Marckam off to Japan

Sunday, 28 August, 2005
Day 9 – Osaka Bay, Den Den Town, Shinsaibashi, Dotonbori (Ami-mura), Umeda

Started the day at Osaka City Tourist Information center. Very helpful, very good English. Decided to get a day subway pass and try them out to head through the middle of the Osaka Loop line (JR run). Got to Osaka Bay in time for a 50 minute cruise on the Santa Maria. Live singer, breezes, views of absolutely enormous structures (bridges and buildings)… another really large ferris wheel, Osaka Aquarium, Port of Osaka buildings, Universal Studios. Ended cruise with a walk around Osaka Aquarium building. Thronging crowds on last weekend of school holidays. Families everywhere.

Handy those Subway Passes. Off again to Den Den Town, the home of electricals in Osaka. Found a few more interesting little trinkets. Lots of shops again.
Also found an alley that was lined with freshest of seafood. Totally roofed, mind you some shops were still closed (Sunday of course). Amid all the chaos outside, this was a place where the locals came to do some grocery shopping. It smelt of the freshest, and tasted of the freshest, seafood around. They did say that Osaka is the kitchen of Japan. We also found a stall selling tempura tidbits. A fish n chip shop Japanese style. Fabulous. Mark in tempura heaven. Tempura lotus, tempura eel, tempura something else wonderful. She loved us. We (or I) went back twice. She kept putting one more bit in. The eel was lovely, as was the lotus. This was a surpise as we thought it was sweet potato.

Back to hotel to download the photos then walk around local Osaka before off the Dotonbori (Ami-mura).
A small river runs through, conducting river cruises. Canyoned by the most amazing displays of neon. Buildings lighting up then fading. Is completely neon as far as can see. Busy thriving young area – they come to be seen as being American in some way – wild clothes – exciting – the area is a temple to all things American. Yet pockets of tradition. An elderly Japanese man with a marionette happily dancing away amid the chaos of Ami-Mura.

Dinner at Yodobashi Umeda again. This time thought we would try Japanese Italian. Pizza, garlic bread, Marinara pasta, Caesar salad, wine and beer. Yummmmy. And they said the Japanese couldn’t do pizza.

Packed a bit, well Cam did. I think the beers were doubles .