We think the park Osaka Castle is in, and the exterior of the castle are splendid and rewarding to visit. The tired, poorly designed non-castle interior: Not so much. So we don't go in. Trust us, you're not missing anything.

Explore this fabulous time-warp of a market, where fashion, food, and culture noisily collide and birth something wonderful. There's not much pre-war Osaka left to explore, but this is a champion of a local sight. It also highlights the Korean influence on the city.

So, we don't pay the money to go to the very top of the building, but we know a way to get almost as good a view without waiting in line, and without paying a shiny yen for the privilege either. Afterwards, we go down underground and explore the mysteries of the Japanese department store food hall and markets area. Ready for the most expensive melon you've ever seen? Look but don't touch :)

This entertainment district dating back around a hundred years has all sorts of sights in store for you, some shiny, and some with a rather worn patina. Both are lots of fun to take in. It's a boisterous center of Osaka culture, and for good reason!

Sure, we want to show you the less touristed parts of Osaka on this tour, but we'd be remiss to not show you the famous "running man" and Dotonbori at large. But we also take you down some small backstreets even here, and we've got a few interesting stories to tell you as well.