The Osaka Amazing Pass

The Osaka Amazing Pass is a combined sightseeing and transit card that is perfect for a day of sightseeing in Osaka. The pass comes in two varieties, a 1-day pass for ¥2,800 or a 2-day pass for ¥3,600, which is valid for 2 consecutive days. 

Visitors to Osaka can use the pass for free entry to more than 40 iconic sightseeing spots in Osaka as well as unlimited travel on buses and trains in Osaka. Some of the attractions you can enter for free include, The Umeda Sky Building, HEP FIVE Ferris Wheel, The National Museum of Art, Tsutenkaku Tower and Osaka Castle. 

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The pass is a must-have for any visit to western Japan’s largest city and definitely lives up to its name offering great value for money. 

We purchased the pass online via the Deep Experience website. You can use the pass on any day you like from April 1, 2023, to April 30, 2024. 

It was a cinch to receive the pass on our day of travel at the Tourist Information Center at JR Osaka Station. The pass comes in a ticket-like form, which you can insert into the ticket wicket at the train station or use the barcode on the ticket for free admission to an amazing number of popular sights. 

We used the Osaka Amazing Pass for one day in Osaka and were able to get into the Umeda Sky Building (¥1,500) and Osaka Castle (¥600) for free using the pass. In fact, we could jump straight to the head of the queue entering Osaka Castle while everyone else was waiting in line to buy a ticket. This saved us an estimated 30-minute wait! 

Unfortunately, you can’t use the pass on the JR Osaka Loop Line but there is no need with the Osaka Metro Line. We were able to use the red Midosuji Line to visit most of the must-see places in Osaka with ease. 

Handy Tip: Make sure you keep the pass away from your smartphone or magnetic cases as this could cause trouble with the pass. 

I would highly recommend the Osaka Amazing Pass for anyone planning to spend a day sightseeing in Osaka. 

Small Buildings of Kyoto: Volume II Book Review

The second volume of John Einarsen’s delightful little picture book, Small Buildings of Kyoto: Volume II has recently been published by Kyoto Journal. The book came about from a hit photo series on Instagram which focused on the charm and visual richness of seemingly ordinary structures in Kyoto. This photo series led to the first edition, Small Buildings of Kyoto being published in 2017.

Kyoto Journal is an award-winning quarterly English magazine founded in Kyoto in 1987 with the goal of presenting cultural insights from Japanese and Asian culture.

The Book’s Content 

Small Buildings of Kyoto: Volume II is a great insight into the real buildings and architecture of Kyoto that usually don’t make it into the books and travel guides about this historic city.

Kyoto, Japan’s ancient capital is famous for its masterpieces of Japanese architecture and UNESCO World Heritage Sites with many of its buildings listed as National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties.

While the buildings in this book might not have the stunning beauty of these national treasures, they do have their own charm and beauty through their quaint and quirky characteristics. Each building has its own story to tell, offering you a fascinating insight into the way Kyotoites live today.

My View 

Why I really like this book? It is compact and full of beautiful colour photos that highlight the enduring charm of Kyoto’s everyday architecture.

The colour photos in the book are not of the iconic postcard-worthy attractions of Kyoto such as Kinkaku-ji (The Golden Pavilion) and Kiyomizu-dera Temple, but the everyday buildings that make up the urban fabric of the city.

I love the range of buildings covered in this book that showcase a mix of influences with some dating from the pre-war Taisho era (1912-1926) and others an interesting hybrid of textures, materials and shapes.

One thing that I really admire about Japanese architecture is how they get the most out of working with limited space to create elegant and graceful structures.

The best way to really get out and explore Kyoto is on foot by walking through the backstreets and tucked-away neighbourhoods that offer you the magic of the everyday charm of modern Kyoto.

This book is perfect for anyone looking to get some real insight on the everyday life of modern Kyoto. The quirky, humble and endearing buildings in the book reveal another side of Japan’s ancient capital city.

About the Writer 

The author, John Einarsen is a photographer and long-term resident of Kyoto. Originally from Colorado, he fell in love with Kyoto on his first trip there and settled down there in the early 1980s. He is the founder editor of Kyoto Journal and has served as an advisor to the Japan Times.

Small Buildings of Kyoto: Volume II is available now from the Kyoto Journal Website.

Ai Deshita by Kanjani8

This week's Japanese Song of the Week is Ai Deshita by Kanjani8, which has debuted at number 1 on the Japanese J-pop Oricon charts.

Kanjani8 (関ジャニ∞) is a seven member boy band from the Kansai region of Japan. They are one of the many artists from the famous Johnny's Entertainment group, which includes Arashi.

The name Kanjani8 is broken up to mean Kan for Kansai, jani for Johnny's and 8 for the Kansai TV Channel 8.