Osaka & Our Final Farewell: The Perfect Ending to Our Japan Adventure

For our last few nights, we treated ourselves to a touch of luxury — because after 3 weeks of exploring, adventuring and a lot of theme parks, I always love to finish on something special. The Four Seasons Hotel Osaka, opened in 2024, absolutely delivered. It was elegant, peaceful, beautifully designed… and let me just talk for a moment about the cake shop.

The strawberry shortcake.
THE strawberry shortcake.
Quite possibly the best cake I’ve ever eaten — and that says a lot given how much we ate in Japan. Every single day we ended up back at that little counter, “just to look”… and inevitably left with another slice. It became our sweet little Osaka ritual.

Aquariums, Hot Dogs & Wandering Without a Plan

After all the excitement of Universal Studios at the start of our trip, this time we wanted something different — so we decided to explore Osaka at a slower, more relaxed pace.

Our first big stop was the Osaka Aquarium, home to the enormous whale shark gliding calmly through its ocean-blue tank. Watching it move felt almost hypnotic. The boys were wide-eyed the entire time. And just outside? The biggest hot dogs we’d ever seen. Japan loves a themed snack and we fully embraced it.

Because we didn’t have a guide in Osaka, we did what we love most — walked, wandered and got wonderfully lost. It’s such a fun city for that. We stumbled through colourful backstreets, snacked on things we couldn’t always identify, and eventually found ourselves at Tsutenkaku Tower.

The tower sits in Shinsekai, one of the quirkiest, most vibrant pockets of Osaka. Think neon lights, retro arcades, street food stalls sizzling away, and giant blow-up pufferfish signs swinging overhead. It felt playful, loud, happy — and the boys were buzzing.

teamLab Magic

That evening, as the sun set, we headed to teamLab Botanical Garden — and it was like stepping into a dream. The gardens transform into a world of glowing shapes, shifting colours and lights that seem to breathe with the trees. The boys darted between illuminated sculptures. We wandered slowly behind, taking in the magic. It was peaceful and electric at the same time — only Japan can do that.

A Day of Castles & Sumo

The next morning brought another classic: Osaka Castle. It rises above the city like something from a storybook — grand, white, gold, and surrounded by huge grounds that feel almost royal. Walking up to it, you can almost imagine the samurai who once lived and fought here.

But the real surprise of the evening was our sumo experience. Not an official tournament, but a performance created for travellers — and honestly? It was brilliant.

So full of energy, humour, theatre and culture.
The boys laughed the whole way through.
We learned the rituals, the history, the traditions — and watched enormous men move with the grace and precision of dancers. It was impossible not to be swept up in it.

A Glimpse of the Future

On our final day, we visited Expo 2025 Osaka, which had already opened when we were there in April — and wow, it was impressive. Walking through the site felt like stepping into the future. The architecture, the technology, the scale of it all… it was bold, creative and so completely, wonderfully Japan. Every turn revealed something new, and it genuinely felt like being part of a moment the whole world is watching.

Reflecting on a Country That Stole Our Hearts

As we packed our bags for the final time, I couldn’t help but reflect on everything we had experienced.

We began in Tokyo, jumping between Pokémon cafés, ancient shrines and neon skylines.
We soaked in hot springs in Hakone with Mount Fuji peeking through the mist.
We celebrated birthdays in Osaka, folded paper cranes in Hiroshima, and cycled beneath cherry blossoms in Kyoto.
We met geishas, learned ninja moves, tried tea ceremonies, raced Mario Karts, saw castles, admired temples, and ate our bodyweight in mochi and strawberry cake.

Everywhere we went, people smiled.
Everyone queued politely.
Even the theme park staff waved enthusiastically all day long, and I genuinely think that alone could brighten anyone’s mood.

Japan is unlike anywhere else — warm, kind, safe, clean, quirky, beautiful and endlessly fascinating. And after three weeks, I still feel like we only touched the surface.

Japan… You Were Extraordinary. And I Can’t Wait to Help You Discover It Too.

From Tokyo to Hakone, Hiroshima to Kyoto, and finally Osaka — each city gave us something totally different. Each moment felt special. And together, they created a trip I will treasure forever.

If you’re even thinking about Japan…
If it’s on your bucket list…
Or even just a “one day maybe”…
Get in touch. I would absolutely love to help you fall in love with Japan just as much as I did.