What's up everybody! Today's video comes to you from Osaka, Japan and boy do we
have some exciting things lined up. Today's vlog is going to be a mix of
both old and new so it should be pretty fun. This is not going to be a
comprehensive list of all the things you can do here in Osaka because that would
take forever. There's a ton of things to do in this city and it is enormous, but
we have a good list picked out and I'm pretty excited about it. So let's get
some coffee first. Today's cup of coffee comes from a place
called Söt Coffee Roasters or Söt, I'm not really sure how to pronounce the O...
But we saw online that the reviews were outstanding. They've got a lot of options
and it's also right next to Osaka Castle. So if that's something that you're
looking to do during your exploring day when you're around Osaka, you might as
well pop in here and grab a cup of coffee before you head over there. These
ice cubes look like giant like jelly squares. That's what they look like.
They're huge! Oh my gosh! Is it good? We're gonna be back here. You have to try this. This is amazing.
This is the best cup of coffee I've had in a long time. Also thank you so much
April for buying us these coffees through our Buy Me A Coffee page. This is
just the pick-me-up we needed on a super hot day. These are very refreshing. Like I
said this is one of the best cups of coffee I've had in a very, very long time
so thank you so much April! [Music] How's that coffee?
It's HITTIN'! You're gonna be wired all day. Now that we've gotten some coffee in our bellies it's time to now go check out
one of the most famous buildings in all of Osaka, and if it's not the most famous
then it's definitely one of the most famous historical site here. [Music] We're spending a lot of this morning
just kind of walking around the castle grounds and this is honestly one of our
favorite things about travel, and one of the things that we really wanted to do
when we first started traveling was to walk in new places regularly. Normally
with cups of coffee in hand. Hannah's not finished hers, I finished mine... but this
is one of our favorite things to do and Osaka Castle's a great place to do that.
Originally built in the late 16th century, Osaka Castle played a crucial
role in shaping the region's history. The castle was initially constructed by
Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a powerful feudal Lord and Warrior who aimed to unify
Japan during the Sengoku period. The castle's majestic architecture reflects
the grandeur and power of the Toyotomi Clan. With its towering walls, imposing
moat, and elaborate ornamentation, Osaka Castle served as a symbol of authority
and strength. It was not only a fortified stronghold but also a center of
governance where important political decisions were made. Throughout its
history, Osaka Castle experienced multiple battles and and reconstructions.
Unfortunately it suffered significant damage during the Siege of Osaka in the
17th century, leading to its eventual destruction. However, the castle was
meticulously restored in the 20th century, preserving its historical
significance and architectural grandeur. Today, Osaka Castle stands as one of
Japan's most iconic landmarks and a popular tourist attraction. Its interior
houses a museum that showcases the castle's history, artifacts, and exhibits. From the castle's
observation deck you can get really incredible panoramic views of Osaka's
modern skyline, contrasting with the castle's traditional charm. We originally
weren't going to go inside of the castle. We were just gonna walk around because
there's a running path, a garden, and a few more things to see, but we decided
that we wanted to go inside. It was 600 Yen each and you can also get in free
with the Osaka Pass, which is a great option for folks looking to explore
Osaka over a few days and gives you access to over 40 sightseeing
destinations throughout the city... But overall it's really a museum. We thought
we would kind of see some of the castle like how it was back in the day really
it's just a museum. There's a few permanent exhibitions that we were able
to film, but there are a few exhibitions that are special or seasonal. I'm not
really sure... that we were not able to film on certain floors, so we're gonna
spend the rest of the time walking around this park because it's absolutely
beautiful. [Music] Well if this isn't quaint thenI don't know what is. This is so nice! [Music] I think it's a wedding but I'm not
totally sure. Either way she looks so beautiful! [Music] As you can see there's a ton to see and
do here at Osaka Castle and the Osaka Castle Park. We could spend half the day
here if we really wanted to but we've still got more to show you, so we're gonna hop
on the subway and head to our next stop. [Music] All right we've hopped off the metro and
we are now at another one of the most historical sites here in Osaka. [Music] There's even more on this side! Shitteno-ji Temple is one of Japan's oldest
Buddhist temples and holds significant cultural and historical importance.
Founded in the 6th Century, the temple features beautiful architecture, well-manicured
gardens, and sacred relics. Here you can admire the traditional Pagoda
and Main Hall and experience the essence of Japanese Buddhism and spirituality at
this revered temple. [Music] One thing I think that has surprised me
most about visiting the temples here in Japan is how much different they are
from the ones in Thailand. Obviously Buddhism is a diverse and multifaceted
religion in both countries and it's pretty clear to see the differences.
I can't speak too deeply on what they differ from as far as a cultural
perspective, but as far as architecture they're very very different. [Music] Nearby the Shitennoji temple is Tennoji Park,
and just like Osaka Castle earlier this is a great place to walk around. The park
grounds are also home to the Osaka Municipal Museum of Art, the Kentekuen
Garden, and one other really famous spot in Osaka... but more on that in a minute. [Music] All right guys it's time for the real
reason we came over here, and the real reason we came over here is for the zoo.
the Tennoji Zoo. It's one of the most famous ones in Japan. It's one of the
oldest ones in Japan. It's right here in the middle of Osaka and I think it's
like 500 yen a piece and it just made sense to come here, especially at that
price. We're in! That was so easy. Yeah it was! [Music] The Tennoji Zoo in Osaka is one of the oldest and
most respected zoos in the country. Established over a century ago in 1915,
the zoo has played a vital role in animal conservation, education, and
research in Japan. Throughout the years it's become a beloved institution,
attracting visitors from all over Japan and internationally. This Zoo has over a
thousand animals including Polar Bears, which I think is kind of cool because
it's so hot outside and I've only seen them a few times so I'm excited
about that. That also brings up a good point that we have not talked about yet.
Japan's summers are much hotter than we were expecting and the UV index is
pretty high compared to some other countries that we visited, so wear your
sunscreen. Did you get a little burnt? A little bit. [Music] All right y'all I'm about tapped out on all the
parks and gardens, so it's time to dive into the city side of Osaka. [Music] Nearby Tennoji Park is Shinsekai District.
Shinsekai translates to 'New World' and was initially created in 1912 to look
similar to Paris and New York with the narrow streets and the towering
buildings. While it's evolved over the years it still retains the nostalgic
appeal. I love Japan! To level with you, we initially planned
on going into the most famous landmark here in Shinsekai neighborhood which is
the Tsutenkaku Tower but unfortunately online it said that it was 500 yen each,
but it's now 1200 yen. It's a little bit steeper than what we envisioned, so we're
gonna go home, we're gonna get cleaned up and we're gonna come back out when the
Sun goes down because Osaka's cool during the day, but it really really
livens up at night. So let's jump a few hours ahead of time to night time here
in Osaka. [SNAPS] All right guys let's check it out at
night! [Music] Also apologies if the audio sounds a
little weird during this part. We're trying our wireless lavalier mics for the
first time and this is a great place to test it out because we will need them
later, but we don't really know how to use them yet. Here in Osaka it's
impossible to visit and not stop by Dotonbori. This is the most popular part
of town, especially at night. [Music] 600 Yen each. Not terrible! No! Two? Oh! Two! yeah okay okay okay so two people, ticket. Two people ticket. Perfect! This worked out perfectly didn't it? It
really did! Yeah! How are we feeling? Scale of 1 to 10 on excitement? 12! I'm pumped! Yay! Super fun for you [Laughing]
I know you are! Oh yeah... I'm glad I know that now. I don't know
what's turning but something turns. I guess the seat does? It pivots?
That would have freaked me out if I'd not known that. [Laughing] [Music] [Inaudible] It's gonna... it's gonna close, right? I don't know!
It turns! oh my gosh! Oh my gosh... oh this is like,
crazy. Yeah it is. I have so many regrets right now. You wanted to do this. I know! I
think that because I feel like I would have regretted it had I not done it
eventually. um but also like Hannah this doesn't
bother Hannah but everything that she does as far as like movement and stuff
freaks me out oh boy
I do think that it's kind of crazy that we're this way on a ferris wheel I feel
like you're usually always like sideways and I guess that's what makes this
Ferris wheel super duper unique um it's almost like a gondola that is
like very slow moving very steady right tray yeah yeah it's very steady but even
if you drop something like it's right here let's not talk about dropping
anything what's cool is we even have Windows out of the back oh there's winds
blowing on my arm back there I gotta be honest when we were adjacent
with the little man on top of the building down there I was pretty wigged
out I was like wow it's really high but we just continue to climb at some point
we're gonna go sideways I'm interested to see what that's going to be like wow
we also like kind of pivot every time this part is moving
to adjust you know I'm gonna be okay I think I'm not really scared of heights
but I won't lie this is like a very cool experience I'm a little freaked out I
don't know I don't I have an intimate understanding
of what you're going through right now I give it a 7 out of 10 as far as like the
heights things that we've done that are like really cool I think the uniqueness
of it really carries it as far as the views and stuff the views aren't great
but it's because we're here at night and all of the lights are reflecting off of
the the plastic shell I think it's 7 out of 10 is a very fair score I do love Don
Quixote though so I might personally give it like an 8 out of ten
Queen the people here working will never know
that I was scared yeah I think we'll uh hit that sharp pivot 180 turn right
about now oh the power of the snap the power of
the snap okay all right
thank you so much thank you so much thank you
can definitely visit dotsonberry during the day but it's similar to Times Square
in New York it's best when the Sun goes down the diltonbury canal runs through
the heart of the district and it's where it gets its name this is unquestionably
the most popular place in the city and the gleco Running Man signs the most
popular Landmark you'll see this in just about everyone's photos when they visit
Osaka including ours here in Osaka there are a million
different places to eat dinner but when we found out that the kuraman market was
nicknamed Osaka's kitchen we kind of figured that spoke for itself so that's
what we're gonna get tonight and I don't really know what to expect but I expect
it's going to be very fresh so as you can see kuruman Market was a
bit of a fail I should have looked online because it says that it's open 24
hours but if you look at popular times it's all during like noon so we've
missed the market today but that's okay instead we will hop over to our next
spot and grab beer and food let's do it are you sure there's beer here this
looks like a temple yeah it's what it said online
this is beautiful though this looks like a dinner option you want
to try this out yeah yeah
I'll do the uh the beef okonomiyaki and then the pork and scallion okay
we got it to make up our minds fast we got beer and we got akonomi
okonamiyaki okay so correct me if I'm wrong but there are two types of
okonomiyaki there's the Osaka style and there's the Hiroshima style we're going
to Hiroshima and we're gonna have it there we've been told that that's what
you get in Hiroshima but also in Osaka okonomanyaki is very popular it's just
made a little bit differently I can't speak to the differences as of now but
I'm sure at the end of the Hiroshima video we'll know that we'll let you know
so yeah we're getting the okanamiyaki a couple draft beers and that's what
dinner is tonight I'm trying to battle the phone oh I have no idea what this is
movie things it's the fish things that are on top of the Little Octopus forced
to eat all right shout out Haley and Zach shout out alien Zach by the way how
the heck are we supposed to eat these with chopsticks I don't have any idea
and then we cut it it's not a knife oh oh oh oh oh oh oh yes okay it's really good
yeah you gotta try yours that's not bad at all
it kind of tastes like a cheeseburger in some weird way mine kind of tastes like
a cheeseburger but yours is beef isn't it mine's beef yeah and like a lot of
cheese I thinks on it I'm not a huge fish place kind of guy or whatever these
are I'm not a huge fan of those it's a lot better than I thought honestly my
first bite I wasn't convinced I went in for the second bite Zach always tells me
he'll try anything twice it's honestly quite filling I feel like we probably
could have split one yeah we definitely could have but I'm excited to see what
we think about this one versus yeah I'm really excited to try this
stuff in Hiroshima it's kind of like a quiche it feels a lot more put
together than the pictures of the Hiroshima style that I've seen yeah like
more like formal and put together and kind of buttoned up one final thing I need something sweet
let's do it there's no parking over here so this
feels like a safe place to eat yes oh my gosh can we just admire for a second so
we got melon pan with vanilla ice cream and if you're looking for something
sweet in Japan there's literally nothing better than that one pan it is so yummy
and then when you add ice cream to it there's literally just no comparison
it's like a warm crispy cookie with ice cream in the middle
do you like it yeah are you sure you want to bite oh absolutely oh your teeth get freezing cold this is
without a doubt one of the best snacks that you can get in Japan and the good
thing about this stand is that it's right in the center of dutzenberry which
is the most popular part of town I'm going to continue to stuff this in my
face I feel like this video has been stuffed with things to do like and
subscribe if you enjoyed it and thank you so much for watching and we'll see
you from the next place that we're going to which is the oldest capital of Japan
Nara see ya we're having too much fun with these
microphones y'all we can move we can go everywhere
