HANA’S PERSONAL TOUR

Favourite shop

TOWER KNIVES

Sells Japanese knives of the highest quality, and you can even get the blade engraved. towerknives.com

Favourite bookshop

HIRAKATA T-SITE

A multi-floor department store dedicated to books and lifestyle goods. The most amazing feature is the 7m tall bookshelf. store.tsite.jp/ hirakata/

Favourite galleries

KAMIGATA UKIYOE MUSEUM

This intimate gallery near Dotonbori showcases ukiyo-e – Japanese woodblock prints and painting. Exhibitions are changed every few months, so there’s always something new. kamigata.jp/

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ART OSAKA

The museum’s exhibition halls are hidden underground, but the entrance is decorated with a structure that represents a bamboo plant. nmao.go.jp/en

Favourite café

SPOONBILL

A lovely café and flower shop in one. Serves delicious coffee, beautiful cakes and light meals. spoon-bill.jp

Favourite restaurant

MITSUKA BOSE RAMEN

The best ramen in Osaka! My favourite dish is the rich Hokkaido-style noodles. The karaage fried chicken and tsukemen are also good. mitsukabose.com

Best way to spend an hour

In the community garden on the roof of Osaka Station. It’s a small oasis in the city where flowers, fruit and veg grow. It’s a great view of the Umeda Sky Building, too.

Place to see by night

Dotonbori. The street comes alive with colourful neon lights and moving mascots on top of restaurants. It’s really fun, with street food, a giant ferris wheel and street performers.

The one thing that you have to see

Take a moment to watch the takoyaki masters preparing the octopus dumplings with extreme speed and precision at the street food stalls.

3 Book in some time to visit Hirakata T-site. 3

4 For an authentic taste of Japanese art, the Kamigata Ukiyoe Museum is worth a visit 4 4

2 2 While the atmosphere is electric, the energy bills in Dotonbori must be eyewatering.

1 Mitsuka Bose Ramen makes the best ramen in town, according to Hana. 1

HANA MELEGOVA is a teacher and travel writer, who’s written for osaka.com, and blogs at hanastraveljournal.com. You can follow her on Instagram: @hanas.travel.journal.