Kanayo Ueda

Discover Osaka: sushi, tattoos, and a flourishing nightlife

Kai Tatsuo, Hori Beni, Kanayo Ueda

Osaka's distinct cultural identity as a rambunctious merchant town is embodied by residents like kappo chef Kai Tatsuo, artist Hori Beni, and poet Kanayo Ueda, who navigate a landscape ranging from the frantic, rock-paper-scissors-decided tuna auctions at its massive fish market to the communal intimacy of its post-war public bathhouses. Despite historical wartime destruction and modern stigmas associating tattoos with organized crime, the city offers a unique culinary and recreational experience through its street food, strategic board games, and extended nightlife in districts like America-mura. Visitors are consistently encouraged by locals to embrace the city's outgoing atmosphere, which contrasts sharply with Japan's typical demeanor and allows newcomers to quickly feel accepted as fellow Osakans.