We woke a little hazy as a result of the previous night’s sake sesh. No regrets though. Today we say goodbye to Fukuoka on the island of Kyushu and make the jump back over to Honshu for a couple of days in Japan’s second biggest city Osaka.
We packed up quickly, stopping off for a tasty avocado toasty and coffee at Blue Bottle Coffee. We had a 10:30 Shinkansen to catch from Hakata (Fukuoka’s main station) to Osaka so it was a bit of a rush, but we made it. Only to find that I had misread the ticket and we were an hour early. Idiot gaijin. No matter, as it turned out we managed to get on an early train and made it to Osaka ahead of my tightly planned schedule.
As we dragged our overstuffed bags up and out of the station to our accommodation (the mysteriously named FDS Aura) we instantly noticed how much more humid Osaka was. It wasn’t long before we were sweating and red faced like all the other visiting gaijin.
We dumped our stuff and embarked on what would accidentally become a massive sweaty walking expedition. It took us down Shinsaibashi-Suji – 600 metre linear covered shopping strip with every conceivable high and low end chain store known to humanity. And speaking of humanity – the strip was packed with both Japanese and Chinese shoppers all looking for the latest Onitsuka Tiger shoes etc. There were thousands upon thousands of people. The photos just couldn’t capture the near hysterical vibe. Squeezing down the strip was fun for a while but we soon tired of it and detoured for somewhere more our speed. Which in this case was the super cool Osaka record store Flake Records. I’d been there the one other time we were in Osaka and it was still an excellent store – and the owner was still standoffish and stony faced. Another person in a record store that was immune to my enthusiasm. Oh well I bought some stuff anyway.
Later we found ourselves in a mega hipster area once more. This time it was Osaka’s Orange Street. Cool cats. Cool bars. Cool restaurants. Cool shops. Uncool tourists with mouths open.
From there we looped around back through the main shopping area. Stopped off at Sankaku Park (aka Triangle Park) for some Takoyaki and a beer. It’s a dodgy place. Lots of semi drunk peeps and emo teenagers. Also the first place in Japan where I have seen actual litter. Just lying there. On the actual ground! Strangely, it was only 100 metres or so to the Big Step Shopping Mall – where yet another squeaky clean boy band were performing synchronised dance moves and harmony vocals for a squadron of adoring preteens.
By the time we staggered back to our accommodation hours had passed and we were both in Osaka overload. We needed somewhere decent and calm to eat, drink and recharge. Thank Christ we found it. Just down the street. Kyo Chabana. It was a kind of okonomyaki (Japanese savoury pancake) place where they cook in front of you on a huge flat grill plate. But they had their own twist. They added grilled tomato on top of the pancake along with a bunch of seafood. That’s not all, they also did fried yakisoba noodles on the grill – with avocado! And delicious salads, cold beers and delicious highballs. We were fully restored. Arigato Kyo Chabana.
Early morning. The sun making a feeble attempt to push through the Fukuoka drizzle. I was feeling a little feeble myself.
The Fukuokan version of avo on toast for Breakfast at Blue Bottle Coffee. I was starting to feel human once more.
Back in the island of Honshu. The industrial landscapes of Fukuyama out the window of the Shinkansen.
Made it!
Our room at the FDS Aura. Western style and fancier than we were expecting. We messed it up pretty quickly.
Back in the big smoke. The tide of humanity on Shinsaibashi-Suji in Osaka. All interested in just one thing – shopping.
Osaka. Understated and tasteful as ever.
The famous Glico running man sign in the canal at Dotonburi. Only he doesn’t run anymore. No longer an animated neon sign – just a dude in short shorts frozen forever.
Sankaku Park. Really just a triangle of concrete in the middle of shopping crazy town. A place for sketchy people to do sketchy things. Like us – we drank beer. So did lots of others.
Quality arvo snacks. Takoyaki and a nice cold beer in the square at Sankaku Park, Osaka.
Yet another boy band perform for their adoring fans. Big Step shopping centre Osaka.
Lotus flower. In a temple garden down the street.
The start of a cracking dinner at Kyo Chobana. Tomato okonomyaki, char grilled edamame, noodles, avocado salad etc.
Exterior Kyo Chabana.
flyeelookee 