Neko in Japan: OK in OSAKA! (1 of 2) (album)

May 5, 2008
Nagasaki onwards to OSAKA

Setting off:
Lady Luck was on my side as I managed to catch the train to Osaka even if I had not checked beforehand what time it would be at Nagasaki JR Station. At 9:20 am I literally ran with my luggage flying behind me to get into the train, leaving Benjie and Joy frantically waving me on. 

After some hopping from one car to another, I finally settled in to a permanent seat. Half-asleep and ignoramus that I was, I did not know that the first three cars were all reserved seats, and you can imagine the half-hilarious-half-inconvenient scene that ensued the two times I moved because the rightful passenger had arrived to claim his/her seat and instead found a snoozing woman.

Train Tu-re-te:
The silver lining in my cloud was that I finally plopped myself beside an attractive-looking (cute!) Japanese guy who kindly told me that yes, the seat was vacant and that I could put my bags overhead. I mischievously told Benjie (in our native dialect of course) while I was seated to the aforementioned guy what had happened when I called her, and we had a good laugh about it.

Transferring to another train line was my first test, I had only a few minutes to spare to move to the other train which would be going onwards to Osaka. Huffing and puffing, I did find the correct platform but had to lug up my luggage upwards a long flight of stairs. 

Still, I got an enormous thrill just waving my JR Pass nonchalantly at the subway officials. This time too, I was careful enough to note the unreserved cars and I also observed that a group of Europeans who were with me in Nagasaki had also chosen to do a train transfer.

I found a seat by a sweet-looking, older man who still could not speak English though he attempted to do so (I think the older generation are more eager to try out their English) and he was helpful and gracious too - gesturing towards the hook for the coat and offering to help me with my bags. As is my wont, I refused graciously his help as I feel guilty if older people lug my heavy bags for me. After my asking him in Japanese what time I would most likely be arriving in Osaka and explaining that it was my first time to visit Japan (I've practiced this hehehe!) - I had forgotten that I had a train schedule booklet stashed somewhere in the folds of my bag - he whipped out his cute-looking train pamphlet and we pored over the small print, and he also assured me I would get there well before dark.

I must confess that I didn't expect Japanese males to be that gracious to a woman, eh? or maybe because I was a foreigner who smiled cutely and looked adorably helpless (....a feat for me *cough* I don't do the helpless look very well *bats lashes* hehehe!)

With some more picture taking of the scenery and more adventures on this train ride (a woman and her not-so-normal-son who was quite noisy and who had a dramatic scene on the train with her), I got out of Osaka station and found the Tourist Information Center (TIC). 

I got good tips, especially about Bunraku, in which a famous group was extending its show and had one last scheduled at 4:30 pm that day. I impetuously threw the Universal Studios Japan visit idea out the door since I was interested in watching puppet theater and it was already late. 

Bunraku is a form of traditional Japanese puppet theater, also said to have originated in Osaka and features large puppets operated by onstage puppeteers with a narrative recited from offstage. The puppets have heads, hands, and feet of wood attached to a bodiless cloth costume.

I was all fired up and optimistic I could make it, since it was still 3:15 pm and the theater was a train stop away once I get back to this station, even with another train transfer on the local subway. 

Inn-despair:
Unfortunately *hangs head* by 4 pm I was still walking around trying to find the lodging house. While I had not much difficulty in using Osaka's local subway, which IMHO is one of the more tourist-friendly ones, being color coded and all - the Edobori Inn was some ways off from the train station. Darn, if taxis weren't so horribly expensive, I'd have taken one!

I tried enlisting the help of a good-looking policeman on the street, but what can you expect? He also couldn't speak a word of English, could not read the map I showed him and could only point humbly and smilingly to the park which was one of my landmarks. I lost 20 minutes going around trying to orient myself, until finally after some small raindrops dropped on my head, I dug out my compass, and just to be doubly sure, asked a passing older woman (who again told me the directions in Japanese) where the street was. Hells bells, if only I could read kanji, I could have known that the building I passed by was the school indicated in the map...*sob*

A little bit deflated but still undefeated, I checked in the hotel and unpacked. The Edobori Inn was actually quite nice for the budget-conscious. No closet except for hooks on the wall, but it was clean, had tv and an eat-all-you-can breakfast (see previous blog entry about where I stayed in Osaka posted somewhere on this site).

I definitely would recommend it, even if it was a bit further off, since its location was quite conducive to trekking to other Osaka attractions such as the Aquarium and Universal Studios. Wish I had more than one night in Osaka though, even if there were yakuzas said to be populating this city. Osaka is also known for its comedians by the way.

Fortune favors the brave:
After fortifying myself with swigs of water, tea and two of the sandwiches that Benjie had kindly packed for me (she knows my weakness), I ventured out into the darkening afternoon with a beret and scarf on my person inspite of the threat of rain.

I walked the long way back to the train station, hopped onto the other train line like an old pro *grin* and finally emerged in the station nearest where I wanted to visit: the Floating Garden Observatory at the top of Umeda Sky Building - the Lumi Sky Walk.

First, I looked for a phone booth and called Benjie first to tell her I was safe and sound in Osaka, though a bit lost..... and somewhat wet. It was raining as I got out the station and I had gone round a bit before before backtracking. I entered a department store and asked for information from their information counter, which I think was more for store information, rather than bewildered-looking, bedraggled tourists.

While the charming and helpful girl could understand my Japanese in which I asked how I could go to the Umeda Building, I certainly could not fully understand her somewhat complicated directions (for me at least). I was all set to ask her to draw a map..when...luckily, a Filipino guy and a student at Osaka University named Calvin had overheard me and he also wanted to ask directions. Turns out he was escorting a French guy named Chris due to his couchsurfing connections. 

Check out www.couchsurfing.com - this is a network which helps you meet other people in different parts of the world as well as get to stay in these exotic places without hopefully, too much trouble - just crash on the couch! I haven't signed up yet since its a long way off that I could go for my next trip, and I certainly cannot have someone live with me now at my place since I can't even have my parents over without looking like packed sardines on the floor - but the concept is cool!

As with Filipinos who connect with fellow Filipinos in the four corners of the world, Calvin and I were soon chattering happily away as if we had known each other for some time, leaving poor Chris somewhat bemused I bet. Turns out that the way was not as simple as before since there were renovations going on on the road towards the building, and so we had to go another route. I was also told by Calvin that I was lucky that it had stopped raining that day otherwise we wouldn't be able to see anything at the top of Umeda Bldg.

Okonomiyaki ka?
Calvin not only treated us for free at the Lumi Skywalk, but afterwards he was also determined (when I plaintively bemoaned the fact that I was hungry!) to help us taste okonomiyaki

Why this dish? Well, Osaka is in the Kansai region, and is said to be the birthplace of okonomiyaki, and I think takoyaki is also a specialty of this area too.

From wikipedia:

Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) is a Japanese dish consisting of a pan-fried batter cake and various ingredients. Okonomi means "what you like" or "what you want", and yaki means "grilled" or "cooked" (cf. yakitori and yakisoba); In Japan, okonomiyaki is mainly associated with Kansai or Hiroshima areas, but is widely available throughout the country. Toppings and batters tend to vary according to region.

Kansai-style okonomiyakis has batter which is made of flour, grated yam, water or dashi, eggs and shredded cabbage, and usually contains other ingredients such as green onion, meat (generally pork or bacon), octopus, squid, shrimp, vegetables, kimchi, mochi or cheese. Okonomiyaki is sometimes compared to an omelette, pizza, or pancake, and may be referred to as "Japanese pizza" or "Japanese pancake", or even "Osaka soul food".

We were, or rather Calvin was, looking for street food and we finally got into one restaurant which was recommended by a woman in another establishment since we couldn't find the store which was a purely okonomiyaki one. Finally after we had stuffed ourselves with free okonomiyaki and sushi (thanks again for the dinner Calvin!), then left the restaurant, guess what? I read the Japanese sign for okonomiyaki eatery one or two buildings away and which we had already passed earlier. Hilarious! Still, authentic okonomiyaki for me is one I've eaten in Osaka, so am I one happy cat.

Calvin and I made plans for the next day as he said he was scheduled for his presentation for his PhD (thesis?) on Wednesday yet..and there you have it - the story of how I got myself a bona-fide tour guide of Osaka (partial tour) and Kyoto (which he loves and keeps on coming back to!). 

What did I tell you? 

As I said earlier that day, Lady Luck was on my side!

- Jun 16, '08 10:50 PM