"A Place to Pass Through" Osaka by AKtravelers

Osaka Travel Guide: 848 reviews and 2,363 photos

Osaka is not a city for tourists, except if they're passing through on the way to some place else. Many people stop over at the new airport, a spectacular facility built on a man-made island in the bay. Others pass through on the way to the many world-class tourist sites in Kyoto, Nara and Himeiji. Osaka offers very little incentive for a tourist to stay, but on one trip I decided to stay anyway.
Why? Well, I did want to spend a day in a Japanese city that didn't cater to tourists, for one. But mostly it seemed to be a convenient place to stay for a few days off at the end of a business trip, allowing me to visit Kyoto in one direction and Himeiji in the other. It was also the only city in the area with a major league baseball game, which would entertain me during what could have been a lonely evening (and I learned that Hanshin Tigers fans are the best baseball fans anywhere!). My minimal free time only gave me an afternoon and an evening to explore Japan's second largest city, but that was enough.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Home of the Hanshin Tigers
Cons:Not much worth seeing
In a nutshell:A place to pass through

Last visit to Osaka: May 2003
Intro Updated Jan 2, 2006
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Reviews (6)

The shinkansen sits in Osaka Station - Osaka

Ride the Bullet Train Transportation (1)

One of the great things about using Osaka as a regional base to visit Kyoto, Nara and Himeiji is that you have an excuse... more travel advice

Getting a Hotel at the Airport Hotels (1)

I cannot remember the name of the hotel I staid at in Osaka, but I wouldn't recommend it anyway. The rooms were very... more travel advice

An Osaka waitress wishes me peace - Osaka

The Peace Sign is Required for Photos Local Customs (2)

One of the curious things I have noticed in my travels around Japan is the habit of making a peace sign when posing for... more travel advice

Letting the balloons fly at the Tigers game - Osaka

Osaka's 7th Inning Stetch Local Customs (2)

The most impressive 7th Inning Stretch I have ever seen was at the Hanshin Tigers game in Osaka. Since I saw the same... more travel advice

Things to Do (1)
Osaka Castle: a Diversion

Sports & Outdoors (1)
Go to a Hanshin Tigers game

Comments (2)

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CliffClaven Oct 12, 2007 at 1:00 AM

Or does she mean: Two beers, ne?
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Kiarill Sep 9, 2006 at 9:44 AM

It's less of a 'peace' sign and more of a pose. It's done frequently in asian countries? Esp. when people are posing for photographs, or neoprints (sticker photos).