OSAKA, JAPAN

I didn’t know what to expect before I went to Osaka for the first time but I loved it! It’s a way bigger city than I had imagined, and is full of coffee shops, music, and lights.

WHERE WE STAYED

Hilton Osaka - We enjoyed our stay here as it was close to the trains and had spacious rooms.

what we did

We were only in Osaka for 1 day so we opted to:

• Explore the coffee shop district. Japan has excellent coffee. I think what makes it so good is partly the dairy they use which is unbeatable. Anyways, the area to visit is Nakazakicho which has many trendy cafes with vintage decor. The area has a relaxed vibe and feels tucked away from the main part of the city. There are also many shops to explore including a luggage store with goods made in Osaka. I picked up a bag! The coffee shops we visited were Yatt Nakazakicho and Wolf Coffee.

• Check out the vintage shops in Shinsaibashi (very busy/main shopping area) - mixed in with all the other big stores, there are some cool vintage shops. I will say they mostly stock American clothing which is funny, and some can be overpriced. Still cool to explore.

• Off the Beaten Path bar crawl - one of my highlights of the trip! If you’re in Osaka, this is a MUST-DO! The guide, Taka, was born and raised in Osaka and will take you to great, undisovered places where you’ll eat some of his favorite dishes, try exotic foods (if you want to), and drink lots of sake. He’ll teach you about the various kinds of sake and will share stories that will have you rolling. It was really fun to experience this with strangers who by the end of the night became our karaoke buddies.

Keep in mind: Most shops in Japan, including food/coffee, don’t open until 10/11am.

I hope to go back to Osaka the next time I’m in Japan and see even more!

Safe travels,

K