Experience bustling markets and the serenity of Noh and ceramics in Osaka, the city of contrasts - Part 3
Experiencing the splendor of Osaka Castle and the bustle of Kuromon market
Next up was a walk around Osaka Castle and its environs. The castle is one of Osaka’s most famous landmarks, so it doesn’t need much introducing here. It is a great place to walk around, though. The castle is immense and its huge stone walls awe-inspiring. The surrounding moats are also impressive and are criss-crossed by beautiful bridges. Words probably don’t do the place justice, but hopefully these pictures will.
Close by is Miraiza, the military headquarters of the 4th Division of the Imperial Japanese Army. This splendid brick building now houses a variety of places to eat, drink and shop. It is also home to the Kaiyodo Figure Museum Miraiza Osaka-jo, a must for anyone interested in figurines and models.
Osaka Castle
- Address
- 1-1 Osakajo, Chuo-ku, Osaka
- Access
- https://www.osakacastle.net/access/
- Link
- https://www.osakacastle.net/
Kuromon market
Our final destination was Kuromon market, a sensory overload of visual, olfactory and taste sensations. With around 150 shops, this roofed arcade is a great place to experience “tabe aruki,” a culture of Osaka that translates as “eating and strolling around.”
Kuromon is first and foremost a fish market. It’s a pescatarian paradise packed with a plethora of fresh seafood, from seasonal blowfish to sea urchins that cost a small fortune. My travel companions sampled some dishes and waxed lyrical about the taste and freshness.
Vegans like me are catered for too– there are pickles aplenty and huge range of Japanese sweets. I also had some delicious soymilk at a 101-year-old tofu store.
There is something for everyone here, not just food and drink but clothes, toys and, well, everything really! I just let myself be taken in by the pleasantly bewildering array of sights, sounds and smells. It was a great way to finish the trip – in the center of the hustle and bustle that Osaka is rightly famed for.
So there you have it. Osaka truly is a city of contrasts. You want bustle – tick. You want beauty – tick. You want unforgettable cultural experiences – tick. There is so much to see and do here - I was only able to sample a sliver of what this city has to offer. Yet it still left an indelible mark on me, in my new fascination with Noh, in my renewed appreciation of ceramics, and in my newfound fondness for this buzzing metropolis. I hope you get the chance to visit this great city. And if you do, make sure you visit the places mentioned here. You won’t regret it!
Kuromon Market
- Address
- 2-4-1, Nipponbashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka
- Access
- 5-minute walk from Exit 10 of Nipponbashi Station on the Sannichimae and Sakaisuji Line Subway.
- Link
- https://kuromon.com/en/