Dotonbori Kukuru, Inside the Shinkansen ticket gates

A fast-service takoyaki counter inside the Shinkansen ticket gates at Shin-Osaka Station, part of the "Osaka Noren Meguri" food court alongside other Osaka institutions like Kushikatsu Daruma and Negiyaki Yamamoto. Dotonbori Kukuru traces back to its 1985 flagship shop in Dotonbori, when only a couple of takoyaki stalls existed in the area, and has since grown into a nationwide chain of roughly 50 locations. The signature takoyaki is packed with large octopus chunks, finished with a splash of white wine, and cooked to a crisp-outside, molten-inside texture by trained grillers who also perform flair while cooking; egg-rich akashiyaki dipped in dashi broth is also on the menu. It is a quick grab-and-go stop for travelers boarding the bullet train, with no reservations and just nine counter seats.