Osaka & Kansai

Dotonbori (道頓堀) is Osaka's pulsating heart—a canal lined with giant neon signs, mechanical crabs, the iconic Glico Running Man sign, and hundreds of restaurants competing to shine the brightest. It's loud, colorful, overwhelming—and one of Japan's most exciting places.

The main attraction is the food. Osaka's motto is "Kuidaore" (食い倒れ)—"Eat until you drop." In Dotonbori, this becomes the agenda: try stand after stand until you can't anymore:

• Takoyaki (たこ焼き): Octopus balls—Osaka's signature snack. Crispy on the outside, creamy inside, with sauce, mayo, and bonito flakes. From ¥500 for 6–8 pieces. The best: Wanaka and Kukuru.
• Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き): Savory pancakes with cabbage, meat/shrimp, egg, sauce, and mayo. In Osaka style, everything is mixed and grilled on the teppan plate before you. From ¥800. Must-stop: Mizuno (Michelin Bib Gourmand).
• Kushikatsu (串カツ): Fried skewers—everything from shrimp to asparagus to cheese. Golden rule: Dip once in the communal sauce, no double dipping! (Nido-zuke Kinshi—no double dipping allowed). From ¥100/skewer.
• Gyoza: Dumplings, crispy grilled. Osaka's version has a thin, crunchy bottom.

Besides the food: The Tombori River Walk is a canal-side promenade, perfect for photos. The Shinsaibashi-suji is a covered shopping street with 600+ shops. And the Hozenji Yokocho is an atmospheric side alley with a moss-covered Buddha, which visitors pour water over.

Osaka Castle (大阪城) is Osaka's landmark—a mighty fortress with white walls, gold-adorned roofs, and a massive moat, surrounded by a sprawling park. The castle was built in 1583 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the warlord who unified Japan after the Warring States period.

The current castle is a concrete reconstruction from 1931 (the original burned down multiple times) and houses an eight-story museum about the castle's history and Hideyoshi's life. The exhibition is informative, but the interior feels less like a castle and more like a modern museum with an elevator. The main attraction is the exterior—the imposing silhouette, the stone walls, and the view from the 8th floor over Osaka.

The Nishinomaru Garden (¥200 extra) is a dream during cherry blossom season—600 cherry trees against the backdrop of the castle, illuminated in the evening. The castle park (free) with its huge stone walls and double moat is worth a walk. Time travel tip: The "Osaka Amazing Pass" card (¥2,800/day) includes free entry to the castle plus 40+ other attractions and boat rides.

Osaka calls itself "Tenka no Daidokoro" (天下の台所) — the nation's kitchen. And that's no empty promise. While Tokyo collects Michelin stars, Osaka serves the best food for everyone — on the street, at the counter, from vending machines.

Osaka Specialties in Detail

Takoyaki (Octopus Balls) — Osaka's soul food. Dough made from wheat flour and dashi broth, filled with octopus pieces, ginger, and green onions, shaped into balls in a special cast-iron pan. Hotter than the sun, creamy inside, served with sweet sauce, Kewpie mayonnaise, and katsuobushi (bonito flakes). The best Takoyaki in town: Wanaka (Dotonbori) and Aizuya (Shinsekai).

Okonomiyaki (Savory Pancake) — "Okonomi" means "what you like," "yaki" means "grilled." In Osaka style, everything is mixed: batter, cabbage, egg, plus pork, shrimp, or squid. Grilled on the hot teppan plate in front of you, with thick sauce, mayo, and aonori (seaweed flakes). Watching at the table is part of the experience.

Kushikatsu (Fried Skewers) — The epicenter is Shinsekai, Osaka's retro-futuristic district around the Tsūtenkaku Tower. Dozens of Kushikatsu restaurants line up. Everything is breaded and fried: lotus, quince, cheese, shrimp, beef. Follow the golden rule: Don't double-dip in the communal sauce!

Kitsune Udon — Thick udon noodles in mild dashi broth with sweet marinated tofu (Aburaage). Osaka's comfort food. Best at Usamitei Matsubaya (since 1893).

551 Horai Butaman — Steaming pork buns (Nikuman), Osaka's most popular snack on the go. The line at the main store in Namba Station is legendary — ¥200 each, 170,000 sold daily.

Kobe is only 30 minutes from Osaka (JR Shinkaisoku, ¥410, or Shinkansen 15 min.) and is famous for three things: the world's best beef, a cosmopolitan port, and a dramatic mountain backdrop.

Kobe-Wagyu — The Best Beef in the World

Kobe Beef is the Rolls-Royce of steaks—marbled Tajima cattle from the Hyōgo Prefecture that melts on the tongue like butter. Genuine Kobe beef is certified (Chrysanthemum seal) and only available in licensed restaurants.

• Teppanyaki Steak: Prepared before your eyes on the hot plate. Lunch menu from ¥5,000–8,000 (31–50 €)—significantly cheaper than dinner (¥15,000+).
• Recommendation: Mouriya (since 1885, multiple locations) or Ishida for an authentic experience.
• Budget Tip: Kobe beef bun in the Kitanozaka district from ¥500 or Kobe beef gyudon (beef on rice) from ¥1,500.

Other Highlights

• Kitano-chō: District with Western merchant houses (Ijinkan) from the Meiji era—a fascinating mix of Victorian and Japanese architecture.
• Kobe Harborland: Modern harbor promenade with views of the port and the Kobe Port Tower (red lattice structure).
• Nunobiki Herb Garden: Cable car up the mountain to a herb garden with panoramic views over the city and the bay (¥1,800 round trip).
• Sake Breweries in Nada: Kobe's eastern district is Japan's largest sake brewing area—free tastings included.

Himeji-jō (姫路城) is Japan's most beautiful and best-preserved castle—a white, five-story masterpiece of fortress architecture, nicknamed the "White Heron Castle" (Shirasagi-jō). A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993 and in pristine condition since the extensive restoration in 2015.

What makes Himeji special: The castle is original—never destroyed, never taken in war, never damaged by earthquakes. It has survived over 400 years in perfect condition. Inside, steep wooden stairs lead through the six floors, showcasing weapon racks, loopholes, and defense mechanisms.

The castle is only 60 minutes from Osaka by JR Shinkansen (or 1.5 hours by regular JR train, included in the JR Pass). From Himeji Station, a straight avenue leads directly to the castle gate—the view of the castle at the end of the avenue is breathtaking.

During cherry blossom season, over 1,000 cherry trees bloom in the castle park—the white castle against a sea of pink blossoms is one of Japan's most iconic images. Also worth a visit is the Kōko-en, a neighboring Japanese garden with nine themed gardens (¥310).

Kōya-san (高野山) is the spiritual center of Shingon Buddhism—a sacred mountain town at an altitude of 800 meters, surrounded by ancient cedar forests, with over 100 temples and one of Japan's most profound experiences: an overnight stay in a Shukubō (temple lodging).

The heart is the Okunoin—Japan's largest and most atmospheric cemetery. A two-kilometer path leads through an ancient cedar forest, lined with over 200,000 gravestones and moss-covered stone lanterns. At the end of the path lies the Mausoleum of Kōbō Daishi (Kūkai), the founder of Shingon Buddhism (9th century), who, according to legend, did not die here but remains in eternal meditation. A flame has been burning continuously in front of the mausoleum for over 1,000 years.

Temple Stay (Shukubō): Over 50 temples offer guest rooms—futon on tatami, vegetarian dinner and breakfast (Shōjin Ryōri), participation in the morning service at 6 AM with prayer chants (Goma fire ceremony). Prices: ¥10,000–25,000 per person with half board. It is not a luxury accommodation but a spiritual experience.

Getting There: From Osaka Namba with the Nankai Line to Gokurakubashi (90 min., ¥1,680), then cable car up the mountain (5 min., ¥620). The cable car through the steep forest is already impressive.

Shinsekai (新世界, "New World") is Osaka's most dazzling and quirky district — a retro entertainment area from the 1910s that today feels like a time warp into a vibrant post-war Japan. Giant neon signs in red, yellow, and green, kitschy pufferfish lanterns, pachinko noise-filled arcades, and the Tsūtenkaku Tower (通天閣) as its landmark.

The Tsūtenkaku (108 m) was built in 1956 as a replica of the original demolished in 1943 — the latter was inspired by the Eiffel Tower. The observation deck (¥900) offers panoramic views over Osaka. At the base of the tower stands Billiken, a deity of luck with pointed ears, whose feet you rub for good fortune. In the "Tower Slider" opened in 2022, you can slide from the 3rd floor to the ground floor (¥1,000).

Shinsekai is especially the Kingdom of Kushikatsu. Dozens of restaurants serve fried skewers — from Daruma (since 1929, the classic) to nameless corner pubs. The ritual: Cross off the menu, order skewers, dip them in the communal sauce (once!), enjoy, repeat. A plate with 10 skewers costs ¥800–1,200.

Right next door is Tennōji with the Shitennō-ji (四天王寺) — Japan's oldest Buddhist temple, founded in 593 by Prince Shōtoku. The current structure is a reconstruction, but the complex conveys 1,400 years of history. The adjacent Tennōji Park houses the beautiful Japanese garden Keitakuen (¥150, hidden gem) and the Abeno Harukas — at 300 meters, Japan's tallest building. The observation deck "Harukas 300" (¥1,500) offers views to the sea and the mountains of Nara on clear days.

The Kuromon Ichiba (黒門市場) is Osaka's "kitchen" — a 580-meter long, covered market with over 150 stalls, supplying the city's restaurant kitchens since the 19th century. Today, it is also popular with visitors who want to eat their way through the freshest seafood and specialties.

Market Highlights

• Sashimi & Sushi: Freshly caught tuna, salmon, sea urchin (Uni), and scallops — sliced at the counter and served immediately. Tuna sashimi from ¥500, Uni from ¥1,000.
• Grilled Seafood: Giant prawns, scallops, and Wagyu skewers — grilled before your eyes on a charcoal grill. The prawns (¥800–1,500) are sweet and buttery.
• Fugu (Pufferfish): Kuromon is one of the few places where you can try Fugu without spending a fortune — Fugu sashimi from ¥1,500, fried Fugu from ¥800.
• Seasonal Fruit: Japanese strawberries (December–April), Mikan mandarins, white peaches in summer — flawless and sweet like candy.
• Tamago-yaki: The fluffy Japanese omelet on a skewer — sweet or savory (¥200).

Namba is Osaka's bustling entertainment district around the station of the same name — a labyrinth of underground passages, department stores, and entertainment areas. The Namba Grand Kagetsu is the mecca of Japanese comedy (Manzai) — Osaka is Japan's comedy capital. In the alleys of Ura-Namba (裏なんば, "Back-Namba"), tiny Izakayas with a maximum of 8 seats are hidden — here locals drink Highball (whisky soda) and eat Yakitori from the charcoal grill. No English, no menus — just sit down and order what others are eating.