When most people think of Osaka, they would think of the running man neon light and other sign boards around Dotombori area. And that’s true, I consider the most “fun” part of Osaka to be the Minami (Namba) area, because you have all the food on one side (Dotombori), shopping on the other (Shinsaibashi), and geek-lovin’ on another (Den Den Town).
While we were in Osaka, it rained a fair bit. But the rain somehow made the feel of the whole place even prettier, I reckon. And this is coming from a person who does not like rain. The good thing is, most Japanese hotels will lend you an umbrella for free!
Anyways, we took a stroll along Dotombori streets and found gold.
Sign board is probably an understatement. They had literal 3D figurines of what they were selling, from crabs to dumplings to takoyaki (octopus balls).
It was a sight worth seeing, and I would go back again to experience it all. And it wasn’t even night time yet, so no neon lights were in sight just yet!
At night, using our Osaka Amazing 2-day Pass, we took a boat ride along Dotombori river. It was drizzling a little, but it did not dampen our spirit… because to our left and right were such pretty neon signs!
Of course, no visit to Osaka is complete without this running Glico man, so hello there!
We also ventured to the other side of Namba area where there were a lot of love hotels, with actual murals that were rather suggestive! Omoshiroiii…
Apart from the river cruise, we also walked around Den Den Town, the electronics town of Osaka. It has a very different feel to Akihabara, but still with plenty of quirky anime and game shops.
Nom nom nom (not edible though).
Okay, we’re not talking food here for now, so let’s talk about another aspect that makes me *love* Namba area: the Shinsaibashi-suji shopping district. It’s mostly covered, so perfect to shield us from rain, and it has pretty much all the shops that you want! I could spend hours and hours navigating from one store to another…
And while you’re around Namba, especially on weekends, don’t forget to check out the street performances! We found one randomly of a gaijin who asked a Japanese kid to pretend posing for the camera, as if they were fighting. Kawaii…
All in all, there is something so magical about the Namba area, especially at night. Everything comes to live in so many bright colours. It’s… illuminating! Ha.
I highly recommend any Osaka visitor to stay around Namba during your visit. You’ve got all the food at your doorstep (Dotombori) and all the shopping you’ll ever need (Shinsaibashi & Den Den Town). I will return.