Thursday, November 15, 2012

Day 54: Osaka

If I were given one word to sum up Osaka, I'd have extreme difficulty picking between "attitude" and "ghetto". Both of those words fairly accurately described my experience in the city known as Tokyo's less-rigid cousin to the west. We only had one day there, but I am pretty okay with having had that much time to explore the city. Where we stayed, the hotel was actually quite nice and unlike what I'd expected. However, the area we were in very much reminded me of downtown LA, a few blocks away from the skyscrapers. It was run-down, it was dirty, and it was at times scary when roaming around at night. Not necessarily a negative thing, but it was certainly different from what I'd experienced thus far in Japan.

This time, since our usual guide Niki was off doing her own thing in another city, Kim graciously took the reins and steered us around Osaka for a little while. We did plenty of wandering, while a couple of the others went to the only zoo I've yet to come across. The weather was fantastic and very conducive to just strolling about. While the others were at the zoo, the remaining three of us went to the first Buddhist temple in all of Japan. It was actually rather small and not terribly ostentatious, further helping along the idea that not much has changed in the 1200 years since it was founded. It was quite busy though, as some sort of service may have been going on at the time.

We met for lunch later on, though while on the street with our restaurant, I noticed a small fruit shop. Within held the most expensive fruit I'd ever come into contact with in real life. Three melons sat in a neat row, one costing around $50, another costing around $75, and a final priced at a massive ~$190. For a single melon. Yes, really. The picture I took is evidence. Mind = blown. After lunch, we headed to a shopping district well known in Osaka for being the longest covered, straight shopping arcade in the world at 2.6km (Tenjinbashi-suji). We split up at that point so everyone could do their own thing shopping for the next 3 hours. While on my lonesome, I got to travel the length of the entire shopping arcade, while also enjoying quite a few firsts.

For one, I got to enjoy the traditional Osaka delicacy of takoyaki, or fried squid balls. They were simply fantastic and I could not recommend them more, if you're in the mood for authentic Japanese food. I also had dinner by myself at a curry place called Kuroneko Curry, or Black Cat Curry. I was the only one in there and the senior couple who ran the place were super-sweet to me. I'm slowly weaning myself off medium spicyness and working up to hot, so I went with a small shrimp curry with a bit of a kick. Inside the curry house, they had a radio station on, and to my utter amazement and delight, on popped The Pillows with a song from my favorite album of theirs, "Scarecrow".

It was at that moment that I realized I was truly living the dream. Eating curry, listening to a Japanese rock station, not a care in the world. I thought about it, and thought about it, and thought about it some more, and discovered that I would be quite content if that moment had never ended. Pointless as it may be, from that point on, I started looking at prices of apartments around town just to gauge what a typical price point might be for a big city place. It both excited me and scared me. What has changed within me to determine that I would want to pack it all up and live in another country, across the great, blue pond? I've always had this set idea of what I wanted to do with my life, and I still feel pretty solid on that desire. But taking a break from education to live life in another country, to really do something besides the normal graduate-job/grad school route, is what I felt most compelled to do. How viable is it for me to live abroad for a year or more? Is it selfish of me? Should I be more considerate of other important people in my life? How will this impact my desired career choice? So many questions and variables to consider. It's just a bit overwhelming. I just know I'd very much like for it to be reality.

After this not-so-mid-life crisis type of event, I also got to witness my first Japanese argument. There were two men standing outside an alleyway by a fruit and vegetable delivery truck. One of the men, not the driver, used such an interesting voice to convey anger. It was like his words were bricks; not necessarily big and painful, but solid and carried much heft. He rolled his R's like a champ, which I've noticed is a common trait for men's speech patterns when they're upset. I think they were arguing over the delivery, making the event all the more amusing to me. Many others were looking at the two's disagreement, but just kept on walking. Pretty unique.

The group reconvened, but now met with added friends! Kim had joined up with a fellow UC David student who is on an exchange program in Osaka, as well as one of her friends from China (? My memory is awful). They were quite friendly and provided some nice conversation, rare though it was on our way to/during dinner. We did not all fit at a single table at the restaurant we went to, so we had to split up. It would have been nice to talk more as a group, but I suppose this is what Facebook is for haha. Megan, the UC David girl, might take a trip east to Tokyo area, so hopefully we get to all meet up once more and be tour guides. This restaurant was kind of neat in that it randomly had Gundam figures on the bar wall. Go Japan! I also had my first gin and tonic, recommended to me by one of my best friends currently teaching in South Korea, and happily sipped up the mixture. I didn't know the concoction was so tasty!

Upstairs from this restaurant was the Umeda Floating Garden Observatory. Basically, a giant tower people could take an elevator to the top of and see the beautiful Osakan landscape. Though freezing, the view was incomparable, so different from the observation deck of Tokyo Tower in Roppongi. Yet another surreal moment passed, between an onslaught of pictures with buildings, friends, and more than that. Just staring out at 360 degrees of lights, natural and not, it helped to both clear my mind in various respects. The cold certainly helped too. My lungs!

We later traveled to an area very hip and keen with the young folk. This is the nightlife Osaka is well known for. Around a mall-ish building known as Hep Five, it was like Times Square with men dressed up like anime characters, hair of various colors pointing out every which way in order to entice potential customers. These individuals were known as hosts, the "beautiful men" who are paid to simply talk to customers in a cafe. Like the maid cafes of Akihabara, they are the draw of the establishment, much moreso than any type of food or cocktail. Getting to converse with men of such beauty and grandor is a luxury enjoyed for quite the steep entrance price. Besides the hosts attempting to gather customers, this Osakan wonderland held a 24-hour Round 1 entertainment and amusement building, complete with karaoke, bowling, video games, UFO catchers, pachinko, slots, and anything else you can think of for approximately 8 floors of greatness. This wonderful addition to the Osaka trip had a floor with four Dance Dance Revolution machines. When I first entered, every last one of them was being used by one of those professional-status DDR players I've idolized since I was a youngin'. I eventually got my turn to play, along with a tag-team duo of Fione and David, and rocked the house as best I could (in shoes unfit for dancing. Boo). And I can now say that, for my 68th completion of the song Sakura, my favorite tune in DDR, I have reached the milestone in the homeland of DDR. Whoo nerdyness at it's finest!

Finally, we got to enjoy an evening back at the hotel without any hassle or worry. On the way there, I was crowded by three rowdy, drunk Osakan guys on the train, but I stood my ground and ignored them entirely. The train was super open, but they still for some reason crowded around me. It was strange. But this little white boy was not afraid! Back at the room, a little more than a little alcohol was consumed, knocking out on the bed horizontally, reminiscent of a very special memory from an Anime Expo long past. Nevertheless, we ended the full day of Osaka on a fun and friendly note rather appropriate for the unique time enjoyed there.

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