>>83762553If we're talking Osaka then Dotonbori is a no-brainer. I won't bother too much with it since you can find plenty of photos online, but it's two long footpaths with a river in the centre, packed with stalls, restaurants, flashing lights and a fuckton of people. There's also love hotels in the surrounding area, if that is in any way relevant to your story.
If you're in Osaka it's also a good idea to check out Osaka Castle, an old structure that sits at the very top of a hill. They modified it to light up at night, so while not very traditional, it looks quite nice. The rivers nearby are also a great place for walks. They're wide and very tempting to go for a swim in.
Osaka is also widely regarded as the "food captial" of Japan, so maybe it'll be a fun idea to have Ao unable to enjoy the cuisine because a full meal is now like a single pea to her. I can vouch for Osaka's food as better than the stuff you find in Tokyo, at least on average.
Beyond that my memory on Osaka is a little hazy and really only a surface-level look at the place. It's not like I've spent any substantial amount of time there to scope out the real intricacies a local would be privy to. I'm currently living in Nagoya though, so the place is only an hour/two hour train ride away. I'm planning on visiting some people there sometime within the next few months, so if there's anything you want me to keep an eye out for let me know. That is, if you haven't finished your WIP by then.
What I will say however is that the areas surrounding Osaka were more enjoyable for me. Kyoto and Nara were a lot of fun and had a more unique feel to them, if you perhaps want to add any detours to your fic.
