A Brief Guide to Osaka
Four years living in Osaka helped me to appreciate the nuances of a foreign culture, but also allowed me to build up a routine of places where I loved to walk, eat, drink, and play. Tourists often skip through Osaka on their way to Kyoto, which is forgivable, and Tokyo, which is not. Here is a city worth living in, with places that are amazing but hard to find. Now that I am leaving it, here are my recommendations for anyone wondering what to do in Japan's second megalopolis. North / Umeda Go to the roof of JR Umeda Station for a view of the city. There is a nice hike north of the city at the Minoh waterfall. Check out the bars and restaurants around Fukushima Station on the JR Loop Line. Central / Shinsaibashi Walk around Amemura ("Americatown") near Shinsaibashi Station, especially on weekends, and unforgettably on Halloween. The Semba Center is a row of shops and offices built under 10 blocks of highway. In the basement of building 9 there are a lot