There is a small queue at airport check-in; once it’s my turn it takes all of 2 minutes then I’m on my way to work for the day.
Janet (my colleague) and I leave the office just after 2.15pm; her flight to Singapore is 5 minutes after mine. As the airport express arrives it becomes very apparent we are not the only ones going to the airport. It’s standing room only!
Passport check, security and immigration don’t reflect the busy airport express which is nice.
We decide the Cathay lounge at the bridge is the best one for us both. Seats located, bubbles requested.
Tingting arrives a few minutes after we sit down.
As we walk to the gate there is a long line to board, aah thank goodness for my One World sapphire card.
The medicine from this morning seems to be slowly wearing off which is fantastic!! I decided to stop taking it (other than the night time one) as it was making me SO drowsy.
We pull back from the gate 2 minutes late. The seat next to me remains empty - result! The flight passes by quickly - eating, watching a movie and sleeping help with that.
Ooh Japan, soooo excited to be coming back.
We land into Osaka international airport (actually Kansai international airport) at 8.55pm Japan time. I have this feeling I might be freezing to death at night time.....and living in the same clothes for 3 days. Hey ho.
It’s a 15 minute drive to the gate then we are up and moving. I manage to squeeze onto the train (definitely in Japan now) then it’s another walk to immigration. Wholly Molley and bottles of rum the lines at immigration are MENTAL!! As Tingting is with me I don’t do the APEC line.
In the end I ask one of the staff where the APEC line is; I decide I’ll go and suss out the trains. Poor man - it puts him into a bit of a pickle.
Finally I’m out!!
The customs man is very sweet and we chat for a bit. My brain wants to speak Italian which isn’t helpful!
I manage to buy us train tickets, let’s hope it’s the right one!!!
As there is not WiFi in the train station I head back to the airport part to wait for Tingting.
One of the friendly staff had told me the train goes from platform 3 so we head down there. A few minutes later the train arrives. On we get. We manage to get a seat. There is an announcement in Japanese then English - yes we are on the right train.
Leaving Osaka train station seems easy; that’s until we realize we aren’t going in the right direction. Thank goodness for Uber. Tomorrow we’ll have to sort out how to get to the station by foot.
Checking in is basically painless as there is no one else around. I believe I’ve already paid for the hotel room (advanced booking room....) but the receptionist doesn’t think so. Sleep is needed so I’ll deal with that in the morning.
I climb into bed at 12.15am (new time), what a journey.
I wake just after 8.30am on Saturday 11 May - seeing sun light peek through the curtains is a great sign! It had been an interesting start to the night, thankfully post 1.30amish I managed to sleep.
Wow! The views when I adjust my eyes are great. Blue sky for as far as the eyes can see.
We meet at breakfast. Definitely a slow moving start, which is nice.
One of Tingting’s colleagues had given her a list of places to see / visit / eat in Osaka. One is a highly recommended sushi place that closes at 2pm today and doesn’t open again to Monday. We decide we’ll head there first.
Walking out of the hotel into the total blue sky and sunshine is heaven. Such a huge contrast to the weather we have been having in Hong Kong.
We decide to head towards Osaka station, so that we know what we need to do later on! Don’t need a repeat of last night (not knowing).
We wander along the water front to the Central Waterfront Market. This blue sky and sunshine is amazing - perfect to get over my cold!
When we arrive at Endo Sushi (at 12.26pm) we join the end of the line. Looks like there is 5 tables in front of us.
We have about a 30 minute wait before we are shown to our seats at the counter bar which looks right into the “kitchen”.
There are 4 sushi plates to choose from. They all sound delicious. WOW. The sushi is out of this world amazing!! Melts in the mouth.
We decide to take the train to Namba Station instead of walking. Typical Japanese ease to buy the tickets and get on the train.
Around Namba Station is lots of streets and arcades for shopping / eating / drinking. As we wander up a block we make the decision at every corner which direction we want to go. There are cosmetic stores by the dozen!
We had passed a couple of places/stalls selling Takoyaki - octopus ball, one of the standard Osaka Street foods. I wasn’t hungry after lunch so we continued walking.
One place we came across had long lines so Tingting decided this was the one we would try. Bonus was they sold beers.
We manage to get a seat when a couple are done.
Tingting is able to read and basically work out what the Japanese characters mean, most helpful! As we are sitting here enjoying the beer one of the young boys that works here smiles and nods. Tingting’s translation of this name tag name is “clean water”.
Two ladies (mother and daughter) come and sit next to us. The mother gets ‘told off’ for having her hands in the photo. I giggle. People around the world really are all the same! Taking photos of their food and drinks.
It’s so nice just sitting here watching the locals come in, eat and drink then leave again. Every table did what we did, photos before eating and drinking. Tingting advises it’s nice to have clean water watching over us. OMG I can’t stop laughing!!!
We continue to wander the streets, stopping into a few of the stores. There is so much to look at!
We had read the Dotonbori area is surrounded by a canal so head off towards the water on google maps.
We are definitely not the only ones having the same idea.
We find a place that has outside seats. Beer ordered, time to sit back and enjoy the surroundings.
We are getting peckish - instead of staying here we decide to go to one of the small “bars” that we had seen earlier on our wanderings.
Walking along the river we notice a group of people screaming and yelling to our side of the river. As we get closer we come across a guy in a wolf mask and blue cape dancing....ok!
A little further on we come across a group of 4 girls singing and dancing. Ok this is what people are screaming and yelling for.
The place is definitely coming alive now.
We wander along looking at each one before deciding where to go. Some had empty seats but seeing two foreigners waved no. As we walked in and sat down everyone turned around and looked at us. Hmmm not sure we belong here but we are staying.
First order was sake, followed by a variety of food. All super tasty!!
Paying the bill is a little challenging - this is totally when you need a Japanese speaker. In the end we gave in and just paid. This is the negative of traveling in a country where you can’t speak the language.
We had wanted to go and try another place down the alleyway but I decided it’s best to take us away from here.
We decide to find somewhere that serves gyoza’s. Sake, gyozo’s and edamame are ordered. All delicious.
Right time to pay the bill and go somewhere else. After wandering a bit we leave one place, where we are lining up, and walk not even two blocks to another place. On entering we make it clear we are here for drinks only.
The man speaks to us in English....nice and easy! Sake and Sojuu are ordered.
Tingting arranges an Uber back to the hotel. The view from Tingting's hotel room is amazing.
Sunday 12 May I wake to my alarm at 9am. Great to have a sleep in!! Breakfast is a busy affair this morning so there is a line up.
It’s an easy walk in the beautiful sunshine to Osaka Station. On arrival I completely understand why we would never have been able to work out where to go when we arrived on Friday night.
Buying a ticket was a take 2 situation as we didn’t know the cost of the journey. After asking a friendly worker she advised its JPY 160. Perfect.
The few minute wait on the platform for our train allows time to take it all in. I could actually stand here all day just people watching.
We have 4 stops to Osaka Castle stop. When we arrive it’s a long walk to the entrance. Along the way seeing restaurants, shops and coffee shops. It’s Mother’s Day so the lines to get into the restaurants are long. Closer to the Castle we come to the moat.
We join a long line to purchase tickets, thankfully managing to stand in the shade the majority of the time. Once we have our tickets and are in the ticket only part we notice we have an option to either walk up the stairs or take the lift. The line for the lift is long so it’s the stairs for us.
Wikipedia informs us Osaka Castle is in Osaka – helpful! It’s apparently one of Japan’s most famous landmarks, playing a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteen century. Interestingly the castle building is five stories on the outside and eight stories on the inside. The grounds are huge, covering 13 acres, yet the castle is on a plot of land roughly one square kilometre.
We review the exhibition on each floor before climbing the next stair case.
The views from the top are amazing!!
As we exit the Castle we decide to leave the area a different way.
As we walk through a park there is a small breeze, heaven. Once we locate the train station, tickets are purchased and we are off (to Sumiyoshi Taisha). Unfortunately we have to change lines twice (was supposed to be only once but the first train we got on stopped one station before ours…)
As we walk out of the train station it's very easy to locate the Sumiyoshi Taisha (a Shinot shrine).
Sumiyoshi Taisha shrine is dedicated to Shinto deities associated with the sea and sea travel and was founded in the 3rd century.
Even though other people are around it’s so nice and peaceful here.
The man at the train station is super friendly and tells us exactly what we need to do once we have our tickets. Everyone we have come into contact with have all been so helpful.
The day seems to have got hotter and hotter. A break back at the hotel will be perfect.
Sitting here waiting for the train with the breeze and the noise of the birds chirping is lovely.
As we had transferred before at the same station it’s nice and easy to do the reserve.
When we arrive at Osaka Station we decide a beer is needed. Following the signs to restaurants on the 17th floor we take the lift upstairs. Nothing takes our fancy so we decide to get out of here and will find something when we walk to the hotel.
I had read about the Umeda Sky Building (which my room looks out on) so decide we’ll go back to the hotel that way. A few seconds after getting off the escalator we spy an outside bar advertising Kirin Beer. Yes thank you.
Back onto the train to Namba Station we go. At least we know what we are doing more today!
We end up two or three places down from where we were the first time last night; I remember passing it on our wanderings yesterday too. Beef and beer are ordered. It’s a BBQ place where we cook it ourselves. Super tasty, melt in your mouth beef!!
We are still hungry so decide to go to the other place the lady recommended. It’s a straight line walk from where we are, nice and easy!
Beer and a couple of food plates are ordered.
Tingting decides she’s done with the trains for today so it’s a taxi home.
Monday 13 May I wake just after 7am, so nice not having to get straight up and head to work. Tingting will be at the airport by now, her flight back to Hong Kong is at 9am.
I walk out of the hotel at 9.25am, after checking out and leaving my suitcase with concierge. It’s another stunning blue sky day - beautiful!
I head to Osaka Station, to purchase my train ticket for this afternoon, before walking to Osaka Tenmangu shrine. It’s nice to be in more of a local area.
I had downloaded the directions prior to leaving the hotel so it’s a nice easy follow of google maps.
Osaka Tenmangu shrine is a Shinto Shrine that was founded in AD 949. Apparently it’s where the Osaka students come to pray for success. Being a Monday morning there is next to no one else around which is lovely.
I had previously walked by a pedestrian covered shopping street (Tenjinbashi shopping street) and decide to wander along that to the water.
The park I had thought about walking through back towards Osaka Station didn’t excite me.
New plan is to walk the length of the Tenjinbashi shopping street and visit Ogimachi Park.
The walk to Osaka Station is nice and easy, along one road. As I appreciate the tall buildings I follow the signs to JR Osaka Station. Once I’m there I’ll know exactly where I am.
The number of people around has definitely increased! Being underground I’m seeing a different of Osaka Station. There are SO many different lines and stations you can access from here.
I have a wander in the market area downstairs; a few good places and other stores. Not as exciting as the places I’ve seen when I was in Tokyo.
As I walk out of Osaka Station Umeda Sky Building is directly in front of me.
I decide the last thing I’ll do today is visit the Umeda Sky Tower.
Taking the lift up to 35th floor is nice and quick. I’m the only one in the lift which makes it nice.
As I step onto the escalator my heart skips a beat. Ummm yeah no, I do not like this! There is no way I can go higher.
Thankfully at the top there is a shop which I wander around to get my heart rate back before have to repeat the journey. The views are amazing!
Coming down thankfully is better / easier but still steep..
I head to the basement where they have replicated the area so it’s like small alleys with different types of restaurants. Good fun wandering around looking at them all.
In the end I select one based on the fact I can see them cook okonomiyaki. YUM!
When I enter I’m asked to sit on the side; I’m then presented with a menu that is all in Japanese. Ummm no sorry, only English. The guy advises the different types of okonomiyaki you can have. I go with the pork, which he advises is the best choice.
When I’m asked where I’m from, I say New Zealand. He then says “All Blacks”. Yes that’s right. And soon they will be here in Japan.
I’m given the one empty seat at the counter. Bag goes into seat (really love this concept) then I go on top of the seat.
Wow it’s warm sitting here. Would be perfect in the winter. There is an okonomiyaki cooking in front of me which I believe is mind. A few minutes later I’m informed it’s mine. Great!
I reorganise my bag back at the hotel before waiting to JR Osaka Station. The train I’d been told to take doesn’t leave for another 38 minutes but I’m hoping I’ll be able to get on an earlier one.
It’s great knowing exactly where I need to go when I arrive at JR Osaka Station. There is a train in 13 minutes (at 2.23pm) which I’ll take.
It’s so warm on the train. I’d hate to be on here when it’s peak summer. I can totally see how / why people fall asleep on the trains.
We arrive at Kansai International Airport at 3.30pm; one hour 7 minutes after departing JR Osaka Station. Yes I had a wee shut eye along the way.
As I walk off the train a cool breeze hits me, heaven!
The check-in lines are all super long! What on earth is going on??! And it appears to be on all counters, not just Cathay Pacific.
I’m asked whether or not I’ll move seats so a family can sit together - I’m told I’ll be in the same row, just on the different side of the plane. Sure thing, no issue.
Going through security and immigration is easy even though there are people everywhere. No line for APEC holders (this would have to be a first).
I head straight to the lounge - I’ve been in better and I’ve been in worse. The sake and edamame are tasty at least.
We pull back from the gate 4 minutes early at 5.56pm; let’s hope this promptness continues for the duration of the flight and arrival into Hong Kong.
Osaka. It’s been amazing. Arigato.
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