Why go?

A culinary metropolis known for kuidaore (eating till you drop), Osaka holds 98 Michelin stars and a stellar array of street vendors and excellent backstreet finds. Friendlier and easier to navigate than Tokyo, this industrial powerhouse has everything from neon-lit shopping districts to ancient sights within its limits. July also marks the Tenjin Matsuri festival, a millennia-old ceremony that’s one of the biggest celebrations of local art in Japan.

What to do

A good place to get your bearings is at Osaka Castle. The beautiful, tiered edifice is protected by 12km of walls and a 70m-wide moat, and has gardens that fan out in all directions. Allow a good few hours to take in all the artworks and tapestries. From here, make a beeline to Kuromon Ichiba Market kuromon.com where chefs come to buy their soft-shell crab, eels and oysters. This meat, fish and seafood cavern is also famed for its grazing stalls – don’t leave without trying glazed baby octopus on sticks or the takeaway sushi boxes. It’s a short stroll west from here to the Minami district, one of Osaka’s two city centres (the other is the business district Kita to the north). Here you can discover such gems as Amerikamura americamura.jp a quarter filled with thrift shops, cafés and cool kids showing off their cutting-edge clothes and haircuts; Den Den Town, an area notorious for electronics; and Dotonbori, a neon-strewn canal-side drag that never sleeps. Close to Dotonbori Bridge is the Hozenji Temple, a haven of calm where lanterns are lit every evening. Take the subway to Shinsaibashi to explore Tokyu Hands tokyu-hands.co.jp one of the most remarkable stores in all of the city. Here some 200,000 items jostle for space, including everything from bicycle saddles to bathroom kits. Be sure to pay a visit to Shochikuza Theater shochiku.com which opened in 1923 and hosts excellent traditional kabuki (dance drama) performances.

Where to stay

If you want to drink tea on tatami (straw) mats and be provided with yukata night robes then Kaneyoshi Ryokan 00 81 6 6211 6337, kaneyosi.jp on the Dotonbori waterside is your place. The traditional inn has cosy en suite rooms, a communal hot tub and authentic breakfasts. The Ritz-Carlton Osaka 00 81 6 6343 7000, ritzcarlton.com in Kita is the cream of the Western-style hotels. From the chandelier-clad lobby to its sophisticated restaurants and range of opulent rooms and suites, it’s a first-class abode. Hotel Ichiei 00 81 6 6641 3135, hotel-ichiei.com is an affordable boutique base in Minami with spacious rooms and suites that have plenty of character. Be sure to book one with its own stone garden or tea ceremony room.

Where to eat and drink

South of Dotonbori’s canal, Hozenji Yokocho is an alley steeped in history, with some 60 restaurants and pub-style joints known as izakaya. At Houzenji San Pei 00 81 6 6531 8225, choose your toppings then grill okonomiyaki (pancakes) at your table. Matsusakagyu Yakiniku 00 81 6 6214 5145, matsusaka-projects.com specialises in succulent Matsusaka beef (a type of Wagyu), barbecued and devoured at ‘digging seats’ on the floor. Take things up a notch at Nagahori 00 81 6 6768 0515, a Michelin-starred izakaya in Chuo-ku that excels in sake. To pair, chef Shigeo Nakamura serves up onigiri and sashimi of the highest quality. If it’s udon noodles you’re hankering for, Dotonbori Imai 00 81 6 6776 0319 is arguably the best. Established in 1946, its kelp and bonito flake broths are instantly satisfying. Another stalwart is Kushikatsu Daruma 00 81 6 6645 7056, drawing locals and tourists alike for its moreish grilled skewers. Real bon vivants should head for the Dotonbori waterfront come dusk, when any number of bars and vendors bid for your stomach late into the night.

Time running out?

For a break from all the culture, take a short train ride to Universal Studios Japan, a surreal world where Harry Potter meets Snoopy meets Hello Kitty. http://www.usj.co.jp

Travel Information

Travel Information

Currency is the yen. Time is nine hours ahead of GMT. Flight time from London to Osaka is 13.5 hours. The cost to carbon-offset this trip is £22.20. For more details, see http://www.climatecare.org

Getting There

Japan Airlines flies daily from London Heathrow to Kansai International Airport via Tokyo. http://www.jal.com
Korean Air flies daily to Kansai via Seoul. http://www.koreanair.com

Resources

Osaka Info is the official local tourist board website, offering practical advice and tips for seeing the city. http://www.osaka-info.jp/en