Streets squares and districts to visit Japan

For a long time, the district was home to theaters. Now shopping malls have taken over the area. Dōtonbori is the most lively and bustling district in Ōsaka. It is also the unmissable place in order to satisfy one's many culinary desires. It is advisable to take a look at Ebisu-bashi bridge (also nicknamed nanpa-bashi, the dredge bridge) to get a general view of the neighborhood. It is from there that you can see the famous "Glico Man". A short walk away is the small Hōzen-ji temple and the picturesque Yokochō Hōzen-ji alley.

Omotesandō Boulevard and its extension to Aoyama are similar to the Champs-Élysées and Avenue Montaigne in Paris, but much more crowded. This is where the big brands set up shop to test their fame and value. They compete for attention with masterpieces of contemporary architecture (Louis Vuitton, Prada, Miu Miu). The district also reflects all the new trends in Tokyo, in terms of food (organic, bio, vegan), aspirations (terraces, gardens, coworking spaces) and fashion.

This is the old geisha district. A chaya was a type of restaurant where customers were entertained by geisha. During the Edo period, chaya were located in designated entertainment districts. Kanazawa has three of them (but this is the largest and most interesting). This walk is a must for any visit to Kanazawa. You will stroll from shop to shop, enjoy old chaya still open to the public (Shima and Kaikaro) and feel the atmosphere of the old days most exhilarating.

Den Den Town is often compared to the Akihabara district in Tokyo. It is indeed the otaku district of Ōsaka. Strolling through the streets, one can find shops with shelves packed to the brim with manga and anime figurines, endless shelves of video games, shops specialising in electronics or cosplay, but also maid cafes, for a 100% Japanese, modern, electric and delirious experience. Originally, the neighborhood was called denki no machi, the electronic village. Its nickname has now become the most popular.

It is an avenue specializing in all kitchen utensils and restaurant appliances, tools and equipment. There are the famous wax and plastic mihon (window replicas) of the restaurant fronts, but also wooden skewers, lacquer bowls, rice cookers, bamboo splints, lanterns, etc. Contrary to popular belief, prices are not particularly attractive. However, you will find excellent kitchen knives to cut fish like a chef, and nice tableware.

If Akihabara is the HQ of manga and video game fans, Otome Road has been its female counterpart since the 2000s. The avenue was originally called Kasuga, but there are so many manga, video game and merchandising stores catering to young women that it has been renamed "Otome", meaning "girl". Branches of Mandarake, Animate and Comic Toranoana, among others, specialize in literature for young girls and all products that might interest them, such as "otome"-style clothing.