"Whatever you do, don't think about... " a Osaka Travel Page by nickinosaka

I lived in Osaka from August 2003 to October 2004, and I found it a great base of operations for exploring Western Japan (and the rest of Asia). I did a fair bit of hiking in the Kansai area (sites to follow) and have been out to Kyoto, Nara, and Tokyo on non-hiking trips.

The city itself is not pretty, although you can find little spots of beauty here and there if you keep your eyes open. I've discovered even the industrial wastelands along the highway to the airport can give a feeling of the sublime, although not when you've been somewhere green.

I still have a lot of friends there, and hope to visit fairly regularly and add the occasional update.

On the whole people here are friendly and helpful, but like anywhere else in the world you'll find the occasional [expletive deleted]. If you run into one, just move on and remember they're a small minority. It was a good home while I was there, and it has charmed its way into my heart.