Tachigui: Eating on the Go
Tachigui, a restaurant type seen in many styles throughout Osaka, Japan, translates loosely to “eating while standing.” This is because it is an easy way for shop owners to run their stalls in a small place without chairs. Also, Japanese people tend to live very busy lifestyles, and stand-up noodle bars are a very quick, easy and cheap way to eat food.
Types of Noodles in Stand Up Restaurants
Soba (そば) noodles are the most common food found at a usual stand-up tachigui restaurant. The noodles are made from buckwheat and soba flour, prepared in many different ways with broth, meat and vegetables. Both ramen (ラーメン) and udon (うどん) noodles can also be found at many a stand-up tachigui restaurants, but aren’t as common as soba. If you look for both the above hiragana along with people standing, then you’ve found Japanese noodles, stand-up tachigui style.
Ordering Your Ramen at a Ticket Machine
Whether ramen, soba, or udon, eating noodles at stand-up noodle bars in Osaka is very different from eating at a regular Japanese restaurant. How you order, how you eat, and where you eat may be difficult on your first try. Most of these restaurants use ticket machines for taking your order. Insert your money first, then select the food. The machine will dispense a ticket that you hand to the chef behind the counter. These meals stay quite cheap, usually ranging from 400 to 800 yen for a bowl.
Outdoor or Indoor
You can find a tachigui restaurant in two varieties: one where you stand outside; one where you stand inside. When eating, you should stand at the table or bar. You will often have to stand alongside other people who also stand enjoying the convenience of tachigui.
Osaka’s Noodle Bars and Where to Find Them
Noodle bars are very easy to find in Osaka. They are often located in areas where you may need to grab a quick, cheap meal; such as train stations or business districts. If you visit the Namba area of Osaka, Japan, I recommend Kinryu Ramen (金龍ラーメン). You can find this restaurant just 1 minute walk north from exit 14 at Namba Station. This is a great place for your first stand-up noodle bar experience in Osaka, this is tasty, cheap and easy to order. But be sure to wander around, because you’re always bound to find a tachigui restaurant somewhere along any Osaka block. It is one of the cheapest and easiest food options when you’re short on time.
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