Best Things to Do in Osaka Japan 🇯🇵: Food Tour & Nightlife

Osaka does not ease you in. It hits you with a castle built to unify a nation, Wagyu-scented streets, and a skyline straight out of Blade Runner. Today, we're eating our way across the city while diving into the best markets, must-do activities, and the neighborhoods you'll want to get lost in. All while putting away more food than any human probably should in a day. If you want the real Osaka experience, bring your appetite and sense of adventure because we're about to jump into it. Ohayō, and good morning, my friends. We are starting our day here at the amazing Osaka Castle. And what a day we got to explore today. It is absolutely gorgeous. This castle was built to unify Japan as well as intimidate anyone that might give a thought to coming here and trying to take it away from them. Now, the castle itself is one of the most impressive ones that I have seen in Japan. It is eight stories high and actually has stones in it that are the size of school buses. You can head inside and go up to the top. Along the way, they have little museums on each floor where you can learn the history of this entire region. And when you get to the top, the views of the city are absolutely breathtaking. You can also go and explore the turrets where you can go inside and pretend that you are protecting the castle from foreign invaders. It was so much fun. You can also take some relaxing boat rides on the moat that surrounds the castle. And exploring the surrounding area here in the park is just so beautiful. They have these tree-lined paths with shade. There are cafes where you can just enjoy a little coffee, and they even have a little train tram that will take you around the park if you don't feel like walking around yourself. And just in front of the castle, they have this very cool martial arts center where you can go and watch them doing kenbo — at least I think that's what it was called. It was so impressive and really like getting a glimpse into that history of Japan. Pretty amazing way to start the day, right? I just love that Japanese history, and this is a great place to come and experience it firsthand. When I showed up this morning, there was actually a 45-minute wait to go up to the tower, but I hopped on my Klook app and purchased the Osaka Amazing Pass for a 2-day pass. It was $35, and it gives you access to 40 of the most popular things to do here in the city. So, I just walked right past the line and inside. And the pass actually includes all the things I just showed you, like going to that turret and riding in the boat, as well as access to the museums here. So, it is not only a time-saver but a big money saver, too. This is not a paid advertisement, by the way. It's just how I travel because it makes things so convenient. So, I will put a little link down in the description below if you want to check it out for yourself. Right now, we are going to be going over to the Umeda Sky Building to get the most beautiful view of the city before we go and eat some food because I don’t know about you, but I’m getting hungry. So, let's hop on the train, and I will see you when we get there. Welcome to the Umeda Sky Building. It was an easy 25-minute train ride over here and then a 10-minute walk through the park to arrive at these two 40-story towers that rise 173 m above the city and look like something straight out of Blade Runner. You can see right up there at the top that they are connected with that little circle in the middle. That is the observation deck where all of the magic happens. So, let's head inside and check it out. Man, what a view. Absolutely breathtaking. And you can actually walk around 360° on the upper deck here. So, you can see the entire city with the buildings stretching out to the horizon and the mountains. But my favorite part is right here — the Yodogawa River with all of the bridges going over it all the way out to Osaka Bay. Just stunning. And on the way up here, you actually pass through this very cool restaurant area with viewing windows where you can grab a beer and just look out over the city. Ah, so good. Now that we are done at the tower, we're going to be heading over to the Kuromon Market for some food in the kitchen of Kyoto, because I don't know about you, but I am hungry. I will see you there. Kanpai. Welcome to Kuromon Ichiba, aka Osaka’s Kitchen. For over 200 years, this place has been serving up the freshest seafood, sizzling meats, and those unique Japanese flavors that you love. So, let's jump in. This market is covered, which means you can come here on sunny or rainy days and not have to worry about it. There is so much going on — food absolutely everywhere, wall to wall. I just saw this guy butchering a tuna back there, and it was really cool. So, let's go find some food to eat because I don't know about you, but I'm hungry. First things first — seafood. Look at this delicious-looking sashimi. I'm so excited. I've actually never had this type before. It's from tuna, but it is the mega-fatty part that's like right here behind the gills. And it looked amazing. The lady said it was her favorite. So, let's jump into it. And I even got to see him slice it up for me fresh right before I tried it. Oh, look at that fat in there. Yeah. Oh my. It's literally just melting in my mouth. It's so delicious. It doesn't taste fishy at all. Mmm. It's almost buttery. I love this. Wow. Now, let's try some with a little bit of the wasabi. Now, wasabi here in Japan is not like wasabi back at home. Ours is spicy — like nose-running, eyes-watering. But here, it's much more mild because I think that it’s fresh. I put the entire packet on, so fingers crossed I’m right about the wasabi. Wow. Amazing. And something you may not know about wasabi is that because it has such a strong flavor — that spice — Japanese people actually used to use it to kill bacteria back before they had refrigeration. So, it was a way to keep the food safe and eventually evolved into the delicious side pairing with your sushi. Let's go find some more delicious food to eat. I still want some more seafood, though, because this market is known for it. I think we're going to get some delicious treats. Oh, I found our next one. I'm loving that raw. So, we're going to have a nice raw scallop. All right, we got some street-side scallop right here. Look at that. It's completely raw. And I would never eat something like this at home, but I feel like here in Japan, it's just so fresh that it's okay. So, let's jump into it. I'm not even going to use the soy sauce because I love the flavor of raw scallops here. Look at that right there. Mmm. Wow. Those might be raw, but the flavor is well done. Mmm. They're so firm, and you can taste the ocean. Again, they're sweet. The seafood here is always so sweet. I love that. Let's do just one more before we head out. I love this market. I just made a quick stop to grab a beverage. I got some fresh watermelon juice. That is amazing. And I talked to the owner of the shop for the last 30 minutes. He was hilarious. He gave me free watermelon, and he even included some Hokkaido chocolate because he's just so friendly. And that's something that you'll notice here in Osaka — of all the places I've been in Japan so far, the people are the friendliest here. They want to have a conversation with you. They want to just hang out, and they're happy to practice their English. And I just love that. Oh, that is so good. And it was only 500 yen. Let's go find our next treat. So, next up, we are trying some unagi tamago, which is eel — unagi — and tamago is this folded egg underneath. It's one of my favorite little treats here in Japan. And he just took the eel and used a little flamethrower to give it this beautiful char that's on top. So, I'm super excited about this. Let's jump into it. Mmm. Wow, that is eely good. Mmm. Now, at home, I don't normally like eel, but here again, it's so fresh and delicious. And the way that the egg kind of mellows out the flavor and the sweetness of the eel just tastes amazing. I'm going to take this last bite, and then we're going to head and find some sizzling steak. Oh, and we found some Wagyu and Kobe. And it's half price — how can you pass up on that? I am so excited for these little beef skewers. I got a Kobe one and a Wagyu one so we can compare them. And they come with a little color-coded base on them so I don't get them confused. We're going to start with the red — Kobe — which is where we might be going next in our next video. I mean, let's try this one out. Mmm. Wow, that is spectacular. Mmm. It's fatty, and again, it almost has a sweet flavor to it. So delicious and melting in my mouth. You've got to try that when you come here. And now for the famous Wagyu. Check that bad boy out right there. Mmm. So, the Wagyu is a little bit more meaty, not quite as fatty, and again, just like a real steak kind of flavor. Definitely what you're looking for. But I think that the Kobe has taken this one. Delicious. Now I think it's time to go grab a sweet before we head on to our next stop. So, stick around for that. I'm going to finish up my Wagyu. Ooh. And remember, no beef, no life. Words to live by. And last but not least, we are rounding out our meal with some delicious dessert. This is a Hokkaido cantaloupe, which is the most famous melon here in Japan, and it has that Hokkaido soft serve on top, which is also my favorite. I am so excited for this. Let's go with the ice cream first. I'm just going to go into it. Wow, that is so good. Mmm. So creamy. And now a little bit of the cantaloupe. Wow, that cantaloupe is so juicy. The soft serve is so creamy. This is amazing. Melontastic. Creamcredible. I am going to finish this up, then take a short walk over to the train for a 14-minute ride to my favorite neighborhood here in the city. I will see you over there. And while we're talking about food, you have got to try kushikatsu while you are here. It was actually born here in this neighborhood over a hundred years ago. It is skewered vegetables, meat, and seafood that's dipped in batter and panko breadcrumbs and then fried to perfection. I actually went to a famous place right in the middle of town with the giant golden Billiken on the front, and it was delicious. You have to try this special secret sauce, and be careful because I had a food malfunction and I almost lost an eye — but it was totally worth it. And just inside the neighborhood is the most famous street, Janjan Yokocho, which has a bunch of restaurants, that retro arcade I was talking about, and some fun carnival snacks. I hope you're ready for this one. Look at this. It is a giant tower of custard pancake-like deliciousness. And it even comes on top of the tower we were just in. I absolutely love that. Look at that thing. I'm going to do that one more time. Whoa. All right, let's try this out. Mmm. Wow, that is so delicious. Another great restaurant right on the street is Chao Chao Gyoza, where you can head in and get these beautifully pressed gyoza that are crispy on one side and nice and soft on the other. And they pair perfectly with a giant beer. When you're done enjoying the local delicacies, head down to the end of the neighborhood here at the Tennoji Zoo. It's been here since 1950 and is home to more than 1,000 animals. They do a really good job here, and you can tell that they care. They have some really beautiful exhibitions, including lions, tigers, and bears. Oh my. But my favorite was the hippo just gently gliding underwater and this jaguar that was just majestically staring off into the distance. They also have a huge walkthrough aviary where you can get up close and personal with the animals. And for 500 yen, it is a deal. And while we're talking about animal encounters, there is one here in the city that will blow your mind. Just a short train ride away is the Osaka Aquarium, which is one of the biggest and most spectacular aquariums in the world. As you walk through the building, they've recreated different zones from around the world, and every one of them is beautiful. The real star though is the Pacific Ocean main tank. It's filled with giant trevally, hammerheads, stingrays, manta rays, and not one but two beautiful, massive whale sharks just gently swimming through the water. This place isn't just an aquarium — it's a true glimpse into the wonders of the ocean and something that you have to experience for yourself. Man, Osaka is amazing, right? So much to do, so much to see. Leave me a comment down below and let me know what your favorite part has been so far. And this neighborhood is just the best, right? That's why I stay here. I cannot get enough of it. But right now, it is getting towards that golden hour, and there is one more place that I want to take you before our day is over. And that is the neon beating heart of the city to watch it change from day into night. And I will see you there in a few. This place is like Shinjuku and Shibuya in Tokyo, a little bit of Venice, and some New York Times Square all sprinkled into one crazy place. And while you're here, take a short walk around the corner to the Hozenji Temple that has this beautiful moss-covered Buddha that you throw water on to cleanse your heart. It's also a great place to try takoyaki, which are basically little round golden balls of batter stuffed with diced octopus, tempura scraps, green onion, and pickled ginger. They're cooked in iron molds, and they are absolutely delicious. They come out piping hot, so watch your tongue. And if you're feeling a little adventurous, it's also a great place to try fugu, or puffer fish, which is famous because puffer fish are poisonous, and if the chef cuts it wrong, you can actually die from its poison. But everything worked out okay. And my favorite part of the meal was the sake that I had that was flaming and filled with puffer fish fins. And if you want to try some delicious ramen, I found this spot that serves spicy tomato soup and grilled cheese ramen. It was absolutely delicious, and the staff was so friendly. And another reason I wanted to bring you down here before nighttime is because right now it's busy, but when it turns to the evening, it gets crazy down here. There are literally people everywhere and things going on all around you. I even saw some people rapping last night in this huge crowd of people. It is so much fun, though, and I highly recommend it. Another reason to come down here at this time of the day is to hop on a canal cruise for a sunset tour because they are absolutely beautiful. The staff on board was so funny. We were singing songs, and it is a great way to see this neighborhood from a whole different perspective. Man, this place blows my mind. It's just so bright. I feel like I'm in Vegas right now. And after you take that beautiful sunset cruise, which I definitely highly recommend, you cannot leave this neighborhood until you stop by the Glico Running Man. He is a fixture and one of the symbols here in the city. You saw him while we were on the boat cruise, and I put my hands up in that famous runner pose, which is a tradition here in Osaka. So make sure you get at least one of those photos while you are here. He's been here since 1935 and he even has his own Instagram page. He's way more popular than — he's way more popular than me. But you know what? I'm okay with that because I don't like to run, and he is the running man. And I think this is probably a good place to call it. We had so much fun today. We got to see so much of this amazing city. And I think that I actually like Osaka better than Tokyo. It's kind of like a mix between Kyoto and Tokyo. And there is so much to do here. We just scratched the surface today. So if you can spend more time here, add those days to your trip because it is totally worth it. So I think it's that time, my friends. It's time to say goodbye. If you enjoyed this video, please give me a big thumbs up, comment, subscribe, and don't forget to DLING, DLING, DLING, DLING the Osaka. I will see you next time when we are heading to either Hiroshima or Kobe. I haven't decided yet. There's so much to do here in Japan. And I will see you then. So, sayonara and arigato.