Osaka🇯🇵

Osaka… A city that always seems to smile at us first Some cities look lively Some cities look peaceful But Osaka is a city that… “like home” A warm home, fragrant with the smell of takoyaki The soft laughter of people on the side of the road A building that is not very tall, but is so cute that you want to stop and look People who do not talk much, but are unexpectedly kind Osaka is really like that And we fell in love before we knew it. 🎒 ⸻ 🏯 Let’s start at “Osaka Castle” under the sky that is as clear as glass We walked into the garden around the castle A cool breeze blew the leaves gently, the big trees were shady The sound of birds chirping mixed with the sound of small fountains on the side of the road The atmosphere was like playing music all the time 🎼 When we reached the castle, we were stunned by its beauty A traditional Japanese structure mixed with soft green and gold At the top is a viewing point where we can see Osaka in all directions And this city feels so “huggable” 💚 On the way back, we stopped by to buy soft-serve ice cream flavored with Japanese soybeans. The texture is soft, smooth, and a little sweet, just right. 🍦 ⸻ 🐙 Have fun walking around “Dotonbori”, the street of eating and laughing. Dotonbori is a district that has everything your heart desires. There are colorful neon signs and cosplayers walking next to you. There are hot takoyaki that almost make you cry when you bite into it because it burns your mouth! 😂 The sizzling sound of the flour being grilled. The smell of sweet sauce and wriggling dried fish. We bought takoyaki in a box and sat by the canal. Next to us, there was a Japanese child eating it. He smiled at us first, and we smiled back in confusion. …This is Osaka 💕 ⸻ 🛍️ Shinsaibashi – A place where your feet walk but your heart jumps all the time. Shinsaibashi is a shopping street that stretches as far as the eye can see. While walking, we saw brand name shops, cosmetic shops, cute handmade shops, and small sweet shops with fragrant smells 🌼 We found a shop selling bear-shaped bread. The bear had custard inside, it was so fragrant! When we bit into it, it felt like we were being hugged tightly from the inside. We stopped at a cafe on the corner, there was a seat by the window. We could see people walking by. We wrote a postcard to ourselves: “Thank you for coming to Osaka when I was still unsure about everything.” 📮 ⸻ 🐳 The peaceful underwater world at “Kaiyukan”, a heartwarming aquarium Kaiyukan is like another universe. You don’t need to say much to feel the specialness. We stood and watched whale sharks swim by slowly. Jellyfish danced in the luminescent tank. Sea otters rolled around happily. The voices in our heads also quieted down along with them. Kaiyukan taught us that… Sometimes we don’t have to run all the time. Just swim slowly in our own way. 🌊 ⸻ 🎨 Amerikamura – Lovely freedom in the heart-pounding art district Amerikamura is a small district but full of colors. Graffiti, artsy clothing stores, cafes that look like they came out of a cartoon world. We stopped by a shoe painting shop. The owner was a woman wearing a Hello Kitty apron. She smiled and said, “Choose the pattern according to your heart.” We asked to draw stars, pastels, and a cat. She took 20 minutes and gave it to us with the words, “Good luck wearing it.” 🌟 ⸻ 🐚 Kuromon Market – Delicious every ten steps Kuromon Market is a foodie’s dream. We walked and ate without any shame. Thick sushi, fresh oysters, hot miso soup, fragrant grilled meat. And the soft sweet eggs that melt in your mouth 🍣 Many vendors speak a little English, but they are very kind. We stopped to look at grilled Kobe beef, and the vendor cut us small pieces to try for free. When we widened our eyes and said “Oishii!”, she smiled as wide as a prize. It’s a small joy that you can’t find in fancy restaurants, but you can find it in markets like this. 💛 ⸻ 🚉 Traveling in Osaka is easier than you think…and cuter than you would expect. IC cards like ICOCA are a traveler’s best friend. Just tap and enter every station, no need to buy tickets repeatedly. The signs are in English, with clear colors. And the Japanese are always ready to help, even though they are extremely shy about their English. 😂 The trains in Osaka are quiet, clean, and incredibly punctual. We took a longer train ride than we should have because we wanted to see the view. It’s not just about traveling, it’s about being alone and peaceful. 🌥️ ⸻ 🌸 Osaka… The city that teaches us that “being satisfied with today is enough.” I don’t know why. But Osaka is like a friend that we don't know we need. Not rushing, not rushing, not luxurious, but has everything we need. On a day when our heart is tired, Osaka is like a thin blanket. That covers our hearts lightly and says, "It's okay, just you come, that's enough." We don't know if Osaka is the best place in Japan. But we know... This place is definitely our "safe space". 🐻🌷 ⸻ #TravelAbroad #Osaka