Dating can be a bit of a maze, both the navigating getting to know a potential true love and the places to go on dates to do so. The trick is in figuring out which dating spots are legitimately fun and which ones are shiny tourist bait inflated by Instagram’s algorithm. That’s exactly why Marriage Matching initiated its guide to dating in Japan – to find the best date ideas for you, and give proper warning for the profoundly less romantic, alongside various tips on dating culture in Japan.
These days, Osaka is overflowing with touristy experiences, such as Mario style go karting through Osaka. How do you spot the hidden gems from the overpriced duds? Keep following our series: Tourist Trap or Divine Date as we test out the trends.
Shinsekai is one of Osaka’s most popular neighbourhoods, but is it a good place to go on a date?
Historically, A Place to Party
Shinsekai, 1912, was an exciting, futuristic playground.
Shinsekai, or “New World”, in south Osaka, was the ultimate date spot of the early 20th century. Opening in 1912, it was modeled after Western cities, New York and Paris, with an Eiffel Tower lookalike and its very own Coney Island style theme park. Couples could share adrenaline and popcorn while spinning around the various carnival rides, or cuddle close on a gondola up to the tower. There they could rub the feet of mascot, Billiken, and pray for en-musubi – eternal love.
Billiken, is a spirit of good fortune and luck in love. Despite appearances, he is also considered cute.
Over the decades, particularly from the post-war era until the early 2000s, Shinsekai’s fortunes and reputation soured. The tower burnt down, the theme park closed. This was no longer a place that respectable people visited, let alone brought their dates. The neighbourhood became known for its blue-collar-friendly, cheap fried food and booze served across narrow counter bars.
The New World’s Revival
A bicycle tour group pauses at the gates, learning some history before they venture further.
Shinsekai today feels like it never left the 80s – and that’s a big part of its appeal. Described as “Showa Retro”, the atmosphere here remains grittier than the metal-and-glass shopping playground of Umeda, or the gentrified coffee shop vibes of Horie. A rebuilt Tsutentaku towers over the streets, shifting colours with the weather and Janjan Yokocho Alley is as packed with smokey shops and shogi dens as it’s ever been.
However, there have been some changes. The boom of global tourism that started building in 2015, and truly exploded post-covid, eroded the day labourer crowd looking for something affordable to snack on post work. In their place came hordes of foreign tourists exploring the most Grammable angles to snap their fried things on sticks.
While the pandemic itself put an end to many iconic restaurants, these were quickly replaced by dozens of new izakaya with English speaking menus, cover charges, and large areas capable of seating guests from multiple bus tours.
What was once a local watering hole, visited by the occasional curious backpacker, has become a Top Ten, Must See spot for tourists.
Retro or Rip-off?
Carnival games don’t have the best reputation all round the world, and it’s no different in Japan.
Crane games, ninja star throwing, old-school archery, and trying to knock down packets of chips with a BB gun are some of the charming ways to lose your yen in Shinsekai. These carnival style games are a big part of the neighbourhood’s retro appeal, and attract hundreds of people each night to try their luck.
There is not a high chance of winning. But for couples who can lean into the silliness and cheer each other on, it could become a warm memory to reminisce about in future. Just as long as no one takes losing too personally.
Where To Get The Best Deep Fried Food On Sticks?
It’s believed that the Osakan delicacy, kushi katsu, originated from the Shinsekai counter bar, Kushikatsu Daruma, in 1929.
Wandering the churning, dazzling streets, a couple may ask each other, “Where is the best place to eat?” The answer is: the closest one.
Both the blessing and the curse of contemporary Shinsekai is that all the kushi katsu joints are basically the same. Some will have longer lines out the front, some only offer a seat perched along a counter while others have tables. Some will allow smoking, and many will be noisy. The larger and more English friendly izakaya will charge around 300 yen “cover” per person, materializing as a small shredded carrot and gobo appetiser.
The fun of kushi katsu is in ordering things that one might not normally try unless they were breaded and dipped in boiling oil. It’s a chance to experiment, going past standard options like pork, garlic cloves, and eggplant, to share a stick of quail eggs, some camembert cheese, and fried takoyaki. Though a little oily, something as simple as “What’s on your skewer?” can be a great conversation starter, as well as a way to scope out your date’s food preferences at an early stage in the relationship.
Conclusion: Mild Magic
While post-covid Shinsekai is sliding towards being a “tourist trap”, it retains enough ambience to appeal to couples looking to lose arcade games and take some glitzy “Osaka” selfies together. There is still enough of a flicker of magic left to make it worth at least one visit.
Divine Date Alternative: Nakanoshima
Nakanoshima captures the style of a different, even older, era than Shinsekai.
If Shinsekai is all noise and neon, Nakanoshima is its more refined cousin. This river island in the heart of the city offers an atmosphere that evokes the charm of a bygone era. And whether you’re meeting for a morning stroll or brunch, a date in Nakanoshima offers plenty to explore with your potentially perfect life partner. You can start your day wandering through the Rose Garden, especially lovely in spring and early summer, or take in some quiet inspiration at its various museums.
As the sun sets, the historic Nakanoshima Public Hall lights up in art nouveau splendour. Tucked nearby is Kirip Truman, a stylish bar with river views, vintage flair, and an extremely creative cocktail menu.
If you’re after meaningful conversation and a touch of old-world romance, consider taking a detour to Nakanoshima where even an ordinary evening can take on the glow of something longer lasting.
Dating In Osaka Finding A Balance
Dating with Japanese people, or even if you are just on vacation in Japan with your potential soulmate, comes with a myriad of challenges. For one, if you only ever do the same things, you only get to see a limited section of your partner’s personality and thinking. Dipping into different experiences can yield a fresh look at values in relationships and how the two of you will get along in different situations.
While the chaos of Shinsekai and the Tsutenkaku area of south Osaka may feel less comfortable, certainly far removed from the peace of a date in Kyoto, or enjoying fresh sushi in Shirahama, going to Shinsekai on a date, even if only one, could be worthwhile. You might just want to give it an hour, you might love it. Pushing through different experiences can be a good thing for deepening your relationship, and getting to know if the person you’re with really is your ideal partner.