Shitennoji Shrine and a Secret Bar

Today was the last full day in Osaka but it was a good one! I met a couchsurfing host today (Chiaki). She was very nice and made me soumen noodles which is a summer food which is ice cold!! yummy yummy. It is really nice and she wrote down the recipe so I can make it.

After lunch I went to the Shitennoji Shrine which was very very nice. But they wouldnt allow me to take photos inside the shrine (except when the staff on duty was sleeping lol) but I got a few of the surrounding area and neighbourhoods.

When I came back we went out for a Osaka speciality called takoyaki okinomiyaki which was fantastic!!

Then she told me of this secret "underground" bar which is down a small alley in a unknown neighbourhood. You would never spot the alley if you didnt know it was there. Anyway we went in and the bar is submarine themed! You have to really slide open the front door to the place and inside is a very small bar which looks like the inside of a submarine! It even has turning wheels and buttons and switches. It is cheap for Japan because you dont have to pay an extra service charge for buying alcohol which is normal in bars.

And of course the 100 yen shop (70p), which is where I do most of my shopping XD

My camera broke :(

Well it still works, it takes pictures and everything but the LCD is broke... I am not sure how I did it but when I got it out today i just noticed it was like that. But its fine cause it still takes pictures haha.

Today I tried to go to the zoo and visit a temple but it so happened that they were all closed today because it was a monday... great i thought. So I just walked around a bit then came back to the hostel, washed my clothes for the first time haha, and just had a lazy day. Tommorow I will have someones house to couchsurf at so that should be fun, I'll write about it tommorow!

Spa World!

Today I slept most of the day... not sure why it must be the jetlag catching up with me. I slept until 4pm haha. Then I decided I wanted to go to Spa World which was right around the corner from the hotel. It was only 1000 yen for entry which is about 7 pounds. There were many different spas there and saunas and steam rooms too! I met two japanese people called Ken and Aki there who were very kind and asked me if I wanted to go for a drink with them in the resturant. They ended up buying me an entire meal which was very kind of them. It was a very good experience to practice my japanese and learn more japanese at the same time. Im sorry to say that I dont have any pictures today since I dont think I was allowed to take my camera into a spa resort where everyone was walking around naked hahaha. I really enjoy meeting the locals here and I feel like my japanese is improving with each day :)

Den Den Town (Electronic District of Osaka)

Today I went to the area of Osaka where all the geeks go to buy all sorts of anime media, toys, figures, and more. It reminded my a lot of Akiba in Tokyo. I got quite excited when I saw stands for the new pokemon game which comes out on the 18th of September :)

The shops in this district are so crowded, and there is barely any room to walk between the stacks of japanese goods, especially with my not so small backpack on I was very careful to not knock down anything.

And there was some of those cool japanese robots for sale but I unfortunately I didnt have enough to make a purchase ;)

Later I stumbled across what seemed to be a free art gallery so I took some snaps of the amazing artwork.

I also found a YuGiOh card shop which was completely full of... guess what? YuGiOh cards of course. Haha I had a great time looking through each and every card trying to spot a gem.

The 3 Egyptian God cards going for 90, 60, and 90 pounds each respectively. Its the first time I have ever seen the genuine article!!!!

I couldnt help myself but to spend some of my cash on them. Unfortunately there was only a few english ones but I settled for the japanese versions of the better cards. What you see below only cost 10 pounds :)

I stayed in a youth hostel again tonight (the same one as last night) and I will be staying here tommorow night aswell since I have an abundance of people willing to host me. The last picture is ok me in my bath robes about to join the rest of the japanese men in a japanese style spa bath.

The "Badass" tour of Osaka

By recommendation of my host,　I did the so called "Badass" tour of Osaka today. It involes going to the South of the city where the not so rich people live. The first part of the tour was to visit a standing up bar where the food was really really cheap, yep, thats right so cheap Im going there for breakfast tommorow morning haha.

Then I went to the "hole in the wall" where there was a few vending machines serving japanese sake and other beers. I went there and started to talk to the locals. I was talking to someone who said he was homeless for 5 years!

Then I went around the "red light" district of the town. And no I didnt get a photo of it haha.

After that I got talking to another Japanese guy, around 50 who seemed to know everyone in the town and he bought me a drink and some food and we talked for a while and then he went off. Dont worry I was careful, I was going to accept the free food and drink but not get dragged into anything else haha. This is a picture of the bar where I was with him. The cook has been doing this for 35 years!

I had to stay in a hostel tonight since I didnt have anywhere to couchsurf. It cost me 2000 yen but I am doing alright. I am still using the first 10,000 yen I had when I arrived in Japan.

Osaka Castle

Last night I stayed up to about 4am last night socialising with the host and other coursurfers in the house. I was quite jetlagged so I awoke this afternoon, and so I asked the host directions to Osaka Castle and he said just simply follow the river.

And in the evening

That was all good but then trying to get home there was 3 different rivers which came from the castle so I wasnt really sure which one to take. I ended up following the two wrong rivers first and finally figuring out to follow the correct one haha. So I was lost for about 6 hours, then when I gave up asking local Japanese directions I got a taxi. It drove for about 5 seconds then I saw the place I was staying at!!! Which cost me 660 yen!!! I couldnt believe he made me pay I was so angry haha. But now Im back in the apartment, safe and sound.

First Day

Well I have to admit I was a little scared flying on my own but once that was over and I landed in Osaka I knew I was going to be fine. Luckily I met a Japanese student (Mari) on the plane who helped me when we landed in Osaka. 

I walked around Namba for a while when I landed just to check out the place. It's sooo big! I must of spent a couple of hours just walking around and taking it all in. It seems that a lot of Japanese use bikes and a lot of the time they just leave them in a bike rack without even locking them up. I guess it is a really safe place to live.

I got really hungry and after looking around for a while I ended up buying my dinner in a convenience store. I was asking a man in the store which one I should buy and I told him I didn't have much money lol.

I got asked to "move along" by a policeman when I started to eat the noodles I just purchased on the street so I ended up eating them in a bus stop.

I have just got into my first couchsurfing house and had a shower. The people here are really nice and welcoming.

Hours before departure

I am sitting here, just eating my breakfast, and wondering of all the things that could happen on this 5 week excursion. My mum keeps yelling at me telling me to bring this that and the other, but I have already packed, and I need to conserve on space since I am only bringing a rucksack! This is my first time travelling to another country by myself... I am a little nervous, I'm not sure what I'll be doing or what is going to happen, but if something interesting happens I'll be sure to post it to this blog. I've got my Japanese-English dictionary so I should be alright :P.