Osaka Hidden Gems & Food Guide (Bundle) ☆ +50 Locations

Watch Osaka Tours here:

Osaka Tours 👑🐷 Hidden Gems and Local Neighbourhoods

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Osaka Tours 👑🐷 Street Food and Local Restaurant Guide

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Where I Stayed:

Heads up, I wasn't paid or influenced by these hotels, I paid for my hotels out of pocket and did not feature them in my YouTube video on Osaka.

I just genuinely enjoyed these locations! 

Aloft Osaka Dojima アロフト大阪堂島

@kingkogi

A reasonably priced botique hotel with an artsy feel. Soft beds and pillows, English speaking staff, and a youthful first floor with a pool table and funky bar. Far enough from the main downtown core that is isn't noisy and hard to sleep, but located nearby a few different subway stations. It also has a dedicated taxi stand outside the front doors. There is also a conbini right across the street, so if you don't want to pay for hotel breakfast, you can stock up on snacks there.

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Universal Studio Osaka (USJ) 

I've been to USJ multiple times, and this is by far my favourite hotel. The location, price, and late night onsen is excellent!

THE SINGULARI HOTEL & SKYSPA (AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS JAPAN)

@kingkogi

f you're going to “USJ” Universal Studio Japan (Osaka) this is my go-to hotel. It is located DIRECTLY outside the train station exit, and it is a smooth walk straight into the hotel. Since it is the closest to the subway exit, it is located the furthest from the USJ main gates, but the walk is just 5 minutes and completely flat. Also, the only Starbucks is located straight across from it making for an easy morning drink (you cannot bring your Starbucks drinks into the park). This hotel is focused more for adults rather than the themed rooms of the other nearby hotels. I have stayed at other hotels before and it was just so noisy with exhausted kids and I found the rooms pretty tacky. This hotel is very chic, kids are still allowed, but it’s also great for friends and couples. PLUS, it has an epic top floor bathhouse, no rules about tattoos, so I enjoyed a lovely soak after a long day at the park. The bathtubs overlooked the Osaka harbour from the indoor long soak tub, as well as the outdoor long soak tub.

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Universal Studios Japan

@kingkogi

You can purchase you tickets to USJ in advance and download the QR code to your phone. I just scan that code when I enter the park off my phone, no paper needed! Martina's Tips: Harry Potter Land has the hands down, best food. The Three Broomsticks serves beer and full English lunches and dinners that are actually delicious. Avoid lunch and peak dinner hours if you don't want to wait in a long line. You can't bring Starbucks coffee cups or obvious bottles into the park (they will check your bag) but I always buy a few onigiri at the conbini loacted just outside the park, and stuff them into my bag. 1. Super Nintendo World: check the link I provided to look over the "timed ticket entry" details. Basically, on days that are super crowded, even if you purchased an entery ticket to USJ, you may not be able to enter this area. 2. If there are too many people in the theme park, they prepare an area with these machines that scan your entry ticket and provide you with a "timed" ticket to enter Super Nintendo World. I 3. f you don't get these tickets early enough, you may be stuck with "lottery tickets" which are just like they sound. They randomly draw a group of tickets to enter Super Nintendo World, and no one else can enter. My Experience: I have done all three: -entered the park, got a timed ticket entrance and went to the special area -entered the park, there was no timed ticket, I just walked into Mario Land. -And I recently I experienced the lottery which disappointingly, I wasn't chosen and couldn't go into the land If you ONLY want to visit this area, you can purchase tickets that guarantee entrance

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Interesting Spots

Dotonbori Glico Sign

@kingkogi

A famous landmark, it went from just paper print to digital. This sign is located on the river pathways of Dotonbori, and exploring this river way at night time (or during a rainy evening) is pretty awesome. Neon reflection overload!

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Osaka Castle

@kingkogi

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Osaka Castle Playground

@kingkogi

The park surrounding Osaka castle just gorgeous. You don’t even need to walk up to see the castle to enjoy the surrounding area. There are three or four giant kids playgrounds, I’ve met with my friends there and we’ve picnicked on the grass while their kids got to play happily.

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The National Museum of Art, Osaka

@kingkogi

If you're an art lover, this musuem hosts changing exhibitions ranging from Picasso to The Art and Life of Shigeko. See what they have on when you're in town, and it's an intresting underground (literally located underground) place to visit on a rainy day. Museum Hours: Open: 10:00-17:00 (last admission 16:30), Fridays and Saturdays until 20:00 (last admission 19:30). Note: In special circumstances, the hours are subject to change. Closed Mondays, during the year-end and New Year’s holidays (Wed., Dec. 28, 2022-Tue., Jan. 3, 2023), and while exhibitions are being changed. When a Monday falls on a national holiday, the museum will be open, and closed the following day instead.

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Osaka Science Museum

@kingkogi

A hands on museum with a science hall, exhibition hall, science shows, and a planetarium. The planetarium has a schedule where you can see different projections, such as “walk on Mars” “aurora” and a curator special. Things are in Japanese, but since it is interactive it can be fun to tinker with the exhibits. A hot day or a rainy day, it’s a good place to beat the bad weather while learning. Toronto has a science museum and even as an adult I enjoyed going there. If you’ve got kids or you’re a kid at heart, it’s a nice place to spend some nerdy time. Check the website link I provided to see what’s happening Hours: 9:30-17:00 (Exhibition admission until 16:30) Closed every Monday. *On Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, the planetarium will be additionally projected from 17:00. (Exhibition hall closes at 17:00 and closes as soon as the planetarium ends at 17:00)

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NOON＋CAFE

@kingkogi

Located under the subway tracks, this little indie coffee shop is part cafe part, part bar, part event venue. Check their Twitter account for updates on events, you just might catch an underground DJ set 🎶

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Shopping Spots

Karahori shopping street

@kingkogi

Featured in Osaka Tours, this retro shopping arcade blends old and new together. Get lost enjoying the tiny backstreets and you’re sure to discover some small cafes and shops. Okonomiyaki, udon, steamed buns, Japanese style hot dogs, an American bar, are all living in harmony on this covered shopping street!

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Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shopping Street

@kingkogi

“Kitchenware Street” a great place to explore and pick up ANY Japanese kitchen tool or tableware. An awesome place for real souvenirs that you can actually use later at home. PLUS they sell that epic Japanese “fake” display food 🍙

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Shinsaibashi-Suji Shopping Street

@kingkogi

A massive covered shopping arcade with name brands blended with shops for you buy souvenirs. This is not a local deep find, so prepare for the hustle bustle of tourists!

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姉妹屋

@kingkogi

Appeared in Osaka Tours, this small shop sells second hand vintage kimonos and retro Japanese accessories PLUS onigiri for sale out front!

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Pokémon Center Osaka

@kingkogi

Fans of Pokemon won't want to miss this mecca of Pokemon merch. There is also a game center with an arcade and capsule toys. Be aware, this can get REALLY crowded so try to go mid-week in the afternoon. When I visited there was a Nintendo store and Animal Crossing store too, but there was a lineup to get INTO the shops..plus a lineup to pay for merch. Eat food, have a good washroom break, and dive on into the chaos!

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Savoury Snacks

安光包子

@kingkogi

Featured in Osaka Tours. This steamed bun shop uses forums by local Japanese ingredients to elevate the simple steamed meat bun.

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Pork Bun MATSUOKA

@kingkogi

Steamed pork buns seasoned with savoury red miso! You can also try the spicy red miso. Great pricing, under 200yen per bun. (Priced at 130yen as of 2022)

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HUGHES PIZZA (ヒューズ ピザ)

@kingkogi

Featuring in Osaka Tours (on YouTube) Hughes Pizza is a great place to take a rest and enjoy a slice of NYC style pizza. Large, hand tossed, thin crust pizza. It’s is crisp on the edges, not overpowered in toppings, and thin enough to be folded in half to eat—which is the true NYC Pizza slice way. Hughes is always holding neat events and cross-overs, hosting great music, so check out his Instagram to see what pizza specials are on, and what else is happening. If you go, tell the owner King Kogi sent you 😁💕

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Okada-ya Honten ( Tofu & Abura-age )

@kingkogi

Appearing in Osaka Tours, the tofu house makes homemade tofu everything. If you don't like tofu, this place might change your mind!

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Takoyaki Shops

There are so many takoyaki shops to stumble upon in Osaka. With small serving sizes, 6-8 pieces per tray, try a few different shops to see what tickles your fancy.

Just be aware… they are often lava hot when freshly served 🥵

Takoyaki Umaiya

@kingkogi

Featured in Osaka Tours, this shop has been making takoyaki for years together as a family. It is very unusual in that it does NOT cover these little savoury balls with mayo, sauce, and other toppings. The focus is slow cooking double battered balls, it has a generous piece of Tako (octopus) on the inside and the batter is made with a delicate soup stock (dashi). You can add sauce to your takoyaki if you sit inside, but I honestly enjoyed it without. Don’t forget to order a glass of milk, if they aren’t sold out!

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Takoriki

@kingkogi

💕 Adult takoyaki: we’re talking wine pairing and takoyaki. Champagne and takoyaki 🍾 This is Osaka’s only Bib Gourmand takoyaki shop. That’s like a Michelin Star for a more local place. Only a 10-minute walk from Tanimachi 6-chome Station on the Tanimachi Line (this area was featured in Osaka Tours on King Kogi YouTube)

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Hanadako

@kingkogi

Popular, but always a favourite location. The green onion toppings is a big fav, and it is a large, loaded tray of takoyaki!

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Takonotetsu

@kingkogi

After all the takoyaki in Osaka you’ve seen being cooked, what about trying to make your own?

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Izakayas, Bars, and Restaurants

Typhoon Hanten

@kingkogi

Featured in Osaka Tours (on YouTube) Typhoon Hanten is Southeast asian cuisine. The lunch specials are very reasonably priced for under 1000yen and come with a nice amount of food. The flavours are bold, and the atmosphere is like being in a bathhouse turned into a restaurant! Great for photos and a lively night time crowd.

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Amakaraya

@kingkogi

Featured in Osaka Tours! Personal sized okonomiyaki served with rice, miso soup, and pickles for lunch. Over 10 types of okonomiyaki to pick.

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Rally's Craft Coffee Beer and Guest House

@kingkogi

Featured in Osaka Tours, Rally’s is a modern shop on a retro street. Stop in for coffee, craft beer, or American food and snacks.

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Yusei ura-Namba

@kingkogi

Run by youthful employees, this izakaya has a fun, light feel and serves their sake in mini-champagne glasses 🍶🥂

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おしゃべり な おでん屋 ゴッホ

@kingkogi

A tiny oden restaurant with a very outgoing and quirky owner. Prepare to be social with the guest or owner, but you never know what will happy at this shop except that you’ll have a good time at this fun shop. A few oden starter suggestions: sakuwa (fish cake) daikon (radish) mochi kin (tofu pouch with hidden mochi) shumai )pork dumpling) roru-kyabji (roll cabbage) atsu-age (fried tofu, boiled)

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Fuminosato Matsu Sushi

@kingkogi

Appearing in Osaka Tours, this sushi shop is serving up OLD SCHOOL Osaka sushi classics! Pressed sushi is hard to find, and this place is serving it up. sit at the counter and get taken back in time.

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Dalbhat Shokudo

@kingkogi

A nepalese curry shop, cozy, tiny, and great service. The menu explains how to eat or order, so no worry if you haven’t eaten this style of curry before. Great for those that have a hard time choosing… you get so many little bits of many flavours!

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Paprika shokudo Vegan

@kingkogi

🌱 A vegan restaurant with a lovely patio and many food choices with popular meatless Japanese dishes, such as fried “chicken” and donburi with “eel”.

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Udon Shops

Each udon shop has a specific style of how they create and serve their noodles and broth. The unusual part about Osaka is that people eat udon for breakfast, so if you’re up early you can grab yourself a morning bowl. This is not common in Tokyo.

Sanuki or Sanku style are made with special wheat and have almost squared off edges. The noodles are large and soft, this is a regional style specific to Osaka Prefecture.

MARTINA’S TIPS:

The shops listed below are popular deep-finds and mostly visited by locals, rather than tourists.

My tip is to visit mid-week, and check the hours carefully as some close 30 minutes before their lunch ends. For example: 11-3pm (done taking new customer at 2:30pm). Make sure you bring cash, many small places only have vending machines!

It will mostly be business men/women during lunch hours, so the turn around is pretty fast even if there is a line up. Hang in there!

Odoru-udon Umeda

@kingkogi

Featured in Osaka Tours, this udon shop in located in the B2 basement of an average looking building. Take the escalator downstairs, and you'll have many food options in this basement food court. Their menu offers four types of basic udon, highlighted in yellow on their menu, and once you pick the udon style, you can choose the toppings on it. The more expensive, the more items you've added. 1.Noodles tossed with Shoyu, soy sauce but no broth (hot of cold) 2. Bukake - smaller amout of broth, you can add as you please, but a more intense flavour (hot or cold) 3. Kake - most common udon, a flavourful broth with noodles inside (hot only) 4. Kamatama - no broth, but noodles are served hot and starchy, amazing with a raw egg as you mix it in and it cooks (hot only) Toppings: -wakame (fresh seaweed) - niku (beef) -maitake (hen of the woods mushroom, tempura fried) -fresh egg

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Udon Sanku

@kingkogi

Featured in Osaka Tours (on YouTube) this no-frills udon shop is open early for breakfast. The breakfast special is just 390yen but often sold out unless you're there very early. But don't worry, all other items can still be purchased! The udon here is super thick and made with whole wheat flour. There is a ticket vending machine, but you can use google translate on your phone if you can't understand anything as everything is written clearly in print font. Menu basics: all the udon is charged as the basic udon serving style, and you can add toppings as you please. There are pictures available to help you see the different looking combos of udon + toppings. Types of udon: 1. kake = plain warm udon served in warm broth 2. bukake = udon with a stronger broth served on the side rather than a soupy broth 3. kamaage = warm starchy udon, more chewy, great with a raw egg, you mix it in and it cooks in the hot noodles like a Japanese cabonara! 4. tsudachi = this is a special udon served with thinly sliced local sudachi-limes (might be only in the summertime) 5. curry udon = warm udon served in a curry flavoured broth

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Udon-bo Osaka

@kingkogi

This shops is famous for their udon and tempura combo. Depending on the day, you might catch them making their udon noodles fresh in house! Open for: Lunch and Dinner

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Teuti udon Yuske

@kingkogi

A handmade udon restaurant known for their very fat noodles! You can see the owner making udon noodles from the sidewalk. The curry udon is popular.

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Tsurutontan Kitashinchi

@kingkogi

A bigger restaurant, this shop offers interesting udon combinations that are worth trying.

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Sanukiudon Byakuan

@kingkogi

Their tempura set is very popular, I recommend it! But I also recommend the Chiku Egg Tempura Curry. "Chiku" is chikuwa, a savoury fish cake, normally served with oden or udon, but in this case, it has been tempura fried.

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Udondokoro Shigemi

@kingkogi

This tiny shop is located inside the Semba Center Building (No. 4 ) take the escaltor and head to the basement level B2. It is directly connected to Sakaisuji-Hommachi Station. The shop is in the basement of Senba Center Building. This place is HUGE amongst the locals. The Master has been makes simple homemade broth and noodles, and it is a beloved location.

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Coffee, Cafes, Sweets

Taiyō No Tou

@kingkogi

A retro cafe serving old school Japanese purin and sweets, to savoury lunch specials like butter curry!

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The Gut's Coffee

@kingkogi

The barista is super friendly and excellent at making coffee. You can enjoy take out and stroll around the area, and they also have quirky always changing muffins.

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Roasters coffee

@kingkogi

No nonsense industrial style coffee shop making a killer latte and hand drip coffee. Take out is super cheap!

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Embankment Coffee

@kingkogi

Coffee lovers will enjoy this coffee roaster and excellent espresso based beverages. Pastries and desserts avaible too. Located it’s in a busy neighborhood, it’s a nice step away from the hustle bustle.

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MONDIAL KAFFEE 328 GOLD RUSH

@kingkogi

Excellent espresso based beverages, pastries and a quirky atmosphere. This coffee shop has a take out window if you’d like to stroll around the area, maybe you’ll find the hidden local temple 😉

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Roji Cafe

@kingkogi

A cafe, coffee roaster, and grocery store. Supporting local made foods and items, this cafe looks like stepping into a warm wooden cottage.

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9 Borden Coffee

@kingkogi

A charming coffee shop and cafe named after their roots in Toronto, Canada! They have many drink items that are not just caffinated, and also vegan food options as well.

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nichinichibake

@kingkogi

A whimsical little dessert shop offering beautifully plated cakes and sweets. Try the matcha latte too 🍵

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Green Earth

@kingkogi

🌱 A vegetarian and vegan cafe serving up sandwiches, pizzas, and daily specials.

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Recommended Subway Stations and Neighbourhoods

Nakazakichō Station

@kingkogi

🛗 Elevator Accessible: be on train cart #4 for easy access to the elevator and escalator. Cute coffee shops, indie cafes, and tiny clothing shops in this artsy-hipster neighbourhood.

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Tanimachi 6-chome

@kingkogi

🛗Elevator accessible, this station has quite a few exits. I recommend: -exit 3 if you’d like to visit Typhoon Hanten (featured in Osaka Tours) -exit 4 if you’d like to head to Karahori Shopping Street

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Fuminosato Station

@kingkogi

🛗 Elevator Accessible: Featured in Osaka Tours, this local neighbourhood is not on anyone’s tourist map. The shopping alley is incredibly charming, and there are plenty of coffee shops, bakeries, and places to eat in this area. If you’d like to see what everyday life is like in Japan, this the place to enjoy.

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Morinomiya Station

@kingkogi

A back end entrance to Osaka Castle 🏰 this subway station exits into the playground side and park of Osaka Castle Park. You can pick up snacks and coffee before entering the park and walking over to the castle

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Universal-City Station

@kingkogi

The main subway station that allows you to enter Universal Studios Japan. If you’re staying at my recommend hotel, you can turn right when you exit and the hotel is less than 30 seconds away!

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