Visit: May ６, 2025
After finishing the National Treasures exhibition,
I no longer felt drawn to anything flashy.
I had already had enough stimulation.
What I needed that evening
was a meal that would quietly help my feelings settle.
At Osaka’s Daimaru Department Store, Straight to Japanese Food
I headed to Uwosa on the 16th floor of Osaka’s Daimaru Department Store.
The atmosphere was calm, and the crowd was a bit older.
It felt just right for me that evening.
After a full day of art,
Japanese food that adds nothing extra
felt more fitting than Western cuisine.
Subtle kindness made me relax.
At first, I was shown to a counter seat.
But perhaps noticing my many bags and how tired I looked,
the staff member smoothly changed it to a table seat.
For a solo diner,
being given a table can feel a little undeserved.
Still, I was honestly grateful for the thoughtfulness.
A kindness that doesn’t need words.
It felt deeply Japanese in that moment.
“Hime Gozen” — a perfectly balanced choice.
I ordered the Hime Gozen.
Small dishes arrived one by one.
None of them were too bold,
yet each was quietly delicious.
Rather than being flashy,
there was a sense of beauty meant for the eyes—
an aesthetic unique to Japanese cuisine.
That is why it felt reassuring,
like this is what Japanese food truly is.
Not Just the Taste, but the Comfort of the Place
The young chef’s words were gentle and unobtrusive,
and the staff moved with a calm rhythm.
Not too quiet,
not too lively.
Even on my own,
it was a place where I didn’t feel uncomfortable at all.
“Looking forward to the Hime Gozen.”
The dishes were served slowly, so I could enjoy both looking and eating
—completely satisfied.
A Beautiful Way to Close a Day of Art
The meal that day
did not overwrite the emotions I had felt.
It gently wrapped the afterglow
I received at the museum
and quietly brought the day to a close.
Once again, I felt that
beauty and taste are not meant to compete,
but to support each other.
In a Word
Filled by art,
and settled by Japanese food.
That alone is enough
to make a day feel rich.
👉 Related article:
🚉 Stopover Journey (Osaka – Art Museum Days) ③/③Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts — A Walk Through Japan’s National Treasures
Today’s bonus capsule!
✨ Gateway to the Showa Era―Lessons at the Table
The Showa era (1926–1989) was a time when modern technology and ideas began to transform everyday life in Japan.
The department store dining hall
was a place we were taken to
only on special days.
Japanese, Western, Chinese—
faced with rows of dishes,
we sat down, straightening our backs just a little.
It was here
that my parents taught me
how to use a fork and knife.
Eating out in the Showa era
was not everyday life, but a special occasion.
Through the way we ate,
we quietly stepped toward adulthood.