Ed Sheeran is diving headfirst into the culture as he spends time in Japan on his latest tour.
The musician, 32, is in the middle of a string of live performances across Asia for his +–=÷× (Mathematics) tour, stunning fans with a lively performance in Osaka over the weekend.
But in his downtime, the star – who shares two children with wife Cherry Seaborn – is taking the time to explore everything Japan has to offer, including venturing out of his comfort zone with local delicacies.
Ed took to Instagram on Monday where he shared a video with his 46 million followers of him tucking into octopus balls, before getting mobbed on the street by fans.
Using chopsticks to eat the meal on the street, Ed took a big bite and chewed thoroughly before considering and saying ‘it’s alright.’
‘Don’t know if I’d order it again,’ he admitted with a smile.
A man appeared in the video alongside Ed explaining the dish is called Takoyaki, and Ed declared ‘eat until you drop – that’s exactly what I’m going to do tonight.’
And it seems Ed was as true as his word, as the video ended with a quick montage of him eating his way across the city, accompanied by wine and pints of beer.
He tried Okonomiyaki – pancakes filled with cabbage, egg and spice – at a local diner, and named several meals he was planning to try that night,
But, as he’s Ed Sheeran, things went slightly awry when he was recognised and immediately mobbed by people on the street, who crowded to get a photo and conversation with the Shivers star.
And, being Ed Sheeran, he graciously obliged.
Ed is no stranger to trying new things, especially when it comes to his music, as he has a very surprising upcoming collaboration: with heavy metal band Cradle of Filth, of all things.
The band’s frontman Dani Filth, 50, previously revealed back in 2021 that a collab with Ed might be in the the works, and it looks like it’s almost ready to go.
He told YouTube channel Pełna Kulturka the Ed track will be included in their new album, adding: ‘People have heard it and loved it. But it is what you imagine – it’s Cradle Of Filth and it’s Ed Sheeran.
‘It sounds like Ed Sheeran, it sounds like Cradle Of Filth. There’s a blast beat in it.’
Ed previously did a metal version of his own track Bad Habits at the Brit Awards in 2022, with none other than British rock legends Bring Me The Horizon.