I went on a PRIVATE tour around the real Osaka

With Expo 2025 in Osaka coming up, I was invited on a private tour to showcase the real parts of Osaka㊗️💃 This is not your basic Osaka trip of eating takoyaki in Dotonbori. Come with me to meet the real people and places that make Osaka unique 🗽

Click the link below to see all the other great spots Osaka has to offer!👇
https://machigotoexpo.jp/

📷 see more updates from me on my insta! @tokuyuutv

Timestamps:
0:00 private tour? real Osaka??
0:19 pack your parachutes
0:41 not yo basic Osaka trip
0:59 Nakatsu??
1:26 the monster strikes
1:41 feeling so home-y
2:16 obaachan fighting for her life
2:42 my big break??
3:06 America, the capital of Osaka
3:46 our guide’s a rockstar
4:12 let’s get swaggerin
4:36 new record
5:16 Gan-channn!
6:00 the power of paper
6:16 Pepe Django get saxxy
7:05 the real Osaka?

I’ve been invited on a private tour to see the real Osaka Not visiting your basic ass tourist sites like Dotonbori and Osaka Castle Come check out what the real Osaka is! Ridin’ on the kitchen bus, let’s go! I had the honour to meet Tatsu Nishino on the bus, a renowned Japanese artist who’s done works of art on the Hachiko statue in Shibuya and the Merlion in Singapore. Our first stop is Nakatsu, a little known area despite only being a 2-minute train ride from Umeda city centre Our guide today is Mariko Yamada, a leading figure for Nakatsu uplift She guided us through the streets, showing off a masking tape specialty store, a terrace for community gatherings, and a flower shop – seems pretty homey and cute That was until we were attacked by a 5-eyed monster around this corner… called Myaku-myaku, the mascot for the 2025 World Expo to be held in Osaka. We were guided to the main shopping street and treated to craft cola made by students of Kansai University and locally made spice curry, which Nakatsu is famous for. The shopping street itself had a retro homey feel to it like it had been preserved since the 80s Nothing like the modern shopping streets where you feel like you can’t breathe To add to the homey feel, as soon as we turned the corner we were surrounded by traditional Japanese houses. These ones were even converted to shops We thanked Yamada-san and jumped back on the bus. After our relaxing trip in Nakatsu I was not ready for how crazy this tour was about to get. While I eat the Nakatsu spice curry I’m asked to interview for a regional TV network I can’t show the clips cause of copyright but just know I was famous and on Japanese television Our next stop is Amemura, or American village. Now you wouldn’t think the hub for true Osakan culture is called American village, but it’s got an interesting history The area used to be a dead space filled with warehouses, but in 1969 interior designer Mariko Higiri opened a cafe called LOOP, which quickly attracted young designers and creatives to the area These creatives then began to convert the warehouses into shops with American goods like clothing and records. Imports that were hard to get your hands on back then It was then nicknamed American village and to this day is famous for thrifting, live music, and expression of individuality. Something that’s rare in Japan but is true Osakan culture Our Amemura guide is Gima Kenta, lead singer of the Osaka band ‘I was born’ I felt so powerful having our own live band cheer us from behind and I could feel everyone in Amemura watching us As we get on the bus, we notice a surprise guest: Gan-chan who won the national competition for kami-shibai, paper theatre. kami-shibai is a traditional Japanese form of story-telling, where the performer flips through individual hand-drawn cards while narrating in a captivating way. Basically, the Japanese were doing anime even before TV was invented But their numbers began to rapidly decline after the advent of TV Gan-chan gave us a performance on the 2025 Expo which had everyone smiling and laughing When I asked him what kami-shibai does the technology can’t, this is what he said: The final appearance is Pepe Django, a guitar-sax duo from downtown Osaka I absolutely love their playful energy So what is the real Osaka? Whether it’s live performances, expression of individuality, or homey shopping streets, Osaka is about creating positive vibes and laughing with the people around you So don’t be afraid to explore and have a fun conversation See you guys next time