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Today was our first full day to soak up the major and thrilling city of Osaka. To be honest, this has been one of the longest days of my life. To begin the day off, we all ate at the hotel restaurant and had an interesting breakfast. There was thick bacon, rice with fish seasoning, an egg product (?), yogurt, and some other trays. It is amazing to see the difference in an American breakfast compared to a traditional Japanese breakfast. In America, the breakfast can consist from pancakes, cereal, muffins, and omelets; however, in Japan, breakfast is not as extravagant.
After our delicious breakfast, a small group of us headed out to a shopping complex. This was the most amazing shopping center that I have ever seen; there are 8 floors, all of which have different items. The basement is a market; it is insane! There are a copious amount of desserts, leading into a whole section of fresh cut meats, followed by a plethora of fish of all kinds. It is unbelievable. The amount of fish stunned me. All and every kind of fish was there to offer, fresh from the catch. As you can see in the video,
there was an octopus wrapped in a mesh bag that was trying to get out of the basket it was in! They had minute sized fish and shrimp that Noda sensei urged me to try. I put some on my hand and gulpped it down. It was actually very tasty and I would have liked to have gotten a bag to eat more. These are used in broths to add flavor to the dish.
On the 7th floor were vendors selling different kinds of clothing and gifts. One of the people on the trip, Brandon, looked at hand- made knives. He ended up buying two but the procedure that they performed when you by one is remarkable. The apprentice took the knives and polished them thoroughly, scrubbing it with a steel brush. It just amazed me to see the care and sincerity that Japanese people have for foreigners. They truly care about their acquantinces and go out of their way to help you.
For lunch, we went to a small restaurant that served a variety of noodle dishes. I had noodles with some sort of bread on top that was awesome. The noodles were delicious and the atmosphere is impeccable.
Three others and I went off on our own to explore and we saw a lot more of Osaka. We went up the Breeze building, a shopping complex and hotel to the 33rd floor. It was an observation deck and the view was incredible. We made our way further down the street and lost our bearings but ended up getting back to the hotel.
We then went to the Umeda Sky Building which has a garden on its roof. The building is unique in appearance and offers a stunning view of the city. It has a glass elevator and is quite invigorating to ascend up the building.
Finally, we caught a train and headed to Takarazuka, Noda sensei's hometown where he and his small family grew up. We met up with his sister who lives in an apartment in the city. Chief brought the group to a shrine that he went to all of the time when he was a kid. This is the first shrine we have visited and it is beyond words. It was built before 900 A.D., however, the shrine has been built numerous times. Just the scenery and the procedure in which you enter the shrine
is a treat to witness. We were really the only one's there, and upon entering, you have to wash your hands and face from a fountain as well as drink some of the water. This is meant to cleanse yourself before entering a place of holiness. We took several pictures and then went to the entrance of the shrine to greet the gods. First, you throw money into a large wooden box, clap twice, then ring a bell hung from the ceiling. One of the caretakers of the shrine, a young man, dressed in traditional attire and said a prayer. This was an experience that everyone should see and do.
We then travelled to a supermarket and picked up a dinner. I picked up some sort of deep- fried beef. Finally, we went back to Noda sensei's sister's residence and ate. She lives in an apartement on the thirteenth floor. When we got off of the elevator and headed to her apartment, we could see a view of the whole city of Takarazuka. It was, I must say, one of the top three views I have ever seen. The pictures I took do no justice to what it really looks
like. Furthermore, the apartment we went to was neat in the way it was set up. The doors are completely different from American ones but just the overall layout was interesting. Our host, who plays the harp, did a small and informal concert! She is a very talented muscisian and it was cool to see someone play an instrument rarely seen.
Before we went to the supermarket, we went to Noda sensei's childhood home. His mother is going into a nursing home and the house is being ready to be put on the market. This was a very, very unique home. Bare walls and sliding doors with bamboo floors adorned the small home. I think it was an emotional time for Chief Noda to be there because it is going to be the last time he ever sees it again. But we relaxed on the floors and soaked up the day by good conversation and seeing a customary home of Japan.
One last thing that I find remarkable of this culture is the relationship between everyone. After talking to Noda sensei, he explained that Japanese people never say "no" to anyone, no matter what. Another thing is everyone respects each
other and always admits that, if something happens, it is their fault. For example, if there was a fender bender from a minor accident, the person who caused the accident says that it was "my mistake, I'm sorry..." No one ever sues anyone for anything. That is a major difference from America where any little thing you do someone is there to sue you for everything. Not at all true in Japan! It, to me who seeks peace and understanding between everyone, is amazing at how forgiving this culture is.
The first full day in Osaka has been long, interesting, incredible, and I am excited that our long journey has just begun!
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Tonya
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Thanks
thanks or sharing your experiences. It must be so amazing. The food looks and sounds....interesting:) Hope you can bring back a sampling :) LOL. Stay safe and can't wait to hear more.....T