I came to Umeda and visited the new Umeda City, which has its first sky garden. The view is truly amazing, attracting attention from foreigners who come here. Just looking at the building itself is exciting, especially for first-timers. Although the building has been around for a while, its unique shape never fails to charm. Now, about the sky garden☆ I tried the Gofuru for 432 yen including tax, which comes in a pack of 3 with 2 different flavors. They have a mild sweetness and are filled with cream, a classic taste. It was a delicious treat! Release date: April 2016. Nankaihawks1’s gourmet guide. Nankaihawks1’s blog: http://hawks1.exblog.jp/

On December 31, 2015, after having lunch at Hankyu International, I visited the Floating Garden for the first time in a while. It is one of the few tourist spots in Osaka that has been seeing an increase in foreign visitors recently. There were quite a few tourists from overseas on that day as well. After enjoying the view from the observation deck (admission fee 800 yen), I had an iced cocoa at "SKY 40" on the 40th floor, and then stopped by the shop "SKY 39" on the 39th floor. They were selling various original snacks from the Floating Garden observation deck, and this time I purchased the "Chocolate Crunch" for 540 yen (they also had waffles from Kobe Fukutsukodo!). I brought it home and enjoyed it right away. The Chocolate Crunch was not too sweet, and I quite liked it! I feel like I've had a similar souvenir snack somewhere before, but I can't seem to remember where. Thanks for the meal!

On New Year's Eve, December 31, 2015, I enjoyed some sushi and sake at a sushi restaurant on the 2nd floor of Hotel Hankyu International. Afterwards, I had coffee and crepes at the hotel's cafe to sober up, then walked 1.2km to visit Umeda Sky Building for the first time in 20 years. I enjoyed the view of Osaka city from the rooftop garden on the 40th floor under the clear winter sky, and then had a hot White Hazelnut Latte at the café "SKY 40" while watching planes landing at Itami Airport and the Yodo River through a glass counter. I bought a souvenir called "Candy of Happiness" at the gift shop "SKY 39" on the 39th floor, which seemed fitting for Umeda Sky Building. The candy is said to bring happiness if you share it with friends under the light of a full moon and eat the last piece yourself. It's a romantic candy in a glass bottle with heart-shaped lemon candies inside. Despite being unnecessary for me, I bought it as a memento of my visit to the rooftop garden. I also saw the "Promise Wall" covered in green leaves designed by the famous architect Tadao Ando. Overall, it was a delightful experience exploring the Umeda Sky Building and its surroundings.