Osaka

Osaka City:

getting about:

Osaka is huge, and it's best to navigate it by subway. The city puts out an official guide pamphlet, which despite its deceptively small size is bursting with clear maps and ideas for things to do. That pamphlet is about all you need, since Osaka's not so big on tourist sites.

to stay:

Hotel Raizan South - no curfew and really cheap (about ￥2200 a night). Western or Japanese style rooms and most are singles. Very simple and a little bare but really close to the subway. The hours for the bath suck - women have limited hours. Phone: 066-647-2195.

http://www.raizan.com/

Hotel Chuo - right next to the Raizen, check for a curfew. http://www.hotel-chuo.com/english/index.html (Both are located at Midosuji (red) line's Dobotsumae station, or JR Shin-imammiya)

Capsule Inn Nanba - possibly the only Capsule hotel in Osaka for female guests. Pretty dirty and loud and had a nearly unworkable shower. Cheap. Kind of hard to find. In a love hotel district. Cabbies can never find it.

Dotombori Hotel in the heart of the Namba district. The hotel is really unique as it has 4 stone faces on the front. It's also located in a really lively and fun part of Osaka.

http://www.japanhotel.net/data/hotel_information.asp?HotelID=273&area=OSAKA

Hotel Kansai - really close to Osaka station (5-10 minutes walking), cheap, and not super shady. Which is not to say it's the nicest place in the world either, but the location is convenient, the staff is friendly and speaks English and overall, I thought it's ok. http://www.hotel-kansai.co.jp/english/

Not Recommended:

Osaka Downtown Hostel a.k.a. Olivers, Oliver's International Hostel - 0ne alt had a terrible experience. Here are some comments.

"It was overcrowded, the bunks are home-made, flimsy, 3 people high and have nails sticking out. The owner (who isn't Japanese btw) doesn't care about his guests, he just wants to pack as many people in as possible so he can make more money. He is disrespectful to his guests, condescending and trys to rip his guests off. The place is filthy! The showers are dirty. There is no place to even put clean clothes down. The "guest kitchen" is covered in food and dirt. The sheets are not changed when a guest leaves. The location is NOT in Namba as it says on the website. It is in Imamiya which is by far the sketchiest place I have ever been in Japan. The website says: breakfast included: there is no breakfast. Security lockers: it has none; Towels: none. Laundry: washing machine 700 yen, no soap"

to see:

Sumo - cheapest tickets 3,000 yen, sitting in "bleacher" (?) type seats with backs. You can see the wrestlers, but they're farther away. To get good pics, go during the morning or early afternoon down to the center ring. The amatures are wrestling then so there isn't a big crowd. In the late afternoon you'll have to go back to your seat when the stadium starts filling up.

For the more expensive seats, you'll be on seat cushions up front in a box - four people to a box. If you're a big fan, pay more money for better seats. For tickets on the last day of the tournament, however, the box seats sell out quickly.

Spa World - a hotel with a whole pile of different onsens on three levels. Open 24 hours, you'll need your bathing suit for the family pools.

Osaka's highly regarded aquarium.

Osaka Castle, but keep in mind that the castle is a reconstruction in concrete, complete with elevator, and houses a museum (pretty nice museum if you're interested in Hideyoshi and the history of Osaka Castle).

eating, drinking and partying:

Pure (dance, hip hop) or Grand Cafe (house, trance). Both clubs are recommended and are at the Shinsaibashi Subway stop. Each costs about ￥2500, but Pure has an all-you-can-drink included in that price.

Kansai Airport

to stay:

Ramada Kansai - affordable rates, 15 minutes from the airport with an hourly shuttle, clean and awesome rooms, courteous English-speaking staff.