Yoppi will guide you through the deep nightlife of Fuse, including karaoke Kissa, retro alleyways, and hidden cigar bars.

Hello. I'm Yoppi. The town of Fuse in Higashi-Osaka is definitely my hometown, and it's a town I've been familiar with since I was a child. Recently, Fuse has become known as a town with many great bars that only those in the know are aware of, and it even got an entire feature in the magazine "Meets Regional."

By the way, I currently live in Tokyo, and when I meet people in Tokyo who know about Fuse, such as essayist Inuyama Kamiko, we usually get excited talking about Nichii, and when they say something like, "Nichii's crepes were just so delicious," I shake their hand firmly and say, "I know what you mean!"

Nichii was a department store that used to be located in Fuse. There was a games corner on the rooftop of Nichii, and while mothers were shopping, they would hand out 100 yen coins and say, "Go play with this," and the place would be filled with children who would take the money and enthusiastically play games that cost 10 yen per play.

By the way, Nichii Crepes refers to the crepes from Wagon Boy, which had a shop in the Nichii bicycle parking lot, but has now moved to a new location and is still open near Fuse Station.

Recently, Umeda, Namba, and Tennoji have become much cleaner, and the city of Osaka is changing, but Fuse remains largely unchanged from the past, and still retains a strong sense of "wild Osaka."

The town of Fuse is now attracting tourists from all over Japan and the world, drawn by the retro Showa-era scenery that still remains, including cafe with delicious breakfasts, butcher shops with tasty croquettes, and public baths beloved by locals. We will do our best to report on how Fuse is not only hot during the day, but also at night!

My guide this time will be an Australian named Thomas (pictured right). He met his current wife when he visited Japan and they got married. After moving to Japan, he has been working as a tour guide, mainly for foreigners. He usually goes to the classic spots like Dotonbori, Shinsaibashi, and Shinsekai, but this is his first time in Fuse. Today, I'd like to show you around the town of Fuse, focusing on shops that can assist you in English!

*In Japan, drinking and smoking are only permitted for people over the age of 20. This is Japanese law and applies to everyone, including foreign nationals, without exception.

Enjoy international teppanyaki cuisine at Yoshihiro, a famous restaurant in Fuse

"To get to know Fuse's nightlife, you first need to fill your stomach," so our first stop was the famous okonomiyaki restaurant "Yoshihiro."

Yoshihiro is a long-established okonomiyaki restaurant that was founded 77 years ago, and has been operating in Fuse since shortly after the war.

Yoshihiro is not just great because it is a long-established restaurant, but because it also offers menu items that you won't find at ordinary okonomiyaki restaurants.

In fact, the third generation owner of Yoshihiro has worked as a chef in the United States, and he has made use of his experience to create a multinational teppanyaki menu that includes dishes like galettes, mie goreng, and cheese fondue. English is also available, making it perfect for guiding foreign tourists!

Of course, the okonomiyaki is also delicious!

Not only are the menu items delicious, but one of the things I love about Yoshihiro is that the young staff members are energetic and always provide pleasant service.

Because I love Yoshihiro so much, I kept telling people on X (formerly Twitter) that "If you come to Fuse, you should definitely go to Yoshihiro," and as a result, the shop staff now remember my face and say, "Thank you as always!", which is a little embarrassing.

And when you hear that the business has been in business for 77 years, you might be worried, wondering, "Is everything okay? Will there be a successor?" But don't worry!

Jankara Deep Fuse: A unique snack bar-style karaoke bar

"Well, I'll show you a great place," he said, bringing Thomas to the karaoke chain "Jankara." You might be thinking, "Huh? Aren't Jankara places everywhere?" But take a closer look at the name of the store. It's "Jankara Deep Fuse Branch." Deep...?

Yes, in fact, this Jankara in Fuse is the first Jankara store to adopt an open counter.

The open counter that was experimentally introduced at the Fuse store was well received, and it seems that there are now stores using this same method all over the country, but it is moving to think that this store is where it originated.

The open counter allows customers to get excited, become friends with each other, and leave with a casual promise to come again, building relationships like that.

The interior of the store is designed to resemble a snack bar district, and there are many private rooms available, each with its own unique character.

This is the "Wire Mesh Bang Girls" room. Have fun imitating the headbanging* of the Bang Girls who take their places in the front row.


*Headbang: Short for "headbanging." This is the act of swinging your hair wildly and moving your head up and down in time with the music. Apparently, many people hurt their necks by doing this too much, so be careful.

It was timed to coincide with Oasis's Japan tour, so we had them sing, and of course, they were great. Native English speakers really make a difference...!

By the way, there is even an all-you-can-drink alcohol bar, but please be careful not to drink too much and then start headbanging, as this can be quite disastrous...!

Cheers at the food stall! Hot oden and fried ramen "Old-fashioned"

After burning off the calories at karaoke, we got a bit hungry, so we headed to Jidai Okure. Jidai Okure was started by the local owner with the slogan "Let's import Fukuoka's food stall culture to Osaka!" The restaurant is built like a food stall, and you can eat Fukuoka soul food such as "yaki ramen."

Fuse is often described as a "good old Showa-era retro shopping street," but it has become increasingly international, with establishments ranging from Fukuoka-style food stalls to Korean and Vietnamese izakayas, Indian and Sri Lankan spice shops, and more, making it a rather chaotic and interesting place.

The clear broth of the salted oden is delicious and goes perfectly with alcohol.

Oden and beer at a food stall! That looks great!

Aizenkoji: A backstreet with a Showa-era atmosphere

Next up was Aizen-shoji, a typical alleyway that still retains the atmosphere of the Showa era, but while retaining that alley vibe, it has also become lively recently with the opening of up-and-coming new shops.

I think foreigners would also be pleased with this kind of Showa-era alley.

A huge collection of Japanese retro games! Dagashi bar "Neverlando"

After leaving Aizenkoji, we went to Neverland, a candy bar where you can play as many retro games as you want, including Famicom and Super Famicom games. On this day, we played "Street Fighter II," and being a gamer who used to play it hard in my student days, I beat Thomas to a pulp. I'm very sorry.

A huge selection of cheap snacks lined up everywhere! So nostalgic!

Neverlando, which allows even a middle-aged man like me to go back to my elementary school days, was recently featured on the cover of Meets, which featured the town of Fuse! Who would have thought that Meets would feature Fuse...?!

Stroll around the shopping district.

"During festivals, a huge danjiri float passes through here," he explains.

Here is a photo from that time.
Fuse's shopping district is also a popular place for festivals, and in addition to the "Saturday Night Market" which is held regularly in the summer, various other festivals are held, such as "Yokai Atsume," "Fuse Pro Wrestling," "Children's Festival," and "Music Fair."

Search for the town's ghosts! The mysterious charm of "Fuse" lurking in the downtown shopping district

Bar Rack Spirits: A hideaway for rum and cigars

And finally, we came across "BAR RACK SPIRITS".

The door is actually a cigarette vending machine!
Even Thomas was surprised by this!

Although the main focus of this bar is rum, we also recommend trying some cigars when you come here!

I was complimented, "Your smoking technique looks great."

I don't know anything about cigars, but they also give recommendations on pairings like "this cigar goes with this alcohol," so it's easy for beginners to understand!

Recently, there have been many customers who have been recommended by SEKAI HOTEL (described below), who have searched for the hotel on Google Maps, and there are also many tourists from overseas.
Fuse is a town with many lively establishments reminiscent of a downtown area, so this is the place to come if you want to enjoy some adult drinks in a relaxed atmosphere!

Recommended spots for locals

This is the SEKAI HOTEL Deep Osaka Experience, a completely new type of hotel with guest rooms scattered throughout the shopping arcade.

SEKAI HOTEL renovates vacant stores and houses in the shopping district and uses them as the hotel's reception and guest rooms.

The large public bath at SEKAI HOTEL is a local public bath, the dinner venue is Yoshihiro, which we introduced at the beginning, and the breakfast venue is a cafe with breakfast. People are actively walking around the town centered around SEKAI HOTEL, and many people are coming to the town of Fuse, saying, "This is something new!"

Naniwa Health Land Yutopia

Along with SEKAI HOTEL, Naniwa Kenko Land Yutopia is a popular destination for sauna lovers from all over Japan. I've been frequenting this hot spring facility since I was a child, but with the arrival of the sauna boom, the facility has undergone extensive renovations, and is now one of the most popular facilities in Osaka.

Hotels in Osaka city have become much more expensive recently, so many business travelers have made Yutopia their regular lodging. We also recommend taking a bath before going out drinking!

*People with tattoos will not be allowed to enter.
*Only available in Japanese

Craftbeer Tavern

Craft Beer Tavern is a bar and dining bar located right near Fuse Station. We always have six delicious draft craft beers on tap, mainly from Kansai breweries such as Minoh Beer and Kyoto Brewery.

There are plenty of dishes to choose from, including sausages, tandoori chicken, and fish and chips, all of which go well with alcohol! The spacious interior can accommodate up to 70 people, making it the perfect place to enjoy drinks with family and friends.

In the Osaka area, in a truly Osaka-like setting

So, we have introduced various things about the town of Fuse that are recommended for foreigners as well.
When you think about it, when we travel, it's fun to go to the "main tourist spots," of course, but it's also fun to drop into these local, lively alleys where locals gather. After touring the typical places like Dotonbori and Shinsekai, I think it would be fun to go bar-hopping in a town like Fuse, where the good old days of Osaka remain intact.

If you meet someone from Osaka after having fun in Fuse, be sure to tell them, "I went drinking in Fuse the other day." They'll probably be amused and say, "You went to a deep place!" That's the kind of town Fuse is.