Universal Citywalk Takoyaki Museum ♥

What food comes to mind when you think of Osaka? Well, for me it's definitely takoyaki (octopus balls)! Osaka is famous for takoyaki, so much that they even have a Takoyaki Museum~ It's not really a museum with history and all, but more like a food court consisting of a collection of takoyaki stores, so you can try all different kinds of takoyaki from around the region ♥ The Osaka Takoyaki Museum is located at Universal City Walk, which is right next to USJ (Universal Studios Japan). 

I really really wanted to go to USJ (who doesn't love theme parks!), but I was traveling alone and it's not really fun to go to theme parks alone :( But, I took a picture with Elmo~ And his cute pink friend whose name I don't know^^ And went all the way to the entrance to take a pic with the revolving globe hehehe. Actually, I've never even been to USS (Universal Studios Singapore) yet! Though I will soon! The yellow mascot with the big eyes is supposed to be a takoyaki ball ^^ ...and yes he's got a stick poking through him.

Takoyaki time~ They're cooked fresh! Not at big as Gindaco's takoyaki, but the outside "skin" was super crisp and the inside was soft and slightly gooey. Plus the octopus bits were nice and big! I got a plate of 12 (3 different types, 4 pieces each type) plus a drink, and that was about 700yen. 12 pieces is really very filling! The top left one had some kind of meat bits in it rather than regular octopus. It tasted different but still not bad!

Can't have a museum without a gift store and souvenirs! Takoyaki-head CHOPPER!! Takoyaki fridge magnets and cell phone straps. And super cute red octopuses. And a whole wall of Kansai Gotochi Chopper keychains! I love going through Japanese gift stores, they always have an large assortment of adorable souvenirs that makes you want to buy more!

I ended up getting an octopus (only ~700yen!) and a mini octopus (367yen)! There was also another size, can't remember if it was larger or smaller than the bigger octopus I got^^.

Lots of Hello Kitty items in the gift stores too! Hello Kitty x Glico T-shirt, cos the Glico Man is a famous landmark of Osaka. The biscuit tin one was in the USJ gift store.

I love takoyaki, but I love okonomiyaki even more, which Osaka also had plenty of~ ♥ They don't have a museum for it, but there are stores everywhere!