Walking in Sakai

Since I moved away from the hubbub of the Dotonbori area, my life has become healthier and generally more pleasant. Oh, Dotonbori was great, but I love this room way better, and the location allows for more healthful pleasureableactivities, such as taking long, scenic walks (that don't involve eating or drinking!). Last weekend, I did just such a walk.

The city has quite a lot of nice places to see, and there are English walking tour maps available from the tourist bureau near Daisen park, at the edge of the famous tomb of Emeror Nintoku. You can also rent bicycles there for 300 yen per day.

Anyway, armed with a tourist map, I headed out last Saturday (the day before going hiking at Koyasan) and walked all around my new, temporary city. I of course went past the tomb (which, sadly, is not all that interesting from the outside because tourists, and even archeologists, are kept at quite a distance and not allowed to enter). I then continued to walk past several temples and shrines, until I got to the blade museum...which was, of course, closed for the summer holidays!

Me at Nintoku's Tomb; a kindly park attendant took my photo.

Lantern from one of the many lovely shrines"

Shrine pics..

Local wildlife!

And more local wildlife!

I plan to go back to the knife museum to check out the blades, and likely buy myself a new, sharp debacho...

My New Six Mat Room

I'm all moved in to my new guest house -Banana House - and it is great! It has sunlight, and a lot of good facilities that make this a great place to spend my final month in Japan.

Unlike my other apartment, I do not have my own kitchen here, nor my own bath - it is communal kitchen and showers - but I'm used to this when I stay at minshuku, and have no problem with it.

I also like the area - I've been able to run again in the mornings, and even have a great park nearby. With luck, I'll be able to shed some of the weight I've gained since coming to Osaka!

[caption id="attachment_227" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="My New Six-Mat Room"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_226" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Night View from Banana Rooftop seating area"][/caption]

Packing for a small move

Brian was released from the hospital yesterday, and we spent the day together at his place cooking, cleaning and watching TV. I would have liked to stay another night, but had school today and also have to pack for a move, so I caught the last bullet train last night back to Osaka, arriving here at 12:30 a.m.

Why moving you ask? When I first formulated my plan to come to Osaka, I'd set my actual Japan leaving date to be, well, right about this week. However, I soon decided to stay longer - but this apartment was already reserved by someone else from August 11th. Not to be deterred, I found another place, part of the same guest house group, and have booked a room there for another full month.

The new place is called Banana House, and while the name does not inspire confidence, the place is quite pleasant and in a very quiet area in Sakai city (about 20 minutes by train from where I am now). While it will not have the conveniences of true down-town living, it has other things to offer - such as daylight! It also has a rooftop sitting area which I'm sure will be lovely on the warm summer nights.

Check out Banana House here -
http://guesthouseosaka.com/en/banana/index.html

Not wanting to be disappointed, I visited the building and looked at what would be my room last week. My room will be small - just a six-mat room. But it is tatami, which I love, but it is bright and has a view of the city. The kitchen and bath are shared, but this is fine with me. Also the rent is cheaper then where I am currently living.

I'm really looking forward to moving tomorrow, and will spend a few hours today packing my bags and tidying this place up a little bit.

Making Chicken Ramen in Ikeda City, Osaka

Yesterday, our class went on a field trip to the Nissin Chicken Ramen Museum in Ikeda City, about an hour away from here by train.

If you've ever eaten instant Cup Noodles, or seen them in the super market, they were very likely the famous Nissin brand, which got its start in 1958 when Momofuku Ando made the very first instant noodle product, Chicken Ramen.

I was looking forward to the outing, and although I had mistakenly thought we were going to a factory, this museum, where we got to make our own noodles from scratch, was educational and fun.

[caption id="attachment_212" align="alignnone" width="224" caption="Making Chicken Ramen"][/caption]

We even got to design our own package:
[caption id="attachment_213" align="alignnone" width="224" caption="My package design"][/caption]

Osaka Kuidare (食い倒れ)

Read any tour guide for Osaka, in English or Japanese, and you will find the word 'kuidaore', with literally means, eat until you drop.

Osaka, especially the Dotonbori district, which is where I'm living, is considered a place of extravagant eating. When Brian is here, we truly do eat until we drop, but even alone, I find myself exploring various 'kushi katsu' (deep fried skewered meat and vegetables) restaurants, Mexican resto-bars, tasteful cafes...and because I'm in the heart of a city that has narrow streets congested with people walking, people cycling, and cars driving through it all maniacally, no matter how early I manage to get out, my runs have all but disappeard (I only do about 30 minutes twice a week on a treadmill). Add that to my new 'kuidaore' lifestyle, and it is no surprised that my diet plans have not been going well!

However - I am not going to totally stop exploring wonderful restaurants and food specialties of Osaka...I will really just have to hit the gym more than twice a week!

The Beach and a little of Dotonbori with Brian

The weekend was, as predicted by the omniscient forecasters, beautiful, hot and sunny.

Fortunately, Brian was able to take Monday off, so he had a three day weekend to spend with me at the beach in Wakayama!

He came to Osaka on Saturday morning, then we made our way together to Isonoura and Kada beaches for the weekend, staying overnight in Wakayama city. We had wanted to stay at a minshuku nearer the beach, but we weren't so lucky. However, we did get a really good deal on a very nice room at the Toyoko Inn, a good quality chain hotel that just opened a new hotel near Wakayama station!.

I didn't get many pics of the beach, but here is one, taken when we were relaxing at a little 'restaurant' before heading home.

[caption id="attachment_204" align="alignnone" width="297" caption="Post-Beached, post-showered, - resting up before heading back."][/caption]

After getting back to Osaka, we struck out for a night on the town, looking for good food and cold beer in the Dotonbori district.
[caption id="attachment_205" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Enjoying a few riverside beers at a little motsu-nabe restaurant (we didn't actually eat there though since we don't really like motsu!)"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_206" align="alignnone" width="224" caption="Dotonbori River at Night"][/caption]

Tenjin Matsuri

This weekend, on Saturday and Sunday, was the annual Tenjin Matsuri (festival) - a very big, very beautiful festival in Osaka that falls in July.

After returning from Walayama in the early afternoon, and after resting a little, I made my way by subway to Tenjin Bashi and the Tenma Jingu shrine, where the festival was underway.

I was a bit early, as everything became more festive as darkness approached, but I enjoyed this festival immensely. I was a bit lost at first, not being sure where it began or finished, and finally discovered that the festival covers several blocks, and maybe nobody was sure when/where the O-Mikoshi would be, and when the boats would do their floating. Definitely, nobody could tell me exactly what time the fireworks would start, or from where!

However, I walked around the streets, made my way to the river, watched some boats, talked to some local yatai (food stall) operators, and enjoyed a beer and yakitori while waiting for the fireworks.

However - as I was sitting under some lovely trees, at 8 p.m., when the fireworks began, my view was largely obscured! I wasn't too bothered by this, actually, as I was really enjoying myself eating grilled ayu fish, and suitably impressing the chef for my Japanese way of eating the whole thing...!

[caption id="attachment_1775" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Festival Boat, before sunset"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1776" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Ayu on the grill"][/caption]

Isonoura and Kada Beaches in Wakayama

I had initially planned to have a quiet weekend at home, just hanging out and maybe studying. However, the recent heat wave combined with a busy week inspired me instead to hop on the train to Wakayama prefecture, and to the beach!

The train ride was about two hours long, but was very very comfortable, with the biggest leg of the ride being on a nice, reserved train. It was also very affordable, costing less than 3,000 yen round trip.

Once I got to Isonoura beach, I chilled out in the sun with my book, had some chit chat with the old man renting beach umbrellas, and napped a little.

As there are no minshuku or other accommodation anywhere near this beach, I decided to take the train one more stop to the next beach, Kada, where I was lucky enough to get last minute, very affordable accommodation at the Otsuya minshuku.

It's a long story, but the woman running the beer-store/rental shop on this beach is also the local 'travel agent', and she helped get me the place to stay. She was so worried, though, because the Otsuya, she informed me, was old and not pretty/clean. Also, she gasped, the toilets were wa-shiki (Japanese squat type), and would this be okay? I smiled and assured her that, yes, no problem! Luckily, two young guys working there recognized that I was probably Japan travel-saavy, and chimed in laughingly that they were sure I'd be fine.

And I was more than fine - the place was awesome. Quiet, lovely tatami room, with an ocean view. I was especially fortunate, actually, as some Japanese minshuku do not offer rooms for one person; I suppose since they charge by the person, it makes more sense to have only two or more. So I really got lucky here.

Kada beach from my room at Otsuya

Locals' boats just before sunset

Sunset Walk

Although the train ride was pleasant, I missed the luxury of having a car. I have not ridden a train to somewhere like the beach in at least 10 years, if not longer. I'm mostly accustomed to not having a car, especially as I'm in a big city. However, when out of the big city, when you simply want to get to a convenience store that is a few kilometres away, or make your way from one beach to another, or just be able to go somewhere that the train doesn't go - a car makes a huge difference.

Heat Wave

Now that rainy season has ended, the summer heat has taken hold with a vengeance. It's generally clear blue skies here, and blazing sunshine, with highs of 37 degrees celsius. According to the news reports, people are experiencing heat stroke, dehydration, and in some cases, death, so they advise everyone to drink lots of water, consume salty foods/supplements, carry a parasol, and use cool ice packs to cool down.

Me - I figure that the best cure for this heat is to hit the beach! Tomorrow being Saturday, I've decided to get on the train early in the morning and make my way to Wakayama prefecture, where there are some reportedly nice beaches on Osaka bay!

Melon Bar

When Brian visited last weekend, he also got the chance to meet Masa, my local bar tender, and a local hanging out at the bar. Brian said that he really liked the place, and I think he enjoyed the familiarity that seems to surround the people there. We were made to feel so welcome, and good travel advice to boot.

I didn't get a photo that night, but here is one from earlier, showing me, Masa and Mariko:

[caption id="attachment_192" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Melon Bar in Osaka"][/caption]

Umi-no-Hi in the City

If you read the Japan Rider blog, this post will be mostly the same - except here I mention the hostess bar we went to!

I've been living in Osaka for just over two weeks, and have had some time to find my way around a little, and even be comfortable being the navigator for visitors.

Speaking of visitors - this was a three-day weekend for most folks, and Brian took the opportunity to come check out my diggs in Osaka. He came up on Friday night and stayed until Monday evening - and it was really great to have the company, and have someone to explore all the bars and restaurants with.

Every year in the past, this long weekend in particular would always find us at a beach somewhere, especially as the holiday - umi-no-hi - translates as Marine Day. But this year, we ate and drank, and drank in the city.

Friday
I met Brian at Nanba station at 8:30 p.m., and we walked back to my place before striking out again in search of dinner. Everything in this district is open super late, so when we rocked up at a yaki-nikku (Korean BBQ restaurant) at 9:45, we were some of the earlier arriving guests!

After the restaurant, even though exhausted, Brian joined me for a beer at my local bar where I've started hanging out.

Saturday
We got started on Saturday morning, when we woke up lazily in my small and dark apartment. We started watching TV and were reminded that it was the Gion Matsuri this day, so as Kyoto - which is where Gion is - is not all that far from Osaka, we made our way by local train to the ancient capital to see some of the festival.

Brian had been to the festival before, but it was my first time. I love Kyoto, so I enjoyed being there, but the festival itself was, well, a little bit of a let down. The streets were too crowded to allow much of a view for someone as vertically challenged as me, and we'd already walked so much that Brian's foot began to burn in pain.

However, we did get a few photos and then had a cold beer and hot lunch at a nearby Indian restaurant!

[caption id="attachment_1755" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Gion Matsuri"][/caption]

Before making our way back to Osaka, Brian introduced me to the Kyoto market, which I have never been to and didn't even know existed. They had lots of things on offer, including these octopuses.

[caption id="attachment_1756" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Octopus on a stick in the Kyoto market"][/caption]

Back in Osaka, we did a little shopping in Shinsaibashi, in the Nanba area of the city, before stopping for margaritas and tacos at a Mexican restaurant!

[caption id="attachment_1757" align="alignnone" width="199" caption="The very famous 'Glico Man' billboard at Shinsaibashi"][/caption]

After this full-on day, we were not done yet. We headed back out at about 9:30 p.m. to find dinner. Now, remember, in days past, B and I would be asleep by 9:30 quite often! However, life here is just getting started. So, out we went, searching for more Mexican food, and found ourselves at a hostess bar! I was thrilled, since I'd never been to one, and that's not the kind of place a girl goes alone, and also not the kind of place a guy willingly goes to with a girl. So - I was stoked!

It was very clean and nice. The very young, cute waitresses were wearing cowboy-style clothes in cut-off short shorts and totally cropped tops.

And they were SO nice!

Of course, when I said this to Brian (who, I actually think, was uncomfortable!), he reminded me that that was their job. So what, I said. They were still very nice!

Anyway, I loved the hostess bar, and can see the attraction if you're a guy. Most of the people there were men without women in tow, and the waitresses each took a table, and stood there chatting to the men. I think I'm gonna see if there are any host bars out there...

Sunday
We didn't have much of a plan for Sunday, but the day went by quickly as we explored the Kuromon Ichiba (market), explored the knife shops of Doguyasuji street, and then went shopping in Den Den Town (electronics and other toys). Of course, we also stopped for lunch, and for that we found a Japanese BBQ restaurant near Nanba station.

[caption id="attachment_1758" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Check out the price of this watermelon in Kuromon Market - 30,000 yen!"][/caption]

We finished off the day with a 20 minute boat tour along the Dotonbori river!

[caption id="attachment_1759" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Sailing the Dotonbori"][/caption]

Monday
In an effort to try to reduce walking and the pressure on Brian's ever-more damaged foot, we thought a trip to the Osaka Aquarium - Kaiyukan - would be restful and pleasant. Pleasant - yes, extremely. But not so restful and it became another day with lots of walking! However, we both agree that it was worth it. The aquarium, though crowded on this national holiday, was soothing and beautiful.

[caption id="attachment_1760" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Swimming Tortoise"][/caption]

The Jellyfish exhibit was especially breathtaking.

[caption id="attachment_1761" align="alignnone" width="225" caption=".."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1762" align="alignnone" width="300" caption=".."][/caption]

After the aquarium, we took the Santa Maria cruise around Osaka bay, and then it was time for our weekend to come to a close and resume business as usual on Tuesday morning...

[caption id="attachment_1763" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Kaiyukan aquarium and Tempozan Harbor Village as seen from the Santa Maria in Osaka bay"][/caption]

Here's a little map. The blue dots show the general areas around Osaka that we visited (excluding the aquarium...). We did all of this on foot - which helps explain the flare-up of pain in B's foot!


View Around Nanba, Osaka in a larger map

Student Life in Nanba

Nanba is the main, happenin' area in Osaka. And I am living in the heart of it.

I'll admit, all the life is sort of energizing, even as it presents something of an assault on my senses. I walk to my Japanese Language school every day, and while I'd like to listen to an audiobook as I stroll, there is just too much external stimuli to allow me it. In fact, there is so much going on all the time, that even a 'stroll' is not possible - it's always more of a determined march!

However, it's not all teeming life all the time. On Sunday, I went for a longish walk, away from the city center, to Tennoji park, and Shi-Tennoji temple.

[caption id="attachment_181" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Shi-Tennoji Temple in Osaka"][/caption]

And although you'd think that, since I'm in one of the best places for night life that I'd be out in the bars and clubs every night...but of course not. Being busy with studying Japanese, and trying to stay on an even footing with all the much younger, more studious students, I'm spending a lot of time in my apartment reviewing kanji or procrasting.

However, it's not all work and no play. Attached to my building is a small bar, called, like my building, Melon. It's not an izakaya, but is a western-style place, and because we're slightly away from where all the real stuff is, tucked away on a side-street, the people who go there are regulars. Dimly lit, and with a sort of dingy by cozy atmosphere, I've been there twice, and am already on a first-name basis with the bar tender and two locals who visit there. It's a nice place to relax with a beer, and also to put into practice some of the Japanese I'm supposed to be learning!

Oh, and just for fun - here's my Student Card:
[caption id="attachment_185" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Student ID"][/caption]

Live from Osaka...

Here it is, my first post from my new home base of Osaka.

I got here late on Sunday night, checking into my new apartment at about 9 p.m.

I'm staying at Melon Apartment, which is in a great location in Namba, really near the Dotonbori area - lots of shops, tons of restaurants, and access to pretty much anything you'd want.

These are the obvious perks to living in the heart of things, but I already miss being able to go for a morning run through rice paddies and along mountain roads. And I miss having an apartment that has natural light.

My apartment here is very small, but fairly cute, and as I said, it's in a great location. However, I'm on the ground floor, wedged between buildings, and therefore I get no daylight. However, I really can't complain.

Here are a few pics in my new temporary abode:

[caption id="attachment_168" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Living Room"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_170" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="The whole place"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_169" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Tatami Room, Living Room"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_173" align="alignnone" width="224" caption="Kitchen"][/caption]