日本: To Osaka-jo and Beyond!

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Osaka Castle (Osaka-jo)

FlergheBlerghe.

I am exhausted. This trip to Osaka killed my upper & lower back, and nearly killed my camera (it decided that it didn't like its new strap). I'm just not as young as I used to be, I guess! By the time I got to the aquarium, I thought to myself that I would pay any amount of money for someone to hold my backpack. 300¥ for a locker? Yes, please. I was just simply not prepared for the non-walk-ability of Osaka. You seriously need to take the subway to go anywhere. I wish I had gotten that into my head sooner!

There's quite a lot to do in Osaka. There's the castle, museums, shopping, gardens, and a wonderful aquarium, among other things my tourist-brain is not aware of. Being only 1 hour away means the next time I go, I'll have to hit Liberty Osaka and maybe also the Museum of Oriental Ceramics since I'm a plateware junkie.

The castle had some lovely exhibits, and the aquarium was really well done. And where else will you find an H&M across the street from another H&M? I even [finally] found green tea KitKat bars. A tourist shop specialty.

From atop Osaka-jo
Wishes at Hokoku Shrine
Osaka Castle (Osaka-jo) Shitenno-ji Temple
Kanji
Mmmm, Osaka Subway
Dotonbori-dori Dotonbori-dori
Glico Man at Dotonbori-dori
Dotonbori-dori
Shitenno-ji Gardens
Shitenno-ji Fish
Tsutenkaku Tower in the Shinsekai District Shitenno-ji Temple
Tiny, Colorful Jellyfish
Giant Spider Crabs
Otter at Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

7 comments:

missris said...

Green tea Kit-Kat? I'm intrigued.

Claire said...

Hello, I just started reading your blog, and I wanted to tell you that you take beautiful photos! and what an amazing looking place!

Stephanie said...

These pictures are gorgeous!! And the otter! So cute!!!

S.I.F. said...

Some of those pictures are just beautiful! Thank you for sharing!

Kris said...

There is an H&M across from an H&M on Regent St in London :)

Carolyn Watson-Dubisch said...

I love the photos!

Manda said...

I love green tea Kit Kats! Have you tried green tea Oreos? Those are especially good, too.