Takoyaki - octopus balls - is probably not what Unesco had in mind when it honoured washoku. But these unpretentious globes of seafood and veggies bound in batter are as emblematic of Japanese cuisine as sushi and ramen, and Ōsaka is where the recipe hails from. The nation’s second largest city is also famed for okonomiyaki, a batter pancake topped with meat, squid, shredded vegetables and garnished with sweet brown sauce, mayonnaise, powdered seaweed and wafer thin flakes of dried tuna. Head to the Dōtombori area of this food-crazy city to try these dishes.