Standing at Shibuya Scramble Crossing for the first time, what struck me most was the sheer density of the crowds. As soon as the light turns green, people from all directions instantly pour into the intersection, creating a spectacular, endless flow. Viewed from above, they look like a huge colony of ants moving neatly through the city. Seeing this in person, I could feel Tokyo's busy yet vibrant urban rhythm.
Shibuya Scramble Intersection | Review by Linda Liao
Other Reviews by Linda Liao
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ROYCE' Nama Chocolate
Founded in 1983 in Higashi-ku, Sapporo, ROYCE' set out with the ambition of creating chocolate that rivals the best of Europe. Now, as an immovably popular chocolate maker from Hokkaido, their signature menu item is "Nama Chocolate."
ROYCE' Nama Chocolate is one of the must-buy souvenirs at Japanese airports. It has a smooth, delicate texture that melts in your mouth, with rich milky and cocoa aromas blending together. It’s sweet without being too rich, so it’s no wonder it has remained so popular. Whenever I bring some home to share with friends and family, it almost always receives unanimous praise, making it a great gift.
When I was at the airport at the beginning of this year, I unexpectedly spotted the pistachio flavor. Since I’ve always loved pistachios, of course I bought it right away! The rich, nutty aroma paired with the nama chocolate added another layer of flavor that made it hard to stop eating one after another. -
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Shinsaibashi
Shinsaibashi is part of Osaka Minami’s downtown along with ” Dotonbori.” It covers Shinsaibashi-suji Shopping Street, West Shinsaibashi and East Shinsaibashi. Osaka Metro Midosuji Line / Nagahori Tusrumi Ryokuchi Line’s Shinsaibashi Station and Yotsubashi Line’s Yotsubashi Station are the gates to Shinsaibashi. It is a walking distance to Namba and can be a convenient base for touring around Osaka. There are many lodgings also.
Shinsaibashi Shopping Street has a lively atmosphere and is lined with all kinds of clothing stores, drugstores, restaurants, and souvenir shops. You can really enjoy browsing around〜
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551HORAI Main store
Founded in 1945, this Chinese restaurant is so famous in Osaka that there is no one who does not know about it. It is located in the Ebisubashi-suji shopping street of Namba in the middle of Minami, Osaka.
551 Horai's pork buns are a very well-known local snack. No matter which location you pass by, you'll often see a line, so they're clearly very popular. I bought one to try because I thought, “Since I'm here, I have to try it.” The filling tasted pretty good, with fragrant meat and a distinctive overall flavor.
However, for my personal taste, the dough was a little too soft and lacked some of the springiness and chewiness commonly found in Taiwanese pork buns. It tasted noticeably different from the pork buns I'm used to in Taiwan. Although I didn't particularly want to buy one again after trying it this time, it's still one of Osaka's most iconic foods, so I recommend that anyone who hasn't had one try it for themselves and experience the appeal of this famous shop with long lines. -
