Visiting Osaka in November 2026? Our Open Days, Warm Seafood for Chilly Nights, and Dinner Under the Lights
Hi! I'm the owner of Kaiebi (貝と海老そして蟹 / Shellfish, Shrimp & Crab), a 6-seat seafood counter in Shinsaibashi, Osaka. 🦞
November is a lovely month to visit Osaka. The summer heat is long gone, the evenings get crisp, and the city starts to glow with winter lights. ✨
If you're planning a trip this month, I'd love to help you plan one good dinner. So today I've put everything in one place: which days we're open in November, what warm seafood to eat on a chilly night, and how to fit dinner around the Midosuji Illumination.
There's nothing sadder than walking all the way to a restaurant and finding it closed, so please check the dates first! 🙏
📅 Our November 2026 schedule
Here are our days off in November:
- Thursday, November 5 — closed all day
- Friday, November 6 — closed all day
- Thursday, November 12 — closed in the evening (daytime is open)
- Monday, November 16 — closed in the evening (daytime is open)
- Sunday, November 29 — closed all day
On every other day, we're open in the evening from 17:00 to 25:00 (last entry 22:30).
What does "daytime is open" mean? From 12:00 to 17:00 we take just one party per day, by reservation only. I run the restaurant on my own during the day, so we accept only course reservations or à la carte reservations that include live lobster. Please book at least 3 days ahead.
Our holidays are irregular, so if you're coming later in the year, please check our latest notices before you visit.
🎌 The long weekend: open November 21–23
Monday, November 23 is a public holiday in Japan (Labor Thanksgiving Day), so November 21–23 is a three-day weekend.
Good news: we're open all three days! 😊
The catch is that long weekends get busy, and seats tend to fill up earlier than usual. With only six counter seats, I really recommend booking ahead if your dates are fixed — especially if you're coming as a group of four or more (more on that in our guide to a small-group dinner).
🦀 Warm seafood for a chilly November night
When the wind gets cold, you want something steaming in front of you. Here's what I'd recommend on a November evening:
Crab shabu-shabu in shijimi clam broth
You swish crab through a gentle broth made from *shijimi* (small freshwater clams), and at the end we turn the broth into *zosui*, a soft rice porridge, so nothing goes to waste. It's the kind of dish that warms you from the inside. 🍲
Rich crab miso fondue
A creamy crab miso sauce you dip bread and cheese into. Add the "+ crab shabu-shabu" option and you get four crab legs to swish through that same sauce — a little luxury. My recommendation: pair it with a sweet white wine (Japanese sake goes well too!).
More about both dishes: crab shabu-shabu and crab miso fondue.
Luxury crab cream macaroni gratin
Bubbling hot from the oven, with a crab claw standing right up in the middle — every time. The first spoonful on a cold night is pure comfort. 😋
Mixed ajillo
Shrimp, scallops and oysters sizzling in garlic oil, served with bread. When you've finished, you can add more bread, or turn the leftover oil into a risotto-style rice dish. Here's more about our seafood ajillo.
Oysters, two ways
November 23 is also known in Japan as "Oyster Day," a nice reminder that oyster season is getting started. Try raw oysters on the half shell (served with Japanese lemon, with optional toppings of Talisker whisky or salmon roe) next to our crispy Hiroshima fried oysters. See five ways to enjoy oysters at our counter.
🦞 And of course, our live lobster
Our signature is live lobster from Canada, steamed with white wine and herbs in a Staub cast-iron pot.
First, we show you the lobster while it's still alive. When it's done, I bring the whole pot to you and lift the lid right in front of you — the burst of steam and aroma on a cold evening is something special. ✨
One lobster is perfect for two people to share. If you love seafood, one each is great too! Try a bite on its own first, then with our homemade lemon salt, and finally with melted butter or our pink tartar sauce.
✨ Dinner before or after the Midosuji Illumination
Every winter, Midosuji, the big tree-lined avenue running through Shinsaibashi and Namba, lights up with illuminations. According to Osaka Prefecture, Midosuji Illumination 2026 runs from November 3 to December 31, lit from around 17:00 until 25:00. (Please check the official announcement for the latest details.)
Our evening hours (17:00–25:00, last entry 22:30) line up almost exactly with the lights, so you can do it either way:
- Dinner first: come in early, enjoy a slow meal, then take a stroll under the lights on your way back to the hotel.
- Lights first: walk the avenue and take your photos, then come in for a late dinner. Just remember our last entry is 22:30.
We're about 5 minutes' walk from Shinsaibashi Station and from the Namba stations, so it's easy to combine with your evening walk. 🚶
🍷 What to drink on a November night
- About 30 wines, all available by the glass, with a focus on Japanese wine — including wine from my hometown, Shiojiri in Nagano.
- ARAGOSTA, a crisp white from Sardinia with a lobster on the label, has been our "house bottle" since we opened. Dry, fruity and a little citrusy — great with shellfish and crustaceans.
- Japanese sake from Wakyo Brewery in Shiojiri, a brand you rarely see in the Kansai area. Nice with the crab dishes on a cold night.
- Beer, lemon sour, highballs, shochu, and soft drinks too.
🗓 Booking tips for November
1. Book online. It's the easiest way, even if you don't speak Japanese — here's how to book a table without speaking Japanese.
2. Booking on the day? You can book online until 19:00. After that, please call 06-6213-3881 (from outside Japan: +81 6 6213 3881). If we don't pick up right away, we're probably busy cooking — please try again a little later.
3. Allergies or foods you can't eat? Please tell us when you book. If possible, we'll use a substitute ingredient, but some dishes can't be changed because of how they're prepared. As a shellfish, shrimp and crab restaurant, many of our dishes use these ingredients, so if you have a shellfish or crustacean allergy, please talk to us before booking.
4. Good to know: we have an English menu, the restaurant has been completely non-smoking since August 1, 2026, and we're a husband-and-wife team — I cook, my wife Mizuki takes care of the drinks, and we look after our guests together. Our English isn't perfect, but we'll do our best to make you feel at home. 😊
FAQ
Q. Which days are you closed in November 2026?
We're closed all day on November 5, 6 and 29, and closed in the evening on November 12 and 16 (daytime is open on those two days).
Q. Are you open during the November 21–23 long weekend?
Yes, we're open all three days. Seats tend to fill up early on long weekends, so we recommend booking ahead.
Q. What time is your last entry?
In the evening we're open from 17:00 to 25:00, and last entry is 22:30.
Q. Can we have dinner after seeing the Midosuji Illumination?
Yes. The lights are on from around 17:00 to 25:00, and we're about 5 minutes' walk from Shinsaibashi Station. Please arrive by our last entry time of 22:30.
Q. What warm dishes do you recommend for a cold night?
Crab shabu-shabu in shijimi clam broth, crab miso fondue, crab cream macaroni gratin, and seafood ajillo are all good choices.
Q. Do you have an English menu?
Yes, we do.
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Our philosophy: "Through dining out, make life richer."
A cold night, a pot of steaming crab, a glass of wine, and the city lights on the walk home — that's a pretty good November evening in Osaka, I think. We'd love to see you at our counter. 🦞🦀
Thank you for reading to the end!
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Kaiebi (貝と海老そして蟹) — Shellfish, Shrimp & Crab
📍 2-7-11 Shinsaibashi-suji, Chuo-ku, Osaka (Nippo Royal Building 1F)
🗺 Google Maps
📞 06-6213-3881
🕐 12:00–17:00 (daytime, one reservation-only party per day) / 17:00–25:00 (last entry 22:30)
📅 Irregular holidays
💺 Counter seating for 6 (up to 8 for private bookings)