Every time I go to Osaka, I buy souvenirs, but recently there have been quite a few changes. Due to increased TV coverage like on Kenmin Show, the popularity of tourists using Shin-Osaka station has been skyrocketing. While it may not reach the length of the line at the neighboring 551 Horai, it is definitely rivaling it. There was even a sign saying "Kihachizushi, end of the line is here" in anticipation of the line. Even so, on this day in the early afternoon, there were about 10 people waiting in line. They take your order, then grill it and soak it in sauce before serving, so there is a bit of a wait. So even with 10 people ahead of you, you start to worry about catching your Shinkansen train. Additionally, there are new signs near the register indicating the level of grilling you prefer: "light, medium, well-done". Although there used to be mostly solo customers, the staff has now switched to a complete two-person system. The staff seemed to have lost their smiles due to the busyness, which is not good considering this place is like the face of Osaka at this huge terminal station.

There was a shop inside Shin-Osaka Station. I bought one item only. It cost 110 yen. It was freshly made and still warm. The burnt parts and sauce were just right, and it was delicious. I am happy today too. I'm glad I could buy just one. Thank you for the meal!

I purchased this delicious dumpling at Shin-Osaka Station without going to the thirteenth floor. It has a cylindrical or barrel-like shape, and the chewy texture is irresistible. The red bean paste that comes with this dumpling is excellent. Not only is there plenty of it, but it is seasoned with a delicious soy sauce and kelp broth that gives it a perfect balance of sweetness and umami.

I asked someone who was visiting Osaka to buy it for me. It had been so long since I last ate it that I couldn't remember. The mitarashi dango had a strong taste of mirin, and the slightly burnt part of the barrel-shaped mochi was delicious. The kintsuba had a light and less sweet taste, and it was quite large for a kintsuba, but you could eat it in one bite.

I bought some souvenirs before boarding the Shinkansen on my way back. There is a shop inside the station which is convenient, and you can buy just one piece which is great. At the main store, you can choose how well-done you want your dumplings, but at the JR Shin-Osaka Station store, you can't. I don't mind though, as I like my dumplings cooked normally. If you like them burnt, it might be better to order them well-done at the main store. There was a short line of 3 people. I opened them as soon as I got home. The perfect chewiness from the combination of rice flour and glutinous rice flour, along with the sweetness of the sauce, was irresistible.

I bought it to eat on the Shinkansen. It was around 1 PM on Sunday, so I thought it might be crowded, but luckily I was able to buy it without waiting. Despite its popularity, it was surprisingly empty, which was nice. You can eat it in the train without anyone noticing because there is no smell or noise, like a secret snack.

Osaka souvenir, Toraya's honen is softer and more delicious! Comes in a set of five, with three types of honen: Daio, Kuri, and Daio Nenashi. Daio Nenashi has whole red bean grains remaining, offering a slightly soft texture and refreshing sweetness. It has a sharp and delicious taste. The chestnut is not like the ones from Obuse, but rather diced chestnuts in Daio Nenashi yokan, with quite a lot of them inside!

President of Sheriroze Co., Ltd., human resources educator, and director of the Etiquette Beauty School, Toshihide Igaki here. I am grateful to be working on employee training, coming to Osaka every week. I have become familiar with the layout of Shin-Osaka Station and the shops in the station building. The "Station Marche" near the transfer point from the Shinkansen to JR is very well-equipped. By showing your Shinkansen ticket at the ticket gate, you can access the Station Marche. In this Station Marche, there is a traditional Japanese confectionery shop. After eating okonomiyaki inside the station, I stopped by this shop because I was still a little hungry. You can buy just one of each item, so I purchased the famous "mitarashi dango" and "chestnut sweets". The mitarashi dango is made at the back of the shop, and you can watch the process. Even though I only bought one of each, they put them in separate plastic bags for me! I was touched by this thoughtful gesture. The dango was slightly warm, so they must have separated them for that reason. I ate them right away on the Shinkansen. The mitarashi dango had a sweet sauce, which stood out to me as someone who doesn't eat sweets often. The chestnut sweets were a bit larger in size. When I split it open, I found plenty of chestnuts inside. The chestnut sweets had just the right amount of sweetness, and the texture of the red bean paste was enjoyable. I was able to enjoy both chestnuts and red beans, and it was delicious.

When returning from Osaka, I indulged in some sweets before leaving, and I bought some mitarashi dango at a shop in the station. The flavor of the mitarashi was a bit weak and not very distinctive, so I couldn't enjoy the dango as much. I later found out that you can actually request the level of roasting for the dango, but I wasn't asked about it. I also mistakenly thought that you could only buy the dango in boxes of 5 or 10, so I ended up buying 5 and couldn't finish them all. Despite this, it's a sweet treat worth trying if you're in Osaka.

I wanted to try mitarashi dango after seeing it on TV. I bought it at a store near Shin-Osaka and ate it on the Shinkansen. The crispy outer layer of the dango had a unique and delicious flavor. It was very cheap and had great value for money.

I bought some Mitarashi dango from Kihachizushi at Shin-Osaka station before boarding the Shinkansen, as the main store in Hachijojima and the head store in Juso were closed. Mitarashi dango from Kihachizushi was a childhood favorite and a must-have whenever I visit Osaka. The perfect combination of the crispy outer layer and the sweet sauce always brings me comfort. Watching them being grilled right in front of you adds to the charm of this delicious treat.

I ordered one to eat on a bench inside the shop as it is takeout only, so it is different from souvenirs and can be eaten immediately. The soft rice cake with sweet sauce was incredibly delicious. I will definitely buy it again when I visit Osaka.

The Mitarashi dango from Kihachi Shuzo in Hyogo Prefecture is delicious! I bought it as a souvenir on my way back home without knowing that it is available at the Ekimaru Market inside Shin-Osaka JR Station. The mochi balls are chewy and the Mitarashi sauce is not too sweet, which my family loved! The Mitarashi sauce was so good that I even poured the leftover sauce on the mochi at home. Haha. The generous amount of Mitarashi sauce is irresistible! Although it has a short shelf life, it is highly recommended as a souvenir! It's convenient that you can easily bring it back at room temperature.

Personally, if you're looking to buy a souvenir at Shin-Osaka Station, I think this place is a good choice. Lately, there hasn't been much of a line, so you can purchase quickly, and you can buy just one piece. They bake the dumplings after you order, and you can choose how crispy you want them (although they've never asked me, haha). The default is a normal level of crispiness, but I think it's fragrant enough. The sauce is generously applied, not just sweet but also savory with a hint of dashi. Of course, freshly made is the most delicious, so it's best to eat right away when you want to.

When transferring at Shin-Osaka station, I always make sure to buy some mitarashi dango. I even speed up my pace just to reach this shop. The line is usually shorter than expected, and I can enjoy freshly made warm dango. It's always a pleasure to stop by here.

I knew that there was always a line at Shin-Osaka Station, but today there were only three people in line, so I decided to try it for the first time. I had heard that you can choose the chewiness and level of char on the skewers, but I'm not sure if that's only available at the main store. The chewy texture I was expecting was not as pronounced as I thought, but the sweet and savory sauce was delicious.

【Visit on April 2, 2023】 ■ Mitarashi Dango (5 pieces): 540 yen We combine rice flour and glutinous rice flour in a perfect balance and steam the dumplings. After receiving your order, we grill them over strong direct heat. Once the surface has a nice crispy brown color, we dip them in our special sauce. The sauce is made with high-quality kelp from Akkeshi, Hokkaido to create a dashi base, and our own special blend of soy sauce and white granulated sugar from Kagawa Prefecture. The cylindrical shape of the dumplings is designed to easily create a crispy brown surface when grilled and to enhance the sauce coating. Kihachisuihonpo JR Shin-Osaka Station Store (Mitarashi Dango) 06-6476-9922 5-16-1 Nishinakajima, Yodogawa-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, 3F Ekimaru-Shin Osaka, JR Shin-Osaka Station https://tabelog.com/osaka/A2701/A270301/27103606/

I bought mitarashi dango for takeout at Kihachisou Honpo in Osaka, located in Shin-Osaka. The store is located inside JR Shin-Osaka station at Antremarche. They roast the mochi before dipping it in the mitarashi sauce. The price is 108 yen per piece (as of April 2, 2023). The store used to be less crowded, but now it can get quite busy. Kihachisou Honpo is originally from Juso, Osaka. Address: 5-16-1 Nishinakajima, Yodogawa-ku, Osaka City, Osaka. 3F Ekimarche Shin-Osaka. #KihachisouHonpo #Kihachisou #MitarashiDango #Mitarashi #MitarashiDango #GourmetLovers #GourmetGuys #ConnectWithGourmetLovers

Buying nikuman (steamed pork buns) involved waiting in a long line, but next to the nikuman shop was a traditional Japanese sweets store. The kin-tsuba (sweet chestnut cake) looked delicious, so I decided to get 10 pieces all with chestnut filling. The shopkeeper handed me a box, saying "Here are the chestnut ones and here are the red bean ones." I thought everyone would prefer chestnut, so I got all chestnut. The 10 pieces were quite heavy and thick, and when I tried them, I found the red bean to be tasty and sweet, with a satisfying texture. They were different from other kin-tsuba I've had before, and I ended up wanting another one. Next time I go to Osaka, I'll choose kin-tsuba over nikuman. Kin-tsuba over nikuman!

I received this as a souvenir. It's a popular mitarashi dango from Osaka. The surface is very fragrant, with a simple flavor of rice flour and mochi rice, and the rich special sauce is delicious! The dashi flavor is also unique to Kansai. I had a delicious snack. Thank you for the meal.

People in Osaka tend to buy a considerable number of 30 dumplings at once, but they don't last long so they eat them right after purchasing, either sitting on a chair or on the train. These dumplings are like a drink. When you buy more than five, they put them in a paper box, which is convenient for carrying around for a long time. However, you can also buy them individually, which is convenient for quick purchases. This time, I also tried the sake manju that I had always hesitated to buy. It's a gentle sake manju! Nevertheless, I always admire the work of the shop ladies. Both these dumplings and sake manju (Oh! Now sake manju is a must-have from this time) are a must when you go to Osaka.