So I lost all discipline with my idea of a daily journal. I blame Japan because we’ve been moving non stop and having our minds blown and shopping and eating and learning and having fun.
We arrived in Osaka after a long and tiring transit day and everyone was grumpy. The hotel is a bit crappy and far out of Central Osaka which didn’t help. We made our way into Osaka to see Dotombori at night and we all feel in love with the city. Dotombori is the biggest tourist trap but that doesn’t matter at all. It’s a “shut up and take my money” scenario.
The lights in the water are beautiful, the shops and restaurants and Street vendors are all super friendly even when they can’t speak English. The area is crowded and busy, and has an electric vibe.
Yesterday we did a tour of Nara Park, including Todai-ji Buddhist temple and Sadai-ji Shinto shrine. Both were stunning and awesome, and so much more enjoyable to see with a knowledgeable local guide
After this we went back to Namba and walked around until we found a Korean BBQ restaurant we wanted to try. It was good but best of all was how excited the owner was to be hosting us. He gave us presents and shot glasses of milk for dessert. Funny guy, great food.
Catching trains in Japan is pretty much mandatory as it’s the cheapest and usually quickest way to get around in the city. It’s also daunting and confusing at first. Different lines have their own stations and they are not always interconnected. Nevertheless, we’ve pretty much mastered the trains now and we’re ready for the next big test – tomorrow we go but train from Osaka to Hiroshima. Four trains over about two and a half to three hours. With suitcases. That should be fun.