So I took a later train from Kyoto to Osaka and found my hostel with a little bit of difficulty. It’s a small place called the Peace House Showa, and it’s in a back alley in Tennoji. If you’re looking for more of a hotel-like hostel, this isn’t for you. However, it’s really a great place to meet people and Yumi, the woman who runs it is super nice and speaks perfect English. After getting a good night’s sleep, I woke up and went to Osaka Castle Park station to meet up with Ueno Taeko, out Japanese TA from last year who lives in Osaka. We caught up with each other as we strolled through the park. Apparently she is now working as an English teacher for middle school students.
Though Osaka is another big city that maybe doesn’t have as much to see as Tokyo, the city has a bit more character, I think. On my way to my hostel on the night I arrived, I passed by two street performers, and there were even more in the park as Taeko-san and I made our way to the castle. We saw jugglers, a man with a trained monkey, and a charming old man playing guitar.
The castle itself is really beautiful. It stands tall and white, surrounded by not one, but two moats, and a couple of bridges. Inside is a museum about the history of the castle, including artifacts such as samurai armor, ornate helmets, and silk screens. The park is really lovely too with the river/moats running through it and the sakura starting to bloom. For lunch, we had an Osaka special: Okonomiyaki, which is essentially an omelet/pizza-type thing. They make them in Hiroshima too, only thinner and with noodles and cabbage.
After lunch, we went to Dotonbori and Shinsaibashi, a loooooong strip of a shopping center and a street filled with flashing lights for restaurants, bars, and karaoke clubs, the center of Osaka’s nightlife. We wandered around for a while, Taeko-san pointing out the famous Glico sign and the giant moving crab, before we parted ways.
On Sunday, I spent the day at the Osaka aquarium. Despite being really crowded, it was a lot of fun. I saw the seals as they were being fed; performing tricks of rolling over and waving at the audience before getting rewards of fish.
And of course, Osaka Aquarium’s pride and joy: The whale sharks.
There are two of them at the aquarium and they are HUGE. What’s really interesting is the way that the smaller fish seem to cling to them. You’d think it would be the other way around…
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