While I knew the two cities would have very different vibes, the differences between Tokyo and Osaka were dramatic. Tokyo, crowded yet organized and efficient, did not prepare me for Osaka. Osaka was harried and disjointed, but also looser and free-flowing, and felt a world away from its more buttoned up neighbour a couple of hours to the east. Where Tokyo felt like a city where everything was in its proper place, Osaka felt like a city just trying to hold itself together…. and I loved it.

Nighttime was when I felt Osaka showed its real charm.

I spent my evenings in Osaka wandering the neon lit Dōtonbori neighbourhood, mostly aimlessly, just soaking in the energy of an electric city.

The canal through the middle of the neighbourhood, home to enormous neon signs, was a gathering place each evening for crowds of visitors and locals. The gigantic “Glico man”, arms raised, is probably the most Instagrammed location in Osaka as just about everyone who visits here mimics his pose.

Each night, I found a bench or leaned against the railings of one of the bridges traversing the canal and just watched people in what was a fascinating theatre of cultures and languages. With signage so foreign to me and lit by so much neon, I felt like I could only be in Japan. I loved that feeling of being in a place that could not feel like anywhere else.

I enjoyed being among the crowds while on this solo trip, but at some point each evening it would become a bit overwhelming. The streets off the canals in Dōtonbori were jammed with crowds venturing to theatres and restaurants and just out doing what I was doing…

It was in those times where I found something that will always be among my favourite memories of Osaka – the alleys just off of the main streets and commercial pedestrian walkways. Mere steps from the crowds, these alleys were a slice of tranquility.

I found the alleys beautiful in the evenings. The neon here was a bit less pronounced. The noise from the nearby crowds muffled by the buildings.

I loved the small slices of Osakan life on display. Conversations among friends…

… and cozy restaurants in what looked like abandoned alleys, but as you walked past, you could hear laughter and sake-fuelled conversation from behind the doors.

It was in these nightly explorations where I really fell for Osaka. The alleys, and the respite from the crowds and wonderful chaos of the city, will be among my favourite memories of my two weeks in Japan.