Travelogue: Day Four, Japan 2016 December 12 Days Trip (Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Tokyo)

Click here if you want to see the entire itinerary in one glance
Click here for Day One & Two
Click here for Day Three

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Day Four | 3 December 2016, Saturday

Since I had a long day yesterday, it's back to Osaka today.

• Osaka Castle
• Shinsaibaishi Shopping Street
• Dotonbori
• Ichiran @ Dotonbori
• Kuromon Market

Osaka Castle 大阪城

Address: 1-1 Osakajo, Chuo Ward, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture 540-0002, Japan
Nearest Station: Tanimachikyuchome
Admission is 600yen

I spent a good 1-2 hours in the Osaka Castle. I do play games related to the Japanese Samurais so I do have little knowledge about them. I borrowed the audio set and slowly took my time to listen to every exhibition in the 6 storeys (If I never remember wrongly) high castle.

What's more rewarding then knowing more about the castle itself was the walk over towards the castle. The scenery was just truly awesome. I took a long stroll to the castle and from the castle towards another subway station located at the other end.

Let me just share some of the many shots I took.

Shinsaibaishi Shopping Street 心斎橋筋商店街

Address: Japan, 〒542-0085 Ōsaka-fu, Ōsaka-shi, Chūō-ku, Shinsaibashisuji, 2 Chome−2−2−22
Nearest Station: Shinsaibashi

Bustling busy shopping street that's packed with a lot of people! Just soak in the shopping atmosphere!

Dotonbori 道頓堀

Address: 1 Chome Dotonbori, Chuo Ward, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture 542-0071, Japan

Within walking distance from Shinsaibashi Shopping Street, you will be able to find yourself at the tourist famous spot with the 'running man' billboard. I don't have to further explain this place but it's filled with eateries, shops and street food. The heart of Osaka and probably the must-visit if you're going for the first time to Japan!

Creo-Ru Takoyaki

6 for 450yen, 10 for 730yen and 16 for 1,120yen

It doesn't look very photo worthy but it was definitely very awesome. I had no choice but to eat it later when it was cold cause 6 Takoyaki right after eating a bowl of Ichiran was too much.

Ichiran @ Dotonbori

Address: Japan, 〒542-0084 Ōsaka-fu, Ōsaka-shi, Chūō-ku, Souemonchō, 7, ７−１８
Spent: 1,000yen

Before I went to Japan, everyone told me how awesome this ramen was and I ought to try it. It is everywhere in Japan but you still get queues. Queues in Japan generally move quite fast. In Dotonbori, I waited about 15 minutes before I could get seated. I had it again in Tokyo, and I waited for about 10 minutes as well. Both were equally good, and man I miss this ramen already!

Apparently I only saw this set here but not at the Shibuya, Tokyo outlet.

So the staff will ask you which language you need and provide accordingly. So as a first timer, I followed their recommendation.

This is the food coupon you get after you buy your food from the vending machine.

From here you can see if there's seats available by the green lights lighting up from each box.

Here's my first introvert box experience eating ramen!

Kuromon market 黑門市場

Address: 〒542-0073 Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Chūō-ku, Nipponbashi, 2 Chome−4, 中央区日本橋２丁目４番１号

This market was less than 5 minutes walk from where I was staying and I ended up always going there too late and stores were all closed, or closing. I managed to get Sushi from the supermarket within the market and it was pretty good. If you go close to 1830, they will start to slash their prices up to 50% off for the sushi section. It was really a good deal for me! I had a can of Suntory beer with Sushi accompanied with good sushi in my cozy apartment for one of the nights when I wanted to rest up earlier.

Don't have the mindset that the sushi there are cheap. It's not. A tray like that would cost you 1,000yen too.

Totally worth my money!

Click here for Day Five of my trip!