Out and About in Osaka

Of all the places I visited in Japan, Osaka was the biggest surprise. I’d read up on the fabulous street food culture and neon night-life vibes of the city and, although I was still very much looking forward to experiencing it, I couldn’t imagine enjoying it nearly as much as the quiet history of Kyoto. I was wrong - Osaka really grew on me and I already can’t wait to return. 

I stayed near the center of the city, several blocks south of the Dontonbori and Shinsekai neighborhoods. For me, it was perfect to be walking distance from the main streets and busy markets, but still a bit removed from the late-night crowds. 

I loved exploring the foodie streets of Dotonbori, where I feasted on peach mochi, takoyaki, and the best okonomiyaki of my life! I also got to visit the massive Don Quijote store and enjoyed taking a ride on the ferris wheel overlooking the river and neon skyline - even though I got a bit more than I bargained for when the ride got stuck for 15 minutes… 

My visit to Osaka Castle was also a pleasant surprise - I was definitely feeling “templed-out” at this point in my trip and not sure I wanted to spend another day inside a historical site, but I am so glad I paid the entrance fee for Osaka Castle. The museum inside covers several floors, featuring much of the history of the castle, including from the early unification of Japan, through the days of the Shogun and the Siege of Osaka. My favorite aspect of the museum was the floor full of screen paintings of the Siege of Osaka. These works were incredibly intricate, with viewers able to make out individual warriors from history by the detail in their faces, among a sea of other warriors. The screens stretched all around the outside wall of that floor of the castle, and seeing them certainly piqued my interest in this chapter of history.

Aside from a few of the day-trips I wrote about in another post (Minoh and Nara), I used my last few days here to go after some quintessential experiences in Japan, including going out for conveyor belt sushi (YUM) and visiting an urban onsen. The latter was particularly fun as the onsen featured outdoor spaces on the roof of a skyscraper in the downtown area, and boasted not only many different hot and cold pools, but also many different rooms in the stone sauna section (including pink himalayan salt rooms). 

Overall, Osaka was the perfect end to my time in Japan and definitely left me hungry to explore more on my next visit!