Yuki Sato– Author –

Ever been in a shop in Osaka, just browsing, when the owner looks at your choice and says with a laugh, “Nah, that one’s not for you. Your face is too serious for that color! Try this one, it’s better”? You stand there, a little stunned....

So you've heard the whispers. You've seen the jokes on TV, the knowing glances when you say you're moving to Osaka instead of Tokyo. You've probably even encountered the word itself, spat out with a mix of derision and grudging respect: ...

When you first arrive in Osaka, you’ll probably see the big, flashy shopping arcades first. Shinsaibashi, with its endless parade of brand names and trendy cafes, or Dotonbori, a chaotic river of neon and giant plastic crabs. It’s easy t...

Walk into any supermarket in Tokyo, and you’ll likely find a certain kind of Japan. It’s a world of quiet efficiency, of perfectly spaced products lining immaculate shelves. Soft, unobtrusive music plays. Staff bow and offer polite greet...

Step off the train at Umeda Station around seven-thirty on a Tuesday night. Descend into the basement of the Hankyu department store, a sprawling food hall locals call the depachika. During the day, this is a cathedral of cuisine. Gleami...

The roar of the JR loop line overhead, a river of humanity flowing out of Umeda Station, the sky shifting from business-like blue to a bruised purple. It’s six o’clock in Osaka. For many, the day is done. The train home awaits, a packed ...

You’re standing in a bustling shotengai, maybe somewhere deep in Tenma or near the Kishinosato station. You’re trying to decide which brand of soy sauce to buy. Suddenly, a woman in her late sixties, with a classic Osaka perm and a brigh...

You’ve just moved to Osaka. You’re standing at a tiny takoyaki stand tucked into a side street in Tenma, the sizzling sound and savory smell of batter and octopus filling the air. The old man behind the grill, a master of his craft, flip...

Walk through any Osaka neighborhood after five o'clock, especially near a train station, and you’ll see them. They’re brightly lit little boxes of life, wide open to the street, humming with a particular kind of energy. Inside, there are...

Walk through the streets of Kishiwada on a humid August evening, long after the tourists have gone home. You'll hear it. A distant, thunderous rhythm. It's the sound of wood on wood, the rumbling of giant wheels on asphalt, the coordinat...

You've just transferred from your company's Tokyo headquarters to the Osaka branch. Your first team meeting is a blur. People talk over each other, laughter erupts at what seems like a serious financial projection, and your boss, Tanaka-...

So, you’ve been in Osaka for a while. You’ve nailed the train system, you can order takoyaki without pointing, and you’ve even learned to stand on the right side of the escalator. You feel like you're getting the hang of this city. But t...