Osaka’s America-mura emanates a lively atmosphere, reminiscent of a blend of Seoul’s Hongdae and Itaewon in South Korea. Amidst this vibrant scene, the shopping mall “Big Step” stands out as a landmark in America-mura. The mall hosts a variety of unique stores, with King Kong being one of its distinctive features. “Vinyl Record Store in America-mura’s Big Step” King Kong ...
In Osaka’s vibrant America-mura, a plethora of unique shops awaits exploration. Among them, the store known as “Big Step” stands out as a hub for distinctive offerings. “The Shopping Haven of America-mura, Big Step” Big Step is a shopping mall nestled in Osaka’s America-mura. What sets it apart from conventional malls is its curation of unique stores exclusive to America-mura. ...
Upon entering the western section of Osaka’s Apple Store, one can discover the vibrant district known as “America-mura.” Often likened to Tokyo’s Harajuku or Seoul’s Hongdae, this area in Osaka captivates the younger crowd with its diverse and unique array of shops. “Discovering America-mura in Osaka, the American Village” The term “America-mura” translates to “American Village” or “American Town.” It ...
With multiple Apple Stores now available in Seoul, South Korea, Apple Stores have become less of a novelty. However, before Apple Stores arrived in Korea, they were already present in various locations in Japan. During my travels in Japan, particularly in Osaka in 2018, exploring an Apple Store that wasn’t yet in Korea became a unique part of the journey. ...
After concluding a 3-night, 4-day family trip, I decided to extend my stay alone for an additional 3 nights and 4 days. I planned to spend one night in Osaka, one night in Nara, and the remaining night in Kobe to explore destinations I hadn’t visited before. The initial 3 nights and 4 days were dedicated to a family trip ...
In the Osaka Namba area, you can find various tourist attractions, including Dotonbori. Dotonbori is known for its large and unique restaurants, making it an enjoyable destination to explore the vibrant signboards. On the way to Dotonbori, there’s a place you naturally pass by—Shinsaibashi Shopping Street. This arcade-style shopping street goes by various names such as Shinsaibashi-suji and Ebisu-bashi-suji, but ...
Extreme right-wing groups are common in any country. In South Korea, too, the demonstrations by these groups can become problematic, and it’s no different in Japan. During my trip to Japan from September 21 to 27, I witnessed, for the first time, a demonstration by an extreme right-wing group. Fortunately, it was not a large-scale protest. It mainly involved one ...
When it comes to famous foods in Osaka, Okonomiyaki cannot be left out. As it was our last destination for a family trip to Osaka, and we hadn’t tried Okonomiyaki yet, it naturally became our choice for the final meal. In the Dotonbori area of Osaka, you can find restaurants famous for Okonomiyaki. Some of these Okonomiyaki restaurants have even ...
On the final morning of our family trip to the Kansai region in Japan, we visited Osaka Castle. Osaka Castle was a place I had explored in detail during my solo trip to Osaka and Kyoto in 2018. Back then, I vividly remember diligently using the Osaka Amazing Pass to make the most of our travels. However, this time, we ...
In the 7th floor dining area of Takashimaya Department Store in Namba, Osaka, you can find a variety of restaurants clustered together. We decided to have dinner here during our evening in Osaka, and among the choices, we opted for a restaurant called “Toyotei.” “Toyotei” can be read as “Dongyangjeong” in our Korean-style Chinese characters, but in Japanese pronunciation, it ...
Kushikatsu (串カツ) is a famous Japanese dish, particularly in Osaka, where various ingredients are skewered and deep-fried. Its origins trace back to selling fried food on skewers at street stalls for easy consumption. Today, it has become widespread throughout Osaka. One notable chain specializing in Kushikatsu is the restaurant called “Kushikatsu Daruma.” When exploring prominent areas of Osaka, you may ...
After finishing lunch near Osaka Namba Station, we headed towards one of Osaka’s major tourist attractions, “Dotonbori,” just a short walk north from Namba Station. While leisurely exploring the area from Namba Station, we noticed an eye-catching store. It was a caricature shop located in the Ebisubashi Shopping Street. This shop specializes in drawing people with distinctive features, creating illustrations ...