You see them tucked away on side streets, nestled under train tracks, or holding their ground on the corners of bustling shotengai shopping arcades. They’re the kissaten, Japan’s traditional coffee shops. Through their doors, time seems ...

Step out of any train station in Osaka, from the sprawling underground labyrinth of Umeda to a quiet neighborhood stop on the Hankyu line, and you’re met with a sight that defines this city as much as takoyaki or the Tsutenkaku Tower. It...

The first time it happened, I was completely lost. Not geographically—I had my phone for that—but conversationally. I was standing in a tiny, steamy takoyaki stand in Tenma, trying to decide between the standard sauce and the salt-and-ma...

Step out of the train at JR Tenma Station, and the air changes. It’s not just the temperature, but the texture of the atmosphere itself. In Tokyo, the air outside a busy station is a clean, humming current of purpose. People surge from t...

You hear about Japan, and you picture a quiet, serene getaway. You imagine yourself soaking in a natural hot spring, an onsen, nestled deep in the mountains. Snow falls gently outside a cypress wood bath, you’re gazing at a perfectly man...

One of the most persistent paradoxes for a foreigner living in Japan is the chasm between public politeness and private connection. You can live here for years, mastering the subtle art of the convenience store bow and the precise angle ...

When you first land in Osaka, you'll be told to see the shotengai. You'll see pictures of Shinsaibashi-suji, a river of people flowing under a high, modern roof, flanked by global brands and flashy drugstores. You'll hear about Dotonbori...

The first time it happened, I was utterly lost. I was standing at a tiny, steaming takoyaki stand in the Tenjinbashisuji Shotengai, the longest covered shopping arcade in Japan. The air was thick with the savory smell of grilled octopus ...

So you're moving to Osaka. You've heard the stories. You know it’s not Tokyo. It’s louder, it’s bolder, the food is legendary, and the people walk on the right side of the escalator. You’ve done the basic research. But now you’re faced w...

You arrive in Osaka, a city buzzing with an energy that feels different, more grounded, more… human. You’ve probably seen the big sights. You’ve navigated the polished, subterranean maze of Umeda Station and been blinded by the neon cany...

You see it just before the sun dips below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple over the tightly packed rooftops of Osaka. It’s a subtle shift in the neighborhood’s rhythm. The frantic energy of the day-trippers in...

When you first touch down in Osaka, your senses get a workout. The city hits you with a wall of sound, a blast of sizzling street food, and a visual riot of neon that screams, “We are not Tokyo.” It’s loud, it’s a little gritty, and it’s...