Osaka's unofficial motto is the Japanese expression "kuidaore". Roughly it means "eat yourself into
bankruptcy". The notion is that Osakans live to eat. They're a people that love foods ranging from
crab to
fugu to
Okonomiyaki. The tradition goes back to Osaka's history as not only a
fishing village but a gateway to
China. On the docks and in the back alleys kitchens of Osaka, traditional Japanese cuisine and seafood freely mixed with imported, heartier Chinese
fare. To the more traditional citizens of
Kyoto and
Tokyo, Osakan cuisine seemed wild and exotic or as the Japanese put it "the best kitchen under heaven".
In short, these people know how to eat!
Contrast this with Kyoto's unofficial motto "
kidaore" which roughly means "bankrupt yourself buying expensive clothes". To Osakans, Kyoto's citizen seemed given more to the
sartorial (foo foo) arts than what was on their dinner plate.
Kuidaore is also the name of an Osakan symbol/
mascot. Kuidaore is a drum playing
clown who wears a red/white/blue striped clown suit. The Kuidaore clown can be found in Osaka's southern
Dotombori Arcade.