Uniqlo For Your Clothing Needs

Need to buy some stylish yet modestly priced clothing during your stay in Osaka?

Uniqlo is Japan’s largest retail clothing chain. Visiting one of their stores in downtown Osaka should be on your list of things to do if clothing or the need to buy clothing (it’s getting chilly outside!) interests you.

Uniqlo rose to dominance in the 1990’s during the tough days of Japan’s economic recession. Their angle has always been to sell casual, quality clothing but at very cheap prices. Since that time, the brand has exploded in popularity, expanded globally and now attracts a more fashion savvy crowd.

Although Uniqlo is still a superb place to shop for essential clothing items, they now offer such specialties as raw selvedge denim.

Uniqlo’s conservative style, hard-to-beat prices and trustworthy quality make their brand a safe bet, especially for on-the-run travelers.

There’s a Uniqlo store quite close to Hotel Kinki if you can find it, but I recommend visiting the one in Yodobashi Camera as it's larger and may offer a greater selection of goods.

Hand Warmers For Travelers

Japan has been using chemical hand warmers for decades; they are extremely common in use and are sold almost everywhere during the winter season.

These disposable pouches of self-generating heat are referred to as ‘kairo’ and can bought at any convenience store or pharmacy for quite cheap.

Businesses in Osaka have a habit of keeping their customers toasty warm, which can mean experiencing extreme temperature differences as you transfer from the street into various indoor environments. Foreigners to the region often find such large temperature swings uncomfortable.

Using hand warmers to quickly apply or remove heat may be a good idea if you find yourself constantly over and under heated as you travel throughout the city.

Tennoji Zoo in Osaka

If you’re an animal lover or traveling with kids, you might want to check out Tennoji Zoo.

Located in the southern entrance to the city, this large animal exhibit can be reached by riding the Midosuji Subway Line to Dobutsuen-Mae Station. From Hotel Kinki, this is only a short trip to the other side of the city.

Admission to the zoo is 500 yen. The gates are opened at 9:30am and closed in the early evening. There is much to see at Tennoji Zoo, so you’ll want to set aside at least a half-day to check out the main attractions.

Over 300 species of animals live at the zoo. Some of the more popular animals can be found in the Savannah exhibit.

Kansai fashion is always interesting to watch as well :)

There are also many reptiles on display in an indoor exhibit.

After your trip to the zoo is complete, you might want to walk around Tennoji for a bit. This area of Osaka is infamous for being a little… poor. But it's a great opportunity to soak in some blue collar Kansai culture!

Visit Arashiyama Near Kyoto

Arashiyama is one of the most picturesque places to visit in Japan. This popular tourist destination lies just west of Kyoto. Guests at Hotel Kinki can walk to Hankyu Umeda Station and travel there in about 40 minutes.

Arashiyama features many historical points of interest and is absolutely essential to visit during autumn leaf viewing season (right now!).

One of the best places to check out in Arashiyama is Iwatayama Monkey Park. After a short hike up the mountain, you’ll find yourself literally surrounded by wild Japanese snow monkeys!

The monkeys are tame enough to safely be around humans, but feeding them is only permitted in a special area.

At the base of Mt. Arashi you’ll find amazing historic sites like the romantic Togetsukyo Bridge (Moon Crossing Bridge), Tenryuji Temple and Hozu River with row boats that you can rent.

Late November to early December is the ideal time to visit Arashiyama to view the autumn leaves at the height of their brilliance, just like the Japanese have been doing for well over a thousand years!