Osaka is a city with its own unique character. A Tokyo rival, people here are proud of their city and the personality that comes with it. That's precisely why it's excellent fun just to go for a wander in the city to find their hidden secrets down the back streets of Osaka.
Osaka is filled with shopping arcades offering food and goods sourced locally. Most of the shops look as if they may close as competition from corporate companies provide better deals, but many of the older generation still prefer to open these stores and buy from other similar stores. Osaka is definitely a city that still holds onto their local community values at heart.
Within these small communities, local nightlife continues to provide entertainment. From local karaoke bars to snack bars, and others skeptically named as Jazz House , locals blast out enka music on sound systems unfit for small bars into the late night.
Shinsekai, located in the southern part of central Osaka, is also a food and entertainment hub. Dishes ingrained into Osaka culture can be sampled at many of the outlets here. There is also a seedy aspect to the area, with a hidden cinema still showing porn alongside mainstream movies.
Try to go for a walk and get lost in Osaka for a taste of hidden, local communities.
Robert Kodama @robert.kodama
Travel writer & photographer based in the Kansai region of Japan. Japan Travel expert for the Osaka region.
