Everyone goes to Tokyo and Kyoto, but Osaka is worth a visit too. It’s not far from Kyoto, but instead of the temples, order and quiet, it’s loud and jam-packed with people – gritty, down-to-earth Japan. The energy and noise is a bit like London’s Brixton market on a Saturday, with people shouting out at each other, and so much going on. You might see things like an old lady walking along with a squirrel on her shoulder. The city’s always changing, too – there’s lots of modern architecture springing up. They’re really efficient – things happen fast.
Japanese people often go for a drive on a first date, and Bay Road, the road in from Kansai airport, is a popular route at night. It’s scenic, with lots of neon and lights, and quite romantic.
Pinball parlours are a big deal here, especially downtown. I can’t really understand the obsession – they’re so bright and loud – but people stay for hours, and might win a packet of toilet rolls if they’re lucky!
People really are food crazy in Osaka. They talk about it all the time – it’s a bit of an obsession. Street food is what it’s all about: different areas are dedicated to different dishes. Takoyaki are gooey doughballs with octopus inside and brown sauce and seaweed on top. You’ll find it in Triangle Park in the American Village (Shinsaibashi). It’s the equivalent of chips and curry sauce. Kushikatsu is another favourite street food – skewers of breaded and deep-fried meat, though there are veg and seafood options too. Look for it in the New World area, around the Tsutenkaku tower, which used to be somewhere tourists would avoid, though it’s quite gentrified these days.
I grew up in Kobe, a quiet town about half an hour away, and over the new year holiday we would come into Osaka to go to the theatre in Dotonbori. I remember seeing the bright facades of restaurants – with giant crabs moving their pincers – and going to see my first kabuki play. It’s not far but it felt like another world.
Going out for a drink in Japan always involves eating. Often restaurants are very small, with one counter and a couple of two-seater tables. One of my favourite places is Fukusuke. It has a good selection of sake and shochu from small breweries across Japan, served with seasonal seafood. A friend I went to school with opened a bar/restaurant called Shoka in the north of town with great handpicked sake – I’m having the next get-together with the girls there at Christmas, and I can’t wait.
There’s plenty of designer shopping in Osaka in the big department stores, but I prefer wandering and browsing. Nakazakicho, near Umeda, is a haven for quirky knick-knacks and secondhand and contemporary clothes. Old residential houses have been turned into shops, giving a retro-modern feel to the whole area. I love Japanese stationery and always use it for my work, so I’ll stock up on pens and pencils from Tokyu Hands or Loft, a great department store in Umeda. I swear by Japanese erasers – you can’t get them as good anywhere else. Graf (graf-d3.com) is owned by some interior design friends: it’s a workshop, studio, shop and restaurant/cafe – a design oasis away from the clamour of the streets.
If you want to spend an afternoon immersed in a camp extravaganza of theatre, hop on a Hankyu train from Umeda to Takarazuka. It takes about 20 minutes. Takarazuka Revue is an all-girl theatre group where top stars play male roles (and they melt the hearts of housewives!). It’s a world of feather boas, false eyelashes and fake moustaches.
If I am up for staying out late, I’ll go to Bar Bonanza on the edge of American Village (ameblo.jp/bar-bonanza). When I say “I go to” I mean “my friends take me to” as it is difficult to find from the street and my sense of direction is near zero. It is treasure trove of old vinyl, mainly jazz and blues – but last time I was there I found a single by 1980s pop star Yakushimaru Hiroko. I don’t know how, but I woke up the next morning and found the record in my bag!
• Eley Kishimoto has launched its first handmade screen-printed wallpaper collection, in 12 designs taken from its fashion archives. They are available to buy at eleykishimoto.com
