Japan Travel Food Guide: Everything We Ate in Umeda and Dotonbori
Near Osaka Castle’s entrance, you’ll find a variety of food vendors selling meat skewers, yakisoba, strawberry tanghulu, and so much more.
Our food haul included Kobe beef stick, fried chicken, strawberry and muscat tanghulu, pork tongue skewer, yakisoba, and beef croquette.
Onigiri GorichanThis hole-in-the-wall spot had the biggest onigiri I’ve ever seen! We got the set which included two onigiris and miso soup. Lyle got the beef and curry, and mackerel and kimchee while I got the pork...
Japan Anniversary Trip: Day 3 Exploring Osaka’s Umeda and Dotonbori
We explored the Umeda and Dotonbori area for Day 3 of our anniversary trip! Here’s a breakdown of everything we did.
Activities & Landmarks Osaka Castle & Osaka Castle ParkYou couldn’t tell by looking at it, but the Osaka Castle was the scene of various conflicts and was burned down and rebuilt several times. Its latest rebuild occurred in 1931.
Today, the castle is adorned with beautiful gold and green trimmings and surrounded by a sprawling park. In fact, when we visited we...
Trying Omakase for the First Time at Hihimanu Sushi
We tried out Omakase at Hihimanu Sushi located in Kaimuki, Hawaii. Omakase is a Japanese dining experience where the chef selects and serves a series of dishes based on their knowledge, creativity, and the freshest ingredients.
The course included Chawanmushi, toro, oysters, monkfish liver, abalone, caviar, snapper, uni, black tiger prawn, and various fresh seafood. I tried so many different types of raw seafood and things I had never heard of before (a win in my book).
Overall the experience...
Everything We Ate at Lawson in Osaka, Japan
Of course, no trip to Japan is complete without a stop at Lawson! In this video we tried the fried chicken, egg sandwich, pork katsu sandwich, and spicy chicken nuggets – all were a 10/10!
Bande Hotel OsakaBudget friendly and CharmingWe stayed at the Bande Hotel in Osaka, Japan, conveniently located near Tamade Station. The lobby is stocked with complimentary essentials like house slippers, toothbrushes, and combs. Amenities include an indoor smoking area, coin-operated washing machines, and a vending machine offering...
Osaka to Nara: Our First 48 Hours in Japan
Everything we did on Day 1 and 2 in Osaka Japan during our wedding anniversary trip!
Hotel & accommodationWe stayed at the Bande Hotel in Osaka, Japan, conveniently located near Tamade Station. Tucked away in an alleyway, the hotel offers a charming, local vibe. Since our taxi couldn’t drive directly to the entrance, we walked in from the station, passing a variety of shops along the way, including restaurants, a thrift store, a bakery, and a grocery store.
The hotel offers breakfast...
7 Essential Updates to Make After Saying ‘I Do’
Changing your last name after your wedding can be tedious, and I dreaded it just like most people. I even considered buying one of those name-change kits to make things easier. But, as frugal as I am, I decided to do my research and tackle it myself.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on the things you’ll need to update after getting married. Keep in mind that I live in Hawaii, so your experience might vary depending on where you live.
Step 1: Get...