About
I am from a small town in Oregon and have lived in Japan for a number of years. I studied Japanese, Asian studies and history at the University of Oregon and Waseda University (in Tokyo) before heading across the Pacific to live in Japan for good. I previously lived in Tokyo and Toyama City, but Osaka City has been my only long-term home in Japan. My interests include history, languages, travel, music, and many other things. Through this blog I hope to introduce you to all the great things Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City have to offer its visitors and foreign residents.
I am currently working on a tourism and lifestyle website that will go by the same name as this blog (Osaka Insider), and I plan to link the two up to create what I hope will be an original, useful, and fascinating online resource. In recent years, Osaka has finally started receiving more attention as a travel destination, but in a Tokyo-centric country, and with Kyoto (the biggest tourism draw in Japan) and a number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites right next door, competition is fierce. However, tourism has boomed in recent years in Japan, and the prefectural government and local businesses here are working particularly hard at promoting Osaka, so the future looks bright. I hope to contribute to those efforts through my work.
I hope you enjoy reading my blog!
Note: I welcome link exchanges with interesting sites, so please don’t hesitate to contact me at:
osakainsider AT gmail DOT com
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Osaka Insider 
Cool blog, what a great idea! I think touristy destinations are always fun, but you should blog about the food and stuff like that, too. I think some people get apprehensive about Japanese food, etc. so maybe some examples would help alleviate anxiety…if you catch my drift. 😉
Hi! My friend and I are planning to go to Osaka this November! I’ve always wanted to go to Japan so I’m particularly excited about this trip. What do you think is the most important thing we should not forget to visit or do in Osaka? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated! Thanks very much!
I think you should definitely go to Namba, around the Dotombori area–this shows the true character of Osaka. It’s best at night, by the way, and there are a lot of great restaurants open late and bars/clubs open all night in the area.
I would also highly recommend the Umeda Sky Building (it has a nice observatory overlooking the city), Osaka Castle Park (and the nearby Osaka Museum of History, if you like museums), and a taking a boat cruise along the city’s rivers/canals (you can catch a boat from Osaka Castle Park, and some even connect to Namba directly). Info about boat cruises can be found at http://suijo-bus.jp/language/english/ — have fun!
Yup, I like museums! Thank you very much! I’ll tell my friend about these! Um, what’s the weather like up there during November? Here in the Philippines it’s usually hot. I hope the weather is conducive to walking tours!
It’s usually sunny and clear but fairly cool in November, so you can walk around but you may need a sweater/jacket. I am from a colder climate, so the weather in November seems really nice, but for you it may be a bit cold.
Yey! No, I like cold weather! I’m really getting excited about this trip. I’ve always wanted to go there since I’ve started watching anime and reading manga. From there, I’ve started getting curious about your history and culture.
Helpful site. I’d like to link out to it from japandemic sometime soon. Thanks.
In the words of Shonen Knife: “My favoreetoh town: Osaka!”
Keep on Keepin’ On!
I like your posts especially when you point out the differences between Osakans and Tokyoites. I was wondering, is your Japanese good enough so that you can hear the different accent between Osaka and Tokyo? I understand that for native Japanese it’s pretty obvious, sort of like a Southern Drawl versus the New England, uh, brogue I guess. At any rate, keep up the good work.
Your pal in D.C. -Kevin
I really enjoy your blog. It’s funny and informative, always a great combo. 🙂
I’ll be following your blog!
^_^
Hello!
Found your site thru the More Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan blog. I am enjoying following your site. I hope to visit Japan next year (gotta save money) and have been looking for sites to help me find where I want to go when I get there. Thanks!
Hi! Nice blog :) 東京出身だけれど、大阪が大好きな私。更新楽しみにしています！I’m currently living in your country, but I miss Japan so much! 次に日本に帰ったときには大阪に足を運びたいと思っています！ぜひ、色々紹介して下さい!
大阪が大好き東京人は珍しいですよね :) 嬉しい！もちろん大阪に来てくれたら案内します！
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Your Blog is awesome! I just read 1 hour in it 🙂
Looking forward for more interesting reports!
Great blog!I’ve been entertaining thoughts of relocating to Japan recently.My wife is originally from Nara.
Hi,
How about on your fine Blog you teach us a few words,like konnichiwa and the english word and so forth.I feel it would be a great help for those who love traveling around Japan and it could be placed under categories.
Arigato (thank you)
Regards from down under from ours to yours
Louis
your website has helped me big time in planning for my trip to osaka. ill be in japan from sunday (Sept 12) until Saturday (Sept 18). my last stop will be Osaka (Sept 18) and I wish to visit Namba parks, Osaka Castle and Umeda Sky Building. your posts to these spots helped me big time on what station to go. I’m staying at Royal Pines Hotel so I’ll take a train from Moriguchi to these spots. Any dos and donts when i get around these places?
Great blog! Thanks!
Dong Ho
from Philippines
http://www.escapeislands.com
No Ichi-ran on your Ramen Guide?? Tsk Tsk….
Marry XMAS
Great website – keep it up – I’m definitely staying tuned – thank you 🙂
We just stumbled across your blog and we’re very excited about it! Great blog! My wife and I are moving to Osaka in August on a two year contract. I think that we just found the number one resource for enjoying Osaka! So much better than Lonely Planet! Thank you. If you have any tips on where best to live when work is 10km north west of the city centre and you want to live somewhere urban and stimulating then we’re all ears!
Why not in you new environment call it the explorer
Hi,
My name is Kathie. I am a 54 year, young, Canadian presently teaching in Korea. I will be in Osaka from Sunday May 1st, 2011 to Friday May 6th, 2011. I have read your list of places to try ramen. Do you think I could handle trying all of them in 5 days? Slurp, slurp, slurp, without boredom setting in? I would then do a write up too.
If you care to join me, at at least one of the places listed, feel free to email me.
Best regards,
Kat
After sending you a message, and invitation to eat ramen with me while I am in Osaka, I learned that you are now setting up in a new city.
Here is my suggestion for your new blog’s name.
‘Foraging in Fukuoka City’
for·age (fôrj, fr-)
n.
1. Food for domestic animals; fodder.
2. The act of looking or searching for food or provisions.
v. for·aged, for·ag·ing, for·ag·es
v.intr.
1. To wander in search of food or provisions.
2. To make a raid, as for food: soldiers foraging near an abandoned farm.
3. To conduct a search; rummage.
Best of luck!
Kat
Any other recommendations for restaurants in Osaka?
Also I couldn’t tell in which order you would recommend the ramen restaurants.
I’m planning to try a few but we aren’t in Osaka long enough to try all.
I’m about to spend a month in Osaka, & your blog is the best source of ”real” insight I’ve come across, kudos sir.
Great finding this blog via StumbleUpon. I am an Osaka blogger, too – osakabentures isn’t hard to find. In Twitter, and nearly everywhere, I am @osakasaul Say hi some time! #ookini
Hey so I have a question…. It`s getting closer and closer to New Years Eve and we can:t figure out where to go. We want to hit the town in Osaka and just have an awesome crazy night…. We are a group of girls. I am Aussie and my friends are … from all over. We like bars and clubs. Anywhere that has a good atmosphere… Any advice??
I tried those ramen places as you mentioned in your blog. I tried out Kio, Kinryu, Sodaisho etc. It was fantastic! the pieces of fat from the chasu actually melted in my mouth! I left those shops singing.
Thanks!! Otherwise I might have been eating out of the Matsuya fast food chains!!
You’re a champion!
nice blog, keep up the good work. best wishes
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