Summer travel season is upon us! Whether you are hopping on a plane, boarding a train or traveling vicariously through your friends’ Instagram photos, come and get wanderlust with CollegeFashionista! Join us all week as some of our #RAD Style Gurus from around the world give us a tour around the international city they are lucky enough to call home!
Next up we head to Osaka with University of Massachusetts Amherst Style Guru, Sofina Bassett. Take a trip with us around the “Nation’s Kitchen” and this bustling Japanese metropolitan city.
Sofina’s three favorite things about Osaka:
1. The convenience of everything
2. The food culture
3. The laid back vibe Osaka manages to maintain while being such a crowded city.
Osaka’s Fashion Scene
Japanese people in general are always so well dressed, so I think that’s made me appreciate looking more put together. Osaka fashion is very diverse, so there’s style inspiration for everyone. Living in a country that gets all four seasons has taught me how to style outfits for different types of weather, and it really affects how you dress more than you think; as a result, I’ve mastered layering. You see a lot of people dress in ways that make them stand out, and I feel being around this has influenced me to dress in bold colors and prints. With so many people in Osaka you have to make an effort to be noticed!
Five things visitors must pack to fit in with the locals
1. Sneakers (this trend is huge)
2. An umbrella (because everyone owns and uses them)
3. A fashionable backpack
4. Sporty sandals
5. Something from UNIQLO
Favorite Osaka-based fashion blogger/Instagram accounts
@yoshikotomioka, @h_calie_k, @munehirovoice
Best local restaurants and dishes
There is a store called 551 Horai that only exists in Osaka and I love their pork buns! I also love Japanese style Korean BBQ and my favorite dish is cow tongue with lemon juice. I know, I was disgusted by the sound of it at first too, but it is amazing. Everyone loves the street food and Osaka is famous for takoyaki, which are little, grilled balls of batter that have pieces of octopus in them, topped with ginger, onions and sauce. They’re great in the winter!
The perfect Saturday in Osaka
I would have brunch at one of the many adorable pancake cafes. After I Instagram my food, I would make my way into the shopping area and check out the newest stores. The giant red ferris wheel is a great way to see all of Osaka, but I’d go to the famous Umeda Sky Building and up to the floating garden observatory at the very top for a phenomenal 360 degree view from 173m in the air. For a snack I’d get some green tea ice cream or shaved ice and sit down somewhere and just people watch. There are so many restaurants to choose from, so for dinner I’d maybe try somewhere new or get really good ramen. But if I wanted a day of non-stop fun, I could always just spend a day at Universal Studios Japan now that there is the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!
Fun and free activities in Osaka
People watching is honestly one of my favorite things to do in Osaka. There are so many people in Osaka (over two and a half million!), and with the fashion scene it makes it very interesting. There are always botanical gardens and hiking trails if you go more towards the mountains. The Osaka castle park is also free, but sadly, the museum isn’t. In the summer there are firework festivals, in the spring we get cherry blossoms and most Japanese people have picnics under the flowers. The same applies for when the leaves change color in the fall.
Must-see place to visit that is off the beaten path:
If you go towards the mountains and away from the the city, you find some really beautiful areas. Minoh is a city within Osaka prefecture that is famous for one of Japan’s oldest national parks that includes monkeys, and the overall scenery is gorgeous. The Minoh stout beer has won World’s Best Stout at the World Beer Awards several times, which I think is so interesting for a small city in Osaka!
Go-to place for coffee:
Osaka is full of cafes and you can almost guarantee that every cafe carries some coffee with latte art. Doutor is a standard Japanese coffee shop you can find in most areas, and they release seasonal drinks. I’m a big fan on anything green tea flavored, so having access to so many green tea lattes and drinks is pretty much heaven.
Osaka’s hidden gems
The Okawa River is such a nice place to just sit and enjoy the view, especially when the cherry blossoms are in bloom. Osaka really is a beautiful city and it can be nice to take a break from the crazy shopping and just sit by a river and have a picnic or coffee.
Where to stay in Osaka
A traditional Japanese inn that has a hot spring bath. Period.
Advice for first-time visitors to Osaka:
Japan in general has incredible service, so being treated like you’re royalty is completely normal! Don’t tip, because it’s not something the Japanese do and they will return your money. The public transportation system can seem overwhelming with so many train lines and stations, but don’t worry, most Japanese people understand English enough to help you. Pretty much all Japanese people learn English in school at some point, so anyone you talk to should know a little.
