u/AnimatedRealitytv2

Hey everyone, I (26m) moved to Osaka April 1st to work and I am absolutely loving the main area like Namba and some outskirting areas.

I found myself in a routine of going to Namba on my days off (basically only Saturday or holidays) to play in poker tournaments at a certain spot that is very receptive to foreigners even if the dealers speak limited English. I’ve lived in Japan a year and can get over the barrier. It’s lively as hell, especially at the right table or later in the evening. I’d love a friend to hang out with and play poker. Mind you if you’re good at it, or sometimes lucky, you can spend 6+ hours sitting there playing poker and talking to locals. I either bust out early or end up there till 9:30 if I get really lucky. I usually spend between 2-6 thousand for 2-6 hours of entertainment and playing my favorite game.

I love Namba, so even if it’s not fully a poker hangout and just a bar and dinner meetup on the weekends I’d be glad to do so. I’m quite the drinker and night life enjoyer. Even though I have my local spot if you know of others let me know, I’d be down to check em out.

Hello everyone. I recently moved to Osaka from the Inaka. It’s my first time living in a full on city, even from my home country America, but I want to just meet people. I don’t care if it’s for one night at a bar, I don’t care if it’s a simple conversation, I don’t care if it’s just a decent spot for drinks and good food.

Give me recommendations OUTSIDE general tourist trap spots or places within the sphere of tourists. I speak little Japanese, I can order food and know general vocabulary from my ALT job, so even after living in Japan for more than a year I want a non tourist spot.

I live 35 mins from namba, I love to play poker and already have a spot for that in namba, but I’d love a bar or casual club to go get drinks at and chill. I’m definitely a professional worker but have the heart of a grunge emo guy, even including a store i already found to buy typical grunge Japanese fashion at in namba to match that vibe when I actually do go out to be social (I’m 26). I want to enjoy my first time living in an actual city by being able to connect to people naturally. I definitely love namba, and this week is especially hectic because it’s golden week.

Where do you go for a normal after work bender when it’s not the peak season of shitty tourists and 10x the foreigners you normally get. Standing bar, game bar, pub/brewery…give me the local spots. I couldn’t care less about meeting foreigners but I want Japanese friends like I met and made during my first year in Kyushu that I had to leave behind to keep a job.

Any ideas are welcome.

Edit: First comment made a good point. I live near Hagiharatenjin but love going to namba. I’m abt 40 mins from Namba but It’s my main go to spot (a 1/4th of that is walking to my local station) If you know another spot outside of Namba I’m 1000% down to check it out. Sakaihigashi etc. Or honestly anywhere. I’m here for a year I mean I live here. I’m an English teacher. I got no where else to go: