Discovering Wonders in Osaka

Have you ever wondered why people who have visited Japan keep coming back at every possible occasion? Surely, with the abundance of scenic landscapes, culinary delights, efficient infrastructure, and remarkable citizens permeating the land of the rising sun, going to explore and delve into its culture in depth is undeniable.

As each Japanese city has a distinctive quality, a week-long holiday may not be enough, but it is nonetheless sufficient. 

For a four-day trip to Osaka, for instance, one has to be content with experiencing only half of its countless family attractions, hole-in-the-wall pubs, enticing restaurants, and thrifty shopping districts, only to return with a newfound sense of homecoming.

I, myself, had to contend with the places and activities we could do in a four-day, three-night stay in the city, locally known as “the nation’s kitchen”, or Tenka no Daidokoro in Japanese.

The first district that we visited was Shinsekai. Shinsekai boasts multiple rows of roads thriving with restaurants, bars and tax-free shops. You can find restaurants specializing in ramen, sushi, okonomiyaki, takoyaki, and a wide range of delicacies, each prepared in the authentic Japanese style – an appetizing harmony of minimalist elegance and culinary precision.

We were not able to dine in any of the restaurants there, as we needed to unload our luggage first at a luggage locker.

A handy note for those new to Japan: Luggage Lockers are found everywhere, mostly in tourist attractions, train stations, and airports. Another one of many conveniences in Japan, these lockers offer different sizes, ranging from 300 to 800 yen per period, which may be half a day or a full day. There are those that accept coins and those that require payment over the counter. Either way, it makes traveling around town easier and lighter.

For us, the luggage locker that we sought was at the bottom of the Tsutenkaku Tower.

Trusting that almost all, i,f not all, food places in Japan, be it mobile stalls or permanent stores, are guaranteed to be delicious, we were happy to have a quick bite of takoyaki from the takoyaki kiosk beside the luggage locker. 

We watched as the takoyaki chef, who seemed to be the owner, masterfully rolled the dough with minced squid, cooking each ball in just a few minutes. With our takoyaki served piping hot at the counter, the best place we could enjoy it was at a high table with pull-out stools in front of the counter. We had to cut the takoyaki in the middle first to let the steam out before eating it, so it wouldn’t burn our mouths. 

After digesting our delectable takoyaki balls, we walked into the reception area of the Tsutenkaku Tower to sign up for the Tower Slider experience. 

It's a good thing that we took the time to digest our food, as the mere sight of people sliding down the 60-meter-high slide, with their backs to the slide, and hearing their screams made our stomachs spiral. Yet, when it was our turn, our thirst for adventure got the upper hand, and one by one, with our helmets on, we slid into the spiraling flow of inertia, screaming as well, in both release and surrender. 

Following that 10-second rude awakening experience, we walked toward a small bistro called Johnny’s. We found Johnny, the friendly and bubbly owner, serving drinks and food. He enjoyed practicing his English, so when he saw us enter, he greeted us in English with a smile. We ordered a couple of refreshments, one of which was his special cocktail, made with gin and anise. The cocktail was refreshing, and having it served with Jonny’s enthusiastic hospitality was an experience worth revisiting.

Another place that we visited for an entire afternoon was Tennoji Zoo.  A walking distance from Tsutenkaku, the 11-hectare zoo houses approximately a thousand animals, comprising roughly 200 different species, including reptiles, mammals, birds, and more. Big mammals, such as lions, tigers, giraffes, antelopes, koalas, chimpanzees, polar bears, seals, and hippopotamuses, are housed in their simulated habitats, which are open yet appropriately designed for viewing. Reptiles like lizards and snakes, as well as birds, anywhere as eagles, parrots, owls, and the like, are put in wide cages that allow ample movement for them. The zoo is designed like a labyrinth amid trees and ponds, making it a fun stroll in a park where you can view the animals and also relax at a bench while eating a snack. As of the publication date, the entrance fee to Tennoji Zoo for adults is 500 yen, 200 yen for students, and free entry for kindergartners. The zoo also has food concessionaires and luggage lockers, which made our visit comfortable and worthwhile.

Another must-go attraction that we went to was Universal Studios Japan. Perfect for large groups of family and friends, the Hollywood theme park franchise brings forth popular movies and media games to life, like Super Nintendo World, Amityville, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem, Jaws, Space Fantasy, Jurassic Park, plus live shows featuring Curious George, Beetlejuice and more. So, if you’re set to experience all of USJ’s attractions and shows, you might want to book a Multi-day Ticket for 15200- 17900 yen each. We purchased the 1-Day Studio Pass for 8,800 yen, which provided limited access during the high season but still offered a fun experience for an entire day.  

To fill our late afternoon and early evening itinerary, we got on a train to Dotonbori. A place renowned for shopping and eating, this long glittery commercial strip offers a smorgasbord of retail shops, anywhere from well-known brands to generic ones, as well as food places, ranging from fine dining to street foods, specializing in takoyaki, okonomiyaki (pancakes stuffed with cabbage and pork), mochi ice cream, and candied fruits. While the tax-free shops, colorful displays of anime figurines, functional souvenir items, and the famous Don Quixote mall may have enticed our fancy, we were happy to sit by the river and indulge in Wagyu served on skewers with a bottle of Asahi beer. At the same time, our kids rode on the Ebisu Tower Ferris Wheel. 

After seeing the enticing delicacies, crafty souvenirs and wonderful shopping items in Osaka, it would be best that on my next trip, I would fly with a hand-carry into Kansai International Airport, buy an inexpensive luggage in Dotonbori, fill it up with shopping items, and fly out with paid baggage, bringing Osaka’s best items home with me.

Amid all these amazing discoveries in Osaka, the tranquility and comfort we experienced in Japan’s reliable train system, along with the hospitable Osakans who went out of their way to help us get around, convinced us most to return to this friendly city and make it feel like home.