A day in Osaka | 15+ things to do • Exploring Dotonbori, Cafe, Ichiran No Pork • Daimaru • Kuromon

A day in Osaka | 15+ things to do • Exploring Dotonbori, Cafe, Ichiran No Pork • Daimaru • Kuromon

First stop: Namba Yasaka Jinja Namba Yasaka Jinja is a small shrine famous for its lion-shaped stage, which is used for ritual performances. It’s about a 10-minute walk from Namba Station, and that striking lion’s head has become one of the most popular photo spots in the area. If you want to avoid the crowds—especially local tour groups—it’s best to come early in the morning. Aside from taking photos, there isn’t much else to do here, so I’d recommend stopping by only if you have extra time. That said, if you enjoy peaceful places in the morning, you’ll love it here. Bring your coffee here and just walk and enjoy the scenery is enough to bring joy to your morning. Like most shrines in Japan, you’ll find Ema—small wooden plaques where visitors write their prayers and wishes—hanging around the grounds. The shrine is spotless, and I could actually feel a calming, positive energy as I walked around. Once you’ve snapped enough photos, let’s move on and grab our morning coffee. Next, we’re taking the metro from Namba Station to Kitahama Station via the Midosuji Line—it’s just three stops away. Riding the metro in Japan is an experience in itself. Trains are almost always on time, which is one of the many things I love about Japan. It’s also interesting to see commuters in their crisp black suits—quite a contrast to my usual smart-casual office wear! Our current stop: Brooklyn Roasting Company Kitahama. There are three Brooklyn Roasting Company branches in Osaka, but the Kitahama location is my favorite. The café offers both indoor and outdoor seating, and the staff have excellent taste in music, making it a great place to relax. They also sell drip coffee packs to take home, and near the cashier you’ll find a small but tempting selection of cakes. Coffee starts at ¥495, and on average, you might spend around ¥600–800 per person. Their drip bag coffee is reasonably priced considering the quality Next time, I’m definitely getting their Ethiopia blend. Although the cake selection is small, their carrot cake gets great reviews and after trying it, I agree! We arrived at around 9:30 a.m., but the good indoor seats were already taken. What makes this café especially memorable is the outdoor seating, which offers a beautiful view of the Tosabori River and Nakanoshima Park. The best time to visit is in spring or autumn, when the park’s trees are bursting with pink cherry blossoms or rich autumn colors. It can get competitive for the best outdoor spots, though! While I was enjoying my coffee inside to escape the summer heat, I couldn’t help but reminisce about the cherry blossoms I saw here in spring. Since we’re in the area, let’s head over to Nakanoshima Park later. The weather is hot right now, so I come back to my indoor seating and enjoy my coffee. I honestly couldn’t tell it was made from carrots, but it was delicious, especially paired with a hot coffee. On our way to Nakanoshima Park! It took me around 5 minutes to walk from Brooklyn Roasting Company Kitahama to this bridge. The weather is nice, the sky is blue, and it’s a bit hot this morning, but it’s a good day to see the flower park. We will reach the park by walking straight from here, which will take about 3 minutes. The café is right by the bridge, so it’s easy to fit both stops into your itinerary. Nakanoshima Park, according to Wikipedia, was Osaka’s first public park, opened in 1891. Today, it’s popular with both locals and photographers. Since it’s summer, the flowers are in full color, and the rose garden is the park’s highlight. When you come here, bringing a UV protection umbrella is highly recommended! Let’s take a look around on what you can expect to see in this park. The main thing I notice in this park is, they have a rose garden. Roses have a long history of being cultivated and admired for their beauty and often associated with love and romance. I did not know there were so many kinds of roses until I walked into the rose garden. It puts a smile on my face to see how some random grandmas and grandpas are looking so fascinated by the flowers. Good thing they have an information on what kind of roses in each plot and from which year it was cultivated. This Crimson Glory doesn’t really have that typical shape I would find in any roses, could it be because the roses have evolved after many years? White flower and red flowers. I can see some of them are still in buds. There’s even signage explaining each rose’s type and cultivation year. I saw varieties dating back to the 1950s—some with colors so vivid they didn’t look real. The colors are so unreal. The park is calm, scenic, and perfect for photography. Nearby, you can spot the Osaka Central Public Hall, though I accidentally walked on the wrong side and missed a close-up view. Once you have taken enough photos, we should head back to Namba and have lunch. After a short train ride back to Namba, we’re in front of Don Quijote Dotonbori Midosuji. You can spot the famous Glico sign nearby, but first—ramen! Ichiran Namba Midosuji is one of the best spots for
no-pork ramen. Let’s go to the 2nd floor by taking the stairs. We head up to the second floor—at 11 a.m., there’s no queue, but this place is usually packed at night. I’d recommend you to buy some of their no-pork ramen to bring home because it’s not easy to find this product outside this store. Order our food from the kiosk. After that make sure you keep the ticket with you. If this is your first time in Ichiran Ramen, you will be shows to an individual booth or a counter seat with a separator so you can eat your ramen with peace. Select your desired preference on the order sheet. Once you are done, give it to the staff. When eating in Japan, they always offer a wet tissue to clean your hands. Chopstick and water is self-service. Water is free! As you can see, each person has their own booth, so you don’t need to see other guests while eating. The true definition of “leave me alone”. Now the moment of truth, to reveal the no-pork ramen. The set I ordered came with an egg, a sliced mushroom, and extra steamed tender beef. Inside the noodle bowl we have a generous amount of spring onions, some steamed tender beef, and a little chili pepper. I chose the medium richness of the chicken broth, and it smells perfect with a hint of garlic. Almost forgot to add the seaweed on top of the noodles. The noodles are medium-textured—not too soft, not too firm I recommend choosing light or medium seasoning if you prefer less salt. Adding the egg to the broth makes it even better, Now that we have eaten well, it’s time to explore the Dotonbori area. From here, we continue exploring Dotonbori— starting with the Glico Sign—and then shopping along Shinsaibashi-Suji Shopping Street. There are so many interesting things in the Dotonbori area, but the most interesting are definitely shopping and food. Quickly snap a photo in front of Glico sign. Shinsaibashi-Suji Shopping Street is one of Osaka’s most famous shopping areas, and it’s an absolute must-visit. I love checking out shoes here because the quality is excellent and the prices are often better than what I’ve seen elsewhere. If you stick to Japanese brands, you’ll usually get the best deals—and don’t forget, you can claim a tax refund! For example, for this shoes you can save JPY 2000 from tax refund. When I visited, I saw the latest women’s shoe designs on display, and some styles were surprisingly creative. I didn’t know you can make over your shoes to look so interesting. Gashapon Machine is very popular in Japan; it’s easy to find them everywhere. If you’re into Japanese fashion, you can’t miss Uniqlo and GU. You’ve probably seen Uniqlo where you live, but GU is less common—its first U.S. flagship only opened in 2024. GU is Uniqlo’s sister brand, offering more affordable options, and here in Osaka, they’re often right next to each other in the same building. I went straight to the 4th floor to find some summer clothes. A good, breathable T-shirt is a must in this heat, and I even spotted some cute anime-themed designs with soft, comfortable fabric. I ended up picking a work shirt similar to one I already own—at nearly half the price! Next stop: Daimaru Shinsaibashi. Daimaru is a historic department store dating back over
300 years. My favorite section is the food floor, where you’ll find endless options for snacks and souvenirs. Right by the entrance is the famous Uncle Rikuro Cheesecake. This branch is less busy than the one in Namba, so if you want to try it without the long wait, come here. Let’s start our tour inside Daimaru’s eateries.. We wandered past stalls selling everything from luxury chocolates to beautifully decorated cakes. Look at those cakes, oh my god! A very beautiful cookies. Horai 551 is also here—famous for their pork buns—but since we already had ramen earlier, we’re skipping it today. You are also able to dine in this store. Japan is known for its impeccable packaging, and everything here is displayed so beautifully it makes you want to buy it instantly. The shrimp crackers in Japan are highly valued. I spotted shrimp crackers shaped like rabbits, There are many gateaux offered on this floor, but in many souvenir stores like this, gateaux and langue de chat are the two most common souvenirs. Some of the fruit puddings looked so refreshing. I decided to save them for tomorrow, though I’ve already eaten my fair share of snacks today. How do you like it so far? Did you find any souvenirs you like? Let’s check one more stall before we move to the next spot. Before leaving, we passed a shop selling fresh fruit juices, gorgeous cakes, and even handcrafted ceramics exclusive to Daimaru. Well, that’s it for Daimaru. It’s one of my favorite places to walk around in Japan. I hope you like it too. It’s time to move to another place. Next: Expo 2025 Osaka Official Store. Osaka has been preparing for Expo 2025 since it was announced in November 2018. The event will run from April 13 to October 13, 2025. If you’re planning to visit, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The mascot is called Myaku Myaku—and the store is filled with themed merchandise, from keychains and T-shirts to stickers. This is X as in XL Journal. A good quality T-shirt with Myaku Myaku pattern. I didn’t buy anything and now regret it. Even a small souvenir, like a sticker, would have been a great keepsake. Now, let’s head to Kiddy Land in Shinsaibashi PARCO. This store is a paradise for character goods fans, with shelves full of Sanrio, Miffy, Sekiguchi Monchhichi, Sailor Moon, Nintendo, and more. I found a lot of Miffy characters in Japan, it looks like they are very popular here. This one priced at JPY 3960. More Miffy on this dedicated shelf. This size is perfect to bring home. It’s JPY 1496. Kuromi used to be very trending; I wonder if it is still trending nowadays. Seeing all these Sanrio characters reminds me of the notebook I used back when I am still at school. Cinnamoroll or Keroro is always my go-to choice as a book cover, though sometimes I have to hide the cover before everyone else thinks I am too girly. A few years back, I read somewhere that someone said Hello Kitty actually doesn’t have a mouth. Now when I really pay attention to Hello Kitty, the discussion I read in some forums was actually true. What a revelation. Miffy in Yukata series is saying Konnichiwa from Osaka to you! This shelf is dedicated for Sekiguchi Theme Shop, specifically Monchhichi. Monchhichi is a line of Japanese stuffed monkey toys from the Sekiguchi Corporation, first released in 1974. They are quite popular now in Japan and Thailand. I guess this is Bebichhichi. A colorful Monchhichi is also available. I find the yellow one looks so clean and cute. But the original one is also cute. If I need to choose, I’d go with the original monkey color. This one is Monchhichi x Kabuki, it looks very Japanese. Let’s move on. This corner is dedicated for Sailor Moon. With this huge area covering only Sailor Moon, I am pretty sure they are very popular in Osaka. Usagi Tsukino wears these socks in the anime when she transformed. This is interesting. The Luna’s design is also good, but will you wear this to go to school? There are still so many characters you can find in Kiddy Land such as Nintendo or Smiski or Sonny Angel. If you are a die hard fan, you might spend hours in this shop alone. Bandai Namco is a video game publisher; they are quite popular with the gashapon. In case you don’t know, Gashapon is Japanese capsule toys dispensed from vending machines. There are some premium Gashapon machines spreading around Japan, it might costs you JPY 600 to JPY 2000 for those premium ones,
while the usual machine only around JPY 100-500. Video games is not the only thing Bandai Namco produces, they are also a major player in anime industry. There are so many kinds of merchandise from action figures, bolster, pillow, and even notebooks. These are the cheapest I could find instore, a chocolate but it comes with some anime cards. Sakamoto Days is a relatively new anime and quite interesting to watch. By the way, we are still in Parco and there are so many interesting shops we can visit. Next stop: Chiikawa Land. Chiikawa is a manga series featuring a hamster-like character, mostly talking about everyday life challenges. It’s a very cute series to watch in your free time. If you like Chiikawa, this is really a good place to stock up your collections. Bag Charms with various characters. The T-shirt is also cute. I guess blue is for boys and the pink one is for girls, according to a stereotype. The stores have everything from plush toys, key chains, stationaries, bags, you named it. This tote bag looks really playful. A small pouch, this should be good to keep your cosmetics or passport. The screen is showing a miniature of Chiikawa’s everyday life. I find the cafe miniature is really cute. They also have gashapon that you can play. Chiikawa Land is definitely a fun place to visit even if you are not a fan. The time went by so fast and we are already hungry. We would like to visit Kuromon Market next, but as we are on the same path, why not visit Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shopping Street? This 150-meter shopping street is known for its focus on kitchen and cooking-related items, including restaurant equipment, tableware, and unique souvenirs. In most of my trips, I find that shopping for souvenirs from a drug store is considerably affordable. There are so many small shops that sell the same souvenirs at a lower price, but they are hard to find. Sushi restaurants, fried chicken, and entertainment shops are very common. Karaoke is also easily available. We are almost arrived to Kuromon market. The shopping street have lots of interesting things for you to discover whether you are coming from the left side or right side. We will keep walking straight from here. Welcome to Kuromon Market. Kuromon market is one of the must visit place in Osaka if you are looking for street food. They are famous for their seafood. Fried scallops, shrimps and squid looks really appetizing. They look huge and crispy! Left and right are selling fresh seafood. Because Osaka located only 35km from Kobe, it’s very easy to find a high quality and fresh Kobe Beef. Oh look at that grilled eel and gyoza, so mouth-watering. Tanghulu is originated from Northern China, but looks like they are quite popular in Japan. But it make sense because the strawberries in Japan are very delicious. We will get one to eat while walking. The hardened sugar shell is bitable and the strawberry still very fresh and sweet. So delicious. This is Okonomiyaki. I watched a lot of anime associating Okonomiyaki with people from Kansai area. Okonomiyaki is a savory Japanese pancake that typically features a batter made from flour, eggs, and grated yam , along with shredded cabbage and other ingredients like meat, seafood, or vegetables. They said there is a Kansai Style Okonomiyaki, if you are in Osaka, this is a must try cuisine. Next to it, there is a food-court-like place selling mainly Japanese cuisines. There is a seating area in this food court. Those look really delicious. I am thinking if the eel omelet is really good. This store is awarded a Michelin, they must be good. In case you don’t know, that’s called Sea urchins or Uni. Some says it tastes like egg yolk and has that creamy and buttery texture. It’s my first time seeing such a hugeee calm. King Crab’s leg is one of my wish list foods, this shop sells them for JPY 17000 for 4 pieces. Try to visit Kuromon Market earlier to you can get the freshest seafood possible. You can find a lot of shop selling snacks like Kit Kat or Pocky. There are some special edition that you can only find in Osaka, so if you don’t want to miss that, make sure to keep an eye on those special flavors. Kuromon Nakagawa is a grocery store. I am looking at their big and fresh strawberries in the store front. For only JPY 1508, you can already get two packs of huge strawberries and all of the are so sweet. If you are too lazy to wash them in your hotel and don’t eat a lot, they have an already cut strawberries. Let’s quickly walk around this grocery store. This looks like a ready-to-cook vegetable broth. We remember a refreshing cucumber sold in Kyoto, so we thought this instant seasoning can help us remember the same refreshing taste we got. Got two of them to bring home. I would really love to spend hours in this grocery store, but we need to eat something for dinner. For dinner, we went to Gyukatsu Motomura Dotonbori, which is in the same building as the No-Pork Ichiran Ramen we went to this morning. Gyukatsu is a deep-fried breaded beef cutlet, typically made with wagyu beef. They usually have three different kind of sauces, come with a bowl of rice and cabbage on the side. The meat was usually served in medium-rare, so first of all you take the sliced meat and grill both sides to your desired texture. I like it well-done. Dip it to the sauce provided and eat it with rice. Our Gyukatsu set is coming. The set comes with warabimochi and mentaiko
(marinated pollock’s roe). They also have wasabi on the side, in case you are a fan of wasabi. Make sure to ask them for a hot-stone for each person, otherwise you need to wait for your partner to finish grilling before your turn. So, first, grab your sliced meat and put it on top of the hot stone. I find it grilling two or three at a time is a good pace. We got plenty of meat to enjoy. While waiting for the meat to be cooked, we can enjoy the side dish such as the hot bowl of miso soup. The meat is still medium-rare. I have never tried to eat it as is, but it is recommended to grill it first. Flip it to cook other side. I like it if the meat is a bit crispy outside, this need to be grilled longer. The warabimochi is one of my favorite side dishes; it’s soft and not too chewy. Oishiiiii~~~~ By the way, if you are running out of fire for your hot stone, ask the staff to refill the fire gel. Dip with soy sauce is the most basic seasoning and it does the job. By the middle of the grilling we got impatient and starts to grill three at a time. That’s the kind of result I want, it should be a bit dried on the side for the best taste. We will take our time to eat. This is it for a full day tour in Osaka, of course we can still continue exploring Dotonbori at night. If you enjoy this video, don’t forget to hit the like button and subscribe to my channel! Thanks for watching. Hello from Osaka, everyone! Today, we’re going on a walking tour of the top must-visit spots in Osaka that you simply shouldn’t miss.

Visiting more than 15 places in Osaka in a day!

0:00 – Intro
0:44 – Namba Yasaka Jinja
2:37 – Rikuro
3:50 – Brooklyn Roasting Company
6:59 – Nakanoshima Park
9:02 – Ichiran Namba Midosuji
12:26 – Dotonbori – Glico sign, Shinsaibashi-Suji Shopping Street, GU
14:43 – Daimaru Shinsaibashi
22:28 – Expo 2025 Osaka Official Store
24:14 – Kiddy Land, Bandai Namco
29:32 – Chiikawa Land
31:13 – Sennichimae Shopping Street
32:39 – Kuromon Market, grocery shopping
40:41 – Gyukatsu Motomura

Enjoy!