November 2009

A Tale of Two Cities.

With the release of Lonely Planet’s all-new Japan guidebook, we check out the winter fun in Osaka and Tokyo

WORDS CHRIS ROWTHORN AND WENDY YANAGIHARA

OSAKA

Best winter activity: Christmas in Osaka means shopping, and the best place to do this is in the Kita District, around Osaka’s JR Osaka and Hankyu Umeda stations. Here, several department stores are within easy walking distance, including Daimaru, Hankyu and Hanshin.

Best free attraction: Head to Osaka’s Minami District and plunge into the narrow alleys south of the Dotombori Canal to find the scenic Hozen-ji Temple and the moss-covered statue of Fudo-myo on display there. Toss some water on the statue to pray for good fortune.

Best for the kids: Osaka Aquarium (Kaiyukan in Japanese) is built around the mother of all fish tanks. You can check out two enormous whale sharks, a tiger shark, leopard sharks and even a pair of manta rays.

Best cheap eats: Osaka’s great value is most apparent in rowdy Dotombori, in the Minami District. You’ll find Japan’s best selection of inexpensive restaurants packed into this bustling street. Most of the larger places have English menus.

Friendliest local bar: If you want to meet the locals (both expats and Japanese), head to Murphy’s, a friendly Irish pub in the Minami District. 1-6-31 Higashi-Shinsaibashi, tel: +81 (6) 6282 0677, open 5pm–1am Sun–Thu, to 4am Fri & Sat; closest station: Nagahoribashi station on the Sakaisuji subway line.

Best ski outing: For some of the best lift-served powder on the planet, head to Sapporo and jump on a bus to Niseko. The trip takes about half a day from Osaka.

Best to explore: Osaka’s Open-Air Museum of Old Japanese Farmhouses is one of the city’s best-kept secrets. 1-2 Hattori Ryokuchi, Toyonaka-shi, tel: +81 (6) 6862 3137; admission ¥500 (AU$6.50); open
9.30am–5pm, closed Mon; closest station: Ryokuchi-koen station on the Midosuji subway line, West exit.

TOKYO

Best winter activity: Oedo Onsen Monogatari. There’s no better way to take the edge off the winter chill than to get naked… at this Edo-themed onsen (hot spring). Soak in steamy mineral pools, slurp noodles and beer, shop for souvenirs and enjoy the onsen’s old-Japan ambience. 2-57 Aomi, Koto-ku, tel: +81 (3) 5500 1126.

Best free attraction: Weekend people-watching in Ginza and Harajuku. Start in Ginza, where Chuo-dori is closed to vehicle traffic on weekends and Tokyoites of all stripes are out for a stroll; Christmas-time bling makes the boulevard especially festive. Afterwards, train to Meiji-jingubashi, where the famous Goth Lolita and Cosplay kids hang out in their crazy costumed finery.

Best for the kids: Ghibli Museum. Climb around on the plush cat bus, watch an animated short in the little theatre and goggle at original Hayao Miyazaki drawings tacked on the walls of this charming museum. 1-1-83 Shimo-Renjaku, Mitaka-shi; admission adults ¥1,000 (AU$13), children free (under 4) to ¥700 (AU$9); open 10.00am–6pm, closed Tues; closest station: Mitaka station on the JR Chuo Line, South exit.

Best cheap eat: Warm up on wintry days with a huge bowl of soul-fortifying ramen. Ippudo in Ebisu serves a mean tonkotsu (pork bone broth) ramen. 1-3-13 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, tel: +81 (3) 5420 2225.

Friendliest local bar: CoZmo’s Café’s crowd is a happy mix of locals and foreigners, making this a good place to get your bearings in Tokyo. Along with good cocktails, you can also grab a bite and sometimes catch live music in this hip corner of Shibuya. 1-6-3 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, tel: +81 (3) 3407 5166; open from 6pm weekdays, 7pm Sat and 3pm Sun, closed Mon.

Best ski outing: Minakami, Gunma Prefecture. About 90 minutes from Tokyo via shinkansen (bullet train) and shuttle bus, the Minakami area is much less crowded than other popular resort towns near Tokyo. Beautiful powder snow and the many lovely onsen draw skiers and boarders.

Best to explore: Small-scale neighbourhoods like Shimo-Kitazawa harbour pockets of Tokyo’s indie culture. With its tiny bars and cafés, secondhand shops and artsy vibe, this unpretentious maze of narrow alleys is a joy to explore on gloomy days. Take the Odakyu line from Shinjuku station.

Lonely Planet Japan, 11th ed., AU$46.99, ISBN 9781741790429 Jetstar flies to Osaka from the Gold Coast and to Tokyo from the Gold Coast and Cairns