Osaka

After lots of sleep, I got ready to check out of my hotel and leave Kyoto. I decided to walk the 10 minutes, strolling leisurely with my luggage. On my way, I stopped in Yokohama which was like a Yoshinoya with fast food rice bowls. I had a ginger pork bowl with grated radish, pictured below:



At the train station, there were so many options to Osaka and I hopped on the express where I had to pay a supplement. I wasn't in a rush, but at least the train was spacious and plenty of room for my luggage. Arriving at Osaka train station, I took the red subway line south 4 stops to Namba and walked 3 blocks north to my capsule hotel, Astil Dontonburi.

I left my luggage as we can't enter until 3 pm and did a city walk suggested by my guidebook. The major sites, like Osaka Castle, were all closed today due to the end of year holiday. As such, I decided to come to Osaka to check out the glitzy streets and to be closer to the international airport which is just south of here.

I started by walking up to Amerika-Mura which was blaring American rap and plenty of Japanese in dreads. Here the street lamps are funky and there is a replica of the Statue of Liberty at a popular hangout and people-watching spot, called Triangle Park.

Then I headed east and walked down Shinsaibashi-suji shopping arcade:

The arcade brings you to the canal and famous Ebisu-bashi bridge and the colorful Dōtonbori with outrageous and neon signs. Here’s a view up and down the canal and a few of the large signs on Dōtonbori:

Here's the famous Glico Running Man sign from the bridge, an icon of the city:

This clown drummer is also an icon of the city and supposedly embodies the "eat until you drop" attitude here in Osaka. I don’t get it, but here’s the photo:

Near Dōtonbori is Hozen-ji Yokocho which was a quaint street. I stopped and saw a temple with a statue covered in moss, called Hozen-ji. This Buddha deity is a favorite of those of the "water trade" or sex industry and they say their prayers and splash water before going off to work in this very active nightlife of a city.

As I meandered toward my hotel, I decided I deserved a massage. My feet and back had been killing me for days. Not sure what it was - perhaps it was my worn down shoes. I used the cash that I had, saved enough for snacks and my airport bus tomorrow, and booked a body and foot massage for an hour - best $30 decision ever! 

It was definitely more like reflexology and pointy and I lied to my masseuse, Jun, when I said it didn't hurt at times. However, I could feel the release of tension and better circulation due to him needling the various pressure points. Jun said my body was very tight and needed at least 2 hours. I told him I was trying to use my cash, but still keeping enough for my airport bus ticket tomorrow. He laughed as he understood I had to get home - his English was quite good as he had studied jujitsu in Santa Barbara of all places.

Afterwards I found one of many Tako-yaki stands, which sell octopus in doughnuts and green scallions. They were selling them everywhere and Osaka is famous for them. Here's a photo:



By this time, I could check in at the hotel and I crawled into my capsule #350 and rested. My body was tired from the massage and I had a slight headache.



After my nap, I headed down to Dotonbori and stood in line for a popular kushikatsu place called Daruma Kushikatsu. Essentially different types of food are fried and then you can only dip in a shared sauce once, as they remind you everywhere! I had the recommended set of 9 pieces which included meatball, beef, shrimp, fish and cheese, quail egg, rice cake, asparagus, sausage, and pork cutlet.



All tasty and wasn't really sure what I was in the mood for. I had weighed getting sushi for my last night, but didn't see one that I liked right away. There was a famous conveyor belt sushi place, supposedly the first one ever, but it had a longer line.

Here’s a picture of the Glico Running Man at night and Dōtonbori on my walk:





I then returned to the capsule hotel to only watch a patron ask repeatedly if she can just see the "horror capsule". I had seen a sign for it when I checked in - there's a rainbow capsule one too. With the Japanese, there's always a gimmick!

So to my no-gimmick and simple capsule for my last night in Japan - what a wonderful week!