When I planned the tour, it was clear from the start that we would stay somewhere in the greater Osaka area for several days. The first accommodation option we consulted was a holiday home in Kyōto via Japan-Experience, but unfortunately we just missed the last flat in our price range. Continuing our search for a reasonably central, reasonably priced hotel, the choice clearly crystallised on the city of Osaka. Near Yodoyabashi station, from where the private Keihan Group operates, we found the Daiwa Roynet Hotel. A stroke of luck, as it turned out, because we were perfectly within reach of two of our chosen sightseeing destinations.
The first destination on this day was even perfectly located on the route to Hirakata Park. Although historically absolutely significant, Osaka Castle is unfortunately hardly worth a trip. The main tower is a concrete block, which at least looks pretty from the outside and offers a fabulous view of the city. The ramparts and outbuildings are much more interesting and give you a better sense of the history of this place. All in all, the castle is very impressive, yet I don’t think it’s worth a visit.
The Dotonbori district, on the other hand, is an absolute must for every visit to Osaka, and we visited it in the evening. The nightlife district can be compared to the Reeperbahn in Hamburg, but it is much cleaner, much more colourful and, despite the huge crowds, much safer. Thanks to its location directly on a canal, it also has an indescribable flair that is hard to turn away from. For the giant-wheeled Japanese, there is also an oval-shaped wheel inside the Don Quijote department store amidst all this. Splendid!
Right next door and just as interesting, if even more crowded, is the Tenjinbashi – suji shopping mile. In general, you can get rid of a lot of time and money very quickly here in the Namba district. Whereas this was not the case with the chosen Italian restaurant. It was quite inexpensive, but unfortunately also pretty standard. At least we returned to the hotel well sated.
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