The First-Timer’s Travel Guide to Osaka, Japan (2019)

If we were allowed to visit just one country for the rest of our lives, then for me, that country would have to be Japan. It wouldn’t even be a difficult decision.

Like many people, I find Japan to be an endlessly fascinating country. It’s defined by cultural curiosities that you can’t find anywhere else in the world. Sure, every country is unique in its own right, but Japan takes that uniqueness to a whole different level. From its samurai swords to its smart toilets to its maid cafes and love for anime and cosplay, I think it’s safe to say that there is no culture in the world quite like Japan.

We’ve both been to Japan many times before, mostly to Tokyo in our youth, but it wasn’t until our trip to the Kansai region in 2014 that we really fell in love with this country. And much of that had to do with Osaka.

Osaka has a great easygoing vibe and a fantastic food culture that really resonated with us, so much so that we’ve been here three times in five years – the most…