In Osaka you will not starve, particularly if you are with anyone familiar with the area. All Osakans eat well and know where to go. Yes, okonomi-yaki is best there, and any recommended place should be fine. Try 'mamushi' at the eel place at Yodoya-bashi, down by the river near one end of the bridge, if it is still there, but go only during regular eating hours or they just warm an old eel for you. Osaka and Tokyo eels are two very different things. In Osaka the eel bit is between two layers of rice, from which it gets the name (steamed in between). Mamushi is also a pun; it is the name of the only poisonous snake in Japan. Eels in Tokyo are better, in my opinion. Get recommendations. Cheap eels are good on rice, but in an expensive place have 'kabayaki', which is just the eel on a plate with the rest separate. The usual places to hunt for restaurants under train tracks would be near Yuraku-cho station where there are a number of yakitori shops. Most are not very good in my opinion; the place has been over-recommended. Other good railway arch shops are under the tracks near Shinjuku station. Many of those are excellent. Again, gather recommendations. Read guidebooks, ask. Eat. Oh, yes -- go broke. We all have the devaluation of the US dollar to thank for that. Cheerz, -Larry
Tokyo, Japan