Osaka, known as "Kitchen of the Nation" since the Edo period, has developed a rich and varied diet. In preparation for the lifelong sports festival World Masters Games in 2021 and the 2025 World Expo, which are expected to attract many visitors from Japan and abroad, both the public and private sectors of Japan have launched efforts to communicate the depth of Osaka's food.
According to the 2016 economic census, there are 47,739 restaurants in Osaka, which is the second largest number after Tokyo's 79,601. The census, which was conducted by the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry, also found there are 1,680 yakiniku restaurants, second only to Tokyo's 2,231 stores. On the other hand, western Japan was predominant in the number of "okonomiyaki pancakes, yakisoba fried noodles, takoyaki octopus balls" stores: No. 1 in Osaka (2,653), No. 2 in Hyogo (1,787) and No. 3 in Hiroshima (1,605).
The food in Osaka has also become a big attraction for foreign tourists. According to a 2018 survey by the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau, when about 4,000 foreigners were asked the purpose of visiting Osaka, 38% of them answered "meal" followed by "Attractive tourist sites," which was 51%. Among the foods eaten in Osaka, ramen, sushi and takoyaki octopus balls topped the three, and yakiniku grilled meat came in seventh.
However, based on a survey by a major credit card company, foreigners spent an average of 131 dollar (13,800 yen) on food and drink in Osaka in 2018, which is about 60% of the 202 dollars (21300 yen) spent in Tokyo. This is probably because the consumption of B-grade gourmets, such as takoyaki and kushikatsu deep-fried meat and vegetables on skewers, accounted for a large portion of the whole spending.
Under these circumstances, the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Osaka Tourism Bureau established the Osaka city of food creation promotion organization in January. The organization aims to raise the level of Osaka food to that of Tokyo's by the time of the expo.
Specifically, they will provide an opportunity for cooks to create new dishes by sharing their skills, and attract first-class restaurants that will captivate the attention of gourmets around the world. The organization will also consider holding a competition with young chefs.
The number of foreign visitors to Osaka is rapidly decreasing due to the spread of the new coronavirus. But by publicizing the appeal of food to the world, Osaka will likely be able to entice more foreign tourists after the situation is settled.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
