Osaka’s evergreen appeal

IS OSAKA the JB of Japan? The poor cousin of glitzy Tokyo? Not quite. Even regular visitors to Japan now skip Tokyo for the country’s third-largest city, for its refreshingly laid-back appeal. Its people are less in a hurry and friendlier, the mood is casual and, yes, the prices lower. Plus, where else can you get your fill of okonomiyaki and takoyaki than right where they were invented?

In Friday’s (Jul 7) issue of BT Lifestyle, we head out of Singapore to explore the myriad charms of Osaka, from the wizarding world of Harry Potter to Michelin fare at its many starred restaurants. We also make a trip to Thailand to join famed chef David Thompson, whose love for local heritage sees him trying to revive age-old customs in a fun-filled side trip outside of Bangkok.

Back at home, we visit National Gallery’s latest exhibition, which explores the intersection of calligraphy and abstraction in South-east Asian Islamic art. And still at National Gallery, fine-food lovers will find art of an edible kind at the newly rebranded Art di Daniele Sperindio. Journey through Italian food through his eyes and the stories he has to tell. All this and more in Friday’s edition of The Business Times.