A CITY FOR STRETCH PANTS

Japan’s ancient Osaka is heaven for foodies. But better watch your waistline

Osaka is always listed among the top leisure destinations for Asian travellers to Japan. Japan’s third largest city after Tokyo and Yokohama, Osaka is filled with cultural and historical sites. It also buzzes with modern lifestyles and countless choices of food and shopping outlets.

Located in the Kansai Region, Osaka is one of the country’s ancient capitals like Kyoto and Nara. First-time travellers often start in Dotonbori, a hub of entertainment and eateries. Dotonbori’s origins date back to 1612 when a local businessman named Yasui Doton created a canal for transportation and trading. Unfortunately, Doton died during the Siege of Osaka (1614-1615) in which Tokugawa Ieyasu, who was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate, overthrew the Toyotomi clan, ruler of Japan from 1582-1615.

The canal project was carried on by Doton’s cousins. The canal thus was named Dotonbori, or Doton Canal. In 1621, Dotonbori was designated as the entertainment district of Osaka.

At present, restaurants and pubs line both sides of the canal and on small alleys in Dotonbori. The place is more crowded at night. Neon lights and large billboards covering the buildings of Dotonbori brighten up the area. It reflects the mood of joy.

Among those billboards, one of the highlights seems to be the Glico Man, a 20m sign erected in 1935. The billboard shows a running man in a victory pose on a blue racetrack. It faces Dotonbori canal next to the Ebisu Bridge. Visitors to the area like to take pictures of and with the Glico Man. The billboard is one of Osaka’s popular landmarks.

Another must-see is Osaka Castle. The building was constructed in 1583. Although the five-storey castle was destroyed and rebuilt several times because of wars and fire, its history and the beauty of the structure live on today. Historical records and old items are on exhibit in the museum zone inside the castle.

Osaka is also the birthplace of Bunraku, Japanese traditional puppet theatre. Each half-life-size doll is played by up to three puppeteers.

The puppets perform along with a chanted dramatic narrative accompanied by shamisen, a three-stringed traditional Japanese lute. One of the best places to experience Bunraku is in the National Bunraku Theatre in the city.

Food in Osaka is second to none. In fact, the choices are plenty and contribute to the city’s reputation as the Kitchen of Japan. People in Osaka are also passionate about food. There is a word to describe the culture as kuidaore, meaning “eat until you drop”. Mouth-watering meals can be seen everywhere, especially sashimi, ramen or popular local specialities like takoyaki (octopus dumplings) and okonomiyaki (pan-fried pancake). Prepare to gain weight even on a short trip to Osaka.

A trip to Osaka would not be complete without a visit to nearby cities. Within a short drive, one can even visit popular attractions of the two old capitals, Nara and Kyoto, in a day.

Osaka is a destination where visitors can easily fall in love with Japanese culture, heritage sites and eateries. A one-time trip is never be enough.

View from the top of Osaka Castle. Osaka Castle is the landmark of the city. Founded in 1583, the present structure was rebuilt in 1931. It houses a museum. The top floor is an observation deck where visitors can have a 360-degree view of the city.

About 1,350 runners from 16 nationalities recently joined the first KiloRun in Osaka. Hosted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the running race was organised around Osaka castle. The aim was to promote Thai food in Japan. Organised by Bangkokbased Index Creative Village, the event consists of two parts. The morning session, called Breakfast Run, is designed for those who want to join 5km and 10km races while the afternoon session, known as Delicious Run, is focused on those who want to run/walk while eating local food along a 3km route. While runners in the morning race competed in speed, the participants in the afternoon event beat each other by weight gain. Khao pad kaprao moo (rice topped with stir-fried pork with basil and chillies) was served for the runners after the race in the morning session. Khao man gai (Hainanese-style chicken and rice) was part of eight food stations of KiloRun in the afternoon race. The same racing concept of KiloRun will be organised in Chiang Rai in Thailand on Dec 15. Visit kilorun.com.

A boat cruise along Dotonbori Canal passes the popular Glico Man billboard.

Takoyaki is made of a batter filled with a little piece of cooked octopus, pickled ginger and green shallots and topped with takoyaki sauce, mayonnaise, dried seaweed and dried bonito flakes.

● Opened in 1993, the Umeda Sky Building is two 40-storey buildings that have an outdoor rooftop. Known as the Floating Garden Observatory, it is 173m high. Visitors at the observatory can have a bird’s-eye view of the city as well as a scenic view of Yodo River and Rokko mountain range. It is also a popular place for watching the sunset.

● Kiyomizu Temple is known among Thai visitors as Wat Nam Sai because the name literally means pure water temple. It is one of Kyoto’s most enduring tourist destinations. Built in 780 on a hill not far from the Otowa Waterfall, the temple has a large wooden hall complex that houses various small statues, including a statue of the highly respect Kuan Yin with a thousand arms. Behind the main hall is the Jishu Shrine, or the shrine of the deity of love. In front of the shrine are two stones, erected 18m apart. Visitors can take a challenge by closing their eyes and walking from one stone to reach to the other. If they can do it, they will have luck in love. Before leaving the temple, many visitors tend to stop at a raised platform where they can drink holy water. Visitors can use a cup attached to a long pole and drink the fresh and cold water from a palm, not directly from the cup. They believe the holy water will bring longevity and fulfil one’s wishes.