osaka, Japan
The old capital city of Japan. Vibrating with street food and giant artworks on the side of the building, it was quite a change from the quieter town of Kyoto. Our Danish friends had told us that everything that ends with “Yaki” is good. We were in for a treat. Our first stop was at another recommended Ramen place with a famous Tonkotsu Ramen. After walking down, a deserted street along the railway, we came to a more extensive road; here lay a wooden front built like a cabin. This was the place! It was terrific, as expected, and the thickest soup I have ever had! It was more like gravy with noodles than soup. And SO delicious! The Nights in this town were not the best since all the hotels we stayed at were futons on a hard floor (apparently, the hard floor made all the difference), so we felt stiff when waking up. However, the city was calling, and we were ready to walk it off.
The castle
Our first stop was to go to see the old castle. Walking through a park, we stopped to get some fried chicken. I am amazed that even the small street food stall’s food is so Juice and well prepared. After walking for a bit, we came to a moat; the castle started showing us its peaks here. From the outside, it looked beautiful and very picturesque. However, the inside had been made into a museum, telling the story of how many times it had been rebuilt and some history about the city. It was a fascinating story, but I felt a bit disappointed, hoping more to see how it was used, but the castle itself was more like a shell. The view from the top was stunning, so after the walk-up, it felt worth it! For dinner, we were off to find some “Yaki”! At a restaurant, sitting just at the cooking table. They made teriyaki and Okonomiyaki. It was tasty! With its crispy shell and soft middle, the teriyaki was with squid and bonito flakes, covered with mayonnaise and teriyaki sauce. The Okonomiyaki was more like an omelet with kale and pancake dough and the same topping. It made the dish well-balanced. For dessert, we came by a small stall selling taiyaki (Fish waffles with custard). They were delicious!
Universal Studios
This was so much fun! I am ashamed that I have not been to the one in California after learning how much fun it can be! We felt like kids again! Going there early in the morning, we still needed more time to try all the rides we wanted, but we did get through most of them. They had Spiderman’s world and one of the best VR trips; it felt real! Then there was the Jurassic Waterslide, where I sat in the front and got soaked, dripping wet while walking out… just what I hope for in a waterslide. Then afterward, we had our dinner in Harry Potter world, which made you feel like you were in the movie. This particular one also had a Nintendo world, where you walk through a small tunnel into an old computer setting. Honestly, this is the best if you are in Osaka and need a day off from tourist-in!
Downtown Shopping
The main streets of downtown were spectacular! With dragons, giant crabs, Heads, and Giant food lunging at you from various shops. It was like being back in Universal Studios. We walked around, seeing all the different facades and the iconic running man. Then after doing some secondhand shopping, we went for some cheesecakes in small miniature sizes. We were able to try several this way. Yum! One destination was also to venture by Don Quote, a Huge Dollar Store with everything you could want; it was eight floors high and had a ferris wheel stuck to the outside. Taking a trip around, you could see a brilliant city view. We ended our visit by having a coin waffle filled with cheese.
Nara
A small city located just outside Osaka. Taking the train out was worth it! We arrived in the town of the bowing deer. On the way there, we stopped at a small store where they made Mochi, a rice cake made with wooden hammers to activate the gluten. It makes it into this Jell consistency and is filled with a sweet red bean paste. It is a consistency I have yet to get used to, but the taste was delicious. And seeing them make it with the wooden hammers was an experience! Then walking up a staircase, we met our first deer! I had no idea you could pet a deer… walking around the park; there were no fences to hold them in; they could stroll wherever they liked. Even sometimes, they tried eating the buck weed biscuits out of your pocket and biting your jacket. It was a great day! In the middle of the park, we came by a beautiful temple with massive gates and statues leading into it. And at the very end, there was a temple with a giant buddha; it was huge, and hard to imagine its size of it. After a while, our stomachs started growling for food. So, we returned to the city. Here we found a small restaurant serving Kare Raisu, a Japanese curry. You could choose your spice level and rice amount, and topping. I went for Tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) with medium spice and regular rice. It was so good, different from the curries I am used to from India and Thailand and the Danish one with various toppings. This was a thick sauce, more like gravy.
Kobe
Our last city to visit is the Mecca of tender beef, Kobe, known for the race Wagyu beef. First off, we saw a museum of woodworking tools. It was fascinating since most Japanese woodwork is made without nails, so the wood is held together by pressure and carvings. Then we went to a restaurant downtown to have the best meat. We sat at a table where the chef prepared the food right in front of us, it was so tasty and tender, and then it was served with different sauces, wasabi, grilled vegetables, and salt. The perfect meat I have had in a long time! Our last stop was an Onsen in a city called ….. Onsen, it had to be good. And it was!
This is it for now! Japan has my heart, and the food, no matter what, has been so tasteful. I am coming back in the future! But for know, we are off to Taiwan.
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