Once something is dubbed cool, it is often just a matter of time before it ceases to be so. Ranked No. 8 on Time Out¡¯s ¡°¡± list, Nakatsu in Osaka has gained international attention ¡ª but locals worry its distinctive character faces a greater threat than fleeting fame.

Home to a population of little more than 10,000 and crammed between two train lines and the Yodo River, you¡¯d be forgiven for never having heard of or been to Nakatsu.

But it is undeniable that the area has charm.