Osaka, 19.04.24

 Osaka, 19.04.24  

Today was going to be some serious sightseeing. We ventured into the underground at Namba Station and found a line taking us close to Osaka Castle. Emerging into the daylight near the castle orientation was a bit difficult at first as modern high obscured the castle. 

It was a beautiful day and the walking quite pleasant and soon enough the castle came into view and we entered the extensive grounds and decided to take a little tourist train which took us right to the entrance of the fortifications. We had no intentions of going inside the building itself and the crowd waiting for admittance was huge. 

The castle was first built in the late 16th century and was enlarged and changed many times and fell into dereliction until in 1931 it was restored in concrete. The tower is in fact a modern construction and the inside is a museum. 

The castle and its defensive walls are huge. Much more so than anything I have seen in Europe. Two moats surround it. The walls are constructed with massive stones without using mortar. Some blocks of stones are megaliths weighing more than 12 tonnes and have names such as the 'Octopus' stone. 

We had a lovely walk around the outer moat and had our first sushi which we bought in a Lawson's shop. These shops are a kind of convenience store and are found all over Japan. When wanting to dispose of the plastic tray we found that there were no rubbish bins anywhere. Yet the place was spotlessly clean! I took our rubbish back to the shop to the astonishment of the shop attendant. But really it was an eye opener that the Japanese apparently take all rubbish home! No bins provided anywhere! Yet all is clean and tidy! Amazing. 

Sightseeing is exhausting so we made our way back to the hotel to get changed for our evening meal which was going to be in a three Michelin starred retaurant called Taian. We were told to be there early so we arrived at six o'clock for our six thirty booking. 

The restaurant was unassuming and very simple. There were nine seats at the bar facing the kitchen and the chefs plus another table for four in one corner. It would make an interesting evening watching the chefs preparing the meal. The place filled in half an hour intervals. Four Americans on our right, a Swiss on my left, two more further along and four at the table. The Swiss was a bit annoying and I had to put up with him. Never mind. 

The meal progressed course after course. We also had a bottle of pinot noir from Oregon which was delicious. It was after all my birthday dinner! However we soon realized that this food was not quite to our taste and in fact far below our expectations. It was disappointing. We walked home, with the Swiss who happened to stay at the same hotel! But we diverted pretending of some important business and let him go. 

One observation during our walk home was that even in the dark and quiet streets one feels very safe. It was like that all over Japan. There is an absence of threatening behaviour, no drunks or loud louts and we did not see any beggars or people sleeping in the streets. 

At the hotel we went straight up to the top floor and the bar to use our welcome drink vouchers. Amazing views from the 36th floor.