Our first impression of Osaka is that it feels terrifically different from Kyoto. We’ve read enough about the importance of both cities and how they differ, but there are many other little things. Like how when emerging from Tanimachi 4-chome train station and taking a look at the very modern and futuristic towering buildings, or that women in Osaka seem to dress more practically than their counterparts in Kyoto do (the latter all dress to impress above all else, as Ling remarks).
Our side of the city when the hotel is located is an extremely quiet area, with little vehicular traffic and even fewer persons milling about or going on their business. After checking in early just before noon and settling down our luggage, we first swung by Osaka Castle to take a look at the exteriors, though the castle itself is closed. Took a couple of pictures before rain forced us to duck back into the train station for cover.
Ling said that the ‘happening’ place is around Namba station. So, we proceeded to Namba. And boy… the difference was like night and day there. It’s like the whole of Osaka city transit along the Namba stretch. Everywhere we turn there were people about, and since arriving in Japan, we finally got to be shoved, push and squeezed through more times than we can count just to get through a 10 meter stretch.
After lunch at a basement ramen restaurant (will blog about this in another post), we wandered around the district and eventually found ourselves in the Sennichimae shopping arcades. This is a criss-crossing area with hundreds of shops and thousands of persons squeezing past each other. There were queues everywhere – including a couple for octopus balls and other snacks – that would give us Singaporeans who queue with a passion a run for money!
We did have something specific to look out for in Osaka though; Green-tea Kit-Kat, and selected pottery items for the kitchen. We’d been looking for the former in Kobe and Kyoto, but had no luck, and are starting to think that maybe that item is only available at specific times of the year. We found Doguyasuji Shopping Arcade – an area that our friend Ann recommended to us for pottery and kitchenware – and picked up a couple of small items. That’s in the next post.:)
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