Biking around Osaka: 5 Must See Stops

Biking Osaka is the best way to see this incredible city.

Osaka is a biking city; it allows you to see so much more compared to walking or riding public transportation. You can see the more residential areas that are in between the traditional tourist sights, stop off at shops, parks or cafes that catch your attention.

A Little About Osaka

Osaka, the first capital of Japan and the self-appointed capital of western Japan, is a city full of art, youth, excellent food and creativity. Sitting 500km northeast of Tokyo, it is the second largest city in Japan with 2.6 million people. But it doesn't feel like a big city when you're in it, unlike other larger cities. A rivalry between Tokyo and Osaka has been alive for decades, with Osakans claiming to be the heart of Japan, not the current capital city, which they see as superficial. They’re proud of their strong, aggressive Osakan accent. They stand to the left on the escalator, while the rest of the country stands to the right.

A historically merchant town, Osakans have a reputation to be hagglers, with merchant’s starting price at double that of the selling price in anticipation of a negotiation. Osaka is raw, it’s real, not glossy, it has character you can feel, it’s not trying to be something it’s not. I fell in love with Osaka, the vibe, the food, the people, the pride. Some cities just do something to you, and Osaka definitely did something to me that made me not want to leave.

Where to Stay

Bike and Bed CharinCo Hostel

You get access to bikes here. Repeat: you have access to bikes when you stay at Bike and Bed CharinCo Hostel, making biking Osaka almost compulsory. This was the reason I chose this hostel over all the others, and it was a good choice. Apart from the bike (which was crucial), the hostel itself was great. Clean, quiet, all the amenities, alright location (close to subway line) and friendly staff. Highly recommended spot to rest your head.

The Food

Apart from being an eclectic and vibrant city in its own right, Osaka is also known in Japan and abroad for its food. An old saying is “Kyotoites are financially ruined by overspending on clothing, Osakans are financially ruined by spending on food.”

Everywhere I went there were restaurants, big and small, food carts and food trucks. I’d see a counter top right on the sidewalk and each bar stool was filled, any time of the day or night. Food was everywhere, and it was delicious.

Many places had automated ordering, where you walk up to an ATM like machine, insert money, select what you want to eat and drink, sit down, then someone brings that food to you. No substitutes, no asking questions, quick and efficient.

Biking Osaka - The Stops

Stop 1. Triangle Park & Amerika-Mura area

After getting to the hostel, I set out to the Amerika-Mura area and Triangle Park. This is the heart of youth culture, art and fashion in Osaka. Around the neighborhood you see street lamps in the form of stick figure people, painted by local artists in different themes.

Tattoo and pricing shops are surrounded by offbeat shops selling “American” fashion: flannels, neon track suits, sweaters, hats from the 90s (think Zack Morris fashion from Saved by the Bell), sweatshirts with logos from any American sports team you could imagine (and some you can’t), t-shirts with American rapper’s faces, friendship bracelets, and any other fashion items you wore between 1990 and 2005. All at significant cost. It was a trip.

The area was named Amerika-Mura when shops sprang up after World War II that sold American goods like Zippo lighters and T-shirts. It’s a trip down memory lane wandering through these stores, that are packed with young shoppers, eager to use this fashion, re-appropriate it, and make it cool again. And they do make it cool again. The fashion in this area is incredible. Anything goes. Huge platform shoes and boots, hair of all color, piercing, tattoos, colorful everything, big earrings, layers, cool, hip, edgy, the fashion you’d expect in Japan. Find a bench in Triangle Park, grab some takoyaki and watch the fashion show pass you by.

The heart of Amerika-Mura is Triangle Park, a small but lively park at the corner of an asymmetrical intersection surrounded by shops blasting music and restaurants full of people. In the park you’ll find a little bit of everything. When I was there, a magician was doing his thing on passersby, two people were practicing the samba while teaching people around them, a group of women dressed as cats were performing some kind of rhythmic gymnastics routine, a child was kicking a ball and hundreds of people were sitting in the park or walking by on their way to who knows where. This area has so much energy, its palpable at most times of the day.

While you’re scoping out the local looks at Triangle Park, grab some takoyaki – deep fried octopus balls – a Japanese staple. Across the street at the corner of Triangle Park, you’ll find Kogaryu Honten, a Michelin rated takoyaki spot under a big red sign. You’ll see the line of hungry people waiting to get their takoyaki. They have a lot of topping options, I went with the ginger sauce and green onions. It is all in Japanese so you just have to guess what the toppings are and point to the picture.  Super cheap, 10 balls for about $5. Enjoy your balls as you scope out the sights in Triangle Park.

Stop 2. Dotombori area

From Triangle Park, it’s a nice walk or bike ride to Dotombori, passing some of the city’s high-end shopping. Dotombori is the city’s liveliest area, a sensory overload with neon signs, billboards, huge decorative crabs, chefs, octopus and any other gimmick hanging over restaurants to lure customers.

The area is named after a 400-year old canal that runs through the area. Bridges connect the busy streets and provide incredible shots of the gigantic billboards and colorful signs that line the canal, especially Ebisu-bashi, the bridge on the western edge of the strip. Here you can see the iconic Gilco Running Man, the neon advertisement that’s been shining brightly since 1935. I’m not sure why it’s so famous and iconic other than that it’s been there for over 80 years.

I cruised Dotombori Friday night and again early Saturday morning to see the area at its most energetic and quietest. Friday night is packed with groups of friends, couples and families cruising the pedestrian only street, laughing, sipping coffee, shopping and looking for their next stop. Come Saturday morning the streets are full of delivery trucks dropping off food, products and liquor to the shops and restaurants in the area. City workers cleaning up from the night before, getting ready for another night in Dotombori. Cruise this area any time after 11:00 to take in the sights and energy.

Food here is more expensive since it is a touristy area, so wait if you can, or enjoy some food in the area knowing you are paying a bit more for the Dotombori ambiance.

Stop 3. Kuromon Ichiba Street Market

A 100 year old market is popular among both local cooks and tourists. The covered street is packed with shoppers and hungry people scoping out the vendors on either side hawking fresh seafood, sauces and  other delicious eats.

In the front of the booths fresh and sometimes live seafood is displayed (shrimp, octopus, sea urchins, scallops, clams, squid, eel, and other kinds of seafood that I don’t know), along with a variety of fried fish. Other booths sell beef.  Behind the display the cook is grilling up someone’s order, to be eaten right there at the counter or behind the counter in a makeshift sitting area.  I walked up and down the street, seeing what looked good, what looked weird, what I wanted to try.

I settled on a raw sea urchin and a grilled scallop in soy sauce and butter. I put in my order, waited at the counter top and ate the sea urchin as I watched my scallop being cooked. The scallop was served in the shell, butter and soy sauce still boiling. The scallop with utterly delicious, while the sea urchin was pretty gross. But I’m glad I tried two things that I’ve never tasted before.

Stop 4. Truten-kaku & Shin-Sekai area

Built in 1912, Truten-kaku was the second tallest structure in Asia until a fire damaged the building, requiring a rebuild in 1956. You can hitch a ride to the top of the tower for some good views of the city.

Truten-kaku is the centerpiece of the Shin-Sekai area, the home of a state of the art amusement park a century ago. It’s an older area, it’s a little dirty, gritty, and draws characters that aren’t seen in the more touristy areas. I loved it.

The area is filled with bright and over the top signs, reminiscent of the amusement park days, and small countertop restaurants side-by-side selling traditional Japanese food. The area is known for its cheap food, particularly deep-fried meat and vegetables on skewers. Walking down the streets, you can peek into all the small restaurants packed with foodies, from morning to night, noshing on delicious street-style food on countertops, with the cook right behind the bar serving it up.

When cruising Shin-Sekai, stop by the Shin-Sekai Inari Shrine and learn how to properly worship so your dreams will come true! These kinds of temples are everywhere throughout Osaka. You can’t walk a mile without coming across a temple or shrine, used by the locals for worship and prayer. They’re in between high-end stores, in residential areas, next to high rise towers and restaurants. It is such a part of the culture and is a physical representation of the balance between life and spirituality.

Stop 5. Hozen-ji Temple and Hozen-Ji area

A bit south from Dotombori is the tiny Hozen-ji Temple surrounded by narrow streets with small shops, cafes, traditional restaurants and bars. There’s nothing specific in this area other than the temple, but it’s a great place to get lost in a not so touristy part of town and pick up some local grub in an authentic environment.

And of course...

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