Day 1: Takoyaki Truck at Doton Plaza - Osaka, Japan

This time we go to Osaka, we made sure to stay at a walking distance to the places we plan to visit often, which was the Shinsaibashi area.  From our Airbnb stay in Nipponbashi, it was about a 6 minutes walk to Shinsaibashi and Dontobori area.  First time living so close to tourists area in Osaka.  We could shop and not worry about dragging bags of goodies back since it's just a few minutes walk away.



Even though Japan is supposed to be a crowded area, it is nothing compare to the jam pack streets of Hong Kong.  We went in mid April.  Great weather.  Not too hot or cold or humid.  My favorite type of weather.

Although the alleys near the Nipponbashi station is filled with love motel, it didn't feel weird walking around.  At least not when the sun was still up.  We decided to walk to Shinsaibashi to shop and eat once we dropped off our luggage at our Airbnb stay.  However, there were just too many distraction along the way.  Before we even reach Shinsaibashi, there were shop after shop of skincare/cosmetic drug stores.  However, I didn't trust those shop.  They were ran by mainland Chinese people and their everything in the shop were just too cheap.  Too good to be true.  Gave me a feeling that they were selling fake skincare and I won't take any chances for products that I would put on my skin.



Anyways, nearby was the Doton Plaza and by then we had already got distracted many times by various cosmetic stores, which ironically I said I won't buy any cosmetics before I went on the trip.  To pull ourselves together, we went to the takoyaki food truck to get some snacks!  There are takoyaki shops everywhere.  Yum!

Love how the takoyaki in Japan aren't super dry.  The ones sold in Hong Kong are often over cooked and it gets very dry and doughy.

Doton Plaza is at point Z in Places Part 2 on the map below:


Chi

Day 1: Check in Airbnb in Nipponbashi > Takoyaki Truck at Doton Plaza > Osaka Horumon stand up BBQ > Dotonbori > Enya Beef BBQ > Doutor Ice Cream Coffee > Kinnotorikara Stick > Donki

Day 2: Kuromon > 天地人拉麵 Ramen > Osaka Castle > Umeda Station Katsu Don & Food Market > Hep Five Ferris Wheel

Day 3: Convenience Store breakfast > Arashiyama Bamboo Forest > Kyoto Station Udon > Inari Temple > Miyazaki Bar Ebisu > Hinodeyokocho Fujihachishoten

Day 4: Kuromon breakfast > Seria > Maidreamin > Umeda Food Hall  >  Pasta de Pasta

Day 5: Nakanoshima Fish Market > Nara deer feeding > Todai temple Nara > Americamura > Kobe Beef Burger > ELK Cafe > Torisoba Zagin Niboshi Ramen > Shinsekai > Donki at Shinsekai

Day 6: Last Kuromon breakfast