Living in Osaka Blog

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There’s been a lot of hype and publicity about the Kobe IKEA store that opened in April. It definitely lives up to its […]

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Are you a fan of Korean food?  Or seaweed?  Although you can find many Korean restaurants dotted around Osaka, did you know that Osaka has its own little Korean-town?  It is located in Tsuruhashi 鶴橋.
Well according to wikipedia it is the largest Korean town in Japan, larger than the one in Tokyo.  You can eat […]

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Found this reading my friend Daniel’s blog. It’s a B2 sized full colour shopping map of the underground area in Umeda. If you know about the area, you’ll know that there is a labyrinth of shops and malls down there. There are some gems of shops, and it is perfect for shopping […]

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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 pain in the butt for them to get rid of their stuff.  So I’ve been thinking of adding a new section to the site for everyone to advertise their sayonara sales.  […]

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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, 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 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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If you’re looking for a flea market in Osaka, there’s one that takes place fairly regularly at Cosmosquare.  The next couple will be on 4th March and 18th March (both Sundays).
It’s open from 10am until 5pm, but will be called off if there is rain.
To get there use the Chuo line (Dark Green) and take […]

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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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