Abeno Campus and Hospital

58th Floor (Open Space/Restaurant)

58th Floor

     On the 58th floor, there is a open space to get fresh air. There is a restaurant, Sky Garden 300, to enjoy foods and drinks.

58th Floor

Public Bathroom (59th Floor and 58th Floor)

      Oddly enough, I was amazed at the public bathroom of Abeno Harukas. Because of the floor-to-ceiling windows, it's so bright and beautiful. 　

     This was the most beautiful and interesting public bathroom I've ever seen! If you visit Abeno Harukas, you should also see their public bathroom.

Abeno Harukas

         I really enjoyed seeing Osaka from the Japan's tallest building, Abeno Harukas. If you are planning on traveling Osaka, you really should visit Abeno Harukas. 😊

        Next time, I will write about what I ate around Abeno Harukas.

       These are my entries you might like.  

♥ The Mint Museum in Osaka - You Can Touch the Huge Bars of Real Gold and Silver with Your Hand!

 

♥What I Ate at Snack Park - Hanshin Umeda Department Store in Osaka, Japan

♥Hotel Room Tour and Review - Conrad Osaka - Osaka, Japan

♥16 Best Japanese Beauty Products I Purchased in Japan - Drugstore, Discount Store, Daiso and Amazon Japan

♥Japanese Snack and Candy Haul - What I Purchased in Japan

♥Japanese Grocery Haul - What I Purchased at Supermarket, Department Stores and Kitano Ace in Japan

♥10 Products I Purchased at Costco in Japan

♥Japanese Bread Haul - Shokupan, Melonpan, Anpan and More

♥7 Products I Purchased at Muji Store in Japan - Muji Haul
 
♥ Starbucks Japan Geography Series City Tumbler - Osaka   

♥ Top 3 My Favorite Delicious Souvenirs from Osaka

♥Top 5 Breakfast Restaurants around Tenjinbashi in Osaka, Japan

♥ The Best Places to Eat in Tenjinbashi in Osaka   

♥ Must Go to Places in Namba - Our Traveling in Osaka, Japan

♥10 Best Japanese Beauty Products on Amazon Japan, You Can Also Purchase Them at Drugstores in Japan



     My entries related to Osaka can be seen here.

     My entries related to Best Japanese Beauty Products can be seen here.
 
     My entries related to Japan can be seen here.

     My entries related to beauty can be seen here.

     My entries related to Japan Haul can be seen here.

     You can find my beauty entries by categories from here.

 

The Mint Museum in Osaka - You Can Touch the Huge Bars of Real Gold and Silver with Your Hand!

Japan Mint in Osaka (大阪 造幣局)

        As I mentioned in my previous entry, my husband and I visited Osaka in December, 2019. This time, we decided to go to Mint Museum (造幣博物館) in Osaka. Even though we used to live in Osaka for years, this was our first time to visit there. Japan Mint, Osaka Zouheikyoku (大阪 造幣局), is the place where Japanese coins has been officially made at since 1871. I was surprised that you can visit the Mint Museum and the Mint Tour, the coin factory tour (工場見学), for free. Yes, it's FREE! This time, we didn't visit for Mint Tour, but someday I would like to join the tour! (There is no parking space for visitors, so be sure to use taxi, or public transportation. We went to this place on foot from our hotel.)　

Mint Museum (造幣博物館)

The reservations are not required. However, if you want to visit there with a group of 10 or more people, you must make a reservation for it.

Admission Fee : Free

Hour : 9 a.m through 4:45 p.m. (last entry at 4 p.m.)

 

Mint Tour, Coin Factory Tour (工場見学)

The reservations are required.

Admission Fee : Free

Open : Monday through Friday

Tour Hour (90 minutes) : 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 1:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m.

Minimum and Maximum People : 1 to 100 people for each tour.

 

      Due to coronavirus, the operations may have been changed. If you want to visit the Japan Mint, I recommend you to visit after the cornavirus subsides. You should always check their official site for the latest information before visiting there. 

The Mint Museum in Osaka (大阪 造幣博物館)

      The Mint Museum is very poplar place to see cherry blossoms. It's called Sakura no Torinuke (桜の通り抜け). If you visit there in cherry blossom season, you will be amazed at how beautiful this place is. 

The Mint Museum

1 Chome-1-79 Tenma,

Kita Ward, Osaka, 530-0043, 

Japan

The Mint Museum in Osaka (大阪 造幣博物館)

 

 

 

 

  

    When we visited the Mint Museum, there were only few people who looked like young men. I guessed that they were probably avid coin lovers. 😁

 

You Can Touch the Huge Bars of Real Gold and Silver with Your Hand! 

We were able to touch real gold and silver with our hands!

     At this museum, you can touch real huge gold and silver with your hand! At that time, the value of the gold we touched with our hands was 83,240,000 yen, which was equivalent to $792,000, and the silver was 2,070,000 yen, which was equivalent to $19,710! The gold price has been increasing since we visited there, so now its value is $940,634. 😵

 

 

     

 

 You Can See the Real Oban (大判) and Koban (小判)!

Koban (小判)

       At the museum, I was very interested in the real oban (大判) and koban (小判), which are old gold coin plates. The first oban was made in 1588, and the first koban was made in 1601. I've seen oban and koban in old Japanese folk stories such as Hanasaka Jiisan (はなさかじいさん) and old sumrai drama series such as Toyama no Kin San (遠山の金さん), but it was my first time to see the real ones! "The oban and koban really existed!" 😲   

Oban (大判)

        People in those old eras had already known that gold was so valuable. I watched Japanese TV show which said that the present value of one plate of the rarest oban is estimated over 100,000,000 yen, which is equivalent to a million dollars.

How People in Old Era Made Oban and Koban

     I was also interested in how people in old era made oban and koban.

How People in Old Era Made Oban and Koban

How People in Old Era Made Oban and Koban

I drew this mouse carrying a koban.

       A few week before visiting the Mint Museum, I drew this mouse carrying a koban for negajo for my readers. I couldn't believe that I could see the real koban in Japan!
 

The Mint Museum Booklet

      We were also able to see more of old Japanese coins and very rare coins at this museum. Actually, some of them were same vintage coins his late grandmother had given to him when he had been a young boy. In my previous entry, I wrote that we would sell them in the U.S. Indeed, we sold most of his Japanese vintage coins and bills on eBay. We are not coin collectors but really enjoyed this Mint Museum because of his grandmother!    

Mint Shop, the Souvenir Store at the Japan Mint

Souvenir Medal (造幣局本局 見学記念メダル)

      There was Mint Shop, the souvenir store at the Japan Mint. It's located next to the main gate of Japan Mint. There were very knowledgeable staffs who telling me the value of each coin and how they made those. This souvenir store was selling gold coins, silver coins, very limited coins and so on. 

Souvenir Medal (造幣局本局 見学記念メダル)

Mint Shop (ミントショップ)

Hour : 9:00 a.m. through 4:30 p.m.

Souvenir Medal (造幣局本局 見学記念メダル)

       At the Mint Shop, I purchased this souvenir medal for 500 yen.

Souvenir Medal (造幣局本局 見学記念メダル)

 

     Actually, before going to the Mint Museum, I hadn't expected that this place was so enjoyable. I really enjoyed and was satisfied with this museum. I still couldn't believe that it was free. The Japan Mint is a well known place for seeing beautiful cherry blossoms in spring. However, I thought that Mint Museum is one of must go to places in Osaka in all seasons. If you are interested in Japanese coins, I recommend you to visit Mint Museum.

 

     Next time, I will write about Abeno Harukas (あべのハルカス), which is one of the tallest skyscraper in Japan.

 
 

       These are my entries you might like. 
♥What I Ate at Snack Park - Hanshin Umeda Department Store in Osaka, Japan

♥Hotel Room Tour and Review - Conrad Osaka - Osaka, Japan

♥16 Best Japanese Beauty Products I Purchased in Japan - Drugstore, Discount Store, Daiso and Amazon Japan

♥Japanese Snack and Candy Haul - What I Purchased in Japan

♥Japanese Grocery Haul - What I Purchased at Supermarket, Department Stores and Kitano Ace in Japan

♥10 Products I Purchased at Costco in Japan

♥Japanese Bread Haul - Shokupan, Melonpan, Anpan and More

♥7 Products I Purchased at Muji Store in Japan - Muji Haul
 
♥ Starbucks Japan Geography Series City Tumbler - Osaka   

♥ Top 3 My Favorite Delicious Souvenirs from Osaka

♥Top 5 Breakfast Restaurants around Tenjinbashi in Osaka, Japan

♥ The Best Places to Eat in Tenjinbashi in Osaka   

♥ Must Go to Places in Namba - Our Traveling in Osaka, Japan

♥10 Best Japanese Beauty Products on Amazon Japan, You Can Also Purchase Them at Drugstores in Japan



     My entries related to Osaka can be seen here.

     My entries related to Best Japanese Beauty Products can be seen here.
 
     My entries related to Japan can be seen here.

     My entries related to beauty can be seen here.

     My entries related to Japan Haul can be seen here.

     You can find my beauty entries by categories from here.