It’s hard to describe Osaka, but I could totally live there.  It was mostly leveled during WWII, so it doesn’t have as much ancient culture as some other cities, but it more than makes up for it with its Blade Runner-esque nightscapes and its unique blend of pop/ Japanese hipster culture, music scene, and nightlife.  The first thing that jumped out at us was that we are able to walk from the train station to our hotel, without ever seeing the sky.  Miles and miles of tunnels ( all lined with bars, restaurants, antique bookshops, pastry shops, and innumerable odd but interesting stores) connected the subway to our hotel.  During the morning, we would wander the tunnels finding incredible bakeries and coffee shops and at night we would wander the tunnels finding assorted snacks, beers, and bars.  Amanda particularly loved a store called Tokyu Hands.  It is sort of like Bed, Bath, and Beyond on steroids, except it’s 8 stories tall and has a variety of artisinal products and zany gadgets.  Another cool part about Osaka is that it is in close proximity to several other interesting and fun places in Japan.