Gomenase, I really can't love Nakazakicho in Osaka! No, no, no!

Sorry Nakazakicho, I really tried hard to like you, but I just can't!! I deeply regret spending hours here! · Before coming, I was moved by words like "niche" and "hidden gem," imagining a fun neighborhood with few tourists where I could happily explore. · ❌ What I felt was not nostalgia, but pure decay. Many shops and residences do keep their old appearance, but they lack the carefully maintained atmosphere. Rather than being artistic, it feels more like a somewhat rundown ordinary old community. · ❌ If you expect exquisite, photogenic cafes and vintage shops, you might be disappointed here—there are far fewer shops to visit than imagined, and they are scattered. · ❌ What made me most uncomfortable was the feeling of offending as a tourist. This is essentially a residential area where local elderly people live in these houses. Everywhere there are signs in Chinese characters saying "Please be quiet" and "Please do not photograph us." That feeling of "I'm disturbing other people's lives" far outweighs the joy of exploring. · ▫️▫️▫️To sum up▫️▫️▫️ If you, like me, want rich shopping options and a comfortable experience, then Nakazakicho might really not be for you. Behind its slow pace is a real sense of life and a hint of unavoidable aging. · I'm writing down my true feelings not to deny it, but to say: travel is like drinking water, only you know if it's warm or cold. · Nakazakicho might be quite nice, and some people might really like it, but we just don't get along.