Kuromon Ichiba Market, Osaka Castle.
- Strolled to Namba and then hit up the Kuromon Market, which was buzzing with street food vendors. We tried takoyaki—basically little puffs of grilled batter with a tiny piece of octopus in the middle, topped with sauces and seasonings. JPY 600 for 8 pieces (about $4), super fresh, but honestly, the batter wasn’t my jam. Guess I’m just not a takoyaki convert.
- The market had a seafood lover’s dream scenario: fish everywhere, and restaurants on every corner. I’m pretty sure I walked past a sushi place for every fish I’ve ever heard of.
- Next, wandered over to Osaka Castle, which had the most gorgeous moat around it. Felt very regal just standing near it, like I should have been wearing a crown.
- Then hit the grocery store to buy all the ingredients to make sushi and miso soup at home. Who knew I’d be a sushi chef today? On the way back, passed through Shinsaibashi-Suji Shopping Street—seriously, is there any street in Japan that’s not a shopping paradise?
Finished the day with a solid 5 hours of walking! Who needs a gym when you’ve got Osaka?
