Osaka Hyrox Weekend: Shinkansen Snacks, Dotonbori Nights, and Racing Lessons Learned
- Alex
- Feb 5
- 4 min read
A long weekend in Osaka with Sebastian turned into the perfect mix of sightseeing, food, and my second Hyrox race (with a few lessons thrown in for good measure).
Shinkansen Snacks and the Start of a Very Good Trip
We caught the Shinkansen down to Osaka for the weekend, and of course we got to the station early. Not because we’re super organised (although I am), but because you simply CANNOT rush the snack and ekiben selection process. That part of any Japan trip is sacred.
We took our time wandering through the station, picking out the essentials for the ride down. My eyes immediately spotted something I hadn’t had in months - Fan Tuan, the famous Taiwanese breakfast rice roll. Ever since I visited Tawiwan back in Ocotber, I’ve been missing a proper Fan Tuan, and the fact that that was almost six months ago now is kind of crazy. I grabbed one instantly.
We also got an ekiben each, packed full of the usual Japanese magic. Pickles, vegetables, rice, some meat, some fish, fruit etc. And because we have no self-control when travelling, we also added an almond croissant each. Train snacks secured. The weekend has officially started lol.
Osaka at Full Volume
We arrived in Osaka, checked into our Airbnb, did a bit of work (very responsible), and then headed straight out to explore. Friday night was all about Dotonbori, and wow, that place is absolutely buzzing at night.
Neon everywhere, crowds everywhere, food smells coming from every direction. There were thousands, maybe tens of thousands of people out! I wouldn't say it's overwhelming per say, but just be prepared for biiig crowds.
We had some delicious okonomiyaki, walked around the main strip, and soaked up the energy of the city. Osaka has such a laid-back vibe and everyone seems like they’re genuinely enjoying themselves. It feels like Tokyo’s fun cousin who doesn’t take life too seriously.
A Walking Tour with Miki
On Saturday, we decided to join a walking tour outside the main downtown area. We wanted to see different parts of Osaka, but with someone there to explain the history and culture, rather than just showing up for a few photos and ticking the place off a list.
Our guide’s name was Miki, and she was amazing. Super funny, great sense of humour, and she felt more like a friend showing us around her city than a traditional tour guide. This is also the exact feeling I want you to have if you come on a tour with me :)
There was a hilarious and fun couple from Miami on the tour as well, Franco and Joan. It was pleasure to meet you boys and thanks for making the morning so much fun!
We checked out Osaka Castle and a few other areas, and it was just a really nice way to spend the day.
Hyrox Race Day: Sub-60 Goals, One Sled Mistake, and Lessons Locked In
Saturday evening, it was time to get serious. I had to check-in to the Hyrox event, so we made the trip out to the Osaka Convention Centre and then finished the day with a yakiniku dinner. Perfect pre-race fuel: carbs, meat, glycogen topping up.
Sunday was race day. We had a goal of breaking the 60-minute mark, which would’ve been huge, but I ended up getting a six-minute time penalty.
I jumped into Hyrox Osaka armed with many, many lessons from Yokohama… most importantly: actually running the correct 1 km between stations lol.
We went in with a proper strategy this time. Each station had a plan. The runs had pacing in mind. It wasn’t just fitness carrying me through. We were trying to execute.
Good news: massive success on the running front. All the 1 km laps were done properly, and I have to give a huge shoutout to Sebastian, who was completely locked in, counting every lap, making sure I wasn't about to fck this race up too. Elite support crew behaviour.
Bad news: I still managed to mess something up. The sled push.
On station two, I only pushed the sled two lengths instead of four. In my head, I was convinced it was a simple there-and-back. Turns out it was there-and-back… twice.
So yes, we copped a six-minute time penalty, which was a bit of a mental punch in the face. Sub-60 might've been there without that mistake. But the upside is that I only made one mistake this time, not five like in Yokohama, so we’re calling that progress. I finished in 1:05.02, down from 1:13 six months ago. That’s a solid improvement. I'm still yet to try my best too so there's plenty still in the tank.
The bigger takeaway is although I’m relateivly fit, this next training block will actually involve proper Hyrox preparation. I love giving something a go a few times before fully committing my training to it. Now that I’ve raced it twice and made the beginner errors, it’s time to properly dial in the training before Hong Kong.
Sebastian makes his Hyrox debut there in May, so we’ve got a very clear homework assignment: watch the technical briefing video before the race and train the specifics.
Post-Race Food Tour and Wrapping Up the Weekend
After the race, we went out and caught an evening food tour. It was okay. Definitely made me want more when we eventually run our own food tours, but it was still a good experience and fun to be part of.
Then just like that, the weekend was basically wrapped up. We caught the Shinkansen back the next day, did a bit of a debrief on the train, and just sat back feeling grateful.
A weekend of incredible food, a proper race experience, a few mistakes, a few lessons, and a lot of good memories. Not the exact result I wanted, but that’s all part of it. It’s all moving in the right direction :)
And most importantly, it was all written off as a business expense baby.
Thanks for coming and see you on the next one!
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