Dotonbori

The canal-side entertainment district that is Osaka's neon soul. The canal was dug between 1612 and 1615; today its banks are lined with restaurants and giant illuminated signs, the Kani Doraku crab, the Kuidaore Taro clown, and the Glico Running Man overlooking Ebisu Bridge. Come after dark, when the whole strip lights up.

Dotonbori is a Landmark in Osaka. You will find it at Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka 542-0071.

Osaka Metro's dense subway network and the JR Osaka Loop Line cover the center; an IC card handles all of them. Kita (Umeda) and Minami (Namba/Dotonbori) are each compact, flat and walkable districts.

Reaching Osaka: Osaka International Airport (Itami), about 12 km north of the center, handles mostly domestic flights. Kansai International Airport, on an artificial island in Osaka Bay about 37 km southwest, is the international gateway, Nankai and JR express trains reach Namba and Umeda in 40–50 minutes. Shin-Osaka is a major shinkansen hub: about two and a half hours from Tokyo by Nozomi, and 15 minutes from Kyoto. The JR Osaka Loop Line circles the city center.

Worth knowing: One IC card (Icoca, Suica, Pasmo) covers the subway, JR lines and private railways, no need for separate tickets. Dotonbori is best after dark, when the neon signs and the Glico Running Man light up over the canal. The castle park grounds are free to wander; only the tower museum has admission, with an elevator to the top. At kushikatsu shops, the no-double-dipping rule is strictly observed, one dip per skewer.