Take the train to Osaka with your local host, and spend a day exploring! Osaka is famous for its obsession with food, so feast on takoyaki (fried octopus balls) as you explore the neon-lit entertainment districts which line the canals, or with your local insider leading the way (and doing the ordering when there’s no English menu!), discover Hozenji Yokocho, a mysterious alleyway packed with ramshackle izakaya bars. Soak up Osaka’s history with a visit to Osaka Castle or Sumiyoshi-taisha, one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan, or dive into its kaleidoscopic modern culture and shop for quirky souvenirs in Shinsaibashi, the frenetic shopping district, or head up Tsūtenkaku Tower for panoramic city views from its famous observation deck. 

With your host taking care of transport, you’ll arrive stress-free in Osaka and ready to explore! You don’t want to miss the central entertainment districts of Dōtonbori and Namba, where animatronic signs and a dizzying number of restaurants line the buzzing canals. Further north you could explore Shinsaibashi, the famous shopping district where huge department stores overshadow quirky subculture stores dedicated to manga, and Amerikamura, a hub of Japanese youth culture and street fashion. Or, a little further south you’ll find Shinsekai, a retro shopping district where you’ll feel for a moment like you’ve stepped back in time, and you can grab cheap street eats like kushikatsu and shop in quirky 100 yen stores.