Home & Away with Robert Walshe
www.robertwalshe.com
Holiday Hotspot – Osaka Japan JAPAN'S second largest city sits in the Kansai region of Honshu on Osaka Bay and is an industrial powerhouse and the original commercial capital. Despite its rich history, Osaka is not for the historian, focusing more on its shopping and futuristic side, though it does boast important shrines and landmarks. The city is densely packed and seems at first glance to be all about business, with its skyscrapers, rail tracks
■ Hotel Nikko Osaka
and busy port, yet there is plenty to see for the inquisitive tourist in a range of buzzing districts. Shinsaibashi district comes with a huge amount of shopping and entertainment, and is well connected by metro to the rest of the city. Umeda is a futuristic part of the CBD and has many of the city's best hotels and topend shops. It is also in the north of town and is well connected by the subway and municipal railway. Kyobashi district offers a mix of new and old. It is best known for the huge Osaka Castle and the many waterways in the area, making for good walking and a nice atmosphere.
The sheer height of the walls and the wide moats were a grand sight and can be matched by no other castle in Japan. The tower roof’s eight gilded dolphins and the ornamental tiles plus reliefs carved in the shape of gilded tigers were striking. Nanko is one of the newer, up and coming areas of Osaka that lies in the south of the city. It fronts Osaka Harbor and the bay and is one of the best areas to eat seafood. One of the star attractions is the Osaka Aquarium, while sea breezes cool the area in the summer. Hotel Nikko is a good central base in Minami with direct access to Shinsaibashi subway station. Service is professional, rooms are modern and comfortable with spacious deluxe options, and there's even a 'ladies' floor, with special bathroom amenities. There are restaurants and
For our best deals call 0044 28 9038 1111 or visit www.mooneyhotelgroup.com bars on-site, and good views from the upper floors. www.jalhotels. com/domestic/kansai/ osaka Osaka is the place to try Japanese food - be it octopus balls from a street-side stand, some of best sushi in the world or the finest traditional noodles. Inside Japan tailor your travel and cultural experiences to suit all interests and budgets. All itineraries utilise the super-efficient ■ Dotonboris Osak public transport neta work, including the magnificent Bullet train. They also offer fully organised itineraries including known colloquially as Kank, accommodation/breakfast/ is on an artificial island on dinner, transport, meet and Osaka Bay. The mainland greet airport transfers and is accessible by the world's private guiding from natives longest truss bridge, over & expats. www.insidejapan- 12,000 feet long. Turkish airtours.com Kansai Interna- lines offer super connectional Airport (KIX) is the tions from Dublin to Osaka main airport that handles Kansai. On long-haul flights, first, the Osaka region's internabusiness & economy class tional flights. Kansai should not be con- passenger's feast on authenfused with Osaka Interna- tic Turkish and international tional Airport, which serves dishes and the "in flight" exonly domestic flights. Kansai, perience leaves other carri-
ers trailing far behind. The new business lounge for passengers connecting at Istanbul to Tokyo will leave you breathless and for me is the finest of its kind in the world. For best fares visit www.turkishairlines.com Robert Walshe is a travel broadcaster with Q Radio Network and Travel Editor for River Media newspaper titles across the island of Ireland. www.robertwalshe.com