"The History of Takoyaki as a Winter Snack Following '3,000 Won in Your Pocket' Bungeoppang [Sunday Culture]"

Started as an Affordable Snack in the Showa Era
Combined with Local Cuisine... Created 'Takoyaki' with Octopus Added

Editor's NoteOn a lazy Sunday, a reporter from the international department brings you an interesting read related to Japanese culture.

The weather is getting quite chilly now. It's the season to carry 3,000 won in your coat pocket. You never know when you'll find a place selling Bungeoppang, so you have to be ready to buy some anytime.

Along with Bungeoppang during this season, Takoyaki is also commonly seen in Korea. It used to be often called "octopus bread" in the past, but these days, people just use the Japanese name Takoyaki. So, what exactly is the origin of this Takoyaki? Today, we will share the history of Takoyaki, which has emerged as a popular winter snack.

Otafuku Sauce Homepage.

Takoyaki Originated from Street Food Stalls

The origin of Takoyaki dates back to the Showa era. The Showa era includes the period before and after World War II. At that time, factories were established in Osaka, attracting many workers to the city. Numerous snack stalls for these workers appeared. One of the popular items then was called "Choboyaki." It is considered the early version of Takoyaki. It is made by mixing flour with water, seasoning it with soy sauce, pouring it into a mold with small holes, and adding chopped konjac, green onions, and ginger, then cooking it into rectangular shapes. Originally, it was sold as a popular snack for children at local corner stores. As it gained popularity as a street food snack, some places even sold it under the name "Radio-yaki," coinciding with the launch of radios, which were considered cutting-edge technology at the time.

Choboyaki, known as the original takoyaki. Dotonbori Gururu homepage.

There is another food similar in shape to today's Takoyaki called "Akashiyaki." It is a local specialty from Akashi City, made by mixing flour, eggs, and broth into a batter, adding octopus, and grilling it. It is eaten by dipping into a broth made from bonito flakes or kelp. Since the nearby sea of Akashi is known as a major octopus habitat in Japan, they use plenty of octopus. The shape is round and similar to Takoyaki, but since it is essentially grilled egg, the taste is somewhat different.

Akashiyaki, a local dish of Akashi. Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

The current Takoyaki can be seen as a combination of Choboyaki and Akashiyaki. The origin is a Radio-yaki stall started in 1933 by a man named Endo Tomekichi. Originally, it was sold with finely chopped beef seasoned with soy sauce, so it was more popular among adults than children. Then, a customer from Akashi, the hometown of Akashiyaki, advised, "In our region, we put octopus in it; why not try that?" Inspired by this, they started putting octopus instead of meat and added soy sauce broth to the batter for flavor. Since octopus is called "tako" in Japanese, they renamed the dish from Radio-yaki to "Takoyaki" and began selling it under that name.

The original Takoyaki's distinctive feature is that it has no sauce. It is the basic form without the brown sauce, mayonnaise, seaweed flakes, or bonito flakes that we think of today. Endo's Takoyaki was designed to be eaten simply without getting your hands dirty and to be enjoyed even when cold. Therefore, at Aizuya, which has been in business for over 80 years, it is still characteristic that they do not put sauce on their Takoyaki.

Takoyaki sold at Aizuya. It is characterized by the absence of sauce. Aizuya Instagram.

'Takoyaki Sauce' Introduced After World War II

The practice of putting sauce on Takoyaki started after World War II. It is said that after developing tonkatsu sauce in Japan based on British Worcestershire sauce, people began adding it to Takoyaki. Later, in 1964, "Otafuku Sauce," known today as Okonomiyaki sauce, was developed in Korea and became widely used. The current style of pouring brown Takoyaki sauce, sprinkling seaweed powder and bonito flakes, and serving on a boat-shaped plate with toothpicks was established at this time.

I think adding mayonnaise to Takoyaki gives it a rich and smooth flavor, but the history of putting mayonnaise on it is relatively recent. In the past, it was met with strong opposition, much like Italians reacting to Hawaiian pizza. In 1974, a shop called Kogaryu introduced Takoyaki with mayonnaise drizzled in a lattice pattern. Despite negative public opinion, they firmly insisted, "If you don't like it, just ask us to leave it out," and as a result, putting mayonnaise on Takoyaki became established.

Donaiya Homepage.

The classic Osaka-style Takoyaki is made by pouring batter into a mold, adding octopus, green onions, and red pickled ginger, and finally sprinkling "tenkasu," which are crunchy tempura bits, evenly before cooking. These are the crispy tempura crumbs generously added to udon at Korean rest stops. Adding them last makes the outside crispy, and the oil from the tempura crumbs adds umami flavor.

There are some interesting stories related to Takoyaki. In Osaka, which is often compared to Busan in Korea, if the Takoyaki is not cooked quickly, customers tend to say "enough" and move to another shop. On the other hand, in Tokyo, people are said to be more patient and wait even if it takes longer to cook?though this is a story you can believe or not. Also, even within the Kansai region, the way Takoyaki is served differs between Osaka and Kyoto. In Osaka, daytime sales are high, but in Kyoto, Takoyaki is often enjoyed as a drinking snack, so evening sales are higher. Many shops open only after 5 p.m.

People participating in 'Takopa' are making takoyaki. Space Market website.

There is also a division between those who use copper plates and those who use iron plates for cooking Takoyaki. Copper plates have high thermal conductivity, so Takoyaki cooks quickly. Iron plates cook more slowly but are said to produce a deeper flavor. Therefore, even famous shops are divided between those that cook on copper plates and those that use iron plates.

Because of these factors, you can find a subtle pride in Takoyaki among Osaka people. It is famously said that every Osaka household has a Takoyaki mold. There is also a home party concept called "Takopa," short for "Takoyaki party," where friends are invited over to cook and eat Takoyaki together. Unlike store-bought ones, you can add various ingredients at home, such as kimchi, corn, and pollock roe, with each household having its own unique additions. Recently, Korean "gim" (seaweed) has become a novel ingredient for homemade Takoyaki.

It's fascinating how much history and stories are behind just one food. These days, on social media, pairing spicy chicken-flavored ramen with Takoyaki is said to be the best combination. It seems to be gaining popularity among young people in Japan as well. After all, when it comes to delicious food, nationality doesn't matter. This can truly be called a genuine Korea-Japan collaboration.