Takoyaki, the Japanese, fun-sized snack that's sure to rock your world! たこ焼き (takoyaki) literally translates to octopus (tako) and fried (yaki). Takoyaki are small balls of flour batter cooked in specialized takoyaki pans. In each ball, there are pre-cooked octopus bits. Takoyaki is usually eaten with takoyaki sauce, mayonnaise, green seaweed bits, and dried bonito shavings. Most takoyaki contain ingredients besides octopus, such as green onions, pickled red ginger, and tempura scraps. The takoyaki sold by street vendors, takoyaki restaurants, and festivals are normally served in dishes that resemble "boats" like the one below:

Takoyaki was invented in 1935 by a street vendor named Tomekichi Endo. It was first made and sold in Osaka. It grew so popular in the Kansai region of Japan that it spread all over the place. There weren't any Japanese who didn't know of takoyaki. You can make your own takoyaki right at home if you have a takoyaki pan. Making takoyaki is super easy when using a takoyaki pan, because it evenly cooks the batter all the way to its center. Once the takoyaki are done frying, you've got yourself a piping hot dish of takoyaki! 

Want to have a go at making your own takoyaki? Here at J-Subculture, we have takoyaki pans ready to ship to you! We also have other products related to takoyaki making, and takoyaki goods as well. Takoyaki batter is so soft and fluffy on the inside, while it's hot and crispy on the outside. The octopus bits in the center are chewy and mix well with the batter. You can enjoy three different food textures all at once! Try some takoyaki today!