Osaka Weekend

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I am sick. I was sent home from Awa Odori practice with a "please go home" after several minutes' discussion in Japanese, and I am unfit to go zorbing tomorrow with my friends. You're probably wondering what zorbing is, and once I tell you you will probably be happy I'm not going - it's rolling down a hill in a giant ball.

Setting my disappointment aside for the moment, though, I will describe my first trip of the year. Last Friday I arrived in Osaka after a short bus ride because a very smart person built a bridge connecting my island (Shikoku) to the main island (Honshu). They used to have to take a ferry.

The first night brought actual Mexican food followed by actual nightlife - a wonderful combination. I didn't realize how quaint and country Tokushima City was until I hit the bright lights of Osaka. It reminded me of an Asian Baltimore with a Times Square in the middle of it. And just like any real city, there were people on the streets after dark and people in the nightclubs, too, which does not happen in Tokushima City.

On Saturday we headed to the south part of the city to watch a festival called Danjiri. This is even worse than zorbing: men standing on the roofs of moveable shrines while troops of about a hundred people race them through the streets. The best is when they turn a corner - everyone cheers when the shrine doesn't tip over. Apparently someone dies every year, which explains why the balancing men are local heroes. It's a very testosterone-driven event. The day also brought plenty of junk food and a carnival game for small children in which I won a big pink octupus and four small light-up octupi 😊

Speaking of octupi, Osaka has one of the world's best aquariums, which is part of the reason it reminds me of Baltimore. That was Sunday's excursion. The main attraction is the whale shark exhibit, which was pretty amazing. You can stand right up against the glass almost to the point where you are touching these giant creatures. And of course the rest of the animals were cute, too.

So, after a weekend of an extreme amount of dancing and sightseeing and very little sleep (which is probably why I am currently sick), we re-boarded the bus lamenting the lack of dancing to be found in Tokushima City. But there is a major plus to my location - since I arrived I've been camping, hiking, whitewater rafting and to the beach (and I would have gone zorbing 😞 ) all things I don't think there is much of in Osaka.

(Internet isn't working, photos will be posted tomorrow)

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Photos

Superhero
I found a superhero protecting the streets of Osaka

Superhero
I found a superhero protecting the streets of Osaka

Superhero
I found a superhero protecting the streets of Osaka.

Comments

[Blair]

Zorbing! and such
Did someone die??!?!? I went zorbing in Namibia, except it was called "hydroballing" and it involved being driven up a sand dune in a truck and then getting dumped off the side. There are probably more fun things you could do, though...