Kani Doraku Dotonbori Honten

Kani Doraku's main restaurant sits under the most photographed sign in Osaka: a giant mechanical crab whose legs and claws move slowly above the Dotonbori crowds. The city's tourism office counts it among Dotonbori's signature three-dimensional signs, alongside the Glico runner and the giant takoyaki. Many people only photograph it, but the restaurant beneath is a serious crab specialist and a comfortable place to try Japanese crab cuisine in the heart of Minami.

Crab is the only theme. The menu follows the seasons and the fishing grounds: snow crab from the Sea of Okhotsk from April to September, from the northern Sea of Japan from October to March, and San'in Matsuba crab, a prized regional brand, from early November to late March. The best-known course is the crab hot pot, which includes crab sashimi and grilled crab before the pot itself, and there are more affordable lunch sets for those who want a taste without a long dinner. Crab sushi and other individual dishes can be ordered a la carte.

Seating comes in several styles, including tables, tatami rooms and horigotatsu, low tables over a sunken floor so you can sit Japanese-style without kneeling. The atmosphere is relaxed and well suited to families, couples and groups, and the mix of seating means larger parties can usually be kept together if they book. Courses take time, so allow about an hour and a half for dinner. Takeaway is available for dishes other than raw ones.

The restaurant is open from 11:00 to 23:00, with last entry at 22:00, and closes only on 31 December, according to its directory listing. Credit cards are accepted. Prices are above average for Dotonbori, reflecting the cost of the crab, with lunch the best value. Evenings and weekends are busy, so book ahead if you want a particular course or seating style, especially in the winter crab season.

Kani Doraku is in the middle of Dotonbori, a few minutes' walk from Namba Station and from Nipponbashi Station, and close to the Ebisubashi bridge and the Glico sign. After dinner, the Tombori River Walk below the street is the place to see the neon at its best, and the bars of Minami are all around.