2026/10/22
The short answer: In October and November, the Japanese foods worth seeking out in Osaka are matsutake mushrooms, Tamba black edamame, late-season hamo (pike conger), lotus root, and the first oysters of winter. Autumn is when food from the mountains and the sea is good at the same time, and a single meal can carry you from late summer into early winter.
Here is what is in season, and how you are likely to see it served at a Japanese restaurant in Osaka.
How Japanese cooks think about “season”
Japanese cooking splits each ingredient’s season into three stages:
- Hashiri: the first arrivals. Small amounts, eaten as a sign the season is coming.
- Sakari: the peak, when it tastes best and is most plentiful.
- Nagori: the last of the season, eaten with a bit of nostalgia.
Autumn is when all three overlap. Summer hamo is in its nagori, matsutake is at its sakari, and oysters arrive as hashiri. A good autumn menu uses that overlap on purpose.
What to eat in Osaka in October and November
Matsutake mushrooms
The star of autumn in Japan. Domestic matsutake are most available from September to October. They are prized for their aroma, so cooks handle them lightly: steamed in a small teapot with broth (dobin-mushi), grilled, cooked into rice, or as tempura.
Late-season hamo
Hamo, a pike conger eel, is the classic fish of a Kansai summer. In autumn it carries more fat and a deeper flavor. Pairing hamo with matsutake, in a broth or a hot pot, is a Kansai way of eating the overlap between summer and autumn.
Tamba black edamame
These are black soybeans from the Tamba region, picked while still green. They are only around for a short window in October. The beans are larger, sweeter and nuttier than regular edamame, and lightly charring them brings out a toasty flavor.
Lotus root
From autumn into winter, lotus root gets starchier and slightly chewy. A common Kansai dish is renkon manju: grated lotus root steamed into a soft dumpling and served in a thickened broth.
Oysters
Oysters start appearing around November and get plumper as winter goes on. In Japanese restaurants you may find them with vinegar, in a miso hot pot, or as fried oysters.
Tips for eating Japanese food in autumn
- Eat matsutake early in the meal. Its aroma is delicate, so enjoy it before richer dishes.
- Try hiyaoroshi sake. This is sake brewed in winter, rested through summer and released in autumn. It is rounder and softer, and suits autumn food well.
- Ask what came in today. Autumn deliveries change a lot from day to day, so asking the chef is the easiest way to get the best of the season.
Autumn at Washoku Yu
At Washoku Yu, the menu is decided by what the chef buys each day. Autumn and winter dishes served here in the past include:
- Charred Tamba black edamame
- Matsutake tempura
- Lotus root dumpling (renkon manju)
- Spanish mackerel grilled with sweet Kyoto miso (sawara saikyo-yaki)
- Beef tendon simmered in white miso
- Fried oysters
What is on the menu depends on the day. If you would like your course built around autumn ingredients, or want matsutake included, tell us when you book.
Chef Yonezawa trained at a kappo restaurant in Osaka’s Kitashinchi district and later worked as a residence chef at a Japanese official residence in Australia. Courses start at 5,500 yen including tax, and à la carte dishes start at 550 yen. For hours, access and booking, see our English page.
FAQ
When is matsutake season in Japan?
Domestic matsutake are most available from September to October.
When can you eat Tamba black edamame?
Only for a short period in October. They are larger, sweeter and nuttier than regular edamame.
What is hiyaoroshi?
Hiyaoroshi is sake brewed in winter, rested over the summer and released in autumn. It has a softer, rounder taste that goes well with autumn dishes.
What Japanese food is in season in November?
Matsutake (early in the month), lotus root, the first oysters of the season, and autumn fish such as Spanish mackerel are all good choices in November.