Some cool food at the Osaka Namba station. We came here because the hotel map on their website just had a star and the word “kyoto” off to ine side, with no other names,roads, lines, scale or points of reference. So I tried to figure out where the hotel was by other means, apparently not vry successfully.
On the train to Osaka.
Here is my unagi don (eel bowl). After walking around Namba station for a while we asked where the Sheraton Miyako hotel was, and got directed to another station.
Here are some screaming invaders. Anyway when we got to that hotel, turns out it was just A Miyako hotel, not the Sheraton Miyako hotel. But they told us where to find the real one anyway. So after a fun walk, we got to our actual hotel, which was also right next to a Kintetsu station like the fake Miyako hotel, as described online.
I just thought this was a clever name. Oh and also in one underground shopping area we found 3 Croissant shops all within sight of each other.
A big buildin, which we get to the the front of later in our journey. This is us while we are going out looking for Den-Den Town (lots of electronics and stuff).
This is... a big covered shopping street that we go into.
Even though it's a boy cow (bull), he makes really good ice cream, so we got some.
I think I got the Shanghai style which comes with tapioca and maybe coconut milk?
We looked in their products but couldn't find any confidents.
Indeed.
On our way up to the 6th floor to get to the 100 yen shop (Because a 100 yen shop in Osaka is still a 100 yen shop and therefore worth going to), I realised how cool the mirros in the escalotr were and took every opportunity to do this.
I think it was worth it.
Definately.
Already, this folder makes the trip worthwhile. I think it's trying to be emo, but not very well.
I decided to try out some Japanese clothes but they were too tight...
On the mannequins.
This is very creepy for a lot of reasons, not least of which is that it kinda has a moustache.
It's true! He was big in Japan!
This is a big sign outside a big slot place. There's lots of happy looking, inviting characters to draw you in...and then two vicious bears on the side. Zoom in.
There is a street near Den-Den Town that primarily caters to restaurant owners... It was cool....
This may be sideways, but it shows a cool shelf.
In case you STILL can't really imagine yourself playing tennis just from swinging around a wiimote.
It's hard to tell, but this was really big and therefore really cool.
Japanese warning signs always seem to know how to lay everything out clearly.
I'm not sure if the zombie would be the lender or the borrower in this case, but either way it seems like a bad deal for the non-zombie.
Mmmmm American Barbeque. I can still taste the America....
If you don't recognise this great example of Disney animation, shame on you! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runaway_Brain
On our way to find the Open-Air Museum of Traditional Japanese Farmhouses.
It was a tough call between that and the “Ride a Horse Center” I wanted to learn about Ride A Horseology
Once again, the Japanese make it easy to understand what you can and can't do. Like hitting on women in front of flowers, or beating up anthropomorphic benches.
A nice fountai nsculpture, which could either be a volcanic plume of smoke or fossilised dinosaur poo. Either one is still cool though.
One of the convenient “Kiddie Cages” scattered throughout most urban centres in Japan.
It is very useful for couples on the go who want to RIde a Horse without Junior spoiling the fun.
Eventually we discovered the true purpose of the device thanks to this difficult ot decipher instructions. Apparently, the device, or “Star Door” as it seems o be called, is used to transport people to distant locations instantaneously, once they sit in the safety chair and follow the set procedure.
We went to the previously noted Flower Beds.
Apparently some of the flowers were undergoing repair.
But unfortunately the only worker seemed to have died.
These are the kind of kids I see about 3 times a week on my way to work, except the ones near where I work all have Red or Black backpacks and Yello hats.
This cow appears very upset, but it is understandable considering a very strange-headed woman is grabbing it's behind.
FLowers!
Flowers with bugs!
Rice!
With bugs also!
Different Rice!
I thought this tree was acting kind of cool so I took a pictograph of it.
One of the aforementioned open air Japanese traditional farmhouses.
A close up of the edge of the roof. When I realised how cool this looks I took many more pictures later.
Thatch!
Bananas! Maybe.
A brain palm.
The ants here were very traditional.
Traditional Japanese attempts at cordless phone are laughable at best.
This is a very good vine.
These traditinal abalone shells were used to notify Japanese firemen which rooms had traditional Japanese children in them in the event of a traditional Japanese open air fire.
This painter was very good, but I was able to make a picture of the very same traditional open air Japanese farmhouse in less than a second.
Traditional Japanese open air farmhouses wouldn't be able to live up to their name without air, and that's where these come in. By fueling them with grain, they could create wind energy to pollinate crops and keep cool.
More flowers, near a pond with a poor picture of a turtle.
This leaf totally got speared by another leaf.
FArming or rooves!
Prior to 1734, most traditional Japanese farmers were poorly constructed of shoody materials until the traditional Japanese farmers reform Act, which instituted new hand-sculpted clay faces and clothes to cover the straw.
COnsisting mainly on a diet of straw, traditional Japanese livestock was considerably less hardy and flame-resistant than modern breeds.
Traditional Japanese farmhouses usually had to share a single corded phone.
I managed to make it roll up into a ball, but it rolled away before I could get a good photo.
Here is me vainly trying to make another cool shot of dry reeds.
This was a very big Japanese farmhouse.
I think this one will do.
We got a grasshoper made for us! Made of grass!
And so of course we demanded that the traditional Japanese farmer make us another.
He worked quickly.
Now rice with MORE bugs.
This crow was cool. He was carrying a big plastic bag of garbage, even when I ran after him.
You may be able to see all the white fluff that is floating inthe air like snow. Most of the park area had it blowing around in it.
Some more of the fluff. It get's knocked up a bit if you run over it really fast, so I did.
From this picture. I was able to determine that it's a bad thing to fall backwards into pondwater while screaming with your eyes closed.
The flower looks nice, but the stagnant water around it was really quite disgusting.
Aww it's sinking.
I found an old broken fishing rod.
So I tried to catch some old broken fish but it didn't work.
The white fluff was really cool.
It helped hide how dirty the water was. And also I was able to make a fluffball out of it to throw at people.
This cat let me get really close to it.
The vine trees were neat.
See some people claim that the text in the ad explains that the little protective boy grew up to be a fine police officer. But I think it is saying that large policemn are terrorising sepia-toned children.
Were had to be extra careful in Osaka because Wolfman was on the loose.
Here is some architecturalisation showing where they buried the Daily Planet.
Ha, the traditional Japanese Farmhouses we saw earlier were at least TWICE as open air as this one...
Osaka catle's moat appeared bigger than Nagoya Castle's.
The giant bell we never went to. See the handle at the top? It's for giants.
Another architechtureimation.
A crow!
Osaka Castle while upside down.
Looking down into the moat.
Like Nagoya Castle, the inner moat was filled with grass, but unfortunately no inexplicable deer.
ANother cat. This one kept meowing loudly so he was strange.
This is a place that, compared to how awesome Osaka Castle looked, wasn't even worth looking at.
It's the doggy door on the impenetrable gate. Also for use by Ninja. ALthough Ninja use whatever door they feel like. Because they are Ninja.
More Brain palms.
Osaka Castle, in half it's glory.
A UFO disguised as a time capsule. From the future.
Osaka castle with approximately 70% of it's glory visible.
Many of the upper floors just shamelessly ripped off the lower ones.
Osaka Castle!
This is for dogs with opposable thumbs.
As soon as I saw this sign, I knew I wanted whatever it was they were offering, with possibilities ranging from wearing samurai armour to eating a miniature samurai warrior. All of them were good options.
The little Samurai warriors mentioned in the poster did not seem to be in a mood for being eaten.
In fact the Red Shirts seemed to be getting into a Grease-style choreographed fight with the blue shirts!
It's on!
And the result. 300 Yen well spent.
My other choices. The upside down rice bowl was tempting.
Their golden marine animals seem more unhappy than the lively Nagoya version.
Only after we reached the top did we discover it's terrible secret.
The previously shown architecturialationimations
The vuew from the top of Osaka castle was truly spectacular. I doubt I will ever forget it.
Just to prove how well I can do a self portrait on the first try.
Apparently when making the replica decorations, huge protruding bolts were good enough.
Awesome hedges. They look all blocky and digital-like!
A building activating it's cloaking defense mechanism.
Awwwwwww.
There's a bird!
I hope you don't have vertigo. Yet.
Good thing everyone knows what a ranpart is. Admit it!
COol plants.
Japan.
Here are some Kendo practitioners who we heard while leaving the castle. I guess I probably shouldn't spy on people who are holding swords.
My triumphant exit from Osaka Castle.
Because it's awesome.
