The Ultimate Week In Japan: Osaka → Kyoto → Nagoya → Tokyo

Known as Osaka's kitchen, this covered market is packed with fresh seafood, wagyu skewers, tamagoyaki, and vendors who will genuinely encourage you to try everything, so make sure you go hungry. I think about the grilled scallops with butter and soy sauce regularly... get two.

The neon canal strip that everyone has seen in photos, and it genuinely looks like that in person. Walk it in both directions, cross the bridge, and don't forget to look up. Don't eat at the big tourist restaurants on the main strip. Turn down one of the side streets and that's where you'll find the real Osaka hiding.

(Ideally early morning) It's touristy, but if you get there before 9am you'll have the grounds almost to yourself. The park around it is stunning, especially in spring (cherry blossoms) or autumn (maple leaves). The castle itself is a museum inside, skip it if history isn't your thing, but do the grounds.

Shinsaibashi the main shopping strip where you can stock up on Japanese skincare at half the price you'd pay back home. LOFT and Don Quijote are your best friends here!

American Village is Osaka's vintage and streetwear hub where you can find independent shops, thrift stores, and local designers. Even if you're not a big shopper, you can enjoy just walking through here. The energy is completely different from anywhere else in Osaka. It's very young, creative, and Triangle Park in the middle is always buzzing.

Stop by this beautifully designed rooftop garden mall, perfect for those aesthetic Instagram shots (if you're into that kinda thing).