296: Osaka + Kyoto Food, Omiyage & Shopping Journey. ~ TenshiChn

So this is the last wrap up post for my trip to Osaka + Kyoto! I've compiled about all sorts of food which you can get in Osaka according to your budget. So let's browse through and I hope it helps with your trip! ^^

This is going to be a super looong post! So bear with me! Links for more info is at the end of the destination paragraph.

Rinku Premium Outlet, Osaka.

EAT:

Hong Hu Jiao Zi Fang Chinese Cuisine. This is where I had my lunch. They serve mostly very Chinese cuisines such are dai chow but also has a small variety of Japanese dishes such as ramen. I've opt for this place for lunch because my mom prefers Chinese food and needs at least a meal with rice daily. Hehe.

We ordered;

(1) pork & leave mustard gravy on rice - 950 yen

(2) ramen + fried rice set which comes with fried chicken - 1150 yen

Portion is farely huge and we were very much stuffed by the end of the meal!

// ramen + fried rice set which comes with fried chicken - 1150 yen //

// pork & leave mustard gravy on rice - 950 yen //

SHOP:
There's crazy lots to shop at Rinku Premium Outlet! It probably already shows when this is my first stop once landed at Osaka Airport. Haha. Remember to bring lots of cash and prepare to spend a whole day there!

// Rinku Premium Outlet //

// Purchase at Rinku Premium Outlet //

More about my visit to Rinku Premium Outlet here.

Teradacho, Osaka.

EAT:
Sukiya and Yoshinoya is an affordable and casual meal place where the working group would go.

Sukiya usually have more options with beef while Yoshinoya offers more variety which are non-beef. I personally prefers Yoshinoya over Sukiya for the menu offered.

I highly recommend these two places for simply delicious meals if you're looking for affordable but filling meals. Most sets comes with rice which Asians would prefer. However, they do have options with noodles as well. Sides dishes that comes together are usually miso soup + small vegetable platter such as salad or a packet of dry seaweed.

// Sukiya //

// Sukiya - Salmon set (550 yen) | Charcoal Pork Slice Set (640 yen) //

// Itadakimasu! //

// Yoshinoya - Grilled Unagi Rice Set (730 yen) //

// Yoshinoya - Grilled Sirloin Pork Rice Meal Set Tokachi Style (530 yen) //

// Yoshinoya - Minced Chicken Set (290 yen) //

// Yoshinoya - Salmon Set (450 yen) //

More about my Teradacho post here.

Tennoji Temple, Osaka.

EAT:
Right before Tennoji Temple entrance, there's a huge crowd hovering a little stall setting Bell Shape biscuits. They have a few varieties which you can purchase to try. However, there's much more food stalls inside the temple flea market and they all smells so good! So you might want to go with an empty stomach!

// Bell Shape Biscuit Snack //

// Tennoji Temple Market Snack - Grilled Squid with Egg (200 yen) //

// Tennoji Temple Market Snack //

Besides food stalls, there are also many stalls selling second hand items, trinklets, dry fruits, tea leaves and much more! Something you can bring back for sure!

// Tennoji Temple Food Market //

SHOP:
Me and mom got some stuff at the market. Some new and some refurbished. Sun hats for the lady alway trying to hide away from the sun freckles, cute tiny key chains which looks absolutely delicate with details, a mandarin duck to accompany in the kitchen and twinnie Lucky cats to bring some luck for business!

// Tennoji Temple Japanese Tea //

// Tennoji Temple Flea Market Purchase //

More about my post on Tennoji Temple and the flea market here!

Shinsekai

EAT:

Prepare your tummy for the street foods at Shinsekai! It's a heaven of Takoyaki / Kushikatsu / Kushiage and shopping for Omiyage / Beauty Products! Yes, bring lots of cash here too! Haha..

Takoyaki is my favourite ball shaped Japanese snack made of wheat flour batter mix with fillings such as diced octopus, unagi & etc. However, the Osaka flavour here is not really my favourite as they have a tinge of sourness rather than the sweet sauce that I love! I tried this stall which is right below Tsūtenkaku Tower! Maybe I should try another stall. There's many you can choose from. I'd say go for the one with queue!

Another favourite there would the Kushiage / Kushikatsu which is a Japanese dish of deep fried skewered meat or vegetable. You can dip into their light sauce or just eat it on it's own! Real yummy!

Also don't forget to check out their softserve which comes in a variety of flavour!

// Takoyaki Stall below Tsūtenkaku Tower //

// Takoyaki Stall with queue //

// another Takoyaki Stall with queue //

// Takoyaki-es!! //

// Kushikatsu / Kushiage //

// Japanese Sakura Soft Serve / Soft Cream! //

SHOP:

Along the way, you will find a big pharmacy or drugstore! Girls go crazy when they see it because it means time to stock up on Japanese drugstore beauty brands and bring back to Malaysia! Hehe.

Don't forget to check out this huge omiyage store too! That have a huge variety of candies, sweets and snacks in store! All looking very delicate / beautiful and delicious! Superb as gifts! I can't find the famous Japanese omiyage - Tokyo Banana here but you can get that from the airport!

// Japan Drugstore //

// Japanese Drugstore Beauty Products //

// Japanese Drugstore Hair Products //

// Omiyage Shopping Outlet //

// Omiyage Shopping Heaven //

// Osaka Banana //

More about my post on Dotonbori here!

Osaka Castle, Osaka.

EAT:

There's an oden stall in the Osaka Garden right outside the Entrance into the Osaka Castle compound. I couldn't ask for more when all I need is a bowl of hot soup comfort food during the chilling weather! Totally yums!

// Oden Stall //

// My Oden Meal //

BUY:

There's a row of shops selling souveniors in the compoundof Osaka Castle. It is just on the left side if you are standing facing the castle. It's just an enjoyable browsing through those beautiful and delicate little gifts.

More about my post on Osaka Castle here and here!

Tenjinbashisuji, Osaka.

EAT:

This is heaven for street foods. You can get all sorts of little snacks here from Dango to the sweetest Japanese strawberry! This is a whole stretch of street shopping with stalls of all kinds which range from clothing, raw food materials, fruit stalls, trinklets and etc~ I love the time spent here! <3

I actually bought and ate a lot of strawberries during my every stay in Japan because they were so affordable and also so good! Make sure you try some too!

// Dango //

// Okonomiyaki //

// The sweetest Strawberry! //

Arashiyama District, Kyoto.

EAT:

Matcha softserve is everywhere! How can you resist it! and did you know eating in the cold is soo goood! <3 There is also a few tiny shops along the district which sells traditional Japanese souvenirs.

// Matcha Softserve - 200 yen //

// Arashiyama Station Snack Food Stall //

// Arashiyama Station Snack Food + Creamia Softserve Stall //

// Arashiyama Station Softserve Stall //

BUY:

Check out the charms at Tenryu-ji Temple! I found this Cloud Dragon Bodhidharma Charm especially attractive. You can actually peek through the hole under to see the Tenryu-ji Dragon.

More about my post on Arashiyama District here and here!

Kinkakuji Temple / The Golden Pavilion, Kyoto.

BUY:

Again, check out the charms! They even have charms in Hello Kitty Pouch! Cuteness! <3 but I'm more interested in the Sake stall because I was almost freezing to death. Haha. The sun was going down and the temperature decreasing. I just had to down some sake to keep warm!

// Stalls selling Temple Charms //

// Gold leave Sake available here! //

More about my post on Kinkakuji & Gion, Kyoto here!

Convenient Store, Osaka.

To go on food budget and to fix midnight cravings, there's always super delicious food from the convenient store! Seriously, they taste so good sometimes, it's actually hard to believe they are from the convenient store. I actually kinda get addicted to them because (I'm repeating myself again) they are just so good! How I wish Malaysia Family Mart could bring this taste here too!

You can buy (1) the ready made onigiri / meal box (2) instant or chilled food for a quick meal preparation at your stay (3) snacks to satisfy your cravings! The convenient store is forever one of my favourite store in Japan besides Yoshinoya. >.<

// Mini Umeshu, Cup Cracker / Squid Snack / Baum //

// Onigiri! //

// Rice / Bento Box //

// My budget lunch //

// Itadakimasu! //

// Convenient Store Meal //

// Baum & Snacks //

// Creamy Meiji Milk - 141 yen //

// Marinated Salmon - 227 yen for my Instant Meal//

// Desserts! //

// Instant Ramen - 480 yen //

// Supplement Drinks //

// a Bottle of C1000 Collagen + Vtamin C everyday //

// Chilled Instant Ramen + Seaweed + Salmon from the conveninet store - 323 yen //

// Shoyu Ramen + Salmon //

Osaka Airport, Osaka.

BUY:

Yes. Shopping never ends until you board the plane. Lol. I still remember I left one of my hand carry bag at the scanning counter but am glad I manage to get it back before the flight. >.<"

I got many of these sweets and snacks as omiyage souveniors for relatives and friends back home. Mostly are matcha, red bean related which are well known in Japan. You can also get the famous Tokyo Banana here! Many people crave for it but I think I prefer the banana cake in my local night market. Hehe.. Are you one of those Tokyo Banana fanatic?

One advice is to sometimes just buy what ever you feel like when you are on a trip because most likely, you will regret it when you're back to your home country. Haha. So yea... Just buy!

// Omiyage //

// Tokyo Banana & Osaka Banana //

// Matcha, Tea leaves, Sake, Coffee Bean, Umeshu //

// Snacks from Osaka, Hotate is <3 //

Airbnb Stay at Teradacho, Osaka.

TIPS:

On a last unrelated note, this is a small tips for those booking staycation at Airbnb. Always limit the distant around 5 - 7 minutes walk away because I've tried two places which is 15 minutes away and it was dreadful! 15 minutes feel like forever everytime I had to get home after walking whole day.

Places in Japan as we all know, is really small and most of the time, Tatami will be prepared for you to be spread on the floor when it's time to sleep because spaces are limited. Washrooms are really small too if provided, so make sure you check with the tenant if it is possilble to have showers there as they sometimes tell you to Shower at the Resthouse nearby.

Here's a sneak peak at my stay in Teradacho. Sorry. only got a picture of the washroom. Lol. But it gives you an idea of how tiny it can be. Photos in Airbnb are usually taken with wide angle lens to give a more spacious feeling.

The best thing during my stay was a Pocket Wifi provided free of charge which helps alot with navigation during the trip!