Eat and laugh your way through Osaka

Osaka is Japan's poster city not only for history or architecture but for its heavenly food and friendly people as well. Work up an appetite first by exploring the city's unique sights. The Osaka-jo is a 16th-century castle, most of which was razed to the ground, and the structure you see today looming over the city is the result of reconstruction and restoration. Visit the Shitennoji, the oldest administered Buddhist temple in Japan that houses numerous national treasures. Let your hair down as the locals do, eating and drinking at an izakaya, an informal Japanese resto-bar.

Join the crowds and make your way to Shin-Sekai, the city's popular retro neighbourhood to sample kushikatsu, a variety of skewered meats and vegetables. End the day with a meal in one of Osaka's many restaurants.