20 Must-Buy Souvenirs from Osaka
Here are 20 souvenirs that people from Osaka will definitely recommend to visitors that come to Osaka, be it for pleasure or for business, who will then certainly purchase them to share with their family and friends.
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1. Bâton d'or [Glico]
I am sure we are all familiar with Pocky from the manufacturer, Glico. Well Bâton d'or is basically their premium version. Bâton d'or comes in a variety of flavors in bright colors and is sold only in department stores like Osaka's Takashimaya (Osaka branch) and Hankyu (Umeda branch). You will definitely adore its classy packaging.
HP: http://www.glico.co.jp/batondor/shop.html (Japanese only)
2. Freshly Baked Cheesecakes [Uncle Rikuro's Shop] （焼きたてチーズケーキ[りくろーおじさんの店]）
In Osaka you can get really delicious freshly baked cheesecakes at a great deal! Uncle Rikuro's Shop uses an advanced technology that was directly imported from a traditional factory in Denmark. The cheesecake is made with rich cream cheese. Take a bite and you will find raisins at the bottom that goes well with the cheese filling. A whole cake is only ¥648 (tax included)!
HP: http://www.rikuro.co.jp/cheesecake/ (Japanese only)
3. Dojima Roll （堂島ロール）
This is no ordinary rollcake. This delicious rollcake is made with a lot of care from one of Japan's famous patissiers. You will love the subtle taste and sweetness of the soft rollcake that is filled with fresh cream. This is probably the most popular souvenir among the locals and visitors. They have matcha flavored rollcake as well.
4. 551 Horai's Pork Dumplings （551蓬莱 豚まん）
551's pork dumplings are one of the top 3 popular souvenirs in Osaka. The main store is located in Namba and it serves as 551's Chinese restaurant but you don't have to go all the way there to get these delicious dumplings because they are also sold in the basement food level of Osaka's major department store. Don't be surprised to find a long queue of people that are eager to buy and share them with friends and family.
5. Osaka's Half-baked Soft Castelo （大阪半熟カステロふわんとろん）
With no reservations, fresh eggs are used and these half-baked castelos are made into bite-size shapes. Castelos are originally from Portugal but they have a long history in Japan too. These castelos are half-baked, giving them a unique taste and texture.
HP: http://www.santa.ne.jp/fuwantoron.html (Japanese only)
6. Matcha Snacks (Kit Kat, Pocky, Chocolate Kaki no Tane etc.)
It is no surprise for Japan, the land of matcha to come up with a wide variety of matcha sweets. The top popular ones are probably Kit Kat, Pocky and Chocolate Kaki no Tane's matcha versions. You can get them right before you board your plane at Kansai Airport or Itami Airport that also sells other souvenirs too. Don't be surprised to find some of these matcha sweets sold out in less than an hour because there are many foreign visitors buying these matcha sweets in bulk!
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7. Baumkuchen [Madame Shinco]
This baumkuchen makes a great souvenir because it uses only natural ingredients giving it a wonderful color, taste and fragrance. It is always shown on TV and magazines making it a very famous cake nationwide. One of their popular cakes would have to be their "Madame Brulee," which is sold at ¥1500 and it is a baumkuchen cake drizzled with maple syrup, giving it a beautiful caramelized look, taste and smell too.
HP: http://www.cowcowfoodsystem.com/category/sweets/new/ (Japanese only)
8. Hokusetsu Roll [GOKOKU] （北摂【純生】ロールケーキ）
Simple and yet exquisite, this rollcake is made generously with eggs and its middle is filled with white fresh cream. When it comes to rollcakes in Osaka, no one can deny that GOKOKU rollcakes are the best. The name Hokusetsu points to the northern area of Osaka and GOKOKU's main store is located at Esaka in the northern area of Osaka.
HP: https://www.gokoku.jp/ (Japanese only)
9. Osaka no Koibito （大阪の恋人）
This thin cookie is a sandwich cookie made from cat's tongue cookies (called so because they are thin and shaped like a cat's tongue) with a white chocolate spread in the middle. In Japanese we call it "Osaka no Koibito" and in its English translation, it means "Osaka's Lover." You won't be able to forget such a name! You would love its light texture and the white chocolate's fine taste to the point that you might be able to finish the whole box of cookies yourself! (By the way, if you've been to Hokkaido, you might have noticed a similar cookie called "Shiroi Koibito," which translates to "White Lover." Shiroi Koibito is a very famous souvenir from Hokkaido, and this is Osaka's answer to that. It's meant to be a joke, so don't worry!)
10. Goshiki Dorayaki [Akanemaru] （五色どらやき[茜丸]）
This dorayaki's filling is made from soy beans and it is a traditional Japanese sweet that is well-loved by both children and adults. Akanemaru first started as shop next to the famous Shitenno-ji Buddhist temple that was founded by Prince Shotoku and now it is a famous dorayaki in the Shitennoji area. You can also purchase them at department stores, souvenir stores and in the stores within JR and Kintetsu stations.
11. Mitarashi Komochi [Chidoriya] （みたらし小餅[千鳥屋]）
Using rice that is grown and produced in Japan, this rice cake carries a sweet soy sauce filling and once you bite into this rice cake, you might be surprised with the taste and texture, of which we are sure that you can never find in other countries. You can have them in one bite as it comes in bite-size pieces. This is definitely a must-buy Osaka souvenir.
12. Osaka Petite Banana [Hyogetsudo] （大阪プチバナナ[瓢月堂]）
This is a popular Osaka sweet that uses bananas in its custard cream that is piped into its soft fluffy cake. This sweet is not only fragrant but the cake is moist. This makes a great souvenir because it comes in bite-size pieces wrapped in a very cute packaging that would make any recipient happy.
HP: https://hyogetsudo.com/ (Japanese only)
13. Fake Food
Fake food are display samples of food that look as good as the real one and it is considered as an art here. It has even made a name for itself in other countries. At the Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shopping Street at Sennichimae, head to [Design Pocket] for some fake-food classes to make your own display samples to bring home! Recently, it has become a very famous tourist spot even for foreign tourists and we definitely recommend you to include this into your travel itinerary.
14. Takoyaki Maker
Now that you are in Osaka, where takoyaki are famous and popular, you should probably try to get yourself a takoyaki maker. Takoyaki is a really delicious street food here that is made from eggs and flour, which is then cooked into bite-size balls with small pieces of octopus in it. To get a takoyaki maker for your kitchen, you can head to the stores at Sennichi Doguyasuji Shopping Street and check out your options there!
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15. Swords and Ninja Stars
For ninja and samurai themed goods, you should head to the souvenir secion of Osaka Castle at Kyobashi. There are a wide variety of swords and ninja stars from traditional-looking ones to modern-looking ones at a wide range of prices. This would be heaven for visitors that are into the ninja and samurai culture.
16. Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans [USJ] （百味ビーンズ [USJ]）
These fun sweets (that are instantly recognizable to any Harry Potter fan) come in 100 different flavors and can be bought at Osaka's amusement park, Universal Studios Japan. In one pack, you can get the usual fruit flavors - but be warned that you might also taste some weird interesting ones like boogers or earthworms.
17. Mochi-Truffle [USJ] （もちトリュフ）
This rich chocolate truffle is actually a chewy rice cake with a chocolate filling that is dusted with cocoa powder. This is one of USJ's most popular souvenirs. Not to mention, it is packed with care in the cutest Snoopy box ever at ¥600 for 8 pieces.
HP: http://www.usj-universalstudiosjapan.com/cnt/present/1046.html (Japanese only)
18. Randoseru （ランドセル）
In Japan, elementary school children carry leather backpacks called randoseru, which they will use throughout their primary school years. These bags are gaining a significant amount of attention among our foreign visitors as a definitive point of Japanese culture. You can actually get them at Kansai International Airport and when you are there, you will also see other visitors purchasing them. In general the black randoseru are for boys whereas the red ones are used by girls. (Note, though, that using a randoseru in Japan when you are not a child is considered very, very strange!)
19. Osaka Meika Ehmonchi （大阪銘菓 ええもんちぃ）
This is one of Osaka's famous souvenirs, which is actually a box of well-made madeleines. These madeleines are made with premium butter that gives it its fragrance and soft fluffy texture. Within the madeleines, you'll find black beans from Tamba that bring out the best of the madeleines. This is no ordinary madeleine and you can get a box of 6 for ¥650.
20. Keshimochi [Kojimaya] （けし餅 [小島屋]）
This famous local sweet comes from Osaka's southern area, Sakai, and it was created during the Edo period. It is a soft chewy rice cake filled with red bean paste and coated with poppy seeds. This is one sweet that any red bean paste fan shouldn't miss! You can get a box of 6 pieces for ¥907.
Also check these articles:
[Osaka]
10 food souvenirs you can only buy in Osaka
[Overview]
15 Must-buy Souvenirs From Japan
50 Medicines and Beauty Products from Drug Stores in Japan Picked by Japanese Pharmacists
10 Must-buy Traditional Japanese Accessories For Souvenirs
[Tokyo]
20 Souvenirs You Should Buy in Tokyo
30 Must-Buy Souvenirs at Narita Airport
[Kyoto]
30 Must-Buy Food Souvenirs from Kyoto
20 Kyoto souvenirs you should definitely buy
[Hokkaido]
11 Sweet Souvenirs To Buy In Hokkaido
[Beauty and Cosmetics]
20 Beauty Products You Can Buy at Drugstores At Japan
11 Affordable Skincare Products to Buy in Japan
11 High-end Skincare Products to Buy in Japan
15 Must-Buy Japanese Cosmetic Brands
10 Japanese beauty appliances that can be used worldwide
20 Japanese Beauty Electronics You Should Check Out
[Fashion]
11 Recommended Japanese Lingerie Brands to Buy in Japan
12 Japanese Lingerie Brands You Need To Check Out
The information in this article is accurate at the time of publication.
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