Why it’s worth visiting Osaka
To be honest, I’m not totally sure why we decided to go to Osaka. Although it’s the second-largest city in Japan, it doesn’t have the same buzz as Tokyo, charm as Kyoto or the scenic beauty of the small towns along the coast or in the shadow of Mount Fuji. Somehow, though, it got thrown onto our itinerary and I’m so glad it did: the city is bold and brash and full of life, but with delightful pockets of beauty and authenticity.
Before I go into all of the things that we loved about the city, a couple of mistakes that we made! One is that I booked us a hotel near Shin-Osaka Station, mistakenly thinking that was the main train station and thus a hub in the center of city. It’s actually the main train station for the bullet train to Tokyo, and although it’s a great transit hub, it’s pretty far removed from all of the interesting parts of Osaka and doesn’t have much going on around it. Our hotel was also very much a transit hotel, aka it was NOT very luxurious or even very comfortable. So: don’t do that! The second was that I heard incredible things about going to a baseball game in Osaka, and I assumed that we’d be able to buy tickets day-of at the stadium (or find a scalper outside). Nope! At the very least, all of tickets sold out in advance (and apparently Japan unsurprisingly does not have a culture of scalping tickets). Very bummed that we weren’t able to check out a baseball game in Japan, but definitely adding that to the list for the next time we’re in the country. And with that said, here are all of the reasons why it’s absolutely worth visiting Osaka:
The grounds of Osaka Castle
Who doesn’t love a good moat?! Osaka Castle (pictured in the first photo in this post) is one of Japan’s most famous landmarks and it played an important role in the reunification of Japan in the sixteenth century. The extensive grounds and traditional Japanese gardens are lovely to walk around on a nice day, although it’s certainly a popular spot for Japanese tourists: don’t expect to get it all to yourself. I’m already daydreaming about how beautiful it would be during cherry blossom season!
Dogs at Osaka Castle
One of the funniest things about the sprawling grounds of Osaka Castle were how many dogs there were, all dressed up and ready for a photo shoot! We spotted this cute little shiba inu right when we walked in: she was trained to hop up and pose on your lap when you kneeled down, which was a real crowd-pleaser. We thought that we had just gotten lucky running into her, but after we walked all around the grounds, we ran into him again–still posing with any tourist who wanted to kneel down. Such a hoot! Similarly, there was also a man there with an owl that you could pose with–and a big sign saying that photos were free, just come and meet the owl and take a photo with him. Truly a highlight of our time on the grounds. 
Amerikamura
A really fun neighborhood for people-watching is Amerikamura: it has a super young vibe, full of fashion-forward teenagers, trendy brunch spots and vintage shops. The name comes from all of the American import stores that set up here in the 1970s, and there are still little touches of American culture here–like the Statue of Liberty on top of a building. The tiny, triangular Mitsu Park reminded me of Thompson Square Park in East Village in New York City: lots of hippies and hipsters and eccentrics to observe! We picked up a couple of canned mixed drinks at a convenience store for peak people watching pleasure (warning: the strong Kirin drinks are STRONG!). 
Takoyaki
We sampled takoyaki, an Osaka specialty, from a popular little spot right across from Mitsu Park. They’re basically a fried round ball with a piece of octopus inside and drizzled with mayonnaise-like sauce, and you can find them all over the city. Although I’m always game to try a local speciality, I have to admit: I did not love it. I don’t really like octopus and I hate mayonnaise, though, so this is not very surprising!
Dotombori Shopping District
This is probably the most iconic neighborhood of Osaka–it’s certainly the busiest and the most touristy! Reminds me a lot of Times Square: it’s fun to see all of the bright lights once, but a little too crowded to truly enjoy. One thing we didn’t do, but that I think would be well worth it: a cruise down the river through this area! Would be nice to be able to enjoy it without dealing with all of the chaos on the ground. 
Don Quijote Ferris Wheel
Long-time readers know my obsession with Ferris wheels, and so of course, I couldn’t resist when I realized that there was one overlooking the main touristy drag in Dotonbori. First things first: it’s built into the Don Quijote discount store, which is also open 24 hours a day with several floors of just about anything you can think of. It is an incredible place to buy souvenirs–including sheet masks, funky flavors of Kit-Kats and all things matcha. And if you buy ANYTHING in the store, you get a free ticket for the Ferris wheel (alas, something I learned too late–I was so excited to go for a ride that I went straight to the ticket booth!). Secondly, it takes 15 minutes to complete a revolution and there are some incredible views of the Osaka skyline and looking down on the riverfront shopping district. Really fun! Highly recommend!
Hanamaruken Ramen
One of the best bowls of ramen we had in Japan was at Hanamaruken Ramen, tucked away on a back street in Dotombori. The slow-cooked pork rib ramen is next level: it’s incredibly decadent, especially for the price.
Nakazakicho
This is a super cool up-and-coming neighborhood with a decidedly hipster vibe: lots of artisan cafes, cozy bars, vintage stores, and bikes and benches lining the narrow streets.
Northshore Kitahama
Make sure to grab an outdoor seat to enjoy your tropical pancakes and coffee at Northshore: the breeze off the river is just as delightful as the fruit-forward dishes. The downsides (like many trendy brunch spots!): prepare to wait, especially on a weekend morning, and prices are steep for not a ton of food.
All in all, I’m so glad we took the time to experience Osaka. If you have enough time, well worth adding to your itinerary–even on a first-time trip to Japan!
