I recently went on a business trip to Osaka.
There was an exhibition for a product I helped develop, and the trip lasted three days.
At exhibitions like this, people from different companies often gather, and it’s common to go out for drinks in the evening.
I expected that this time as well, so I kept my nights free.
But nothing was scheduled, and on the first day, I was back at my hotel by 6:00 p.m.
The First Night
On the first evening, I went out from Hommachi to the shopping streets of Shinsaibashi and had tonteki, a pork steak dish that Osaka is famous for.
It was good.
But by the second day, fatigue had started to set in, and going out again felt a bit tiring.
Familiar Choices in a Familiar City
I travel to Osaka about five or six times a year.
When I first started coming here, I wanted to enjoy food that was different from Tokyo.
Kushikatsu, okonomiyaki, takoyaki, udon—Osaka has many dishes that are popular with both Japanese people and foreign visitors. I still think they are worth trying.
But after visiting many times, there comes a moment when you think,
“Eating something familiar is fine tonight.”
That was exactly how I felt on the second evening.
Choosing Safety Over Adventure
My hotel was located in the middle of a business district, surrounded by casual bars for office workers.
There didn’t seem to be many places where you could comfortably eat alone.
So I searched online and found a Yayoiken restaurant a short walk away.
Yayoiken is one of Japan’s best-known set-meal chains.
Many set-meal restaurants in Japan are small, independently owned places with their own specialties.
But even as a Japanese person, walking into an unfamiliar restaurant in an unfamiliar city can take a bit of courage.
Yayoiken doesn’t have that problem.
You know what you’ll get, no matter where you are.
A Reliable Dinner
It took about ten minutes to walk there.
Inside, there were local office workers, young people, and even some foreign travelers.
Across from me sat a salaryman in his thirties. Diagonally across was a man who looked a little older than me.
At night, families often eat together, but for people who work late or live alone, this kind of restaurant is probably very convenient.
I hesitated between chicken nanban and ginger pork, and in the end chose a mixed plate.
To be honest, small independent restaurants often have better flavor, larger portions, or more originality.
Yayoiken isn’t exceptional in that way.
But it offers something else:
the same, dependable taste everywhere in Japan.
It’s not amazing, but it’s always good enough.
Back to the Hotel
I finished my meal in about thirty minutes.
On the way back, I bought an ice cream—something I don’t usually eat.
I’m trying to lose weight, but since I was in Osaka, I decided to allow myself that small indulgence.
Back at the hotel, I browsed the internet just as I would at home, and went to sleep as usual.
Spending an evening in Osaka that felt no different from an ordinary night at home—
lately, I’ve started to feel that this might actually be a very luxurious way to spend time.
After all, I paid for a flight to Osaka, yet what I did there was nothing special at all.
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