Osaka is a very Japanese city, but it is a very different city than Tokyo. It, too, is a large metropolis, teaming with millions of people living and working in the immediate metro area. However, Osakans are said to be considerably more laid back than those in Tokyo. Today, we would have a chance to see that first hand.
We start our morning in the small Cafe at our Best Western Hotel. We enjoyed a mix of Western and Japanese breakfast; this time we were also graced with cooked vegetables - something we had not seen at breakfast.
Today's adventures included a full-day cycling tour of Osaka, giving us the best chance to see many of the highlights of the city, and to get some much-needed excercise! Like Toyko, Osaka enjoys a robust subway system. We were able to easily navigate from the local subway line, to the JR line, to the subway station where our guide would meet us. The subway was so efficient that we arrived more than 30 minutes early. That was enough time to stop next door to the station and check out Mr. Donut. A few 100yen pastries later, we met our guide from Cycle Osaka, Maeko, in front of the station. We introduced ourselves and began to get to know our guide, while waiting to meet the other tourists who would join our trip.
Maeko was a native Osakan, born and raised in the area (we would later ride past her high school neighborhood). A few minutes later, we were joined by Archie, a New Zealander on holiday. Finally, we met Andrew, a Singapore native on vacation in Japan. Our group walked a few short blocks to the meeting point. Cycle Osaka rents space from an eclectic pub, filled with tie-died art, colorful wall paintings, and clothing. After a brief introduction to the route, our stops and the bikes, we were soon on our way!
In just a few minutes, we rode a few blocks to reach an island at the center of Osaka. As we rode along the waterway, Maeko pointed out several buildings and their cultural significance. She also pointed out an obscure, two-story tea house, sandwiched between skyscrapers. Japan is a mix of old-and-new, and this contrast reinforced that notion - in spades! Later on, we stopped at our first of two rose gardens. The air was heavy with the scent of roses, and the park was full of people enjoying them! As we neared the end of the island, we found a small pond and garden behind the facade of the original Japanese mint.
As lunch time neared, we stopped at a park for ice cream (Andrew had yakisoba noodles). We pushed onward toward our lunch destination, which was to be the Korean town area of Osaka. Nestled between the subway lines and elevated surface streets, a maze of shops crisscrossed in an unrecognizable pattern. As we walked along the shops they sold everything from toys to clothing to fabric. At the end of one of the aisles, row upon row of Korean restaurants offered traditional Korean fare. Maeko took us to a small food stand, where the proprietor let us take up a small table. We had a mix of small sushi rolls and a variety of spicy Korean dishes, shared amongst our small group.
Now that we had a bit of food, we continued onward across Osaka. One stop included a shrine with an interesting pagoda. What was so interesting about the pagoda, was that it was in plain view of the tallest building in Japan. Again, another great juxtaposition of old and new architecture! In a short while, we reached the second rose garden on our trip. This one featured different rose varieties than the garden we saw this morning. Our next stop was another pitstop to refill our bellies. This was a Japanese sushi restaurant, where we enjoyed sushi rolls and sashimi. Rain was expected this afternoon and evening, so we hurried along to our last few destinations. The rain met us before we finished, but with the help of rain ponchos, we were able to finish up without difficulty.
Back at the cycle shop, we had a relaxing time, enjoying a few beers and reflecting on the day. We thanked Maeko for the tour, and left her and Archie to enjoy their beers. Andrew was staying at a hotel near us, so he hung out with us for dinner. Tonight's special: Yakiniku! This delightful dish is a Korean barbecue - enjoyed at one's table. Yakiniku shops feature small charcoal or gas grills, installed in the tables of the restaurant. Servers bring plates of uncooked slices of pork and beef, and diners cook them themselves on the small grills. In a short while, we managed to eat ourselves through plate after plate of delicious food. When we left the restaurant, the servers sprayed us with air freshner, to mask the smell of cooked meats!
After wandering the mall a bit, we stopped for dessert at Tully's Coffee, before boarding a subway train for home. Saying goodbye to Andrew on the rainy streets, we walked back to our hotel room and turned in for the night.
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