Living in Osaka Blog

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It’s always sad to see someone leave Osaka, I have so many friends that have left after 2-3 years.  It is also a real […]

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If you are looking for a Softbank shop with staff that speaks English I heartily recommend the one in Shinsaibashi, close to Loft. 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 (Arabic and […]

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I hope everyone is enjoying their Golden Week holidays.
There’s going to be an Information Service Day on Sunday 13th May 2007 held at the Osaka International House from 11am to 5pm
Free counseling and advice will be offered on the following subjects: legal issues, human rights, immigration, employment, careers, health insurance, national pension, everyday […]

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The central library is one of the greatest resources for people living in Osaka. Most books are of course Japanese but there is a sizable collection of English books, and smaller collections of French, Spanish and other language books. In addition, they also have newspapers and magazines. There are books for children […]

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OK if you are going to the Immigration Office on or after the 25th Dec 2007, click to read this post instead.  The office is moving to the Nanko area.   
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I had to renew my visa recently so I decided to take a video of how to get to the Immigration Office in Osaka. […]

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The Kansai Flea Market is the local English language newsletter, coming out evey 2 weeks. You can pick up a free copy in many bars, bookstores, information centres or schools that cater to foreigners. You can also view and download pdfs directly from the site: http://www.kfm.to
Inside they have sections on accommodation, travel, jobs, […]

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If you’re new to Osaka and are planning to meet a friend in Osaka, where are the best places to arrange to meet up? Here are a couple of recommendations, if you have others feel free to leave a comment below and I’ll update the post.
In Umeda
Big Man (Kinokuniya Bookstore)
This is a big big […]

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By far the biggest bargain to travel on Osaka’s subway is the No-My-Car-Day Ticket (ノーマイカーフリーチケット).  Available every Friday and the 20th of the month, it is an initiative to help reduce cars on the road and increase usage of public transport.
For 600 Yen you can travel all day on the subway and bus system.  But […]

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I’m sure that a quick search will find you this link but just in case, here is the English site of Osaka’s Public Transportation Bureau. Also available in Korean and Chinese too.
Lot’s of useful information including a pdf map of the subway system [UPDATE: I don’t know since when but the pdf now does have […]

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100 yen shops are your friend if you’re living in Osaka and on a budget (like me). One of the best chains is the Daikoku （ダイコク） chain, which is a drug store (chemist) and 100 yen shop combined. They are easy to spot as they have bright orange signs like this. The thing that is special about them

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