Osaka

Japan·Asia

Currency

JPY

Language

Japanese

Timezone

Tokyo

Continent

Asia

Our guide

Discover Osaka

Osaka is Japan's kitchen and makes no secret of it: the city has a word for ruining yourself through food, kuidaore, and owns it. Osaka Castle commands its original moats and ramparts — the keep itself was rebuilt in concrete in the 1930s. Shitennō-ji, founded in 593, is the oldest officially administered temple in the country. To the south, the Shinsekai district kept its 1920s idea of the future, under the Tsūtenkaku tower. And Dotonbori Bridge, beneath the Glico running man sign, is the spot everybody photographs.

When to go

Late March to early April for the cherries, November for the maples: the same two windows as Kyoto, an hour away by train. Summer is hot and very humid, with a rainy season in June. Winter is cold but dry and clear, and it is the cheapest stretch. Osaka being a city of streets and interiors, it takes bad weather better than its neighbours.

Getting around

The subway covers the city densely and a rechargeable IC card handles it, the buses and most shops. Osaka is compact: Namba in the south and Umeda in the north are the two poles, a quarter of an hour apart. Kyoto and Nara are each under an hour by train, which makes Osaka a practical base for the Kansai region.

Where to eat

Takoyaki — octopus dumplings served scalding — and okonomiyaki, a thick griddled pancake, are the two signature dishes. Kushikatsu, crumbed and fried skewers, is eaten in Shinsekai under one absolute rule: you dip in the communal sauce once. Eating standing in the street is the norm here, not a lapse. Only three halal addresses are listed, which is a real constraint worth planning for.

Good to know

Cash still helps in small establishments, though cards are gaining. Shoes come off at the door of many traditional restaurants. Osakans have a reputation for directness and humour that sets them apart from Tokyo — and the escalator is stood on the right here, the left in Tokyo, a detail that gives a visitor away instantly.

Smart Planning