In this blog post, I’ll share how the small, spontaneous moments I experienced in sweltering summer Osaka made my trip truly special.
What Led Me to Decide on a Summer Trip to Osaka
Amid Osaka’s stifling heat, what exactly is the charm of a trip shaped by chance encounters? Summer in Osaka is stiflingly hot and humid, but even amidst this discomfort, unexpected joys and small moments add to the charm of the journey. This is the story of how unplanned, spontaneous experiences made my trip to Osaka even more special and deepened my friendship with a friend.
While strolling through the university campus as usual, I suddenly thought it would be nice to take a trip abroad this summer. So, I stopped by the bookstore in the student union building and browsed the travel guide section. The book that caught my eye was *Enjoy Osaka 100 Times More*. As I flipped through the pages, I felt confident that I could truly enjoy Osaka 100 times more, so I decided to set off on the trip right away.
Osaka is a city roughly the size of Busan, South Korea. Located in the middle of the Japanese archipelago and nestled along a harbor, it is the second-largest city in Japan after Tokyo. I decided to travel to the port city of Osaka during the second week of August and set my departure date for the fourth week of August. For my 4-night, 5-day itinerary, I planned to spend the first two days in Osaka and the remaining three days exploring nearby cities. From then on, I began preparing for the trip little by little, starting with purchasing my plane ticket. As someone who had always loved traveling, I was bursting with anticipation for my trip to Osaka.
From the Airport to the Hotel: My First Encounter with the Heat
Three days before my trip, a high school friend who was traveling in Osaka sent me a message. “I warn you!” My friend warned me that Osaka was currently suffocatingly hot and humid. The message suggested that unless I really wanted to go to Osaka, I should wait for another opportunity. But at that moment, I really wanted to go to Osaka. I had already booked my flight and hotel, and my heart had been in Osaka for a long time. Despite my friend’s warning, I still felt excited about the trip to Japan, and I wasn’t particularly worried by the news that over 100 elderly people across Japan had died from heatstroke.
Finally, on the morning of the trip, I boarded the flight to Osaka at Incheon International Airport. Upon arriving at Kansai International Airport just two hours later, everything felt new—from the Japanese electronic displays to the small toy held by a Japanese child. As I chatted with my friend, I lost myself in imagining what would unfold in Osaka.
However, the moment I stepped from the airport into the subway station, the newspaper article I’d seen three days earlier came back to me. My friend’s warning had been spot on. A wave of hot air, which I hadn’t felt in the cool airport, enveloped my entire body. It felt as though Osaka’s humid atmosphere was seeping right into my bones. It was like being trapped in a massive, inescapable wet sauna. It was precisely this hot and humid weather that tormented us relentlessly during our four-night, five-day trip. Just like the swaying train windows on the subway ride to our accommodation, my excitement for the trip was gradually wavering. Nevertheless, the trip still seemed like it would be fun, and fun things continued to happen afterward.
The subway system in Japan was different from Korea’s. In Korea, all subway lines are integrated, but in Japan, multiple companies operate the subways, so transfers often aren’t possible. Even just in the Kansai region around Osaka, there were several subway companies, making it quite complicated.
We encountered our first difficulty while trying to transfer to another subway line at Namba Station near our accommodation. To resolve the situation, I asked a kind-looking cleaning lady nearby for directions. I cautiously asked in English, but she replied in rapid Japanese. Anyway, after some twists and turns using my broken Japanese, I finally found my accommodation. Perhaps because of the hot weather, it took over two hours to get from the airport to my place.
Dragging my already exhausted body, I looked for a nearby restaurant to have a late lunch. At a small eatery run by two elderly ladies, I ordered the eel rice bowl I usually enjoy. With every spoonful, I felt it was worth the trip to Japan. I think the highlight of my trip was being able to experience the deep, artisanal flavors even at a neighborhood restaurant.
The Impromptu Itinerary, Day Two’s Episode, and the Meaning of Travel
By the time I finished lunch, it was already past 4:00 PM. I had originally planned to visit Osaka Castle immediately upon arrival, but it closed at 5:00 PM. From that point on, my planned itinerary fell apart, and the trip shifted to an impromptu adventure. I headed to Osaka Port, which wasn’t on my itinerary, and visited the Kaiyukan Aquarium. We had a delightful time at the aquarium, which was filled with couples, watching the world’s largest whale shark. The sea in front of Osaka Port, bathed in the setting sun, was just as majestic as the whale shark. We had dinner in downtown Osaka, enjoying sushi, okonomiyaki, and takoyaki, and quenched our thirst with cold beer. And so, our first day in Osaka came to a close.
On the morning of the second day, we started our schedule early. We planned the day’s itinerary over breakfast. This was the day we used the Osaka Free Pass. The Osaka Free Pass was a versatile card that allowed us to freely use all subways and buses, as well as access various tourist attractions. As soon as we arrived at the subway station and found the platform for Osaka Castle, a train pulled in. We hurriedly boarded, thinking we were lucky, but then realized the interior was entirely pink, and everyone on board was female. We had accidentally boarded a women-only car. Flustered, we moved to the next car, and a moment later, we were laughing so hard we were holding our stomachs.
We took the subway to visit Osaka Castle, built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. We got a glimpse of the masculine beauty of Japanese architecture. Starting with Osaka Castle, we used the Osaka Free Pass to visit museums, zoos, and other attractions. At the art museum operated by the City of Osaka, the massive sculptures from before Christ were particularly impressive. We also struck up a conversation with a Korean woman we met near the museum. We saw tourists of various nationalities at the tourist spots, but one Brazilian tourist mistook us for Taiwanese, which left a bad taste in our mouths. After that, we stopped trying to guess tourists’ nationalities. The weather on the morning of the second day was even worse than yesterday’s. We walked around with ice cream and drinks in hand.
In the afternoon, we visited a tower called Tsutenkaku in northern Osaka. The view of Osaka from Tsutenkaku was amazing. However, the view from the Umeda Building was even more breathtaking. Looking down on the city of Osaka at a glance was a truly moving experience. In the evening, we rode the Ferris wheel in the downtown area. I completely agreed with the guidebook’s description that the night view is an essential part of any trip to Osaka. After enjoying the night view of Osaka and heading back to my accommodation, I asked a man for directions to the subway station. I naturally asked in Japanese, but he looked flustered and replied, “I don’t speak Japanese.” He was a Korean traveler who looked Japanese. It was a situation that was both embarrassing and amusing.
That marked the end of my two-day trip to Osaka, and starting on the third day, I spent one day each in Kyoto, Kobe, and Nara. The other cities were fun too, but there were especially many amusing incidents during the first and second days I spent in Osaka. Looking back now, the memory of that trip to Osaka in such hot weather brings a smile to my face that won’t fade. It was hot and exhausting, but those moments were all the more precious for it.
The true charm of travel isn’t just seeing spectacular sights, but finding greater joy in the little things that happen every moment. Through this trip, which was full of hilarious mishaps, I was able to build an even stronger bond with a friend I was already close to. If any of my friends are planning to visit Osaka next summer, I’d like to tell them this: “Osaka in the summer is suffocatingly hot, but it’s also suffocatingly fun!”
