Living in Osaka Blog

The Hyatt Regency Osaka is a 5 star hotel but unlike most of Osaka’s 5 star hotels it is not located in Umeda. It is located to the west of the city, in the port area (Nanko). It makes for a more relaxed environment but of course it is less convenient. It [...]

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I’ve been neglecting the link list down the side of this blog for too long. I need to show it a little love and add some good links.
Do you know of any good sites or blogs on Osaka that I can add to the link list? Or do you have a blog that [...]

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When I first came to Osaka the first thing I found out was where to find English books. Most book even very big ones only sold Japanese books and maybe the odd imported US magazine (Cosmo, anyone?).
There are two bookstores I recommend, one is Junkudo and one is Kinokuniya. Kinokuniya is the shop [...]

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If you are looking for a Softbank shop with staff that speaks English I heartily recommend the one in Shinsaibashi, Ebisubashi (see below for link). I went there after my mobile bill went a bit too high and asked for advice. I was pleasantly surprised that they had staff members who speak English [...]

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If you’re in Osaka and want to grab some free (and legit) net access, you can see if you are close to one of the Freespot Access Points.
Here’s a list in English of all their wifi hotspots, they are mostly cafes or hotels. And if you are looking for a wifi hotspot in Umeda, [...]

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For some reason there has been a crackdown on riding double on bikes recently.  Yesterday I saw 3 couples being stopped and warned over riding piggy back.  It is illegal but I’ve only seen the warning being handed out once or twice in the years I’ve been here so there must have been a change [...]

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Out-doing Ueto Aya and her mission to protect you all from spyware is Uehara Takako (formerly of Speed) who is a policewoman helping promote traffic safety week here in Osaka.
I’m not sure of the connection or if there is one. As far as I can remember Uehara Takako is a native of Okinawa not [...]

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I have a friend who is looking to buy a bike in Osaka but he’s looking for a bigger than average bike. Most shops sell bikes up to 26″ which is a little too small for him. He would also prefer a traditional man’s bike rather than the unisex type on sale here. [...]

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One of my favourite areas to buy electronics or computer gear is Denden Town in Namba. Here you can find a wide range of electronics and computer brands. Prices are among the cheapest you can find without ordering online and a lot of the smaller shops are open to offering small discounts. [...]

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I just read the sad news that Yu-chan, the female whale shark, died on Sunday. Yu-chan was one of the main attractions of the Kaiyukan, the aquarium here in Osaka. Most kids and adults alike are amazed at the size and grace of the whale sharks. Kai-kun, a male whale shark, [...]

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