Maria Katrina Paras

Article (news)

Metro Osaka Travel Diary

<p>It&#x27;s every <em>Hallyu</em> fan&#x27;s dream to attend the <strong>MAMA Awards </strong>at least once in their lifetime. Best believe that we at <strong>METRO</strong> consider ourselves very lucky to have had that very experience just last November, in the heart of <strong>Osaka, Japan</strong>. Dubbed &quot;Japan&#x27;s Kitchen&quot;, Osaka was a city for us to explore delicious haunts and see our Korean celebrity favorites at arm&#x27;s length. READ: We got red carpet access—more on that later!</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1736156586541MAMA 1.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">MAMA Awards 2024 merch</span></span></span></div><div><strong>Metro Travel Diary: Travel Day &amp; Osaka Exploration</strong></div><p><strong></strong>We met up bright and early on day one at the PAGSS Lounge at the NAIA 3 terminal. There we got to experience exclusive lounge access, thanks to our brand new <strong>Metrobank Travel Signature</strong> card that allows unlimited local lounge access whenever you travel! Now how&#x27;s that for a great start? After light breakfast and some chit-chat, it was time to board. Four hours flew by, and before we knew it, we had already landed in the sunny but cold Kansai International Airport. The weather was perfect. The terminal&#x27;s signature pink walls greeted us &#x27;<em>Konnichiwa</em>&#x27;, as if its cheery hue knew we were in store for an unforgettable experience the next couple of days.</p><div><br/></div><p>We checked in at the <strong>W Osaka</strong>, where we were welcomed by the VISA and W staff via a scrumptious afternoon tea spread. We needed a bit of an energy kick after hours of traveling so this was a welcome break. After checking into our rooms, my colleague and I decided to squeeze in a quick walk around the hotel streets to get a feel of the neighborhood. </p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1736159172552MAMA 2.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">The VISA Lounge at W Osaka and delectable bite-sized sandwiches</span></span></span></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173615949652120241121_181804.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">The street fronting our hotel was lit up for the holiday season</span></span></span></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1736159633933MAMA 3.JPG" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Quaint restaurants and specialty stores surrounded our hotel</span></span></span></div><p>We went back to W for our welcome dinner, which was held at the hotel&#x27;s in-house restaurant. It was a great time to get to know our travel buddies and satisfy our grumbling tummies at the same time. After the mouthwatering meal, some of us decided to seize the evening by heading out and discovering what the city has to offer! The night was young, and so were we! </p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1736160569131MAMA 4.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">The delicious welcome dinner at W Osaka</span></span></span></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1736227977285MAMA 5.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Shinsaibashi Su-ji shopping street and the Glico Man at Dotonbori</span></span></span></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1736228123057MAMA 6.JPG" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Mega Don Quixote and iconic gyoza restaurant Osaka Ohsho</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>Metro Travel Diary: Shopping &amp; MAMA Day 1</strong></div><p>We ended our first evening at around midnight, but we still had the energy to wake up early the next day to explore the city. Ever get that first-morning feeling of excitement waking up in a new city? It was exactly that for me, as it was my first time in Osaka. The sense of excitement and anticipation filled the air! After loading up on a delicious, healthy breakfast at the hotel, it was time to head to cafes in the city. My colleague <a href="https://www.instagram.com/raffcol" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Raff Colmenar</a>, former Art Director of Metro, had a few on his list, so we went to the first caffeine stop. While I am not a coffee drinker, I do appreciate a beautiful cafe and a glass of iced matcha. Raff, on the other hand, is a bona fide coffee lover! Check out his compilation of cafes to visit in Osaka:</p><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DC8fLJJT6za/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A3733559%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="1221" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><p>While scouring the city for cafes, we also checked out <strong>America-mura</strong>, a neighborhood in Osaka close to our hotel. It&#x27;s known for beautifully curated vintage shops, quaint cafes and restaurants. If you&#x27;re on the hunt for some authentic vintage designer garb, this place is definitely a must-visit. We didn&#x27;t have plans of shopping there but we did enjoy seeing all the trendy shops and experiencing the overall vibe.</p><p>Shopping hotspot <strong>Shinsaibasi Su-ji </strong>was nearby, so we decided to head over for some <em>pasalubong</em> shopping and lunch! We saw crowd-favorite stores like GU, Onitsuka Tiger, Uniqlo, Matsumoto Kiyoshi (drug store &amp; cosmetics), and many more popular brands both local and foreign. We were able to buy some goodies for ourselves, thanks to our handy Metrobank Travel Signature card that boasts of a low forex rate of 1.68%!</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1736234888668MAMA 7.JPG" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Our impromptu lunch decision turned out to be a good one! We had conveyor belt sushi at Genrokuzushi</span></span></span></div><p>After lunch our last stop was Moto Cafe, a spot I had been eyeing before our trip. It featured a stunning view of the Tosahori River, and an equally delicious menu of coffee, tea, and dessert. This is one spot I&#x27;d surely recommend to anyone craving some peace and quiet. If we weren&#x27;t on a tight schedule, I would have easily spent 2-3 hours in this place alone—savoring the experience and pondering life!</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1736235608932MAMA 8.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">This view and some herbal tea and matcha cake for me, and Iced Cafe Mocha for Raff | Moto Cafe, 541-0041 Osaka, Chuo Ward, Kitahama, 2 Chome−1−1</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>MAMA Day 1: A surreal feast for the senses</strong></div><p><strong></strong>After our half-day escapade, we all met up at the hotel and quickly got ready for MAMA Awards day 1. We knew that we were in for a treat as MAMA is like the Grammys of K-pop! It&#x27;s the ultimate destination for any K-pop fan, and I know this, having had some experience of being a BTS fanatic during the pandemic. I watched every single BTS at the MAMA Awards video on YouTube, and I thought to myself—&quot;how amazing it would be to be there in person, with light stick in tow!&quot; This time, it was for real—I was headed for the MAMAs! </p><p>We alighted our bus at the Kyocera Dome, just a short ride from W. Special lanes were reserved for Visa guests, and to our surprise, we even got incredibly good seats—we were just a stone&#x27;s throw away from the Artists&#x27; area! Talk about a great vantage point for taking fan cams! Each guest was given an exclusive MAMA light stick—something we loved as we were able to join in on the entire fan experience. </p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1736238281956MAMA 9.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">The MAMA Light Stick</span></span></span></div><p>Before we knew it, the show started, opened by <strong>TXT</strong>&#x27;s very own resident hottie and lead singer <strong>Yeonjun</strong>. Thousands of screaming fans filled the Kyocera Dome, each one anticipating the appearance of his or her idol. As the show went on, popular groups like <strong>ENHYPEN</strong>, <strong>Tomorrow x Together</strong>, <strong>Treasure</strong>, <strong>IVE</strong>, and singer/YouTuber <strong>Lee Young-ji </strong>graced the stage with their magnetic presence, making it even more surreal for fans like ourselves. I found myself dumbfounded a couple of times, having no other reaction than the occasional scream or murmuring &quot;wow&quot; during one of the intricate dance sequences.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1736239422256MAMA 10.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Sightseeing at the artists&#x27; area</span></span></span></div><p>Then there was the <strong>BLACKPINK Rosé</strong> and <strong>Bruno Mars</strong> moment, where they both accepted the &quot;Global Sensation Award&quot; for their widely popular song &quot;APT&quot;. Their special stage performance was the highlight of day 1. A lot had already happened, and we needed to debrief soon after to process what we had witnessed. This was done over a plate of delicious curry rice and soba noodles, at a local haunt called Nakau. Refueling for day 2 was in order. There was still so much more to come.</p><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><strong>Metro Travel Diary: MAMA Exclusive Red Carpet Access &amp; MAMA Day 2</strong></div><p><strong></strong><strong></strong>Day 2 of the MAMA Awards started early, with the group heading for the Kyocera Dome as early as 11 a.m. We were told that we had exclusive red carpet access, and that meant we would see our favorite stars up close! The excitement was palpable inside our bus, and as soon as we set foot on the MAMA red carpet, we knew this was a major deal. Feeling blessed to be there, we got our trusty smartphones ready to take shots and videos. And then it was showtime!</p><p>Hosted by <strong>Lee Hye-song</strong> and <strong>Hanhae</strong>, the red carpet show entertained us for a good couple of hours—despite not understanding Korean, we sure knew what the cute finger hearts and &quot;<em>horanghae</em>&quot; (a term and endearing action invented by SEVENTEEN&#x27;s Hoshi) meant. It was truly an amazing time, even made better experienced with fellow K-pop fans. We have Metrobank and Visa to thank for this unforgettable moment!</p><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-4" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DCtBzXOvyun/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A4%2C%22os%22%3A10750009.800000012%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="918" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-4" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><p>Inside the dome, the show quickly started, leaving us stunned and in a state of amazement yet again. It all felt very unreal—seeing the likes of <strong>SEVENTEEN</strong>, actresses <strong>Kim Tae-ri </strong>and <strong>Jung Ho-yeon</strong>, 2024 hit K-drama <strong>&#x27;Lovely Runner&#x27;</strong> leading man <strong>Byeon Woo-seok</strong>, <strong>AESPA</strong>, and <strong>G-Dragon</strong> in the flesh! Not to mention that epic <strong>BigBang</strong> reunion—no one expected <strong>Taeayang</strong> and <strong>Daesung</strong> to appear onstage with G-Dragon, performing iconic hits like &quot;Bang Bang Bang&quot; and &quot;Fantastic Baby.&quot; That was the moment we all completely lost it—dancing and jumping out of sheer happiness! These are celebrities we only see on our feeds, and for just one day, we got to see and hear them perform with undeniable charisma. </p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1736241631550MAMA 11.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Byeon Woo-seok and Aespa</span></span></span></div><p>The evening ended with an epic win for SEVENTEEN winning &quot;Artist of the Year&quot;—each member teary-eyed and in awe at what they had accomplished after all these years of working hard. We too couldn&#x27;t help but feel moved by their speeches for we also know that an idol&#x27;s life is not all glitz and glamour, but a ton of hard work, discipline, and oftentimes, sacrifice. </p><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-6" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DC8PFZvPeGJ/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A6%2C%22os%22%3A13731263.400000006%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="1131" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-6" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><p>Our MAMA Awards journey came to an end that night, but the city still beckoned. </p><div><strong><br/></strong></div><div><strong>An evening in Shinsekai</strong></div><p>After a quick trip to Parco department store to get our Japanese toy fix (READ: Sanrio! Sailor Moon! Re-ment! Ghibli!), it was time for our last dinner in the city. Away from the maddening crowds in Dotonobri, we decided to explore old-school <strong>Shinsekai</strong>, an old neighborhood just a short walk from Shin-Imamiya station on the JR Osaka line. The place is famous for well-lit restaurants, a stunning view of the Tsutenkaku Tower, and Janjan Yochoko, a go-to for retro restaurants and gaming arcades. </p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1736242768821MAMA 12.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Shinsekai</span></span></span><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1736242987378MAMA 13.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Dinner was grilled unagi (eel) over a bed of rice and fluffy egg</span></span></span></div><p>No trip to Japan is complete without a trip to Don Quixote (famously known as Donki), so we made a last trip to shop and get our lacking <em>pasalubong</em>. The night ended with a <em>konbini</em> run to have some Family Mart <em>tamago sando</em> (egg sandwich), Pilkul 400 (a probiotic drink), and <em>yakiimo</em> (roasted Japanese sweet potato). Our hearts, luggage, and tummies were full!</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1736243316700MAMA 14.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Last-minute Don Quixote trip</span></span></span></div><div><strong>Closer to our next Japan trip</strong></div><p><strong></strong>Three days in Osaka was not nearly enough, but we knew we were getting closer to our next trip to Japan, thanks to the Metrobank Travel Signature card. <strong>Every Php 30 spent equals 1 mile</strong>, so every time you spend on travel using your card, you collect miles to get you closer to your next trip. With perks such as unlimited local lounge access and a low forex rate of 1.68%, packing this card along with you on once-in-a-lifetime trips such as this is key. </p><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-8" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDA4Pwmz_qZ/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A8%2C%22os%22%3A13921215.099999994%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="1329" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-8" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><strong></strong></div><p><em>Arigatou gozaimasu</em><u></u> Osaka for being the setting of a core memory—one that&#x27;s forever etched in our K-pop stan hearts! </p><div><em><br/></em></div><div><em>Photos and videos taken using the Samsung S24 Ultra</em></div>

<p>Join us as we reminisce about our unforgettable MAMA Awards experience in "Japan's Kitchen", Osaka!</p>

Join us as we reminisce about our unforgettable MAMA Awards experience in "Japan's Kitchen", Osaka!

Metro Travel Diary: The MAMA Awards Experience in Osaka, Japan

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Metro Travel Diary: The MAMA Awards Experience in Osaka, Japan

Kate Paras-Santiago

Published January 07, 2025 06:00 PM PHT

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Updated January 07, 2025 06:04 PM PHT

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