Tennoji

Tennoji is an area of South Osaka and a main transpot hub for the area.

Several large department stores, Tennoji park (including zoo), Osaka museum of art, The famous local landmark Tsutenkaku tower, The shinsekai area Tobita red light and a plethora of restaurants and bars are all within walking distance.

The feel of the area is the number one attraction and it is worth just walking the streets for an hour to soak up the vibe of the busy streets..



The park is a good place to retreat and whilst you may see a few local characters wandering It is still possible to feel the scerenity of the place.

If you like zoos then Tennoji zoo has many good reviews..The art museum hosts some very interesting and famous exhibitions and may well be worth a visit.



Festival gate is an area near the zoo and home to Span world - many floors of baths and spas from around the world.. a gym and retaurants make this a huge complex to have a hot soak. A mixed pool on th etop floor requires swim wear to gain entry.

Hoop is the number one place to shop in the area offering 5 floors of branded clothes bags and accessories very near the station.

Dinner should definately be had in the Shinsekai area near to the local Tsutenkaku tower. This large tower becomes covered in neon at night and is impossible to miss.

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Shinsekai is an area dominated by Kushikatsu restaurants many of which offer cheap beer, food and live music. The area is popular with young Japanese any night of the week. Kushikatsu both delicious and high in calories and should be tried at least once.





The Tobita district is one of Japan's oldest and widely recognised brothel areas, unlike anywhere else the women can be seen "displayed" in windows of "Japanese restaurants".


Nishinari offers a startling dose of reality when seeing it's huge numbers of day laborers with no fixed abode, a compelling insight into the social problems of Japan, the cardboard restaurants are a good example of how the local community persevere in the face of mass unemployment and an appalling social welfare system.



TENNOJI GUIDE

Mt. Takayasu

Mt. Takayasu is another of the Yamato mountains.. this one is located more on the Osaka side of the range and offers panoramic views of Osaka quite unlike anywhere else. If you like being in beautiful nature but with a Huge cityscapes always in sight then this is for you. Get off the bus and climb go up to the viewing point to get the best view. Picnic tables also provide quite a surreal place for a spot of lunch. A hiking trail runs right along the whole mountain range and it is possible to join the trail from here taking the trail right towards ikoma and eventually Osaka or the shorter path left going down towards Nara. Either way it is possible to get back via the Kintetsu train.

Check out the weather radar and various strange communications towers dotted along the mountains. be sure also to allow enough time to complete your hike.

Mt. Takayasu

Walk or take Kintetsu tain to Shigi san shita.



Take bus to to Mt. Shigi then Mt. Takyasu. Get off outside cable car station.

Namba

South Osaka is really where it's at in terms of shopping, fashion, clubs and music. Most of Osaka's young people live around here and it's also what most people see as being the "real" Osaka.

Much dirtier and gritty than the other "centre" of Osaka - Umeda.. Namba is where most Osakan's do their thing.. which mostly consists of eating out a lot.. There is a very diverse selection of food to be had in Osaka. The Japanese restaurants alone have numerous different styles of cuisine on offer including OKONOMIYAKI , TAKO YAKI and SUKIYAKI to name a few. The down to earth atmosphere of the area makes this one place to come and sample great Japanese food .. The only communication you'll need is through the cuisine. Osakan people couldn't really care less where you come from or what you speak so enjoy! (Photo: airninja.com)

DOTOMBORI is the tourist stretch with many Korean and Chinese visitors taking photos in front of some of the most famous images of Osaka including the GLICO MAN and the GIANT CRAB that you can't miss on your walk down this street. dotomburi bridge crosses the canal and is full anytime of day of young hosts and hostesses.



Soe mon cho is the unofficial red light district of the area and also has one or two great bars. Check out CLUB ZING for some good underground music, interesting people and a roof terrace that parties on well into the next afternoon.

Shopping is in abundance with ORANGE STREET being a great place to pick up Japanese small labels and more avante garde styles of clothes. America Mura while not really being Namba is only a short walk from the Orange street area and caters to a slightly younger, more generic type of clothes shopper. CISCO RECORDS is a fine place to buy music of most types with lots of Japanese artists as well as a great import section of house, minimal techno and more clubby grooves. If you are into dub you are going to be very impressed with the amount of 7" dubs on offer at record shops in the area.
I should just mention DEN DEN town at this point but here's a link to all the shopping avaliable in the are.

There are shopping arcades,department stores, side streets, food stalls and strange people everywhere. This is like Japan unleashed.. I was going to go on and on and reccommend things to do especially clubs.. like ROCKETS, CLAPPER and SOUND CHANNEL where you'll find good parties and people who only come out at night but the best thing for you to do is just go and explore, meet people and experience.
Namba is by far the best part of Osaka and one of the seediest/most interesting places in Japan.


Namba

20 mins from Yougendo by Yamatoji express train to JR Namba.

Last train back to Yougendo is 12:30 and first morning train is around 5am.

At 5am Namba is at it's most interesting!

Here's a MAP

enjoy.