OSAKA summer vlog 🇯🇵 – food, coffee & expo 2025

OSAKA summer vlog 🇯🇵 – food, coffee & expo 2025

After visiting Japan for quite a few times, I finally set foot in Osaka. And what happened over the next few days went over all of my expectations. Feels a bit like a tourist trap. So, how is that? Hi, I’m Jerry and this is my journey. Disclaimer, this isn’t a list of mustseas or a cookie cutter travel guide. It’s my personal diary. It’s a mix of food, fun, and some questionable choices. and hopefully it could inspire you to add some of the new places to your own bucket list. So, without further ado, let’s dive in. [Music] For years, I’ve always wanted to fly with Japan Airlines, and Gel delivers. The crew is warm, friendly, and helpful. The food is surprisingly delicious on both flights. And since I’m Thai, I have a pretty high bar when it comes to food. Trust me, I am impressed. The 5-hour flight even landed ahead of schedule, so I guess time flies. Stepping out of the airport, I was instantly hit by a 40° C Osaka summer before I hopped on the Hello Kitty themed Haruga Express. It’s a quick 40 to 50 minutes to get to my hotel in Umeda. [Music] [Music] The first order of business in any new country, a proper local meal. I heard Hunchin Snack Park near my hotel had plenty. Lucky me, they were having a curry fair. So, curry omu rice with pork cutlet at Tamak Maru. Nob brainer. And as an omu rice fan, I can confirm it’s good. [Music] Just a short walk away, I found something that set the tone for my Osaga trip. [Music] Hanadaku, the most famous takoyaki stall in town. Eating means 20 to 30 minute wait, but it’s worth every second. Imagine a volcano of spring onions, soft batter, umami rich sauce, huge chunks of squid. Onion lovers, this is your paradise. [Music] [Music] I said [Music] to me, um feels like a blend of Shibuya and Shinjuku. Sleek malls like Yodashi Camera and Hanu alongside green pockets where you can cash your bread. Heat. [Music] Hey, heat. Hey, heat. [Music] I didn’t know it yet, but Umemeda has another side waiting for me that night. I thought I was ready to call it a night, but fate in a form of my Thai friend Pete, who coincidentally happened to be there for a holiday with his family, dragged me out to bar dear Osaka. It’s a K-pop karaoke bar in Doyama. Suan, the bartender, was a showman. The owner, Tessuya, made sure that everyone was having a blast. My local friend Weey and I decided to channel our inner Whitney Houston. And let’s just say that we gave it our all. [Music] It was in that moment with a mic in my hand and a crowd of new faces that I realized Osaka is not just a place to visit. is a place to live in. So his bar now is very The next day wasn’t about exploring, it’s about surviving. I woke up at 200 p.m. feeling like a zombie with the worst hangover I’ve had in years. [Music] I spent my whole day lying on the bed watching the sky is like a day wasted just like that. When I finally regained my consciousness, my body demanded ramen. So I took a stroll. Enter Mashida Shorten Kitashini. I ordered a sukime creamy savory dipping soup with al dente noodles. It is exactly what I needed to come back to life. [Music] Oh, God. [Music] [Music] [Music] You guessed. What day it is? Yes, shopping day. Yay. First stop, Shinsaiashi. Shinsaiashi, Osaga’s fancy shopping district. But before shopping comes eating. Under Daimaru department store is a food court full of local favorites. I went for Hanbaku Restoran Boston, one of Osaga’s oldest hamburg joints. My demiglass hamburger came with mini ham salad and corn soup. Juicy, hearty, and classic. How is it? Let the image speak for itself. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] Across the street is America Mura, Osaga’s answer to Harajuku. Trendy, electric, and buzzing with vintage shops. Perfect for treasure hunters and style lovers like us. [Music] And of course, where there is style, there is coffee. The first one is Barista Map. It’s a specialty roaster with a coffee butler who guides you through all the beans they have. Friendly and confident baristas only made in Japan. Yeah. So, what is it called again? Happy. Happy. Oh, happy barista. Happy barista. There we go. And a perfect drip coffee. M. [Music] Thank you. Thank you. Okay. The next one is Lilo Coffee Roasters. I think it’s the OG of Osaga coffee shop. Ideal for souvenirs for caffeinated fellow back at home and a topnotch brew. [Music] 5 minutes away is Orange Street. It offers a calmer, more refined shopping vibe. Think designer boutiques and lifestyle stores like Biotop. [Music] [Music] Wait. He’s my tour guide for the whole trip now. So, we’re going to rent the bike to do some city tours. Yes. Let’s go. [Music] Bye-bye. Bye-bye. Weey took me to Tempura Machino. One of the most impressive tempura experiences I’ve ever had. Ingredients go straight from pan to table, staying hot and crisp. It’s the combination of crunchy tempura and fresh seafood rice. Perfection. Wow. [Music] And I thought nothing can top it. until the next day. [Music] Finally, the reason why I booked this trip for Saga Expo 2025. The weather perfectly clear and brutally hot. Picture walking in an oven while hundreds of thousands of people from around the world explore pavilions in the broad daylight. Heat stroke is no joke. If you can try visiting in autumn around midepptember to mid October for cooler weather otherwise the only thing you wish for is going inside Lawson store for some sweet sweet AC. [Music] But even in that heat, the sheer scale of the place was breathtaking. The Grand Ring is the largest wooden architectural structure ever built. It was truly an achievement of Japanese craftsmanship. Massive, intricate, and jaw-dropping. [Music] [Music] I managed to visit a few country pavilions, starting with Kuwait. It was the perfect entry point for me. Minimalistic and delicate in design, yet telling a deep, thoughtful story about their rich heritage and the challenges they face today. Subtle, but stunning. [Music] Spain was a total contrast. Exterior alone was jaw-dropping. inside. It felt like stepping into an ecology themed museum with flashes of vibrant almost music video like installations. At one point I thought I was wandering into a set of hotline blank. Then came Saudi Arabia and wow, they went all out. From the moment you step inside, it feels like you’re walking through a five-star hotel. Sleek, immersive, and forwardthinking. Easily one of the best overall presentations in my opinion. [Music] And of course, I couldn’t miss Thailand, my home country. If you have a Thai passport, you get a fast pass, and that alone says a bit about Thai culture. The pavilion’s key selling points are food, wellness, and medical tourism, which I think are spoton. My only note is the flow could be improved. Right now, it feels a bit like stop and go. Watch a video, move to the next room, and repeat. is informative, but the transitions could feel like, you know, a bit more natural. [Music] In my opinion, the pavilions are a mix of luxury store aesthetics, cultural minimalism, and bold creativity. Some require advanced booking, others are just a long queue under the sun. So, plan ahead, manage your time, or if you can, buy an unlimited pass so that you can come back at any time at your own pace. [Music] Throughout the expo, restaurants are scattered across, but the prices aren’t cheap. When you got to eat, you got to eat, right? [Music] Seeing so many nations come together in one space, sharing ideas, culture, and design is something truly rare and worth every drop of sweat. [Music] Now, my favorite moment of the day wasn’t in any pavilions at all. [Music] It was strolling along the top floor of the Grand Ring. Imagine a 2 kilometer long elevated walkway designed with full Japanese aesthetics with a view of the world. Wow, I can already picture it as a perfect jogging track after the expo ends. And as I walked, I stumbled upon a fountain show. A blissful unexpected surprise. [Music] [Music] But nothing compared to the 8:30 p.m. performance when the fountain danced to the music under the night sky. Let’s just say what a way to close the day. [Music] The first half of my Osca trip gave me late nights, lazy mornings, and a front row seat to the world stage at the expo. That’s why this wasn’t just another stamp in my passport. It was literally a journey. And we’re just getting started. Next episode, Street Eats, Hidden Corners, and Osaga After Dark. Don’t you dare miss it. I’m Jerry and this is my journey. Bye-bye.

Honest, messy, delicious, and unforgettable.

If you’re planning your own Osaka trip, or just curious about how wild (and hot 🌞) summer in Japan can get, I hope this vlog gives you new ideas for your own bucket list.

🎥 NEXT EPISODE: Osaka street food, hidden corners & Osaka after dark 🌙
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📍 PLACES & HIGHLIGHTS FEATURED:
– Japan Airlines flight experience ✈️
– Hello Kitty Haruka Express 🚄
– Tamago Maru 🍛 https://maps.app.goo.gl/kkzL2QaTpA7YytkTA
– Hanadako takoyaki 🥢 https://maps.app.goo.gl/77wJvEXjGW9dAuK66
– Bar Deer Osaka (K-pop karaoke bar) 🎤 https://maps.app.goo.gl/6AmXmBPPVzYcoxxq8
– Machida Shoten 🍜 https://maps.app.goo.gl/Eac61cWUqCxkkeYm8
– Umekita Park 🌿 https://maps.app.goo.gl/mKbz9v1sNu214p7j6
– Shinsaibashi shopping district 🛍️ https://maps.app.goo.gl/7acx15yeWZQhWCDo8
– Hanbaguresutoran Boston https://maps.app.goo.gl/GAo1qii9F7ZYPgG78
– Amerikamura 🛍️ https://maps.app.goo.gl/2VreBaKgktTYgwSy7
– Orange Street 🛍️ https://maps.app.goo.gl/FUK3eQCsuWaDV14SA
– Barista Map ☕ https://maps.app.goo.gl/yAjzVvsv6awLDCE96
– Lilo Coffee Roasters ☕ https://maps.app.goo.gl/jcbnpZPNRri4o6iDA
– Tempura Makino 🍤 https://maps.app.goo.gl/hLrsKzc1LYGfwXeLA
– Expo 2025 Osaka 🌍 https://maps.app.goo.gl/uKFYsHpFyBoFpyuY9

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#Osaka #Travel #Japan #Vlog #Review #JERRNEY

00:00 Intro
01:05 Japan Airlines Review
01:40 Arriving at Osaka
02:30 Tamago Maru
03:03 Hanadako takoyaki
03:50 Umeda
04:48 Bar Deer Osaka (nightlife + karaoke)
05:52 Hangover
06:41 Machida Shoten
07:10 Umeda at night
07:42 Shinsaibashi
08:07 Hanbaguresutoran Boston
08:52 Amerikamura
09:31 Barista Map Coffee Roasters
10:14 Lilo Coffee Roasters
10:42 Orange Street
11:49 Night cycling tour
12:36 Tempura Makino
13:09 Expo 2025
14:48 Pavilion reviews
17:38 TERRACE NICHIREI
18:27 The Grand Ring
19:08 Fountain show
20:00 Wrap up