Osaka: Day guide
The best advice I can give to get the most out of your travels is to call ahead and get some recommendations from the locals. I’m lucky that I have friends all over the place to give me the inside scoop on hot deals and events going on around town.
My experience in Osaka was improved greatly by a simple phone call. A friend who lives in Osaka made me a perfect day itinerary for the bustling western hub of Japan, Osaka.
I arrived early on the night bus and headed straight to Namba, the southern downtown district to buy Sumo tickets. There are six Sumo tournaments a year; three in Tokyo, one in Fukuoka, one in Nagoya, and one in Osaka in March. Combined with other hot deals around town, and the improving Spring weather, this month makes a perfect time to visit.
Cheap Sumo tickets can be purchased the day of the tournament from 2,000yen. Once I had my ticket it was off to Spa World, the world’s largest public bath. This massive building sits right beside the amusement park Festival Gate near both Dobutsuen-mae and Shin Imamura stations. There March campaign slashes entrance price to 1,000yen, a bargain for this amazing experience. This is the mecca for Onsen/hot spring connoseurs. There are two floors, one European themed, the other Asian. Each month the men and women swap floors. I lucked out and got to check out the Asian floor that includes Persian baths with salt room, Japanese baths and sauna, Malysian baths, and a variety of steam rooms. After sitting in a tiny seat all night this was exactly what I needed.
Around Spa World is the run-down neighborhood of Shinsekai, literally “new world”. Before the war this neighborhood was considered the next big thing, proof of Japan’s industrial success and world prominence. The rebuilt Tsutenkaku tower is visible from all angles of this area as you walk through the streets filled with cheap restaurants and bars.
Tags: Eurasia: Marco Polo-in' it, Japan
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