Christmas in Japan | East Asia Winter Exploration 2025/26 [2/8]

After our brief, jetlagged transit through South Korea, our Peach Airways flight touched down at Osaka’s Kansai International Airport. We arrived at one of the airport’s remote terminals, which had the distinct advantage of a very smooth and quick passport control process, though it required a slightly longer bus ride to reach the main terminal and the train station.

We boarded a train to Tengachaya, where we planned to transfer for central Osaka. However, hunger took over, and we decided to pause our transit to eat lunch at a small, cozy local restaurant nearby. This was our first real encounter with the Japanese language barrier; the menus were entirely in Japanese without any pictures, and the staff did not speak English. Fortunately, modern technology came to our rescue, and we used Google Translate to decipher the text and order simply by pointing at our screens. The meal was excellent, and we left both satisfied and full.

First Evening at Osaka Castle

From Tengachaya, we took another train to Kitahama and made the short walk to our accommodation, Yksi Apartments, located near Temmabashi. Little A thought it was a very fun detail that the apartment was named “Yksi,” which actually means the number “one” in Finnish. Finding a sudden linguistic connection to the Nordics right in the heart of Osaka was a highly amusing and relatable start to our stay. After taking some time to rest in our room, we headed back out for an afternoon walk to see Osaka Castle. Originally built in the late 16th century, the castle played a pivotal role in the unification of Japan. Though the current main keep is a modern concrete reconstruction, the massive stone walls and sweeping moats are incredibly impressive, bearing a sheer scale that easily rivals the grandest historical fortresses we have explored across Europe.

For dinner, we found a restaurant near Temmabashi Station where we got to try our first tabletop dining experience in Japan. We ordered several new dishes, many of which we never completely learned the names of, but it was highly entertaining to have the food cooked directly at our table. It was a fun and memorable introduction to Japanese dining culture.

A Wet Christmas Day in Osaka

Christmas Day started with rather gloomy weather and recurring rain. We began with a walk from our accommodation, crossing the Tosahori River and heading into the Tenjinbashi shopping street. Stretching for over two kilometers, Tenjinbashisuji is the longest shopping arcade in Japan, and its covered roof provided a welcome break from the weather. Eventually, we stepped back out into the rain to visit the Osaka Tenmangu Shrine. Founded in 949 AD, this prominent Shinto shrine is dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, a 9th-century scholar and statesman who was later deified as the god of learning. The site offered a quiet, historic contrast to the bustling arcade.

Our walk eventually took us all the way to Umeda, as we were on the hunt for a specific Japanese holiday tradition: eating at KFC on Christmas. This quirky custom has massive popularity, which meant we did not actually end up getting KFC. Instead, we settled for a very nice Korean lunch at a restaurant near the station. Due to the persistent rain, we skipped walking further and took the subway from Umeda down to Namba.

Arriving in Namba, we were introduced to the absolute chaos of people in and around the Dotonbori entertainment district for the first time. Amidst the dense crowds on the nearby Ebisu Bashi-Suji Shopping Street, Little A spotted a Cinnamoroll café she wanted to visit. However, it turned out to be very difficult to get a drop-in table. We are not the type of travelers who want to plan café visits in advance and lock our schedule to a specific time, so Little A happily settled for buying a takeaway ice cream instead.

We explored several stores on our way back toward our accommodation, coming across nostalgic classics like Tamagotchi virtual pets, which I do not think I have seen since I was a child. For dinner, we found a European-inspired restaurant near our apartment where Little A could get a comforting plate of pasta bolognese. The absolute highlight of the meal was when she shocked all of us by politely asking the staff for a glass of water in Japanese.

A Sunny Day Trip to Kyoto

By the following day, December 26, we were eager to explore further and decided not to wait to activate our regional rail passes, opting to just buy standard tickets to nearby Kyoto instead. We took the subway to Osaka Station and caught a train straight to Kyoto Station. Our first stop in the city was Nijō Castle, which we reached via the local subway.

Built in 1603, Nijō Castle served as the Kyoto residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder and first shogun of the Edo Period. Unlike the towering vertical fortresses we had seen in Osaka, Nijō is characterized by its sprawling, single-story wooden palace buildings. The sun was shining as we walked around the historic grounds. While the main palace might not dominate the skyline, the small lakes, manicured gardens, and sturdy stone walls create a remarkably peaceful and beautiful environment for a walk.

Kyoto’s Kitchen and the Kamo River

After leaving the castle, it was time for lunch, so we set our sights on Nishiki Market. Often referred to as “Kyoto’s Kitchen,” this historic market street has a history spanning over 400 years. We navigated the huge crowds in the narrow aisles and eventually found a small eatery where Susann and Little A could try authentic sushi in Japan for the first time. Since I do not eat sushi, I was relieved that they also served some deep-fried side dishes. Little A has always been fascinated by sushi, though she still mostly prefers just eating the rice. Because it was a rather small lunch, we later supplemented it with a quick stop at McDonald’s.

Leaving the bustling shopping streets behind, we walked down to the promenade along the Kamo River. We had heard of Pontocho, Kyoto’s famous traditional nightlife district known for its narrow alleyways and wooden machiya houses, and decided to try and find it. It took a while to locate a path up to the alley from the riverbank, but we thoroughly enjoyed the peaceful riverside walk in the meantime.

Little A had one final wish for the day: to visit a cat café. We eventually ended up at Fluffy’s café. It is worth noting how these establishments typically operate in Japan; the animals are not roaming in the general café area. Instead, you pay for the time you spend in the dedicated cat room, which is charged per started half-hour, and you are generally required to purchase a drink. Susann and Little A went up to meet the cats, while I stayed behind in the regular café area and tried a matcha ice cream.

After a subway ride and a walk through a fun Super Mario-themed corridor, we took a quick look at Kyoto Tower before heading back to the station. We caught our train back to Osaka right in the middle of rush hour, which made for a very crowded and tiring end to an otherwise excellent day of historical exploration.