Konnichiwa Osaka

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Japan is awesome! The culture shock strikes right to your core as you wade around a sea of indecipherable characters like a blind shark. Futuristic technology meets a backward existence where rusty old bikes seem to be the most popular form of transport and the crime rate is so low there's not a bike lock to be seen.

We opted for a 'Japanese Style' hotel room in Osaka and we were delighted by the simplicity of fresh tatami mats with their barn-like scent and futons rolled up in the cupboard. Our only complaints revolved around communal bath times according to some random schedule, (far more convenient for men. Perhaps the women aren't expected to be anywhere important during the day?).... and the heated toilet seats: not one bit of pleasure in the scorching city heat.

Keeping with the gastronomic theme of our blogs, Japanese cuisine is 'interesting' to say the least. We have yet to dine out, mainly due to our inability to distinguish baby-eel-salad-with-eyes from sweet sesame seaweed and katsu pork from fried octopus balls. One liver yakitori disaster was enough thanks. (But it looked exactly like chicken). Besides, the supermarkets here are truly astounding. We've been filling our stomachs with oceans of sashimi, sushi, edemame, japanese pickles, and washing it all down with saki and one of Asahi's finest brews.

Forget what everyone tells you: Japan is cheap! As long as you live 'Japanese-style' and avoid restaurants. (Trust us, the sheer variety and quality of your average Japanese supermarket far exceeds that of most Japanese restaurants in Oz). We've managed to save about $700 forgoing the usual Japan Rail Pass tourist trap. As luck and research would have it, we've scored an insanely cheap railpass called the "Seishun 18 Kippu", geared towards local uni students during uni breaks. Too easy.

Recovering from jetlag during our first day in Osaka, a quiet walk took us from hidden temples to insence-burning shrines, watching the locals do their own Sunday morning thing. For a city as big as Osaka we began to wonder whenre everyone was.... till we stumbled upon a covered street mall stretching a mere 48 blocks. Thousands of shops selling everything from Hello Kitty underwear to frilly mandarin-coloured wedding dresses. This place was so packed it made the Boxing Day sales at home look like Coles at midnight on a Monday.

After a daytrip to Himeji to view the oldest Japanese castle still standing, we arrived back to downtown Osaka in peak hour. Never again! We'll need a serious relaxing onsen break to recover from this experience ....

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Comments

[Rosanne]

Re: The Japanese are smaller than the average Person!
Penn and Dave, I laughed at that photo of Dave in the hall way beside the door...So my guess would have been that he hit his head nearly every morning going out and every day returning back. Yes I believe when you train it anywhere there, it is spot the Aussie as because of the height and Aussie features we all have. Go do something for me...Say some Australian slang to them and see their reaction! Keep Safe....And get that RnR needed from the traffic at peak hour....Bless your souls! I would have ended up swearing! Rosanne