4 hours ago
Sennichimae area for some sushi I didn't get to have as yet. I was reading up an Osaka guide book the night before and found a recommended sushi place around here. The book said the place was cheap and yummy. That was good enough for me. At first I couldn't find it, and when I did, I was too early. Waiting for noon to arrive, I was tempted to walk into another place, and actually did, but I liked the feel of the place, so came outside again, and waited around rather impatiently walking up and down the shopping streets.
This area was much louder and brighter than the other places I'd been so far. Funny sushi guy. There were lots of sushi places in the area...
...but this is the one I chose to go into. The guy cut off on the left was my sushi guy.
One look at the menu, eek, this place is more expensive than most! Ah, well. The menu outside didn't have any pictures nor numerical symbols, just numbers in Japanese, which I understand a bit of but not much, especially when I don't know what the numbers are of. What comes first, the fame, or the guide recommendations, which may or may not have put up the once-cheap prices? I have no idea.
I still enjoyed the sushi, and the sushi guy was nice. This middle aged Japanese man having sushi on my left wanted to make conversation with me, an Asian looking young girl eating alone who cannot speak Japanese. He spoke no English. The sushi guy a little. We made interesting conversation, us three.
Toilet break. The toilets here have closed off vanity areas for touch ups, and sometimes, little naps, like the lady on the right.
Gallery space in the subway passageway.
On my way to the Bay area.
Another Ferris wheel. As you can see the weather was not as great as the previous day.
Another recreated food alleyway in Marketplace.
The "Kaiyukan" Osaka Aquarium, one of the largest in the world. I hadn't meant to go in, but the gallery I had wanted to go was closed for some reason.
"Look, little fish!"
It was nice to see so many species of marine life, something I haven't done in a long time. Think the last time had been at the end of my first year at uni...
Back again to Namba. I found Hozenji-Yokocho Alley!
Final dinner at Osaka. Upon Dad's recommendation, I chose to have ramen. I don't really like noodles normally, but it was nice. Osaka black noodles, it was called. The noodles place I randomly picked won several awards for its noodles, and a gold prize in 2007 for this particular dish. Think I made a good choice.
Space Invader!
This last day in Osaka was a little tiring one for me. I treated myself to dessert at Muji after dinner. It's one of those places I would like to bring all my girlfriends, and also my mum. Muji sells clothes and homewares as well as food products, and has a food court. They hold cooking classes, too. The only downside is that there is no Wi-fi, to my knowledge, but it's a perfect place to go shopping then have a rest and chat away with friends, or read quietly alone.
This area was much louder and brighter than the other places I'd been so far. Funny sushi guy. There were lots of sushi places in the area...
...but this is the one I chose to go into. The guy cut off on the left was my sushi guy.
One look at the menu, eek, this place is more expensive than most! Ah, well. The menu outside didn't have any pictures nor numerical symbols, just numbers in Japanese, which I understand a bit of but not much, especially when I don't know what the numbers are of. What comes first, the fame, or the guide recommendations, which may or may not have put up the once-cheap prices? I have no idea.
I still enjoyed the sushi, and the sushi guy was nice. This middle aged Japanese man having sushi on my left wanted to make conversation with me, an Asian looking young girl eating alone who cannot speak Japanese. He spoke no English. The sushi guy a little. We made interesting conversation, us three.
Toilet break. The toilets here have closed off vanity areas for touch ups, and sometimes, little naps, like the lady on the right.
Gallery space in the subway passageway.
On my way to the Bay area.
Another Ferris wheel. As you can see the weather was not as great as the previous day.
Another recreated food alleyway in Marketplace.
The "Kaiyukan" Osaka Aquarium, one of the largest in the world. I hadn't meant to go in, but the gallery I had wanted to go was closed for some reason.
"Look, little fish!"
It was nice to see so many species of marine life, something I haven't done in a long time. Think the last time had been at the end of my first year at uni...
Back again to Namba. I found Hozenji-Yokocho Alley!
Final dinner at Osaka. Upon Dad's recommendation, I chose to have ramen. I don't really like noodles normally, but it was nice. Osaka black noodles, it was called. The noodles place I randomly picked won several awards for its noodles, and a gold prize in 2007 for this particular dish. Think I made a good choice.
Space Invader!
This last day in Osaka was a little tiring one for me. I treated myself to dessert at Muji after dinner. It's one of those places I would like to bring all my girlfriends, and also my mum. Muji sells clothes and homewares as well as food products, and has a food court. They hold cooking classes, too. The only downside is that there is no Wi-fi, to my knowledge, but it's a perfect place to go shopping then have a rest and chat away with friends, or read quietly alone.
I moved to an apartment in the same building as an old high school friend. Climbed to the upper floors to visit her and crossed her coming out of her red front door in a running crop top and tights outfit. C, you have abs?!! Made me want to exercise hard out.
But sleep first, please. No home for two nights due to too much work before our big event this weekend. The life of an Events & PR team member.
Hi, red whales! At HEP Five, a commercial complex with a 75m diameter Ferris wheel on its roof. From here I made a twenty minute walk towards Shin-Umeda City for dinner.
I was unexpectedly greeted by a Christmas market.
Christmas market in November, in Japan?! In German?! Must be because of the German consulate which is situated in the building here.
I love Christmas markets
So pretty. Not too crowded, but Christmas just makes you feel so happy and warm.
But I was getting hungry and it was time to go to the basement floor of the building to the Takimi Shoji Alley, where a bunch of restaurants can be found in a recreated retro feel about them.
I was looking for okonomiyaki tonight. I didn't know where to turn to.
I just went into one restaurant and asked, 'okonomiyaki?' The lady took me to the right restaurant. The okonomiyaki cook actually spoke a bit of English. He told me that he'd make a special creation for me. I don't know if it actually was a special recipe, but no one else seemed to have it. On both sides sat businessmen in black suits for some okonomiyaki with beer.
I never realised how okonomiyakis were cooked. Sitting on the bar right in front of the cook, I was able to see everything.
The restaurant was old. The many who visited the place left messages and business cards on the walls. I added mine to the rest on my way out, later.
For now, waiting patiently for my special okonomiyaki...
So many different kinds...
I didn't realise it at the time, but this was mine being cooked.
The old okonomiyaki cook who greeted me kindly.
The seats open up so you can put your belongings inside.
My okonomiyaki had meat, cabbage shreds, a leaf - I don't know how else to describe it, but it's a plant leaf that Koreans eat a lot of as well, I don't know the name, one half in teriyaki sauce and spiced, the other sprinkled with seaweed, the centre lined with mayo. Was so nice and filling. Afterwards the elderly cook asked me if I was finished, took the special okonomiyaki knife, wiped it, and gave it to me as a souvenir. Arigato!
This is the place. Number fourteen. Highly recommended. It's my favourite moment of the Osaka trip.
Back to the hostel, a little lost at Umeda station...
I was unexpectedly greeted by a Christmas market.
Christmas market in November, in Japan?! In German?! Must be because of the German consulate which is situated in the building here.
I love Christmas markets
So pretty. Not too crowded, but Christmas just makes you feel so happy and warm.
Reminded me of my time in Europe last year.
But I was getting hungry and it was time to go to the basement floor of the building to the Takimi Shoji Alley, where a bunch of restaurants can be found in a recreated retro feel about them.
I was looking for okonomiyaki tonight. I didn't know where to turn to.
I just went into one restaurant and asked, 'okonomiyaki?' The lady took me to the right restaurant. The okonomiyaki cook actually spoke a bit of English. He told me that he'd make a special creation for me. I don't know if it actually was a special recipe, but no one else seemed to have it. On both sides sat businessmen in black suits for some okonomiyaki with beer.
I never realised how okonomiyakis were cooked. Sitting on the bar right in front of the cook, I was able to see everything.
The restaurant was old. The many who visited the place left messages and business cards on the walls. I added mine to the rest on my way out, later.
For now, waiting patiently for my special okonomiyaki...
So many different kinds...
I didn't realise it at the time, but this was mine being cooked.
The old okonomiyaki cook who greeted me kindly.
The seats open up so you can put your belongings inside.
My okonomiyaki had meat, cabbage shreds, a leaf - I don't know how else to describe it, but it's a plant leaf that Koreans eat a lot of as well, I don't know the name, one half in teriyaki sauce and spiced, the other sprinkled with seaweed, the centre lined with mayo. Was so nice and filling. Afterwards the elderly cook asked me if I was finished, took the special okonomiyaki knife, wiped it, and gave it to me as a souvenir. Arigato!
This is the place. Number fourteen. Highly recommended. It's my favourite moment of the Osaka trip.
Back to the hostel, a little lost at Umeda station...