Foreigners traveling to Japan seem to consider the “Big 3” to be Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. As we had already explored Tokyo and Kyoto, it was time to check out another of Japan's biggest cities: Osaka. If you happen to have a JR pass (as I did), you can take the JR all around this city! We decided to stay at Drop Inn Osaka for our first time in Osaka.
The Accommodation.
Drop Inn Osaka has some of the best dorms around. Each person has his or her own cubby – walls on each side, a curtain or screen to pull down in front, a nightstand, and a light. I somehow ended up in a 29 person dorm (yes, you heard me right: 29 people, 1 room), and yet it was one of the quietest rooms I have ever slept in. The futons were comfortable, the room was silent, and I slept like a baby!
The Facilities.
Drop Inn Osaka has a large common room with tables and chairs equipped with outlets. There's also a traditional tatami-floored room, a kitchen, and a shop if you want to buy a snack.
Drop Inn Osaka offers free tea and coffee in the mornings, and has ample vending machines as well. Our favorite part of Drop Inn Osaka, however, was the laundry facilities. It was only 200 yen (2 USD) for a wash (including detergent) and 100 yen (1 USD) for a dry! Prices like that are extremely difficult to come by.
The Location.
Centrally located, Drop Inn Osaka made it easy to access the main destinations throughout the city. It's situated right near the Fukushima Station, a JR Station whose trains you can take all over Osaka.
With traveling around the city being so easy, we went to check out the Osaka Castle and the Kuromon-Ichiba.
We personally found Osaka Castle to be far too touristy (which is one of the reasons why I loved Matsumoto Castle so much), and so we didn't spend much time on the premises.
We did walk to the main market area though, Kuromon-Ichiba, where we had a taste of some traditional Japanese foods. Here I tried Takoyaki (delicious fried balls of octopus) and Warabimochi (which was a bit too slimy for my liking!).
After a few hours wandering Osaka, we headed back to Drop Inn Hostel, ate some dinner, and snuggled into our cozy cubbies for a much-needed deep sleep.
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**Special thanks to Drop Inn Osaka and Japan Experience for sponsoring my journey. As always, all opinions are my own.
