Osaka

Osaka…
A city full of smiles, takoyaki, and a little warmth in the heart.

Who would have thought that just one city could make us fall in love from the very first step we set foot on its ground?
Osaka isn’t as hectic as Tokyo, nor as peaceful as Kyoto,
but it has a “just right” charm that’s so lovely and sincere.

From the fragrant smell of takoyaki drifting in the breeze
to the laughter of people in the ramen shop when we dropped our chopsticks,
everything seems ordinary… but it’s more memorable than you’d think 🍃

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The start of hunger: Kuromon Ichiba Market

We began the trip by rushing to Kuromon Market.
It’s a market full of food! And everything looks so delicious!

Just a few steps and you find butter-grilled scallops, so fragrant that even the person next to you secretly swallows their saliva.
In another corner, there’s neatly lined-up otoro sushi.
Hot, big takoyaki balls, bursting with filling that’s merciless to the tongue 👅🔥

The cute thing is many vendors don’t speak English at all,
but everyone tries their best to communicate, smiles a lot, points to the menu, and looks genuinely sincere.
It feels like eating at a relative’s house in Japan—so heartwarming 🧡

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Osaka Castle: Peace in the heart of the city

After eating until our bellies were full, we strolled to “Osaka Castle.”
Though it’s a popular landmark for photos, there’s so much more to it.

Just walking across the wooden bridge over the moat, you’re surrounded by a large park full of trees.
Japanese people come here to read, exercise, or walk their dogs.

The castle looks majestic with its white, gold, and green colors perfectly balanced.
Inside is a museum, but if you climb to the very top, you get a 360-degree view of Osaka city 🌇

A cool breeze passes by, hair gently fluttering, and the heart flutters along too 💨

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Experience the underwater world at Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

The next day, we stopped by Kaiyukan, Osaka’s famous aquarium.
Anyone who loves watching fish like me will definitely scream with joy.

Here, there’s a huge whale shark swimming past a giant glass tank.
Looking at it makes you feel very small but also very calm 🐋

There are also penguins waddling cutely,
seals, sea otters, glowing jellyfish—each with its own charm.
Walking around smiling, we lost track of time.

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Tempozan Ferris Wheel – A swing that lifts the heart

Next to Kaiyukan is “Tempozan,” a towering white Ferris wheel.
We rode it in the evening just as the soft sunlight spread over the city and sea.
It felt like a scene from a Japanese romance movie 💞

When the cabin reached the highest point, it was very quiet outside.
We could only hear the wind and our hearts beating.
A brief moment, but so beautiful that we wanted to stay there forever 🫶

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Dotonbori: The city that never sleeps 🍜✨

At night, we rushed to Osaka’s popular district, “Dotonbori.”
The shop signs lit up all at once, shining like a world from a video game.

The running Glico sign is a major signature, with crowds flocking to take photos.
Around it are ramen shops, takoyaki stands, crab shops, squid shops, sushi shops!
Everything feels lively but not chaotic 💡

We bought warm, slightly sweet melon bread from a street stall,
stood by the canal eating it, watching the lights reflect on the water… it felt like the whole world was smiling at us 😊

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Shinsaibashi & Cute Cafes – A paradise for the gentle-hearted

Another day, we went to “Shinsaibashi,” a long shopping street.
Both sides are filled with clothes, bags, shoes, cosmetics,
and what we loved most was “a small cafe hidden in a quiet alley” 🧸🧁

We found a shop decorated in cream, blue, and pastel tones,
serving latte art bears in glass cups that melted our hearts.
There was soft jazz playing and the smell of baked bread floating throughout the cafe.

We sat for so long we almost fell asleep, feeling like we were at the warmest friend’s house.

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Getting lost is destiny

One of the cutest things about Osaka is “getting lost.”
Yes… we really got lost 😂

But on the way back to the hotel, we found a small secondhand bookstore.
There was a cat sitting guard in front, with a handwritten sign saying “Open until 9 PM.”
We went in, bought two postcards, and wrote letters to our future selves 🐾📮

It was a simple night, but felt so fulfilling in a way that’s hard to explain.

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Osaka… a city that makes you love it without trying

Finally… we realized Osaka isn’t just a tourist city.
It’s a city that “feels like home” 🏡

Full of delicious food,
kind people, cute cafes, peaceful parks to walk in,
and many things that may seem ordinary
but are kept in memories in a very special way.

For anyone hesitating whether to come to Osaka… I say,
come here, and you’ll fall in love just like we did.

Because Osaka doesn’t need to rush,
it just waits there for us to walk in and find it… that’s all 💕

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