10 THINGS TO DO IN OSAKA

1. OSAKA is famous for its street food and one of the best areas to indulge is Ura-Namba with bustling little covered streets and a charmingly chaotic atmosphere.

2. THE Dotonbori Bridge area is the place for karaoke. Expect garish neon lights reflecting on the Dotonbori Canal.

3. THE Namba Yasaka Shrine has an entrance shaped like a giant lion’s mouth.

4. AT 300 metres, Abeno Harukas is the country’s tallest skyscraper. Take a lift to the observation deck for the best views. Tickets are £10 (abenoharukas-300.jp).

5. YOU’LL see the Hanshin Tigers baseball team’s yellow and

black colours everywhere. The atmosphere at games is electric (hanshin.co.jp).

6. THE coolest places for beer are Beer Belly (beerbelly.jp) and Craft Beer Works Kamikaze (cbw-kamikaze.com).

7. SPA World is a massive attraction with onsen (hot tubs), pools and water slides. It is a lot of fun. Entrance is £8.30 (spaworld.co.jp). 8. OSAKA is renowned for its budget ‘capsule’ (or pod) hotels with tiny, windowless chambers. ‘Rooms’ are from about £20 (booking.com).

9. UNIVERSAL Studios Japan has rides, shows and themed areas including the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (usj.co.jp).

10. THE Cup Noodles Museum is a ‘shrine’ to ramen noodles, covering their history and ‘evolution’. Entrance £2.

n Further information: insidejapantours.com, theculturetrip.com