Top 10 Osaka Souvenirs You Can Find At Shin-Osaka Station

Buy Osaka Souvenirs Before the Shinkansen Ride

Many people put Osaka, the lively metropolis in Kansai, on their must-visit list in Japan. Along with sightseeing and discovering local Osaka cuisine, souvenir shopping is an entertainment form of its own and not to be missed. Many of Osaka's food souvenirs, in particular, reflect the city's reputation as Japan's kitchen, with unique and delicious flavors, providing surprises and fun when browsing and later tasting the snacks you've purchased.

Shopping at JR Shin-Osaka Station is convenient for users of the JR Pass and those riding the bullet train. Different souvenir shops are inside the ticket barriers, making it a stress-free area to finish your shopping after you've gotten your train ticket.

This article introduces ten food souvenirs and gifts that can be purchased at JR Shin-Osaka Station. Each is representative of Osaka's culinary creativity and playful personality, and will bring a smile to family, friends, and coworkers.

1. Takoyaki Pringles - Classic Chips with a Kansai Twist

Takoyaki Pringles are a great choice with their familiar brand name and appearance. They look like conventional potato chips but have a distinct savory and slightly sweet aroma. Flavored with typical takoyaki ingredients - tangy sauce, mayonnaise, pickled ginger, and bonito flakes - these chips have a satisfying, takoyaki taste.

The chips have the delicious crisp of a high-quality potato chip combined with just the right amount of takoyaki-flavored seasoning. They come in a package of three Pringle cans, so you can split them among friends and family, or keep them for yourself and savor them slowly.

2. Takoyaki Jagabee - Crispy Osaka-Flavored Potato Snacks

Takoyaki Jagabee is a crispy, fried potato snack made Calbee, a major Japanese food manufacturer, known especially for their potato chips and potato-based snacks. These Jagabee, shaped like small french fries, are seasoned lightly with takoyaki flavors and seaweed flakes. They are cooked until crispy and airy, and have a nice crunch.

The size above comes with five individually packaged snacks that are petite in size, ideal for a quick recharge at work or at school. They are also easy to give out to relatives and friends.

3. Taro Sable - A Tasty and Adorable Mascot Cookie

Taro Sable are sable (French butter cookies) shaped like Kuidaore Taro, one of Osaka's cutest mascots. These tasty, light cookies have a crisp texture, a buttery flavor, and a mild level of sweetness. This adorable box contains ten individually packaged cookies.

Even if the cookies get eaten up quickly, the bright yellow tin can be reused, making a lasting Osaka memento and thoughtful gift.

4. Kushi Katsu Kataage Potatoes - Crunchy and Tangy Chips

Kushi Katsu Kataage are potato chips flavored with sweet and sour sauce used on kushi katsu (deep-fried meat, vegetables, and other ingredients on skewers), another well-known, local Osaka specialty. These chips are also made by Calbee, the Japanese food manufacturer mentioned above.

The chips have a noticeable crunch and a tangy flavor that tastes just like kushi katsu sauce. Each chip is slightly small in size. The box contains 8 easy-to-distribute chip bags.

5. Omoshiroi Koibito - Cookies with Osaka Humor

For those looking to experience comedy in Japan, look no further than Omoshiroi Koibito. The name of these cookies, Omoshiroi Koibito, is perhaps a playful spin-off of the Shiroi Koibito, popular vanilla and chocolate sandwich-style cookies from Sapporo.

In Japanese, "omoshiroi" means interesting. In accordance with its name, these cookies have an unusual savory flavor in their creme filling, coming from fragrant soy sauce. The result is a cookie that tastes like mitarashi dango, a traditional Japanese sweet with a slightly salty flavor. The filling is sandwiched between two gaufre, or thin, crisp waffle cookies. These cookies are a great gift for anyone with slightly unusual taste. One box contains 16 cookies.

6. Takoyaki Jagayanen - Traditional Osaka Flavored Potato Snacks

Takoyaki Jagayanen have a characteristic, local flavor with a strong pickled ginger aroma and taste. These potato snacks contain other takoyaki seasonings, giving them a savory, salty taste. They are similar to the Calbee Jagabee mentioned above, but are slightly more spicy from the ginger. Jagayanen are sold in single cups and make a tasty personal snack.

7. Tako Patie - An Unusual Sweet and Savory Treat

Another creative, Osaka-only treat is Tako Patie, a combination of savory takoyaki and sweet pie crust. The bar is topped with seaweed, mayonnaise flavoring, and savory takoyaki sauce. The base of the crunchy stick is pie crust-like, flavored with caramel. There are also walnuts in the bar that add a yummy crunchy texture.

The bar tastes like takoyaki at first, but the sweetness from the pie and caramel are also pronounced, creating a blend of two different flavors. Tako Patie comes with eight individually-packaged bars, so be sure to share it with friends with adventurous tastebuds.

8. Okonomiyaki Senbei - An Easy-to-Eat, Miniature Savory Pancake

Okonomiyaki Senbei is a traditional senbei, or Japanese rice cracker, topped with ingredients of okonomiyaki, a savory pancake-like dish considered to be one of Osaka's soul foods. The senbei is crispy, like a conventional rice cracker, but has a taste very similar to okonomiyaki. Small in size, they are quite cute and look like miniature okonomiyaki.

These senbei are great for anyone who likes rice crackers, but is looking to try something new. Okonomiyaki senbei have all the right ingredients and flavor of a traditional Japanese and unique Osaka snack.

9. Pucho - Cute Hello Kitty and Shinkansen Chewy Candy

Pucho are chewy candies flavored with sweet, often fruity flavors popular throughout Japan. The candies pictured above come in a set five featuring Hello Kitty and different bullet trains in the western Japan region, including Osaka, Kyoto, and Hiroshima. They are all grape flavored.

The Hello Kitty and representative packaging for each candy are simply adorable, and Pucho are a classic candy that will delight all who try them. As the candies are small, they are easy to store in suitcases.

10. Takoyaki Ramune - An Osaka-Style Fizzy Drink

This ramune, a classic, soda-like carbonated beverage in Japan, is flavored like takoyaki with a sweet and slightly savory sauce taste. It is surprisingly easy-to-drink and tastes similar to cola. The beverage is slightly sweet and has a faint savory, spicy aftertaste. It is a refreshing beverage, great for summer or any time you want to cool off.

The bottle is a traditional ramune bottle with a ball at the top. However, the bottle is plastic and not glass, making it lightweight and convenient to stow in luggage.

Must-Have Souvenirs at Shin-Osaka Station

Before leaving Osaka for your next destination, be sure to pick up some classic souvenirs filled with the personality and uniqueness of this western Japanese metropolis.

Be sure to look for the items listed above for great mementos and gifts in Osaka!