Where to stay in Osaka

The neon heart of Osaka: the Dotonbori canal district is the city's most famous image - the Glico Running Man billboard, the giant moving crab above the Kani Doraku restaurant, and the Dotonbori canal walkway lit in garish color from every direction. Takoyaki (octopus balls, $500 JPY for 8 from Gindaco), kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers, $200-500 JPY each from Daruma), and freshly made okonomiyaki (Japanese savoury pancake) are the street food of Osaka. The Amerika-Mura (American Village) nearby has the best vintage clothing in the city. Namba train station connects to the airport.

The nostalgic entertainment district from the 1920s: Shinsekai (New World) was built in 1912 as the most modern area of Japan - half modelled on Paris, half on New York. Now it's the most determinedly retro neighborhood in Osaka: the Tsutenkaku Tower (the "Eiffel Tower of Osaka", $1,200 JPY to the top), the kushikatsu restaurants on every corner (never dip twice in the sauce - the cardinal rule of Shinsekai dining), and the old pachinko parlors. Tennoji Zoo ($800 JPY) and the Abeno Harukas (Japan's tallest skyscraper, observation deck $2,000 JPY) are adjacent.

The preserved alleyways near Namba: Hozenji Yokocho is a narrow lantern-lit lane of traditional restaurants beside the moss-covered Hozenji Temple (the Fudo Myo-o statue is entirely covered in moss from generations of water offerings - one of the most atmospheric spots in Osaka, free). The Kuromon Ichiba market (Kuromon Market) nearby is the "Osaka kitchen" - the wholesale fresh market for restaurants, open to the public, with the finest sashimi, wagyu beef, and fresh produce at restaurant prices.

The northern commercial district around Osaka Station: the largest underground shopping mall in Japan (Daimaru, Hankyu, and the connected underground "city") is here. The Umeda Sky Building (observation deck $1,500 JPY - the twin towers connected by a floating roof garden, one of the most dramatic building designs in Japan) is worth the entry. The HEP Five Ferris wheel on the roof of the HEP Five mall (free on a shopping ticket) rotates above the busy streets. The best ramen and tonkatsu restaurants in Osaka are in the Osaka Station food halls.

The castle district: Osaka Castle (free grounds, $800 JPY for the interior museum - the 16th-century castle of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, reconstructed in concrete in 1931, surrounded by the finest castle grounds in Japan; cherry blossoms in spring and autumn leaves in November make the moat and stone walls extraordinary). The Honmachi business district has excellent lunch sets at lower prices than the tourist areas - the salaryman lunch culture produces great value set menus ($700-1,200 JPY).

The foodie neighborhood west of Osaka Station: Fukushima is where Osaka's chefs open their own restaurants after training elsewhere - more creative, less tourist-facing, and better value than Dotonbori. The bar street on Fukushima 7-chome has the best craft beer selection in Osaka. Nakatsu adjacent has excellent yakitori bars that open at 5pm and fill by 6pm with after-work locals.