Where to Go in Osaka’s Koreatown from Tsuruhashi Station! Introducing 9 Spots and a Helpful Map

Konnichiwa! I’m Pentagon, a writer living in Osaka.
The other day, I went to Koreatown in Ikuno, Osaka to eat some cheesy Korean corn-dogs and buy some cute Korean goods!
In this article, I’ll show you 9 spots that I absolutely recommend, which I found on my trip to Koreatown. It’s actually the first time I have been here in about 3 years. I’ll introduce them in an order that will make it easy to visit them all without backtracking. This course includes a place to get Korean corn-dogs and of course miscellaneous Korean items.
It’s sort of like an all-star map of the neighborhood. I think it’s a course that you could walk leisurely and anyone would like, even if you are someone who prefers to stay out of crowds. I hope you find it helpful ★

A Route for Exploring Koreatown from Tsuruhashi Station—Map Included!

Koreatown is the nickname for the three shopping streets and the surrounding area near Momodani and Tsuruhashi in Ikuno Ward of Osaka City. There just isn’t enough time in the day to write about all the shops I’d like to visit in Koreatown.
For now, I’ve decided to create a course that starts at Tsuruhashi Station on the JR Loop Line, passes through the main street called Miyuki-dori Shopping Street, and leaves time for walking around♪
Depending on how long you plan to stay in Koreatown, you can probably visit all nine spots I recommend. It would take somewhere from about three hours to half a day.

①Get Your Cheese Corn-dogs at Songhot-Osaka on the Main Street

If there’s one thing I absolutely have to have when I’m in Koreatown, it’s the cheese corn-dogs!

There are lots of corn-dog shops in Koreatown, but the one I recommend the most is Songhot-Osaka, which opened in 2023. The corn-dogs at Songhot are so good because they are freshly fried and oh-so-crispy!

It takes about 5 to 7 minutes from buying your ticket at the vending machine until you get to bite into your corn dog, because they are fried fresh. This means you can eat a freshly fried crispy corn dog that’s piping hot! Top it with sweet sugar, ketchup, and a salty sauce such as mustard.
I also ordered the Mozzarella Cheese Dog (480 yen tax included), which was delicious!
When you take a bite of Songhot’s Cheese Dog, you’ll be greeted with chewy mozzarella cheese overflowing from the inside. The cheese seems to stretch on forever and I can’t get enough of the sweet and salty flavors♡

②Sundubu & Cold Noodle Lunches at Minzoku-mura on Miyuki-dori Shopping Street

Next, I stopped by a restaurant called Minzoku-mura which has a great lunch menu featuring cold noodles and sundubu (soft tofu dishes)!

Overwhelmed by the number of people on the main street of Koreatown, Miyuki-dori Shopping District, I was looking for a retreat. So I stopped in this restaurant because it has such a fun storefront.

The Sundubu set meal (1,350 yen including tax) looks like this. As you can see from the photo, it arrives sizzling hot! The spicy soup was filled with soft tofu and mushrooms. This is the real taste of authentic Korean home cooking.

It was a hot day, so I also tried the cold noodles (1,300 yen including tax).
The cold noodles have an amazing texture! And is that apple? I tasted something fruity in the soup. And when I added vinegar, the flavors changed to a sort of sweet saltiness, which was really addicting. Personally, I prefer a little less sweetness, but it was still good.

③If You’re Buying Kimchi, Go to Yamada Shoten—Celebrating 40 Years in Business

While walking along Miyuki-dori shopping street, I noticed a huge line. At the very front of that line was a huge selection of different types of kimchi! This shop—Yamada Shoten—has been in business for over 40 years. They sell around 80 types of kimchi all year round.
Their reviews say stuff like “Yamada Shoten is the most famous kimchi shop in Japan’s Koreatown!” “I love this shop. For the last 10 years now, every time I go to Osaka, I buy kimchi here.’’ “Their kimchi is so good that I went back to buy it two weeks in a row.” This shop is popular with rave reviews.

They sell a wide variety of kimchi that you can’t buy anywhere else, like the jumbo scallop kimchi, herring roe kimchi, mountain yam, celery, burdock root, lotus root, octopus, squid, and so much more!
Kimchi no Yamada Shoten often has a long line in the afternoon, so I recommend going in the morning.
It’s also possible to order online through their website. So if you are interested and you can’t get to the store, please check it out.

④Hungry? Grab and Go from Nori-chan!

Miyuki-dori shopping street is full of shops that sell takeaway items. Now that you’ve come to Koreatown, you’ll probably see a lot of food that you want to try on the spot!
While walking through the neighborhood, I found a Korean restaurant called Nori-chan with very reasonable prices! You can buy small portions of chijimi (savory Korean pancakes), gimmari (fried nori rolls), and glutinous rice snacks with lots of sugar. This is the perfect place to stop if you want a snack on the go.You can eat yangnyeom chicken for as little as 100 yen (tax included). There’s no way I can’t stop here!

⑤Snap a Photo with Korea’s Guardian Deity “Dol Hareubang”

When I stopped in Miyukimori Dai 2 Park for a restroom break, I encountered some strange stones.
Apparently these are traditional Korean stone statues called Dol Hareubang. The word means “old man made of stone” and in Korea they are considered guardian deities that prevent disaster. They also bring peace.

⑥Explore Local History at Osaka Koreatown History Museum

When I saw the Dol Hareubang I felt closer to Korean culture. And then I discovered a place where you can learn a lot about the history of Koreatown, a museum called Osaka Korea Town History Museum! I was intrigued so I went in. (Admission: 300 yen for adults)

At the museum, you can learn about the history of Koreatown from past to present.
From stories about the K-POP and Korean wave booms that have been gaining momentum beginning in the 20th century, to the connection with the regional name “Ikaino” from the Korean Peninsula, which has been passed down from long ago. The museum is a great place to learn about the origins of Koreatown through exhibits, a map of the surrounding area, panels with trivia, and touch panels with lots of detailed information.

⑦ And Specialty Croissants Around the Corner from Miyuki-dori

After learning about the history of Koreatown and using my brain, I realized I needed something sweet. Then I came across And, a croissant specialty store that just opened on February 23, 2024!
It’s a popular bakery with locations in Uehonmachi and Utsubo Park. And the stylish interior is decorated with delicious-looking croissants in incredible flavors like rich pistachio, red bean paste, and mascarpone.

This time, I tried the most popular croissant—the Cinderella Croissant! It’s filled with whipped cream from Hokkaido♪ It goes without saying that the crispy croissant and mildly sweet whipped cream compliment each other perfectly. Whipped cream inside a croissant is a genius-level idea!

⑧Souvenirs and Kawaii Korean at Kansei Kukan

Next, I headed to one of the places I wanted to go today, Kansei Kukan♪
This shop carries a lot of interesting products like stationery, posters, postcards, memo pads, stickers, tableware, hanging scrolls, candles, figurines, lamps, etc.☆
There are many wonderful Korean brands with cute characters that are even more charming once you know the concepts behind them. So I’d like to introduce a few of the characters that I fell in love with♪

☆”JOGUMAN”
Joguman, features a dinosaur motif who always appears with a relaxed expression. The brand is gaining popularity in Korea because dinosaurs, like humans, while very ordinary, still live special lives every day.
Their concept is “We are small beings, but that doesn’t mean we are unimportant.” The artwork expresses the artist’s desire to provide a small amount of happiness that subtly permeates your daily life.

☆”PERCENTAGE”
Percentage features ghost characters, and the brand motto is to “fill your life with valuable things in a balanced way.” The illustrations that depict important moments in life with cute characters are gaining popularity from a wide range of people.

☆”MUZIK TIGER”
Muzik Tiger, which means “unemployed tiger” was originally started by a couple who were corporate designers who wanted to quit their jobs and become unemployed to live a life of freedom!
The images of the tigers getting away from work and spending their time freely are expressed in a poppy casual style. In today’s world where people are so busy with work that they don’t have much time for themselves, the characters seem to reflect the wish “to be able to live freely and do what you want to do.”

Don’t these characters look even cuter when you knew the concept behind the brand?
Come get your favorite concept-inspired goods at Kansei Kukan!

⑨Korean Food Souvenirs from Korea 1st Store

I don’t want them to become luggage to haul around while I’m sightseeing, so I tend to buy souvenirs at the last minute! (lol)
So when I was on my way back to the station, I stopped to buy some Korean food items at Korea 1st Store before heading home.

This shop sells a variety of Korean foods, from cup noodles to sweets, drinks, and seasonings.
The cup noodles here seem to be cheaper than prices at other stores. So I got some Noguri, a kind of Korean instant ramen that I’ve gotten addicted to recently. The tasty seafood flavors go so well with the spicy soup. You’ve got to try it.
The store accepts payment by credit card, so it’s a good place to stop, even if you’ve spent all your cash after spending a day in Koreatown.

Enjoy Koreatown Your Way♪

What did you think of my recommendations in Koreatown?
And there is so much more to Koreatown than what I was able to show you!
Eat! Drink! Shop! Experience the culture and history! Have fun finding your own unique places in Koreatown too!