Blogs from Osaka, Osaka, Japan, Asia - page 23

Osaka - The Japanese Urban Phenomenon... read more

Last month we went to Namba in search for Glico Man. I knew him as the billboard guy for certain products, shown in a lot of tourist materials I've read. After walking from Namba to Shinsaibashi, we failed in our mission to find the elusive Glico Man. We were walking on the wrong street, the guy is located on the other street parallel to where we are. Anyway, I will not be defeated. So we went back and looked for him again. We find him and I took a photo with him. And yes guys, check out my hair, I had a haircut or a hairstyle (I exactly couldn't figure out what Ive done to myself, lol). Yes, folks once again this 30 year old guy succumbed to peer pressure in the land of anime and ... read more

Tortured girders try to keep the shattered bricks up, rubble all around. You can't touch it, the security system tightly governs access to the 'A-Bomb Dome'. All around this monument to mankind's madness, a thriving city re-grew. Children were born and laughed, while their parents grieved for the dead, trying to comprehend the graphic deaths their loved ones had suffered. It happened on a normal morning, people trying to stop the rumbling tummies, hungry due to war-time rations, making your way to school or the office. Did you remember your homework or your bus-fare. In cities around the country, in countries around the world, a war-torn world, people go about their business. If it had been cloudy maybe we would be visiting a different monument in another city today. I have no words for what happened ... read more

Ok, so Susan's last day in Kyoto was somewhat of a disappointment, as it rained all day long. Pouring, from morning til night. Being as that it was raining, we abandoned our original plan of visiting the Golden Pavilion and spent the day shopping around Gion. Turns out that shopping took us an entire day, and by the time we were done, we were both exhausted. It was a nice stroll through the city though, and we definitely needed the time to get souvenirs. We spotted a few Geishas as well walking around Gion. After Susan left the following day, I learned that the last train from Kyoto to KIX was 10PM, and the first train out of Kyoto was 5AM. My flight is at 7AM out of KIX to Narita, so turns out that I ... read more

I spent a few days in Osaka - well actually just out of Osaka, but spent some time in Osaka, mostly for nights out and did manage to pull an all-nighter in a fairly dodgy club. The best part about doing an all-nighter is that you can have an amazing Japanese noodle breakfast on your way to bed! My memory of those nights are a little sketchy but when I was there during the day, my highlights were as follows. Osaka Castle is one of Japan's most famous castles, situated on a huge area of land. It is built on two raised platforms of landfill supported by sheer walls of cut rock, using a technique called Burdock piling, each overlooking a moat. The central castle building is five stories on the outside and eight stories on ... read more