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Recounting my Two Days and One Night in Osaka, Japan
By Carlon Haas | August 10, 2007
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OK, Carlon. You’re going to
But hey…I get a 2-day trip out of it. So, why not?
But Japan. What do I really know about
As you may have read, I have a much different travel philosophy than others. So, if you expect to hear about famous sites in
Korean consulate, here I come.
I had directions. Get out at the Nankai airport and take the “Rapit” train to the Namba stop. Get out at exit 25. And then 10 minutes walk and you’re at the Korean consulate. Easy!
Yeah, right.
Found the train all right. But after getting off at Namba, I saw NO exit numbers. So, I used my Japanese skills said “hi” in Japanese to one man. That was where my Japanese skills ended. And he didn’t speak English. So, I broke out the awesome hand gestures, obviously impressing him. He points down twice and says (in English) “subway”.
Take the subway? But that wasn’t in the directions. But I decided to trust this man. And after realizing that I was on the 2nd floor and the first floor was a HUGE underground shopping mall, I went to B1.
Lo and behold, EXIT NUMBERS. I went out number 25. Went the wrong way. Had a “map”. Used my Japanese skills again. Said “Hi” in Japanese. The man looked at my map. Pointed in the opposite direction. Finally walked about 2 minutes past the station and there was the consulate (10 minutes…how slow can these direction-givers walk!).
Visa obtained. But now I was hungry. Didn’t I pass a McDonald’s?
Soft Jazz in the Smoking Section of McDonalds
I like local cuisine. But by this time, I was starving and McDonalds seemed the closest place. I got there and ordered some strange hamburger I’ve never seen before and went up the stairs.
How do I describe the scene? No seats, but there were plenty in the smoking section of McDonalds…smoking section? You bet. And with soft cool jazz playing in the background, it all fell into place. It was as it should have been.
Unknown burger…pretty good.
As I was leaving, I realized that I was saying “hi” correctly in Japanese. However, I quickly picked up another word, which is ironically “hai”, meaning yes. That came in VERY handy later, as only knowing how to say hi and yes made me very friendly and agreeable to most people I met.
The price of not making a reservation
Next, find a hotel. But one of the cool things about
I digress. Where’s a hotel? I have no idea where I am, but I am in luck. I stumbled upon a tourist office where they spoke English…sort of. They gave me a map with hotel names. I was off.
Found one close to the Korean Consulate. The problem? No reservation. But they had a room.
Is a smoking room okay? NO view?
“Hai,” I reply. My bag is getting heavy, and I want to unload it. Besides, the rate was pretty cheap. Who needs to argue?
The map would come in handy though. It sent me to my next destination.
Amerika Mura = The “American” Village
I love observing “American” culture abroad, and
At first I didn’t know where I was. But I happened to meet a couple of Korean students in
Let me tell you: it was interesting to say the least—fashion-wise.
The fashion victims were too many to count. But it seems the most popular “American” fashion at the
“And I said hey yeah yeah yeah yeah….hey yeah yeah…I said, hey…What’s going on?”
The most interesting fashion style I saw was the “Mary-had-a-little-lamb” look. Picture Mary, as in having a little lamb, in pink ruffles complete with a little basket and, I kid you not, a lacy umbrella to match. Now, I first thought this was part of a show, maybe cabaret, but alas more “Mary”s showed up. Either that was the biggest show in the world or the latest “American” fashion. I’m not even going to guess.
The British Pub in
It’s getting dark, and I’m starting to get hungry. I saw a sign for a place called “Pig and Whistle.” It sounded interesting. And it was…
I can say without irony that the first time I ate fish and chips was at a British pub—in
One thing he said that will stick with me is that the Japanese don’t do anything half-assed. He thought the “British” pub we were in seemed more “British” than the ones in
Blade Runner Revisited
“Mr. Peterson” had to go. But I hit an area that can only be described as a scene out of Blade Runner. Lights everywhere! Pachinko parlors, arcades, stores…it was awesome. I must have walked the area for hours until I got completely lost.
But along the way, I met and chatted with a few English-speaking Japanese people and two Korean families (yep…Korean comes in handy).
Luckily, in the end, a nice Japanese person pointed the way to the subway station where I found my exit and returned to the hotel.
Surrealism in my hotel room
While I didn’t go off adventuring, I made it back to my smoke-smelling room with a beautiful view of the parking lot and the competing hotel across the street. But a hotel has its moments.
For example, I wanted to watch a movie. But to watch a movie you needed to get a pre-paid movie card for about $10 and you could watch ANY movie in the library of Videos on demand. The card was available from a vending machine right next to the vending machine that sold beer (that’s right beer in a vending machine).
They had all sorts of movies, including a VERY LARGE selection of Japanese adult videos (AV videos) with interesting titles like:
Molesters on Fire (parts 1 &2)
Re-sex (parts 1 & 2)
English Conversation Pimp
And more…
So, what does a man traveling alone on a trip do with such a collection before he goes to bed?
He buys a card, grabs a beer from the vending machine and watches…
…”Flags of our Fathers”
Excellent movie. But something about watching a World War II movie about the Battle of Iwo Jima in
“The Underground” and Returning Home to
I shared some beer with a Japanese businessman on his lunch break when we decided to share a table because there was no room. I ate Japanese pork cutlet at that time. I had eaten it in
What did I talk about with the Japanese businessman? Not much. He didn’t speak English. But I think we were both agreeing that Asahi “Dry” was the best beer in
Then, I returned home to
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5 Responses to “Recounting my Two Days and One Night in Osaka, Japan”
Comments
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August 10th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
Here’s a question I have you (I really do want to know): in Korea and Japan… have you come across any Blues clubs??
August 10th, 2007 at 7:28 pm
I’ve come across a few blues clubs in Seoul. And I am 100% positive they exist in Japan because jazz and blues clubs are mentioned in the writings of Haruki Murakami, But since I was only in Japan briefly, I did not get a chance to find one for sure.
Though I did see one club in Osaka called “Sex Mashine” (misspelling is intentional….that’s how they spelled it). I actually believe it was a funk music club.
August 14th, 2007 at 11:41 am
Dude, I wish I would have been there to show you some very cool stuff.
Such memories!!! I remember running a 10K around Osaka Castle, crossing the finish line and then going directly to the beer vending machine to grab a cold one.
Only in Japan.
And only in Osaka can you see the most diverse display of large items on the side of buildings to advertise what the building is… The large prawn is a seafood house….a large Mug of beer is a brewery, etc etc.
Namba was one of my favorite places to go in Osaka, so you were definitely in the right place.
next time!
August 14th, 2007 at 10:05 pm
Yes..next time, Petro.
Though I wish I could grab a cold one out of a vending machine. I found it very convenient.
Glad I “lucked into” Namba.
I guess those guys at the Korean Consulate know how to pick locations for maximum party time after work:)
August 19th, 2007 at 7:38 pm
Carlon I really enjoyed your story about Japan.