Osaka: big city life

            Leaving Kyoto was a gloomy experience. The rainy weather only added to the melancholy. After a short train ride Osaka came into view. The city looked looming and dark even though it was midday. This was so different from my cute little Kyoto.

Arriving at the station

            Overwhelmed by my surroundings, I decided to take a taxi. It was one expensive cab but I don’t regret taking it. The driver looked at the address and then looked worried. As he started driving he tried to make small talk but he only knew a tiny amount of English. We arrived at the hostel and as I was paying him he looked right at me and said, “Don’t go out at night!” I didn’t understand him at first but as he helped me with my bags he kept repeating the phrase.

            Later I took a walk around the neighborhood and I understood why the taxi driver had warned me. Japanese neighborhoods are usually very clean. This one had trash lying around and a few stray cats. I walked by an overpass and was surprised to see about 50 homeless men under it. The people I walked past on the street were usually older men that smelled like beer or sweat. There were a few younger guys that I would pass on the street, but they had dyed hair (which is abnormal in Japanese society) and just looked menacing in general.

Preschoolers on a field trip

Crab

            My hostel was right by a metro station so I spent most my time in other neighborhoods. I started my day by heading to Kaiyukan, which is the Osaka Aquarium. I was surprised as I was walking in to be surrounded by a bunch of 5 year-olds in matching uniforms and yellow hats. They were preschoolers on a field trip, and they were a rowdy bunch. They ran around in circles, knocked on the glass, and teased each other. The aquarium was really cool though, and I was able to see many of the same fish that I saw when I was snorkeling. I also arrived right during the dolphins’ feeding time. I got to watch them do tricks to get food.

At Osaka Castle

            After the aquarium I headed to Osaka Castle. These castle grounds were huge. I liked them because the area was full of trees and had good paths to walk. The castle was impressive, very tall. The roofs were shaded a light teal blue color that went well with the gold accents. The castle was built for the permanent rule of Japan but in 1615 after the Summer War the control was taken. In 1931 the castle was used by the army; and in World War II the castle was damaged. It is now restored and the inside of the castle has been turned into a museum.

Umeda Sky Building

On my way up

            The next stop on my very busy trip was the Umeda Sky Building. It was built in 1993 and is two skyscrapers that are connected in the middle. This building is also called the floating garden. The part that connects the two buildings functions as an observatory. This was a beautiful place to relax and look over the city. I found a comfy spot and spent over two hours looking, thinking, and writing. It was calming.

            The night was young and I was not ready to head back to the hostel. As a solo traveler it can get lonely sometimes. I wanted to meet people but I wanted to do it in a safe environment. The hostel I stayed at in Kyoto had another of the same brand in Osaka. They were hosting an international night. It was a chance for people to meet at the hostel, have a drink, and get to know one another. I stopped by for an hour and was able to talk to some great people from around the world.

            The next day I was definitely starting to lose my steam. The big city was getting to me. I tried to plan a less busy and more relaxing day. I started by going to the Shitennoji Temple. It is the oldest temple in Japan. I was surprised to find a flea market there. They were selling all sorts of interesting stuff and I even bought some really good dried fruit.

Flea market at the Shitennoji Temple

The stable pagoda

            While viewing the temple I ran into an old man. He was 65 or 70 years old and he knew English. He talked to me for a long time about the temple. He told me that when there was an earthquake the pagoda stayed standing because of the flexibility of the pole in the center. When the man was done telling me all about the area he asked if he could have a picture with me. His wife laughed and took one. It was cute.

            To further my relaxing day I decided to go to an Onsen. An Onsen is a Japanese public bath. This one was called SpaWorld. You paid a flat fee to get in and then if you wanted a service (like a massage, facial, etc) you would add onto it. There was a floor for females and a floor for men. The baths were all sorts of different themes. The current theme for the women was Asia. The first bath you saw when you walked in was the Islam bath. It was modeled to look like the inside courtyard of a mosque. They also had a Persia bath room that included a footbath. The baths were different sizes and temperatures. They also had a “doctor spa”. These were three different baths infused with different elements. One had a highly concentrated amount of oxygen, which eases fatigue. The next was carbonic which is good for blood flow, and the last one had hydrogen, which is good for your skin.

            I like Onsens a lot. You go in the public bath naked which at first is a little intimidating. You try to awkwardly cover yourself up. Eventually you realize that no one cares about what you look like. They are all enjoying the space and being confident about their bodies. It makes you realize that no matter the shape or size, everyone is beautiful.

            In all, I’m glad I visited Osaka, but in the end I was very ready to move on to the next city. I’m not sure if the big city life is for me. I enjoyed the city a lot more than I thought I would.