Tag: osaka
Traditional Japanese Crafts in Osaka: Tenugui make great summer souvenirs
Osaka's "Nakani" shop creates the patterns on the tenugui hand towels using a technique called “chusen,” which is said to have been invented in Osaka in the Meiji period (1868-1912).
Often just a simple...
Super Tamade! Osaka’s Balls-Out Supermarket Experience.
The first visit to any Japanese supermarket is always exciting. The abundance of the same foods you pay a fortune for back home; more varieties of mayonnaise than you can count. And... are those... tentacles?
However, Osaka prefecture...
Love Thy Neighborhood: The Complex History of Osaka’s Nishinari District
At night, from atop the vertiginous heights of the Abeno Harukas mega-tower, the lights of Osaka shine to the horizon, almost into infinity. Highways glow with pulsing electricity, like arteries carrying the city's lifeblood from district to district. The Abeno tower is...
Shinsekai District – An Osaka Walking Guide
Despite Tokyo being known for its blend of old and new Japan, Osaka is just as dynamic a modern city as its big sister is. Turn any corner in Osaka and you’re in danger of falling into an entirely different world, time,...
Halloween in Japan: Gotta Catch ’em All!
There's a different kind of magic in the air as crisp and golden October dissolves into the chillier winds of November. For many, the reason for the season is the festival of Halloween. Originating from the Gaelic rite of Samhain, Halloween exists...
A Complete Osaka Weekend Itinerary
Osaka is a vast, vivid, and vibrant city. Home to Japan’s comedy scene, a roaring arena of bars and clubs, and some of the most photogenic neon-soaked streets, Osaka is the perfect weekend getaway. Big enough to keep you busy for two...
Front Row Seats For Neon: A Dotonbori River Cruise
In 1612, an Osakan man by the name of Yasui Doton began work on a canal to connect two nearby rivers and increase commerce to his part of town. Though he died in battle before completing his plan, the canal was later...
Daru-madness at О̄saka’s Katsuōji Temple.
Thousands of 'used' Daruma? Welcome to the mountain temple of Katsuō-ji.
One could say with confidence that the temple of Katsuō-ji could be classed as an 'under the radar' type of location. When people...
Back to the Futurism: It’s still the 1990’s in Osaka’s Den Den Town.
While many people will recognise Akihabara as Tokyo's centre for all things 'otaku', Osaka harbours its own, lesser-known tech-geek paradise. With its home-grown and grassroots atmosphere, Den Den Town is the embodiment of the best of the Dirty South.
Osaka Castle: A Guide to the Park and Museum
Many of the world’s most famous and captivating cities have a single landmark that stands tall and dominates the skylines. This landmark defines the city’s atmosphere, history, and beauty. For Paris, it’s the Eiffel Tower; for London, it’s Big Ben. Tokyo has...
