Big in Japan ends: OSAKA

The last stop of this epic trip was Osaka, which was about an hour and a half from Hiroshima on the Shikansen. We pretty much used just used this day as a last-minute shopping destination so I unfortunately have nothing to say but sight-seeing and cultural stuffs.

I do however have stuff to say about where to stay and shop if you’re on a budget and review the restaurant Misono, which claims to have the best Kobe beef money can buy.

We stayed in the Floral Inn Namba hotel smack in the middle of the main shopping area of Osaka, near Ebisu Bashi-Suji and Shin Saj Bashi-Suji. The hotel itself isn’t first class flash nor is the service any good (only one concierge can speak English), but it has decent sized, clean rooms, a delicious breakfast buffet and situated in a really convenient location – all for a modest fee of around 50+ USD a night. Ok it’s not a bargain but for its location, its cleanliness, and for Japan it is a pretty sweet deal.

The shopping streets and Namba underground station are just a stone’s throw away from the hotel. You also have easy access to ‘special service’ shops including ear-cleaning or what have you if you’re into that kind of stuff. If you walk through Ebisu Bashi-Suji you will reach the Takashimaya Department store where you can throw tons of money away for a scarf OR (and I recommend this shopping strategy) you can hit the local boutiques down the street for some cheap buys.

You can get your ears professionally cleaned by a lovely lady for only 30 USD per half hour. What a deal!

Ebisu Bashi-Suji’s stores mostly sell cosmetics, toiletries, and accessories. You can get Shiseido and Kosé products for crazy cheap. On the other side you will find Shin Saj Bashi-Suji, which has a lot of local boutiques and caters more towards clothes and hats etc. A lot of the items are priced at around 1500+ Yen but if you look carefully you can find stores that sell for much less than that.  My personal favourite is this store called ‘Mocca’.

Keep a look out for that shop! They sell cute clothes, hats, and bags ranging from 580-980 Yen. That’s under 10 USD guys! I went mental buying stuff there.

Ebisu Bashi-Suji

A ridiculously good-looking Japanese dude walking down Shin Saj Bashi-Suji

AND since you saved oh so much money in accommodation and transport because you stayed in The Floral Inn Namba located in the centre of everything and opted for a shopping spree in Mocca instead of Takashimaya, you can now splurge the remainder of your budget on Misono’s Kobe beef.

And I’m not kidding about the splurge bit. The cheapest set meal you can get would set you back 150 USD a pop (excluding drinks, VAT, and cover charge). Good news is that you will be so stuffed you’ll be unable to sleep. A menu includes a salad, grilled vegetables (onions, pumpkin, garlic, bean sprouts, massive mushrooms), 120g of Kobe beef, and fried garlic rice. I know it doesn’t sound like much but it is.

If you are not familiar with Kobe beef, it’s supposedly the “champagne” of beef cuts. It is really hard to come by as the cattle are bred in certified prefectures and I’ve heard all these crazy rumours saying the cattle are given frequent massages, listen to classical music, and drink beer etc. in order to prevent them from getting stressed.

Misono boasts that it serves the best teppanyaki Kobe steak in the country. To be completely honest, I doubt I can afford another Kobe beef meal in the near future so I can’t compare it to anything, but I did have an hour-long foodgasm. The steak melts like butter in your mouth and has a lower melting point than other cuts. I mean look at the marbling on this thing!

Stuffed full of Kobe beef and Kirin beer, it was a great last day spent in Japan. For those who intend to go my word of advice is SAVE UP. I may have not exactly been travelling budget but regardless a lot of the 'cheaper' alternatives are not all that cheap. Although Japan may burn holes in your pockets, it is worth visiting. I fell in love with the culture, the people, and the incredible food.

No doubt I'll be going back once finances enable me to do so. It may be a long wait so I may just learn some Japanese so I am better equipped for the next visit!