Blogs from Shinsaibashi, Osaka, Osaka, Japan, Asia

It has just dawned on me that I had not written anything in my blog about my weekend in Japan. It was never my intension to go to Japan but when Ed wrote to me expaning that he needed to go while I was here to get a new visa and would I like to join him, I was very excited about the idea. We spent three nights there which gave us a full day in Kyoto and a day in Osaka. I should really tell you about our day in Kyoto, it being the more 'cultural' expirence. We vistited three temples (among them were: The Golden Pavilion or Rokun-Ji Temple and Kiyomizu Temple). Both were breath taking, awe-inspiring places truely worthy of their role as a place of worship. I however was in no fit ... read more

Dear Blog Readers, This is a continuation of the Japan Travels blogs. To see Part 1, click here . Osaka After checking in, we needed to get things out of our suitcases and go our separate ways. The men and women have separate floors and bath houses. It was at this point we noticed two things. Firstly, Laura’s perfume that she bought for little over £1 in Korea had burst and actually melted her eyeliner pencil. She seemed more concerned about the eyeliner pencil than the fact that her perfume is potentially melting her skin. We also noticed we’d forgotten our swimming costumes, but fortunately, this was one of those ‘Oh Asia’ moments as swimming costumes aren’t needed for the bath houses and saunas! After dumping our things we went out into Osaka which really is ... read more

Go to Umeda Station and take a train to OSAKAJOKOEN Station, visit Osaka Castle and the peace Museum ... read more

Go to Umeda Station and take a train to Tennoji station, then go visit the temples and tennoji park, maybe go to Spa World.... read more

Get on plane at the Gold Coast at 10:05 AM . Arrive in Osaka at 18:20 PM. Have to be to hotel by 12pm so we have 4 and a half hours so should have enough time takes 1 hour to get here. Need to get out 50,000 yen to pay for hotel must remind hewitt about this. Get bags then get some food, if there’s enough time, might take a taxi limo instead only 1500 yen each. Taxi Limo Limo taxis come and go every 20 minutes, and we shall be arriving in the Umeda Area. We Shall be Going to Hotel Kinki, When we arrive at the hotel we have to pay the full fee for staying at the hotel so 134,100 yen or $1719 so $573 each so cost for me will be ... read more

I know I've been promising a blog on Japanese fashion, and here it is. Everyone who comes here is bowled over by what people can get away with wearing, the ridiculous hairstyles, cloured contacts, false eyelashes, massive heels, tiny-tiny skirts, super-tight trousers and pointy shoes...it's like the 80s never stopped. There are a few different styles, but people who follow them do it almost by the letter. Dressing by numbers, as it were; you can get whole groups of people who are wearing almost identical outfits. You sort of get used to it at times, as it's so ubiquitous, but you never lose sight of the fact that it's absurd and entertaining. Although it's pretty extreme by our standards, as a friend of mine pointed out, it isn't individual or extreme because it's so widespread. I ... read more