Osaka's Kawaii Photo Spots & Sweets! Kuua's Guide to Lolita Fashion and Tips for Taking Amazing Photos

Thanks to the influence of Japanese anime, manga, and fashion, the word "KAWAII" has become widely known around the world, including in English-speaking countries. It is said to be the Japanese word that has spread the most around the world since the beginning of the 21st century.

Takeshita Street in Harajuku, Tokyo, is known as the birthplace of this KAWAII culture, where a variety of fashion and sweets that will make you say "cute!" are born.

However, KAWAII culture isn't just found in Tokyo. Osaka's downtown areas of Namba and Umeda also have many spots where you can enjoy colorful sweets and unique fashion.

Our guide to Osaka's KAWAII spots this time will be kuua, an illustrator who is known as a representative of "yami kawaii" and has fans all over the world. She has over 110,000 followers on Instagram.

We will be touring the area with Sandra, a university student from Ukraine who has been in Japan for three years and loves Japanese anime and manga.

Speaking of Osaka's KAWAII culture, this is the place to go! Dotonbori "PINK KAWAII"

Our first stop was "PINK KAWAII," located near the Dotonbori Glico sign. The shop has a toy box or amusement park-like atmosphere, and the theme is a fashion show by the dolls (staff). There are no set uniforms, and the dolls dressed in their own unique KAWAII outfits are spreading KAWAII culture from Osaka to the world.

Fashion, art and other events are also held irregularly in the store, and Kuua says she even performed at one when the store first opened.

We ordered from the lunch menu! The rainbow-colored pizza and the green and pink carbonara made a big impact! Everyone was wondering how it tasted, and it was delicious. It was like eating in a dream.

The colorful cream soda comes in a choice of eight flavors and can be customized with three toppings. You can also add nine additional toppings (for an additional fee), making it perfect for celebrating your favorite idol!

Take some KAWAII photos, eat, and get some at HEP FIVE in Umeda

Moving from Namba to Umeda, we next arrived at the commercial complex "HEP FIVE." Characterized by its bright red Ferris wheel, it's a landmark of Umeda that attracts young people in particular. From the basement level to the sixth floor, there are around 160 shops selling trendy items like fashion, miscellaneous goods, and character goods.

TAMLO, located on the 7th floor, is a food and beverage floor that was completely renovated in September 2023. It was designed with the concept of a place for young people to hang out, and has a wide range of public spaces that are convenient for takeout and resting. Each area has a different photogenic design. Another attraction is the pop-up space "TAMLAB," which rotates popular gourmet food for a limited time.

The waffle tower and strawberry milk latte are sure to look great on Instagram!

Inside the spacious Tamlo, the couple headed to PINK WOO WAFFLE. This cafe serves homemade waffles made with fruit and original whipped cream, and pairing them with colorful sodas and lattes is sure to be Instagram-worthy!

Menus are also available in English and Chinese, so foreign tourists can order with ease.

Sanrio Shop that tickles the hearts of adult women

HEP FIVE is home to Sanrio vivitix, a shop for Sanrio, a character brand known worldwide. Its product lineup and store design are more geared towards adult women than traditional Sanrio stores. Located in the heart of Umeda, the HEP FIVE store is visited by many tourists from overseas every day.

Sanrio vivitix also has a wide selection of practical items for adult women, such as pouches and tumblers. Kuua, who loves Hello Kitty , and Sandra, who loves Kuromi, reach out for the products that catch their eye while holding stuffed toys borrowed for the photo shoot.

XR photo spot where you can take photos with Hello Kitty

Good news for Hello Kitty fans! On the third floor of HEP FIVE, there is a photo spot where you can easily take photos with XR Hello Kitty using your smartphone.

Not only can you enjoy the XR experience, but you can also take photos in a frame that combines Hello Kitty with Osaka Castle and Tsutenkaku Tower! Why not create some cute memories of Osaka with Hello Kitty?

*The Osaka sightseeing app "Discover OSAKA®" must be installed.

Enjoy a hands-free Lolita fashion photo shoot

The final stop on our day touring KAWAII spots was Royal Princess Alice Studio. This studio has five concept zones on one floor, and they also rent out dresses they make themselves, so you can enjoy a Lolita photo shoot empty-handed.

Kuua has collaborated with this studio in the past on dress production! While Sandra is getting changed, she interacts with the studio's mascot cat, Noah. *We received special permission to interact with the cat inside the studio during the interview.

This was Sandra's first time wearing authentic Lolita fashion. She struggled a little to put on the panniers, but the moment she put on the dress, she got excited and got into photoshoot mode.

A photographer will be present on the day, but there are also free rentals of tripods, photography lights, and selfie lights, so even beginners and those traveling alone can feel at ease. Small items such as a full-length mirror, brushes, elastics, and pins can also be borrowed, making it easy to change your look.

From dreamy, cute cafes to character shops, photo spots, and even Lolita photo studios, Osaka is full of KAWAII spots where you can fully enjoy what you love and what's cute. As kuua says, "It makes me want to go to places where this outfit suits me," cute clothes are like magic that transports you to a new world. When you put on your favorite outfit, your gestures and facial expressions naturally soften, and your excitement is reflected in your photos.

The secret to taking great photos is to use natural light and your own personality. Cherish the moments that make your heart flutter, and go out and find your own unique KAWAII.