Most people start their Japanese adventures in Tokyo. It’s the largest city (biggest world population at 40 million!) and easiest to get to on a direct flight.
Tokyo is wild, colorful, electric and jammed with people. But as cool as it is, there is a smaller, less intense city in the western part of the country that also happens to be considered the street food capital of the country. It will be the home base for the upcoming Expo 2025 and has so many cool, out of the way izakayas (pubs) and restaurants to visit!
A photographic journey to Osaka, in the heart of the Kansai region, is very welcome. Kansai is also home to the historic city of nearby Kyoto, which is chock-full of old temples and Japanese culture the way it once was. There, you’re most likely to find geishas and many people walking down the streets in their kimonos.
Osaka, Japan’s no. 2 city (3+ million population) has the street food, wild ways of Japan and amazing back streets. I explored this in my two-part PhotowalksTV episode from Osaka.
Let me run you by the six top photo highlights of Osaka.
Dotonbori
This is the electric district, Osaka’s version of Tokyo’s Shibuya. There are giant neon signs everywhere you look. A bridge over water serves as a gathering place for those who want to pose in front of the signs. One particular sign gets them every time. The giant running man of Glico, the Japanese candy maker best known for Pocky treats. People love to pose with their arms extended, to emulate the running guy. The bridge leads to a back-street known for its street food.
Namba
This is where you try two local delicacies: takoyaki, a fried octopus ball and okonomiyaki, a pancake-like dish topped with meat and sauces. It’s not hard to figure out where to get them: vendors sit under giant signs of octopuses, crabs and the like. (You’ll also find many izakayas (bars with food) full restaurants and knick-knack shops in Namba.)
Cheesecake
Not exactly a photo op, but an experience. The jiggly cheesecake made by the Rikuro bakery fresh daily is an only in Osaka treat. It’s sold at one of the 12 locations, and people stand on long lines to pick it up. It’s quite a unique taste.
Umeda Sky and Harukas
To catch a killer overhead shot of Osaka, way higher than you could ever get from a drone, pay 1500 yen and take the elevator to the top of two buildings. Umeda Sky takes you up just over 40 stories, while the Harukas building goes up 60 flights. However, you can catch a free view from the 16th story deck as well, which is plenty high. I prefer the view from Umeda. It’s also more centrally located, right near the Osaka station. This is where most trains lead to and send you to connect to other parts of the city.
Osaka Castle
Probably the second biggest tourist gathering in the city after Dotonbori, Osaka Castle is a historic castle dating back to the 1600s that was rebuilt in the 1930s. Huge crowds gather here to pose in front of it and street performers entertain the crowds. If you want the shot, get here early, and stand by the moat to catch the reflection of the castle in the water.
Expo 70
The old Expo Park, (“Expo ’70 Banpaku Kinen Kōen” in Japanese) is on the site of the old World’s Fair from 1970. (The Expo is coming back in 2025 to Osaka, but will be in a new location.) The park has a museum, food stalls and a cafe, and a huge statue, the Tower of the Sun, considered the symbol of Expo ’70.
For my money, the sites were all really impressive, but my favorite part of visiting Osaka was touring the back streets and meeting locals. I’ll be back at you with more on that portion of the visit. Thanks for reading, watching and listening!
