MIRAIZA OSAKA-JO was originally the former Imperial Japanese Army 4th Division Headquarters, and the building itself has a unique history. After the war, it was used as the Osaka City Museum. Once the museum relocated, the building was renovated and reopened in 2017 as a multipurpose facility with restaurants, cafés, and souvenir shops. I never expected such a stately-looking historic building to have served so many different purposes!
MIRAIZA OSAKA-JO | Review by Gina C
Other Reviews by Gina C
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Kanmon Straits
Located at the westernmost end of Honshu, separating Yamaguchi Prefecture's Shimonoseki City and Fukuoka Prefecture's Kitakyushu City, it's said to have formed about 6,000 years ago. The name "Kanmon Straits" is derived from the initials of Shimonoseki, historically known as Makan, and Moji, a district in Kitakyushu City.
An important strait between Kyushu and Honshu. From the shore, you can see the vast expanse of the sea and the Kanmon Bridge connecting the two areas. The whole view is really beautiful.
When I visited, the sea breeze felt very pleasant. Watching boats pass by one after another made it feel especially relaxing. You can also see the city on the opposite shore in the distance and get a close-up view of the impressive Kanmon Bridge stretching across the water. I couldn't help taking photo after photo with my phone. The blue water, bridge, and sky make every shot look so atmospheric!
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Soup Curry Garaku
Soup Curry Garaku has so many fans that when there is a waiting line, they give you a numbered ticket. This soup curry restaurant is very famous among locals.
This time, I made a special trip to Soup Curry Garaku. The restaurant is very popular, and while dining there, you could tell that many people had come because of its reputation. Unlike the usual thick Japanese curry, soup curry has a lighter broth with a more noticeable spice flavor, and you can choose the spice level based on your preference.
When the food arrived, the generous variety of toppings was the first thing that caught my eye. It came with all kinds of vegetables and well-seasoned stewed meat, making it look like a very hearty meal. The vegetables retained their texture, and soaking up the spiced curry broth made them even more flavorful. Each bite had the taste of a different ingredient. The broth was rich and aromatic, with a mildly spicy depth, and it went very well with white rice. I got to try one of Hokkaido's signature dishes this time. Overall, it was pretty good and left a strong impression!
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Karii Honpo Mojiko Retro store
This restaurant specializing in yaki curry stands in Mojiko, a popular tourist spot located at the northernmost tip of Kyushu. Yaki Curry is a local dish originating from Mojiko where curry is poured over rice, topped with cheese and eggs, and baked in the oven. The cheese topping, which has now become commonplace, began when the owner, Matsui san, covered the egg yolk with cheese to prevent it from bursting.
This time, I made a special trip to Karii Honpo Mojiko Retro store to try one of Mojiko's signature dishes. The restaurant offers quite a few kinds of yaki curry. What makes it special is that the curry rice is baked in the oven, covered with plenty of cheese, and topped with a soft-cooked egg. It looked very tempting.
When it arrived at the table, you could immediately smell its piping-hot aroma. The cheese on top was baked until slightly browned and fragrant, and it paired very well with the rich curry sauce underneath. Once I dug in, the soft-cooked egg mixed with the curry rice, and every bite was full of rich cheese and curry flavor, with many different textures. It was very filling and quite different from ordinary curry rice. If you have the chance to visit Mojiko, you really should try this local specialty!
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