Tried and tested: Best places to stay in Osaka, Japan

And hotel recommendations.

Photo by Jiachen Lin on Unsplash

The other day, I chatted with my friends about our travel plans for next year. Naturally, when it came to me — the siao (Singlish for crazy) one who “always” goes to the land of the rising sun — their immediate association was, “Japan?”

Although I love exploring Japan, Tokyo, the capital, is surprisingly not my most visited city. It’s intriguing how Osaka was the first Japanese city I stepped foot in and is, at the time of writing, the Japanese city I visited the most.

I even stayed there for a month earlier this year!

How I spent less than S$2,600 for a 30-day Japan trip

Based on my trips, I shortlisted three areas in Osaka that are best for tourists. Each area has its strengths and weaknesses. Choosing where to stay largely depends on your budget and needs.

1. Namba

Namba, where you’ll find the lively entertainment district Dotonbori and the iconic Glico Sign, is my favourite place to stay.

It is conveniently connected to the two Osaka airports — via the airport limousine bus to Itami Airport and the Nankai-Li…