The Star: July 27, 2017

The Star Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Thursday July 27 2017 39
Travel
NIGHTLIFE: The neon bling of Shinsekai strikes a contrast with the spectacular skyline of Osaka and the Imperial Hotel
Mixture of history and escapism in Osaka
• By Mike Yardley
AS THE powerhouse of the
Kansai region, Osaka struts its
modern architecture, neondrenched
nightlife and alluring
street food with unabashed pride.
The frenetic central city
pleasure precinct of Dotonbori
is primed for people watching, a
head-spinning throng of shops,
eateries and neon excess.
The famous Glico billboard is
Dotonbori’s essential photo-stop
in the this canaI-side entertainment
district. Brimming with
pink salons, karaoke bars and
pachinko parlours, I also strolled
through the splendid Ebisubashi
Shopping Arcade, a roofed
shopping stretch bursting with
kimonos, jewellery, cooking
equipment, and fast food vendors.
Don’t miss the centuries-old
Hozenji Temple which features
a statue completely covered in
moss. The moss continues to
thrive with the water that worshipers
often pour over it.
For pure sensory escapism, the
neon bling of Shinsekai is worth a
wander, in spite of its seedy overtones.
The district was developed
before the war as an entertainment
zone, crowned by Tsutenkaku
Tower, a nostalgic symbol
and observation deck, inspired
by the Eiffel Tower. The southern
part of Shinsekai was modelled
on New York’s Coney Island.
A venerable Shinsekai snack is
kushikatsu, which is composed
of various skewered, battered and
deep fried foods. Varieties on offer
range from chicken and beef,
to pumpkin and asparagus, to
the banana and ice cream dessert
varieties.
Many of Shinsekai’s kushikatsu
restaurants are open 24 hours,
but only truly burst into life after
dark.
Osaka is home to a quirky little
museum that traces the history of
instant ramen, a national craze,
which Japanese citizens once
voted as their country’s greatest
invention of the 20th-century.
You’ll find a sprawling exhibit
of instant noodles, the riveting
tale behind the first cup of instant
ramen ever created in 1958, an instant
noodle “tunnel”, and a shed
dedicated to the birth of chicken
ramen.
If you need a breather from all
the bling and vertical concrete
boxes, the expansive verdant
embrace of Osaka Castle Park is a
detox delight.
It’s a gold-rated attraction in
spring, given its home to 1200
plum trees and 600 cherry trees.
Strolling through this immaculately
maintained park, clad with
artful statues and shady canopies,
the starring centrepiece is the
historic castle.
Construction started in 1583 as
a display of power by Toyotomi
Hideyoshi, after he achieved his
mission of unifying Japan.
One hundred thousand workers
slogged their guts out building
this “impregnable” granite showpiece,
which was subsequently
destroyed three decades later by
an invading army.
It was subsequently rebuilt only
to fall into disrepair, before being
fully reconstructed in 1931. It
miraculously survived the
city-wide air raids during World
War 2.
Swathed in moats, stone walls,
trees and gardens, it’s soothingly
photogenic. I wandered down to
the castle, on the riverside walkway
from the glamorous Imperial
Hotel Osaka.
Gracing the Okawa River,
this shiny, lofty hotel serves up
spectacular skyline views and is
fiendishly popular during cherry
blossom season.
I stayed in one of the deluxe
Imperial Floor rooms with a
dreamy view to lull me to sleep.
Kimono-clad female attendants
are present on each floor, to assist
with any request.
Guestrooms are decorated in
a regal, elegant style with high
ceilings, plush bedding, automatic
curtains and intuitive light
switches. High-tech robot toilets,
deep bathtubs and fluffy bathrobes
headline the commitment
to pampered comfort.
Foodies are spoiled for choice
six different dining venues.
Breakfast buffet and westernstyle
favourites are served at the
casual, convivial Flying Tomato
Cafe, while Jasmine Cafe and
Les Saisons serve high quality
Chinese and French cuisine,
respectively.
Get your fill of authentic teppanyaki
and melt-in-your-mouth
Japanese beef at Kamon, Tokyostyle
sushi made from the freshest
ingredients at Kyubey or Japanese
fine dining at the legendary
Osaka Nadaman, which has 180
years of culinary excellence under
its belt.
It’s easy to see why the Imperial
Hotel is consistently rated one of
Osaka’s best hotels. With its restful
riverside location, luxurious
rooms, gracious staff and ultraattentive
service, you can’t go
wrong. www.imperialhotel.co.jp
LEFT: The entrance to Osaka
Castle.
FAST FACTS
•I flew into Osaka from
Seoul, bagging a great
deal through the leading
global airfare comparison
platform, Cheapflights.
Their website and app
are brilliantly simple to
use, highly intuitive and
super smart, loading up
all available flights and
fares, for your preferred
time, date and destination.
Save yourself the hassle
of searching multiple sites
to hunt down the best
available flights and fares.
Let Cheapflights do the
legwork for you – in a flash.
www.cheapflights.co.nz
•Book your Japan accommodation
through Hotels.
com, it’s fast, efficient and
brimming with bumper
rates. Hotels.com Rewards
gives you one free night
after 10 nights booked–
which can be banked for
future holidays. Rewards
members and mobile app
users also have exclusive
access to Secret Prices. I
found the Hotels.com mobile
app to be a simple, fast
and secure way to book
your perfect hotel, on the
go. www.hotels.com
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