Osaka, Old and New

Get to know Japan's most exciting food city with this veteran chef's expert guide.

- By Amber Gibson

Chef Shota Nakajima at work in the kitchen.

AT 18, SHOTA NAKAJIMA left his home in Seattle to attend Tsuji Culinary Institute, in Osaka. “It’s like the Harvard of cooking schools in Japan,” says Nakajima, who was born in Tokyo. “The teachers are brutally honest and teach you humility.” The intense training set him up for success as a restaurant owner—back in Seattle, he ran Naka, a kaiseki restaurant, and a fried-chicken spot, Taku, which closed in March. He has been a contestant on television cooking competitions, including Beat Bobby Flay and Top Chef.

Osaka, the host city for this year’s World Fair, Expo 2025, is often called “the kitchen of Japan.” Its historically blue-collar culinary image is built around street food that Nakajima says is the best in Japan, like takoyaki (fried dough balls with octopus), okonomiyaki (a savory pancake), and oshizushi (pressed sushi). Here, Nakajima, who visits Osaka every year—shares his favorite spots in the city.