Osaka Walks

The tiger is something of a municipal symbol, as the local baseball team is the Henshin Tigers.

Osaka is Japan's second-largest city, and one of the few that continues to grow in population. It remains extremely popular with tourists, particularly around the river area in the Shinsaibashi area.

A Shinsaibashi shotengai (shopping street).

There are some toy and hobby shops, clustered mostly in the Namba area. However, unlike a decade ago, when you could find wonderful things in shops like Super Position and Psychedelia, bargains are now scarce, and the selection is not what it once was. Still, the city is famous for its food, and it hosts some toy shows like the Doki Doki events.

Toy shop in the Nihombashi area, just adjacent to the Namba district.

After the jump, here are more photos of the city:

MASSIVE Pinball Video Game Retro Arcade in Osaka, Japan - Silver Ball Planet

On a recent trip to Osaka, I stumbled upon a magnificent place - the Silver Ball Planet. It's a world class pinball arcade with nearly 100 machines. Many are new. Others are decades old. They have a wonderful selection of games in outstanding condition.

Here's a video I shot:



Shop info:

Name: Silver Ball Planet
Address: 中央区西心斎橋1-6-14-3階, Osaka
Map: Click here
Hours:11:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Facebook: Click here

More pics:

This game is fun, but it takes a while to get used to the physics of hitting a ball vertically!

More after the jump: