Osaka and Kyoto!

[HimawariChan]

I'm going to Japan later this year with my father, and then I'm going to Osaka and from there I'll go to Kyoto for 2-3 days, and I would like to know what I can do when I'm there. I'm going to be in Osaka for about 7 days, 3 days will probably be shopping days ^^' And then the other 4 days I'll do something else.
I would like to have tips on Shopping place's, sightseeing and more.

The things I'm most interested in to shop is Manga, Anime, japanese music, Lolita-clothes and electric things. ^.^

I would also be very glad if you could give me tips on place's where you can sleep, hotels, ryokan and that

^^

[Lexy]

three years ago I visited both Osaka and Kyoto! They're amazing places to be, so I'm very happy for you, and a bit jealous myself xD

Oosaka:
an absolute have-to is Osaka-jo, the giant palace in Osaka:
http://community.iexplore.com/photos...saka-jo(1).jpg
It's huge and inside there's a very fun museum to explore, outside there are some beautiful gardens and parks if you feel like relaxing.

Also, somewhere in between Osaka and Kobe there is a place called Omeda, where there's a huge mall (has some of that anime goodness and of course the inevitable purikura) called the Omeda mall, you'll recognize it by it's giant red ferris wheel coming out of it. I beleive it's very close to the bullet train there:
http://www.city.osaka.jp/yutoritomid...s/town/hep.jpg
I remember visiting the shopping center a few times with my host family and having a blast. Don't forget to check out the smaller places!

Kyoto:
I stayed in a very welcoming, small ryoukan with my school group called the 'sunset ryoukan', but I can't find the link on the internet, and I think they went through some repairs or somthing, so they might be closed for the time being, sorry =/
But if you get the chance, dunno if you dig it, but I had the most fun in Kyoto exploring the many temples, shrines, and meditation areas about the streets, perhaps one of the most spiritual experiences I've ever gone through. Try to visit some, it's very fun. Also, there's this cool thing you can do where you but a small temple booklet and try to go to each temple to get each to sign it in this cool caligraphy they do. it costs some money, but it's a little game you can play with yourself and remember forever I did that and I still enjoy looking through the little book.

[titika]

Well... Lets see... Exploring Osaka Central Osaka is split into two main districts,which meet at Chuo-odori. Kita-ku,the northen ward around the main Osaka and Umeda stations, is where many of the city's big hotels, resturants, and underground shopping precincts are found. It also includes the small island of Nakanoshima, between the Dojima and Tosabori rivers. Minami, the southen district, includes the lively "downtown" area called Naba, the core of the old merchant city where you will find Osaka's best eating and drinking options.

[direngreywewe]

Well since the jet lag thing, you can get the freshest fish and sushi if you like it. of your into tamagotchi you get get the lastest version you can probably find malice mizer's mana's clothing line there. many j-rock bands will be playing there, look up flights to japan you can find many hotels at a good price. fyi yen and american dollars are a way big difference (you probably know already)

yen to american dollar example: 62,000 yen is 500 american dollars

ttfn


I truly hope you have fun in japan im so jealous of you i really want to go there someday

[HimawariChan]

Thank you everubody for your great tips!

direngreywewe: I'm sure you'll go to Japan sometime ^^
In august I couldn't dream of going to Japan, but I spoke with my father and said. "If I start saving for a trip to Japan now, and I still want to after a year or more when I'll have enough money to pay most of it myself, Do you think that there would be a possibility that we can go to Japan then?" And after a while (about two months) when he saw that I was really serious we started to talk about it and he said that we would go to Japan sometime befor I was 18 (I'm 14). And now, a half year after I first talked to him we've decided that we're going in october ^^
Good Luck!

[BrillMsk]

Picasa Web Albums - Dmitry

[filiadragongurl]

I posted similar information in the "Travelling to Japan" thread, but...

I know an awesome place to stay in Osaka^_^ I stayed there and it was the cheapest around and still comfy with super nice staff and little fridges in every room. Oh, and there's free internet access. Anyway, it's called Hotel Raizan and you can look up the details online. There's a 2 of them right next to each other (North and South) and the difference is 100 yen and the curfew. One is 100 yen more w/ no curfew and the other is 100 yen less with a curfew of midnight. I stayed in the cheaper one. There's also a very nice 100 yen shop right across the street that sells food which was perfect for me for breakfast. It's also quite near Den-Den town. That's the "Electronic District" of Osaka, sort of like a mini Akihabara.

More advice: check out Softmap stores for electronics^_^ Every store is different, so check them all!

Anyway... I spent like 2 weeks total in Osaka (I was in the Kansai region for 4 months though), so if you have any questions, feel free to ask me.

[aiaiaiai]

I have lived in Kyoto for two years,and now live in Nara.
I can take a train to Osaka within 30 minutes.
The south area of Osaka city,including Nanba and Nipponbasi,is called"Minami" by the local people.

Let's begin with Nipponbasi.
There are many speciality store for electrical appliances.
As far as I know,there is one duty free shop.
And there may be more these shops.
Some people call that place a Akihabara in Osaka because there are many game shops, Anime goods shops and some "Meido Kissa".

Next,"Nanba".
"AmeMura" at Nanba is the central of the fashion unique to "Minami".
The fashion are more loose and rough compared with that of the north area.
but,I don't want you to go the place at night and to follow barker even at daytime.Most shop like that are dangarous.

I have a break.

[samurai007]

There's a large shopping complex under Namba station with quite a few good places to eat, and there is also a covered above ground mall just north/northeast of Namba station. I'm not sure if it's still there, but one of the better used manga stores is just south of Namba station (in fact, just south of the Osaka Hard Rock Cafe behind Namba).

The other great used manga store in Osaka is in the northern part, near Osaka station. Take the subway from Namba to Osaka station, climb up to ground level, and head to a covered shopping walkway southeast of the station, the used manga store was several blocks south in there.

I loved exploring the used manga shops because a) they had many titles you couldn't find in a regular bookstore, and b) the books were usually about 1/2 cover price!

[aiaiaiai]

the Umeda district at Osaka city has many attractive places for young people.
For example,Hep Five-the shoping mall with a huge Ferris wheel-,Umeda Joy Police-a big amusement arcade-,some famous Raamen shops and so on.

well..,I forgot to say that in Sinsaibasi district nearby Nanba there is a generary store that deal in some eccentric goods.-the shop named"Tookyuu handu"-

the first pic is Nipponbasi ditrict,the next is Hep Five at Umeda,the last pic is "Tokyu Hands" at Sinsaibasi.
attention:The pronounciation of Tokyu Hands is"tookyuu handu".