Kansai International Airport | Review by Jk

Cross the street and walk straight into Tennoji Park, and the whole scene instantly switches from a bustling metropolis to a super chill, European-style lawn! The craziest thing here is the ridiculously huge lawn area called “TEN-SHIBA.” Right in central Osaka, packed with skyscrapers, there’s somehow this whole wide-open stretch of lush green grass hidden away. Look up, and you can see Japan’s super-tall Abeno Harukas skyscraper right next to it as a backdrop. The visual impact of modern architecture mixed with nature is seriously unbeatable! On weekends, lots of locals and college students bring picnic blankets, grab some coffee or takeout fried chicken, and just lie on the grass doing nothing, soaking up the sun and enjoying the breeze. It’s so relaxing that you won’t want to move at all!
And Tennoji Park definitely isn’t some old-fashioned park where all you can do is take a walk. The whole park is super stylish and fun to explore! Neatly lined up on both sides of the lawn are a bunch of thoughtfully designed artsy cafés, Italian restaurants, and open-air beer bars. During the day, you can sit outside and enjoy brunch with the view. At night, once the lights come on, the atmosphere is at its peak. Having a drink while looking out at Abeno’s sparkling night view is super romantic. Head farther into the park, and it connects seamlessly to the hugely popular Tennoji Zoo and Keitakuen Garden, which is full of the tranquility of a Japanese garden. You can even walk from here all the way to Tsutenkaku to eat kushikatsu. The location seriously couldn’t be better!

The moment you step into Hokkaido Shrine, you’re instantly struck by its incredibly quiet and sacred atmosphere! It’s basically the top shrine in all of Hokkaido. The entire shrine is surrounded by towering old-growth trees, and the air is unbelievably clean and fresh. One deep breath wakes you right up. The crunch of the gravel under your feet instantly calms the restless feeling you get from constantly scrolling on your phone. And what’s really crazy is how rich the wildlife is. As you’re walking, a super nimble wild squirrel will often suddenly dart out on a nearby tree, poking its head around looking for nuts. They’re seriously so cute and soothing to see up close!
When you reach the main shrine, the dark wood paired with the green copper roof looks unbelievably cool, both solemn and full of that calm, commanding aura of ancient Japan. After praying, you definitely can’t just turn around and leave. You have to head straight to the Rokkatei teahouse next door! They have Hangankan mochi that’s exclusive to this shrine, freshly grilled right in front of you. It’s piping hot in your hands, with a lightly charred exterior and a hint of buckwheat aroma. When you bite into it, it’s incredibly soft and chewy, and the red bean filling is just the right amount of sweet. Enjoy it on a nearby bench with a hot cup of free roasted tea, and you’ll feel completely recharged in body, mind, and spirit!

It started out with a small wooden street cart and has now expanded across Japan, but true food lovers know that the broth made at the flagship store is on a completely different level in terms of depth and intensity. When their signature rich (kotteri) ramen arrives at the table piping hot, the golden broth—simmered for hours with lots of chicken bones and more than ten kinds of vegetables until it’s almost as thick and sticky as jam—makes you start salivating just by looking at it! Lift the noodles with your chopsticks and the rich broth clings tightly to every strand. Each slurp fills your mouth with an explosion of sweet, gelatinous richness and deep chicken flavor. Your lips even feel slightly sticky afterward. That intensely satisfying, heavy-hitting flavor really gets you completely hooked and leaves you unable to stop!