A bit more contrast in Osaka and Hiroshima

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I was pretty relaxed after Koyasan... Almost too relaxed, so I thought it was time to mix it up a bit in Osaka. After the great deal of temples I had already visited and reading my guidebook a bit, I was somewhat relieved to find that the main sight in Osaka that I was interested in was the entertainment district of Dotonbori. Osaka is essentially the Toyko of southern Japan and has been an economic hub for decades especially due to its close proximity to the sea. Unfortunately, my hostel was located on a bit of the outskirts of the main part of town, which some might consider a "rough part". With that in mind, if this was the rough part of Japanese metropolis, I would happily take it any day over the "rough parts" I've experienced anywhere I've been to date. That said, the working class reputation of Osaka was soundly felt as concrete, highways and neon was prominent. It showcased the obvious competition it has with Tokyo although it fell short in the obsessive cleanliness, but I could tell it was making a proper effort.

Although I was a little early, I hopped on the train en route to Dotonbori excited to dive into some more craziness and experience some traditional Okonomiyaki or Japanese pancake, which essentially means, "what you like" so there are a lot of variations around. I chose a place called Chibo which is famous for their house special consisting of pork, beef, squid, shrimp and cheese. It was absolutely delicious. After I was full, I left and was overwhelmed with neon that even made Tokyo seem a bit on the dull side. I craved a few more drinks, so I went to a bar called Zerro, which is known for some English speaking staff. I managed to down a few pints and enjoyed some more Japanese whisky while chatting with the expat and Japanese staff. It was nice hearing their perspective on living in Osaka, and the vibe of the bar was definitely right up my alley. So much so, that I was especially intrigued by their "help wanted" sign. I decided to cut myself off and went to take some more photos of the neon extravagance that is Osaka. What struck me was the style of Osakans, many of which sported a rocker style with flamboyant hair and clothes to match. Randomly, a couple of Japanese ladies who were also at Zerro prior, bumped into me as I was playing photographer. They approached me and after some basic conversation in Japanese and English, we decided to enjoy a few pints at an Irish pub nearby. I never quite learned my lesson in Tokyo and lost track of time missing the last train back to the neighbourhood that I was staying in, so the ladies and I shared a cab back and enjoyed some good laughs.

The next morning was another fuzzy one, but I was destined to make it to Hiroshima in a decent amount of time as I was stoked on catching my first Japanese baseball game. In Kyoto, I pre-ordered my tickets and decided to splurge on pretty prime seats in the 1st baseline dugout. The Shinkansen ride was an excellent time to reflect on my time in Japan and look forward to what I had left. Although I still had a good chunk of time remaining, I was sad that this was my last stop on mainland Japan. I didn't want this journey to end any time soon. But I came back to reality, hopped off the train and walked to my hostel in Hiroshima, K's House. As I walked through the doors, I already knew this was going to be a great place to stay as the staff were very welcoming. I obviously tried as much Japanese as I could, but having their excellent English capabilities was a welcomed perk.

I checked in and began mentally preparing for the baseball game ahead. Luckily, the central location of K's meant that it was only a 15 minute walk away and the relaxed drinking in public laws in Japan excused me from having a refreshing road pop. As I figured this would be a once in a lifetime experience, I got completely decked out. I purchased a t-shirt of the cute Japanese girl's favorite player who sold it to me, bought a hat, and away I went to see the opening pitch. To my luck. my solo seat was situated smack dab in the middle of 3 Japanese young ladies, and we began early with cheering on the home team. Although the stadium wasn't packed, the atmosphere was fantastic, and I was impressed by how organized the cheering was. When the away team was up to bat, everyone was fairly quiet and the rival supporters sounded their trumpets and sang their chants in their own section. When we were up to bat, we cheered and our die hard fans in the outfield would do their best to compete with the visitors. What was quite different was the lack of "chirping" or making fun of the opposing team and their players. I didn't want to break the Japanese mold too badly, but I couldn't resist when our batters began lighting up the american pitcher of the Tigers, so I decided to yell as the majority of the crowd was silent... "Raaaaattled!" To my surprise, the Japanese fans in the area couldn't get enough and laughed and cheered every time I did it, so the trend continued. I was sort of craving a hot dog, but looked around and decided to do as the Japanese do and ordered an eel ricebowl... I know this sounds like a preposterous idea, but it was actually quite tasty. After I was done eating, and many beers later, the scoreboard read 8-2 for the home team Carp. At the end of the game, our dugout section was treated to high fives from the 3 most valuable players of the game who all greeted us along the first base line.

The next day I had to be motivated to press on as I had an action packed day to do two major sights in one day and was en route to Miyajima, an island about 2 hours away from Hiroshima which stages the iconic floating torii gate. The site was most impressive and I was even acquainted again with friendly deer. After soaking it all in quite efficiently, I was off to a more somber occasion and that was to wander through the Peace Memorial Park, dedicated to the first atomic bomb attack on human lives in history. Even when I first hopped off the train in Hiroshima, I couldn't imagine that the area was completely desolated on August 6th 1945 when the bomb was dropped. The sight that struck me the most was the A-bomb dome, which is the only remaining building left standing after the bomb's detonation which occurred directly above it. After wandering through the park and going through the museum's touching and realistic exhibits, it blew my mind how the city was literally flattened to the ground, was consumed with death just 65 years ago and was now so prosperous lined with leafy green trees and parks. It really brought the message of the memorial home, which is that we need to find a way to peace and end the chance of nuclear war. The entire experience was incredibly powerful and I appreciated the reflection.

The cities of Osaka and Hiroshima were yet another contrast for me, one being a busy, economic hub, while the other not necessarily being any further back, but having a distinctly different feel. The people in both cities were extremely friendly and each had their own unique presentations. Osaka and Hiroshima were most definitely yet another significant contribution to my Japanese adventure, however it's on to the next and final Japanese destination, to enjoy some sun and sand on the islands of Okinawa.

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