onward to osaka
took me a bit to post the april 1/2 blogs because i have been a bit busy.
I took a bullet train to osaka this morning. this train was apparently the fastest bullet train in the country.
this train reaches a maximum speed of 300 kilometers per hour (186 mph). it is so fast. and looking out the window into the japanese countryside is a really beautiful sight.
i am pretty sure this view was supposed to be mt. fuji. the weather gods decided i really really don’t get to see it on this trip. twice now, weather has obstructed the view.
after arriving at shin-osaka, i decided to take a cab because i didn’t want to deal with trains while carrying everything i brought with me on the trip. i took a cab to nankai-namba station, where my roommate and his father were waiting for me.
the airbnb is about an 8 minute walk from the station
osaka feels similar to tokyo, but with more space. its a bit less dense than tokyo. the streets feel wider, and it feels like theres a little bit more space between the buildings.
we got to the airbnb, unpacked our stuff, hung out for a bit, and then went looking for dinner.
we went to a restaurant called ippudo. i got gyoza and ramen, and it was delicious.
after dinner, i went for a short walk around town - i had to find a 100 yen store called daiso. i needed an extension cord because the closest outlet to my bed was pretty far away.
all in all, not the most photogenic day, but im in a new city with friends. it has already been a huge relief to be with people i know, having fluent english conversations, and having people to relate to about the differences here.
one of the coolest things i saw was a takoyaki guitar:
osaka is famous for takoyaki, fried balls of octopus. i love takoyaki. can’t wait to try the best takoyaki in the place famous for it.
