Japan, Pt.iii

Aug. 5, 2018

Well, today didn’t start great. As you know from my earlier post I got a late start. Even so, I made up for it. Two minutes to midnight and I’m just getting back to my hotel. Glad I got out and explored.

The Shinkansen is rad. So fast, and yet so smooth. The video isn’t sped up, and that is a speed app on my phone. Pretty amazing.

I had to eat something so grabbed food in the Osaka station. Some form of ground beef patty with cheese. It was ok. There was a lot of concern about me puncturing the foil properly. Somehow people mess that up?

Gross tomato.

Bag burger.

After I arrived in Osaka I went straight to my hotel. Not impressed with the area. Sort of dirty, empty, and a bit odd. Even so, close to everything else so not that big a deal.

My room is tiny and there are a ton of controls I don’t quite get. The air is… well, not good. I’m sweating IN my room. Not a fan, honestly. It also turns off when you leave. Gross.

Sleep area.

Tiny bathroom.

Didn’t stick around long before I was back on the streets looking for sights.

That led me to Osaka Castle. Pretty impressive, but then you learn it’s not original (explains the granite and elevator). Still neat, but not as impressive. The moats and things that are real strike quite an impression. Still worth the hour or so you’re likely to spend in the museum.

Some type of garden.

Stairs.

Cannon.

Gate.

Osaka Castle.

Statue.

View.

Path.

There’s also a mall of sorts in the park, which I visited. Had matcha ice cream to help cool me down.

Alyssa… there is an entire Peanuts store. It makes no sense, but it’s there. See the photos.

Jacob, had Calpis… I don’t love it.

So after the castle I went to the Dōtonbori district. It runs along a canal in the Chuo ward, and is what you expect of Japan. Insane crowds, ridiculous signs, shop after shop, chaos. That was actually the first time I really felt I was in Japan, at least the Japan I expected.

Nicole, found a ramen to top the one in Hiroshima. So good. But I have to admit that every meal is my new fave. The food has been rad (even the egg salad sandwich I had at a 7-11 earlier in the day).

I spent several hours wandering. Had a Hibiki at a bar, a very tiny bar. Turns out many of them barely hole 5 people. Pretty neat. Cruised over a few bridges. Took a ton on pictures.

Rad signs.

Capsule machine.

Digital signs.

Tiny door.

Angry guy.

River.

Tiny bar.

So… many… people.

Pachinko.

I was looking for something cool, and I found it. About a mile away there is a bar called Space Station. It’s a video game bar owned by an ex-pat. Neat place to drink with some wicked awesome console games to play. Ended up there for way longer than I’d planned, and only left so I didn’t miss a train.