Abroad in Japan: Day in Osaka

Authored by Sarah Vu 

Want an amazing to stop by in the Kansai area while traveling Japan? Well yes, you must stop by Osaka if you’re visiting Japan. There is something for everyone there and I found myself having the best time with fond memories to look back on. I will never forget the adorable sea creatures, very detailed structures, and mouthwatering food. 

The trip to Osaka all started as one of the Friday field trips with the Kyoto CIEE program as we went to visit Osaka castle. It was a bright and sunny days as it shown over the castle’s tall walls and beautiful view on the top. To reach the top of the castle, a quick climb up the multiple flights of stairs or a long wait for the elevator and you can get a 360 view of the Osaka area from above. A quick journey to the bottom and I had to snatch a t-shirt of the castle in the gift shop. 

Let’s be real and talk about the food, Osaka is known for its food and I absolutely agree. The food here was all fresh and delicious. In Japan, it is common to see vendors making the food right in front of you at the food stalls but in Osaka, Dotonbori is always bustling. There are so many sights to see from the restaurant décor, sparkling lights in the night, and sweet smells wafting through the air. Some of my favorites that we got to eat was the fresh melonpan with green tea ice cream sandwich, steaming Takoyaki, and okonomiyaki. The melonpan was warm and light which complimented the sweet but subtle ice cream and it melts in your mouth. Both the Takoyaki and okonomiyaki had layers of flavors between the fried dough, sauce, and bonito flakes on top. 

You wanna know what was the cherry on top of this fantastic Osaka day though? The aquarium and giant Ferris wheel that overlooks the city while the sun is setting. Both are in the same area so it was really easy to visit both locations back to back. The aquarium had so many different animals and as you get deeper inside, you go physically lower as if you are diving deeper into the ocean. Also, the temperature dropped like it would in the water because you get further away from the sun and eventually end up in the Arctic where you can find the thick seals (I love them). Other than the seals, I loved seeing the whale sharks, manta rays, giant spider crabs, jellyfish, dolphins, and otters. I would definitely recommend it for all ages, and if you bring a notebook, you can even collect the stamps they have all over the aquarium to take back with you! 

Step outside, cross the mall, and one ticket later we’re at the massive rainbow Ferris wheel (perfect for June). We went when the sun was setting so the sky was painted in blues and oranges as the sun tucks away from the horizon. It was incredible getting to see the city and port area of Osaka while moving at a steady pace. Those were just some of my highlights while in Osaka but trust there was so much more like smoothie art, Universal, Nanba Yasaka Jinja, and shopping. I’ll have to go back because there is still a lot to do!