48 Hours Solo in Osaka

I Took a Friday Night Flight

Decided Thursday night. Searched Skyscanner for one-way tickets from Incheon to Kansai. Friday evening flight: $56. Booking round-trip was actually pricier, so I bought two one-ways separately. $56 + $59. Total: $115. (This is sometimes cheaper than the Seoul-Busan bullet train in Korea.)

Packed right after work. One backpack. One change of clothes, charger, passport. That's it. Airport bus to Incheon, arrived at 7 PM. Flight at 9:15.

Day One: Getting Lost in Dotonbori

Landed at Kansai at 11:40 PM. Nankai line to Namba station, 38 minutes. Hotel check-in at 12:30 AM. A business hotel at $31/night. Room was maybe 130 square feet? Just a bed and desk, but plenty for one person.

Saturday morning I walked Dotonbori. Saturday crowds were intense. Tried takoyaki at three places. Ajino Takoyaki (850 yen), Wanaka (700 yen), a random street stall (500 yen). Honestly, the 500-yen stall was the best. (Tourist-famous spots aren't always the tastiest.)

Walking with Google Maps, I ducked into an alley and the vibe completely changed. Tiny izakayas with no tourists. Old men drinking since noon. This felt like the real Osaka.

Moments Where Solo Was Perfect

I spent 2 hours browsing used electronics in Den Den Town (Osaka's version of Akihabara). If someone were with me, "let's go" would've come at the 30-minute mark. Solo meant I could linger guilt-free. Bought a USB-C hub for 2,200 yen, about $15. Same thing costs $22+ back home. (These tiny savings are unreasonably satisfying.)

Osaka Castle had a 45-minute entry line, so I just looked at it from outside and moved on. That's the beauty of solo travel. No obligation to do anything.

Things That Didn't Work Out

Went up Tsutenkaku Tower and regretted it. Paid 800 yen to go up, looked around for 5 minutes, came back down. It's only 108 meters tall so the panorama isn't that impressive. Should've Googled that first. Then I waited 30 minutes in line for a famous ramen shop and it was just... fine. Not worth the wait. (Should I lower my expectations for hyped restaurants, or is my palate just dull?)

Thoughts on the Flight Home

48 hours can feel this long. A 48-hour stretch at the office blinks by, but 48 hours of solo travel felt like a week. Total spending: about $350. Flights, hotel, transport, food, shopping -- everything. Under $350 for this level of reset? More than enough.

Maybe Kyoto next time. But Kyoto probably needs more than a day. That means taking Friday afternoon off... ah, I'm already planning the next trip.