Chisun Shinsaibashi Osaka

... ended up dropping the money to ride the green-car for the Shinkansen (basically the first-class for the express-train) because I didn't want to sit in a smoking car for 4 and a half hours. All in all it was a pretty cool experience. A little more roomy than the normal Shinkansen (which is already very nice) along with free drinks!

Upon getting to Kyoto, Jack picked me up with his friend who was there for the afternoon, and we walked ...

Yesterday we made the trip back to Honshu, leaving our Okinawan experience behind us. It is quite nice to be back on the 'main land' and in the great city of Osaka. We are now definitely back to the Japan that I know.

Osaka is certainly a busier place than Naha -- definitely not as laid back here! There is obviously work to be done, people to see, and food to eat. The thing that always strikes me about Osaka is the sheer scale of eating establishments of all ...

Seconds please. I had to go back to Osaka, one way or another (my return flight was leaving from here). Ate just as well if not better than the first go around. Went to the Takoyaki museum at Universal city walk but it was more tako vendors than museum, not such a bad thing. Had simply amazing Kobe ...

... at the station in Osaka. I surprised her with a couchsurfing adventure planned for the nearby Nara Prefecture and the old city of Nara (site of the original capital of Japan). She was excited!

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NIGHT #1:

Our first night was spent with Eri (age 25) and her family. They feed us a wonderful Japanese dinner and set us up in a traditional tatami guest room. Wonderful hosts:) I only wished we'd had more time ...

... I m*de cre*se *fter cre*se, *nd fold *fter fold, m*nipul*ting the simple squ*re int* * flower, or *nim*l, or wh*tever. This *lso, helped build my voc*bul*ry *s I'd look up the word for e*ch cre*tion.

Before long it bec*me *pp*rent to me the M*id C*fe w*s sort* the Hooters of J*p*n (h*h*). Pretty fem*le w*it st*ff c*tering to horny men who like young girls in costume flirting with them. My mind fl*shed b*ck to the South P*rk episode where Butters f*lls for * "R*isin ...

... Viimeiseen paikallisjunaan kohti Shin-Osakaa ehdittiin juuri ja juuri, aivan täysillä juoksemalla ja aivan hirvittävän pitkältä matka tuntui verrattuna luotijunan 14 minuuttiin. Todellinen Pitkäperjantai. Lauantaiaamuna käytiin katsomassa yhtä Japanin hienoimmista nähtävyyksistä ja aivan pakollinen homma jos Kiotossa vierailet. Nimittäin upea Kinkakujin kultainen temppeli. Kinkakujilla juotiin myös perinteiset vihreät teet, joka on ...

... began, allow me to relay our viewing experiences. The evening began with recent Robin Williams political flop Man of the Year. Don't worry, you haven't heard of it. I hadn't even heard of it. Some Germans picked it and it wasn't great. Our man on the street (Kirill) review: "****". After losing the Germans and claiming the room for ourselves we proceeded to bigger, better things ...

... is a pretty good introduction to all things extra-terrestrial and holds a lot of information about the fledgling Chinese space program. Just along the bay lies the Hong Kong Museum of Art with a mixed collection of colonial art and an outstanding collection covering all of China. My final evening in Kowloon, I record the sunset in the bay, the buildings on Hong Kong Island glowing in the warm May sunshine. Riding the bus out to the airport takes you west and over the bridge ...

... interesting people around though, wearing interesting clothing, and doing interesting things... Well I thought it was all interesting :) We ate at Naryu-Mamba (I think?) which was an upstairs place not quite in Dotomburi. They didn't speak English and we didn't speak Japanese, but pointing at menus was sufficient! The food was pretty good, and the prices were nice and cheap. Of course, there were only Japanese ...

... first up close look at the bright neon lights of Pachinko parlors, cozy noodle shops and convoys of Mopeds weaving wildly through the larger traffic. After nearly two hours on the bus we reached our destination and disembarked. After a short walk down quite and narrow residential streets we came to our seminar house. Upon entering we were greeted excitedly by a crowd of Japanese students. We were then immediately reminded to remove our shoes.