After Kyoto, my friends and I spent two days in Osaka. A little further south but not in a valley so it a little cooler. Osaka is much more modern than Kyoto and… its’ sister city is…… CHICAGO!
Osaka is notorious for their food. Okonomiyaki (Japanese style pancake), tacoyaki (fried octopus ball), kuchi katsu (fried food on a stick). All so delicious and all not gluten free. But that’s okay, the atmosphere of Osaka was enough for me.
Out first day, we went to Osaka Castle. They turned the inside into a museum but it had replicas of what the castle used to look like, ancient armor and some paintings. You can go to the top balcony and see a awesome view of Osaka. Honestly, the “museum” part didn’t match how beautiful the castle was on the outside. But the view from the top was pretty great. In the evening, we had dinner in Kobe which is about a 30 minute train ride south from Osaka. Most people know Kobe for their beef but there’s much more to them than just that. For example, there’s a lot of Dutch influence in this city because many Dutch people settled there. They were mostly in the mountains which also gives you a great view of Kobe at night. We didn’t go but I hear it’s nice. It’s also my Dad’s old stomping grounds! It was interesting to go to where my Dad had lived all those years ago. He say’s it’s changed a lot, which, I could believe since there are a lot of lights and special entertainment bars now.
The next day was a relaxing day for us. We spent our last day of vacation at Spa World. This place is amazing! It’s a hotel/ water park/ spa. We were only in the spa part which is a 2 floor onsen. One floor is European inspired and the other floor is Asian inspired. They had settings from Bali, China, Korea, Japan, Persia and more. I’m not sure about the European part because only men were allowed in it and Females were only allowed on the Asian floor. While you’re there you can also get a any kinds of massages and facials. I think I could spend all day at this place. It is expensive but I highly recommend anyone who likes spas and onsens to go to this place.
After the onsen we went to Osaka Aquarium. I think they’re known for having 2 whale sharks here which was really cool to see! It’s better than Oarai and Shinagawa aquarium. I don’t think it’s as great as the Shed but I also don’t think I’ve ever been to the shed so I can’t really say. It’s your typical Osaka Aquarium is your typical aquarium and it’s on the water so the view isn’t bad either.
For our last night, we went to Dotonbori. Famous for their street food and the running man light. It’s next to the river and bars have outdoor dining giving it a great vibe and making it easy to meet people from all over the world. It is really touristy but I think it’s something everyone has to experience.
I wish I could have made this trip longer but in the end, I was glad to return back to my apartment in Mito, and just in time to climb Mt. Fuji! The adventures just keep on coming!
