Exploring the shops, playing games, and soaking up the view—just a solid day with the kids in one of our favourite cities.
We spent the day in Osaka doing something the kids absolutely love—shopping. Not the grown-up kind. The good kind. Bright colours, stacked shelves, the promise of toys and snacks around every corner.
We were staying at the Centara Grand by Namba Parks, which puts you right in the middle of it all—shops, arcades, restaurants, the lot. Step outside and it’s all there waiting for you.
Yamada: A Multi-Level Playground
We headed to Yamada, a multi-storey shopping mall that felt like it was designed specifically to short-circuit any kid’s brain. The lower floor was pure chaos in the best way—half toy paradise, half gaming centre. Neon lights, demo stations, crane games, boxed figures, and a soundtrack of happy noise.
“I could live here,” one of them said. “You’d eat instant noodles forever,” I replied. “That’s fine.”
Toy Aisles and Sibling Banter
They both made a beeline straight for the stuff they’d seen online. One grabbed a figure from Bleach, the other picked out something pink, sparkly, and “definitely useful.”
“You’re only getting one thing each,” I said, fully knowing how that would play out. “Technically, this comes as a set,” was the reply. Fair.
Arcade Pit Stop
Next, the games. They clocked the Switch demo setup in seconds, parked themselves down and went head-to-head in Mario Kart.
She raced like she had something to prove. He played it cool, quiet, focused. Classic energy.
“I won by a little bit,” she claimed. “You were 12th,” he replied. “Yeah, but it felt like first.”
Back at the Hotel
Later that afternoon, we chilled in the lounge at Centara Grand. Big windows. Bigger view. The city stretched out below like a miniature set. The kids stared out at the buildings, counting towers. He curled up with snacks and a manga. Total peace—for about eight minutes.
Final Thought
Osaka has this way of turning ordinary days into good memories without trying too hard. The shops, the energy, the neon buzz—all of it felt alive but never overwhelming.
By the end of it, we weren’t weighed down by shopping bags—just a couple of good finds, tired legs, and the kind of easy, happy tiredness that only comes from a day well spent with your favourite people.