In Osaka, which has prospered as a merchant city for over 400 years,
a special entertainment experience awaits with the entire city as your
stage. This is an adventure where you’ll feel Kansai people’s warm
humanity and boundless cheerfulness with your whole body while touring
Osaka’s famous spots in small karts wearing colorful costumes. Let’s
experience this city’s unique vitality and energy while racing through
Dotonbori’s glowing neon signs and feeling Shinsaibashi’s bustle
firsthand.
From lively morning markets to entertainment districts bustling until
late night. By racing through the city matching Osaka people’s daily
rhythm, you can closely feel the merchant spirit living in this city and
people’s lively expressions. This is the beginning of a special journey
encountering Osaka’s true charm woven by smiles, humanity, and above
all, warm connections between people.
Naniwa
Cultural Experience Beginning from Dotonbori’s Bustle
The adventure feeling Osaka’s culture and history begins with the
bustling promenade along Dotonbori River as starting point. Racing under
the watchful Glico sign is an iconic moment of Osaka tourism. The beauty
of neon signs reflecting on the river surface and the intersecting
scenes of tourists’ and locals’ smiles simultaneously express Osaka’s
international appeal and approachable familiarity.
In front of Kani Doraku’s giant crab sign, you can feel passion for
Osaka’s food culture. The spirit of “kuidaore” (eating oneself bankrupt)
rooted in this city tells of relentless pursuit of deliciousness and
cultural richness of enjoying it together. Happy expressions of tourists
taking commemorative photos under the sign prove Osaka’s food culture is
loved by people worldwide.
When passing through Hozenji Yokocho’s stone pavement, you can touch
Osaka’s traditional culture continuing from the Edo period. From people
praying to Mizukake Fudo, you can feel religious faith still cherished
today and pure human desire to have wishes granted. This is a special
place where you can realize Osaka’s charm where old culture and modern
vitality coexist.
Feeling
Merchants’ Soul at Shinsaibashi Shopping Street
At Shinsaibashisuji, one of Japan’s oldest shopping streets, you can
personally feel merchant traditions continuing from the Edo period.
Shopkeepers’ spirited voices echoing in the arcade express merchants’
spirit to please customers. The energetic greeting “Irasshaimase!”
contains Osaka people’s hospitality warmly welcoming any customer.
Passing traditional Japanese confectionery shops, you can feel the
inheritance of craftsmanship continuing for three or four generations.
Beautiful sweets displayed in showcases have beauty like artwork beyond
mere products. From shop owners’ words “Our mission is to keep making
delicious things,” you can feel uncompromising attitudes toward quality
and deep love for customers.
At the latest fashion boutiques, you can experience Osaka’s
flexibility valuing tradition while constantly incorporating new trends.
Staff’s caring service asking “What style are you looking for today?”
represents feelings beyond mere sales to enrich customers’ lives. You
can realize the high cultural value of supporting people’s lives through
business.
Experiencing
History and Modernity’s Fusion Around Osaka Castle
Osaka Castle built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi is a symbol of this city’s
historical pride. While reminiscing about its history of extreme
prosperity as the residence of the warlord who achieved unification, you
can enjoy contrast with modern skyscrapers. The landscape where traces
of Warring States period dreams coexist in the same space with modern
economic activities expresses Osaka’s historical layers and cultural
depth.
At Osaka Castle Park, locals enjoy walking and jogging. From
conversations with citizen runners saying “I run here every morning,”
you can feel high health consciousness and the luxury of being able to
use historical places daily. During cherry blossom season it bustles
with flower viewers, offering glimpses of Osaka people’s attitude toward
enjoying life.
Around Osaka Museum of History, you can learn about Osaka’s
transitions from ancient to modern times. Ruins found at Naniwa Palace
site tell that this land was a political and economic center over 1,400
years ago. This is precious time realizing current Osaka exists upon
accumulated long history and feeling gratitude to predecessors.
Exploring
Common People’s Culture in Tsutenkaku/Shinsekai Area
At Shinsekai kushikatsu shops, signs saying “No double-dipping”
welcome you humorously. This rule also emerged from wisdom to eat
hygienically and enjoyably together. Shop owners’ thoughtful hearts
saying “Everyone eat deliciously” are contained. You can feel the
wonderfulness of Osaka’s food culture where deep consideration and love
are poured even into common people’s food.
At Janjan Yokocho’s shooting galleries and shogi clubs, Showa era
atmosphere remains strong. Light-hearted exchanges between regulars
saying “Uncle, your skills improved!” make you feel the beauty of
friendship transcending generations. The warmth of human relationships
born through entertainment is values to cherish especially in the
digital age.
The Osaka cityscape viewed from Tsutenkaku’s observation deck is a
premium seat overlooking this city’s diversity and vitality. The
landscape mixing skyscrapers with old residential areas, factories with
shopping streets tells of Osaka’s broad-mindedness. This is a moment
realizing Osaka people’s broad inclusiveness saying “Various people
exist, and that’s good.”
Experiencing
Food Culture’s Essence at Kuromon Market
At Kuromon Market called “Osaka’s kitchen,” all kinds of people from
professional chefs to general households gather seeking fresh
ingredients. Market vitality peaks early morning with calls “Cheap and
fresh!” echoing throughout. Fish shop uncles’ brilliant knife skills
filleting fish are crystallizations of years of experience and
technique.
The serious gazes of head chefs from nearby restaurants and kappo
examining ingredients are impressive. Transactions decided with one word
“This is good today” are established only with trust relationships
cultivated over years. The craftsman spirit not compromising on
ingredient quality and market merchants’ spirit responding to it support
Osaka’s food culture.
Moments when fruit shop aunties smile while recommending “This is
really sweet!” have human warmth beyond mere buying and selling. The
thoughtfulness of recommending samples and kindness of carefully
teaching delicious eating methods express Osaka merchants’ spirit
valuing relationships with customers.
Life-Centered
Area Experience in Sumiyoshi/Abeno
Around Sumiyoshi Taisha, you can touch local people’s deep religious
faith. Shop owners’ serious prayer postures praying for business
prosperity express respect for gods and sincere approaches to business.
From words “Must do business not shameful to gods,” you can feel high
ethics.
In Sumiyoshi Ward shopping streets, individual shops still continue
operating hard. In competition with large stores, shop owners’ words
saying “We value relationships with customers” contain the importance of
human connections at business’s origin. Casual conversations with
regular customers deepen regional community bonds.
Around Abeno Harukas, you can experience Osaka’s present where
tradition and innovation coexist. The sight of cutting-edge shopping
facilities adjacent to traditional shopping streets symbolizes Osaka
people’s mentality continuing to advance without fearing change. You’re
impressed by their excellent sense of balance thinking “New things are
important, but we must also cherish old things.”
Humanity and
Entertainment Shown by Night Osaka
Osaka’s night beginning with sunset shows completely different charms
from daytime. In Minami’s entertainment districts, you can have special
experiences racing through glittering neon signs. You can feel Osaka
people’s cheerfulness saying “Let’s enjoy tonight!” permeating the
entire city. Night butterflies’ gorgeous costumes and high
professionalism to please customers represent sincere approaches to work
common in any profession.
At long-established restaurants, geiko perform traditional arts.
Figures dancing to shamisen melodies tell of Kansai’s high cultural
sophistication. True to the saying “Art helps oneself,” skills acquired
through years of training have power to enrich viewers’ hearts.
At food stalls operating until late night, people gather trying to
heal the day’s fatigue. Warm greetings “Otsukaresama!” and heartfelt
cooking contain feelings of appreciation for working people. The warmth
of human relationships born through a drink and delicious side dishes
can be called the essence of Osaka’s night culture.
Expression of
Sports Culture and Regional Love
Around Osaka Dome, you can see passionate fans of professional
baseball team Orix Buffaloes. Cheering voices saying “We’ll win today!”
contain deep love for the team. Fans’ attitude supporting the team
regardless of wins or losses teaches the purity of loving people.
In Osaka, also Gamba Osaka’s hometown, soccer fans’ enthusiasm is
considerable. Local fans’ loyalty saying “I definitely go watch Gamba’s
matches” tells of deep regional attachment. Moments when regions unite
through sports make you realize strong community cohesion.
At Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, sumo’s sacred ground, the annual
Osaka tournament is held. There are opportunities to observe wrestlers’
practice, with cheers “Do your best!” encouraging wrestlers. Regional
support for traditional national sports is precious experience teaching
the importance of cultural inheritance.
Osaka Go-Kart experience is a special service where you can
simultaneously experience Osaka’s soul developed as a merchant city and
the resilience of people living today. Countless stories woven by
laughter and tears, success and failure, and above all bonds between
people. By racing through Osaka’s streets containing all these, you’ll
gain opportunities to deeply consider business essence and life’s
meaning. Now, with wishes for “business prosperity!” let’s begin a grand
adventure in Osaka overflowing with humanity.
