How good it is to have time when you travel. Today i’m going to Osaka but first I wanted to take my time and enjoy Nara bit longer. Osaka looks like a concrete jungle to me. Let’s go for a morning walk in Nature.
Good morning to the deers 🙂 Theses guys are really cute.
On my way I had the chance to meet Marc , a spanish solo traveller. We end up going on a small hike with a great view of Nara. This is the mount Wakakusayama.
How good it feel to be surrounded by Nature. Count 40 min to reach the top.
There were so many organised school trips in Nara. It was so funny to watch theses little guys going up the steep stairs. With small legs every steps take more energy.
The view from there was amazing. It makes you realize how big actually is Nara.
My new Spanish friend , Marc. Such a sweet guy. I was impressed by how many places he visited in so little time. He had 3 weeks of holidays and wanted to make the best of it. Which make so much sense when you just travelled 9000km to come to your dream destination. Take care”Speedy Gonzalez” 🙂
Most travelers will be using the JR pass which allow you to ride pretty much all JR train across Japan. Only foreigners can get this pass. You can save so much money and time too. If you dont have a lot of time this could be your weapon of choice. My journey being longer I went for a night bus pass instead which allows me to use 3 “non consecutive” days , night buses. This is the cheapest way to travel in Japan but dont expect to sleep well 😉
Before diving into Osaka city I headed to a local recommendation place in Nara. This is called the “Big Mountain Cafe & Farm”. This is a place where you can experience local , organic and wonderful food (nearby Nara Kintestsu station). I have to say this was probably the nicest meal I had in Japan so far. It was super tasty and healthy ! This is a very local place , when I went , there were only Japanese womans inside ^^ I felt in my element.
Brown rice , black beans , avocado , tofu and soy sauce stir fry. A vegan dish with a lot of flavors. There is also non vegan stuff in the menu. I really loved this place and the philosophy behind it. The owners name actually means ‘Big Mountain’ in Japanese. Fun fact. A must go place in Nara to indulge healing food. I was now ready to Osaka.
From Nara it’s super easy to reach Osaka. A 50 min train journey and you are in the heart of Osaka. I stopped half way to go and pee at a station (this was a metro type train so no toilet inside). I grabbed another train 5 min afterward. The railway system in Japan is amazing. And there is toilets in every stations (and just anywhere else). I really love this aspect of the country. No wander why Japan is so clean.
The best way to get a good feel of a new city is to go high. Let’s go to the modern “Umeda Sky Building”.
This building is located in the modern district of Umeda. This reminded me of modern Tokyo somehow but Osaka has a different vibe. People seems much more relaxed and open than his older sister , Tokyo. Talking to a stranger in the Umeda building queue, I received a free ticket to go up. He had a spare ticket and wanted to share it with me. Sweet man , Arigatou Gosaimasu !
140 meters later there we are , say hello to Osaka !
The view from there was stunning. Make sure you go there slightly before sunset time. So that you can enjoy the transition of colors from day to night.
Osaka is a huge city , it’s the third biggest in Japan.
I was excited at that point , let’s go to the buzzing area of Dotombori now !
Doutonbori district have so much shops , food stalls and restaurants. It’s known to be a foody district with one of the best street food in Japan. It has a much more popular vibe than others cities I have visited in Japan. So far Osaka feels very different. It almost doesnt feels like Japan. Interesting place.
Calamaries on a stick , anyone ?
This is one of the entrance of the Doutonbori street. This place is so alive. There is people all over , lights , smells , music. This was an experience.
This the vibrant riverside of Doutombori. Along the river you’ll find more food stalls and bars. So much energy everywhere.
Let’s try some of the food speciality of Osaka now.
Like Takoyaki or octopuss balls. You’ll find food stalls everywhere here. If you want to find a good place to eat just look at the queues. If there is a long queue chances are it will be good.
Takoyaki making is fun to watch.
This was very yummy. I have to say the street food of Osaka is very pleasing but not very healthy. Let’s try some more stuff.
This place is a “Kushikatsu” instutition in Osaka. Kushikatsu is fried food on a stick. Which can be meat , fish or veggies.
I went for a veggie set , from left to right : red ginger , shiitake mushroom , lotus root , eggplant and asparagus. It’s a nice food to enjoy when drinking. You can dip the sticks in a sauce for more taste.
There is countless type of foods in Osaka.
This is Dango or chewy rice balls on a stick. There are dipped into a powder or a sweet soy sauce.
To finish this food marathon let’s eat a Japanese Crepes.
Strawberry , banana and whipped cream filling. Nice !
Man I was stuffed at the end of that evening. The food scene of Osaka is great but a bit heavy to digest. Make sure you have a very light lunch before heading to an evening in Doutombori.
Osaka is a different city. It’s not as clean as other Japanese cities. People sometimes cross the road at the red lights (unusual for Japan). The city isn’t particularly pretty for the eyes but I feel that you dont go there for the sights. You go there for the people.
Osaka is a vibrant city where people gather and have fun . Osaka feels like a more free city to me.
Now , it’s time to sleep and digest all that food. I can see myself skipping breakfast tomorrow.
Oyasumi Osaka
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