Osaka (Day 43): Osaka Castle and Bright Lights

April 12, 2016

Today was another sunny day in Osaka. The temperatures looked a bit better than yesterday which made for a perfect opportunity to go to Osaka Castle and hang out at the park in afternoon. Our only other plan for the day was to meet up with my friend, Mable, and her boyfriend, Keith, for dinner in Dotonburi.

Since it was such a nice day, we decided to have a picnic in the park around Osaka Castle. I’ve noticed that there are so many take out options at restaurants with nice bentos that look so pretty and tasty. Below the department store beside our hotel is a basement full of food options. we decided to go there to see if anything caught our eye. After making a quick loop at our options, we decided to go for battera sushi, which Osaka specializes in.

I like looking at Japanese fruit. So perfect looking and expensive
I like looking at Japanese fruit. So perfect looking and expensive.
All the take out sushi options. So colourful!
All the take out sushi options. So colourful!

After getting our sushi, we took the subway to Osaka Castle. We also wanted to get some other food, possibly a salad, from a convenience store. We thought we would find one closer to the castle since convenience stores are everywhere in Japan. But when we got out of the station, we couldn’t find one at all. We walked for about 10 minutes or so down another street and we finally found a Family Mart… There were actually two within a block of each other.

At Family Mart, we got a salad, Glico pudding, and a hot chicken cutlet (Tim: and a grape soda). We headed to the Osaka Castle park area with our picnic food in tow. We were really excited to eat our lovely spread outside on a nice spring day. We found a nice bench under a tree and unpacked our lunch. Tim’s sushi was very pretty, some people even took a picture of our lunch.

The new and old Osaka
The new and old Osaka
Setting up our lunch spread
Setting up our lunch spread
Carbonated grape drink from Family Mart, Tim's battera bento, Family Mart daikon, seaweed and okra salad, Glico pudding, my sushi combo and the Family Mart chicken
Carbonated grape drink from Family Mart, Tim’s battera bento (712 JPY = $8.37 CAD), Family Mart daikon, seaweed and okra salad (248 JPY = $2.92 CAD), Glico pudding (141 JPY = $1.66 CAD), my sushi combo (594 JPY = $6.98 CAD) and the Family Mart chicken (151 JPY = $1.78 CAD).
Family Mart chicken. It was surprisingly very good!
Family Mart chicken. It was surprisingly very good!
Eating under cherry blossoms
Eating under cherry blossoms

After our nice and relaxing lunch, we made our way past the walls toward Osaka Castle. The grounds were quite busy and we noticed there were many tours heading into the castle (lots of cruisers). The castle costs 600 JPY ($7.10 CAD) per person (Tim: or adults) to go in. Each floor has an exhibit and there’s a viewing deck at the top which has views of the city from all sides.

We walked up to the top of the viewing deck and made our way down through each floor (which is their recommended route). Osaka Castle is the nicest castle I’ve seen on our trip so far. Fukuoka’s Castle is basically ruins and Hiroshima’s wasn’t as grand looking. Like many of the other cities, Osaka’s Castle is not the original building. It was rebuilt during the 1930’s to match the original and was funded by citizens of Osaka.

Us infront of Osaka Castle
Osaka Castle
View from the top of Osaka Castle. There's meshing around the whole top.
View from the top of Osaka Castle. There’s meshing around the whole top.
Since everyone else was taking selfies
Since everyone else was taking selfies… (Tim)
Following Tim to Osaka Castle :)
Following Tim to Osaka Castle 🙂 (Tim: the night before I did a crummy job patching a huge hole in the elbow of my sweater… thankfully in this shot, it just looks like the elbow is a little wrinkled)
thumb_IMG_7669_1024
At the entrance of the castle grounds
IMG_20160412_152801
Infront of one of the largest rocks (Tim: I think it’s the largest rock) used to build the original wall.
Castle walls
Castle walls. You can see the castle roof in the background.
Across the street from the castle grounds, kids were getting out of school. They all walked down the block (there must have been over 100 of them). Their uniforms are so cute!
Across the street from the castle grounds, kids were getting out of school. They all walked down the block (there must have been over 100 of them). Their uniforms are so cute!
Had a Matcha Frappe at Family Mart. You get the frozen cup from the freezer and when you buy it, the cashier opens it and squeezes the ice then you take it to the coffee machine and press a button for hot milk, mix and enjoy! it was actually really good. It was 265 JPY = $3.15 CAD
Had a Matcha Frappe at Family Mart. You get the frozen cup from the freezer and when you buy it, the cashier opens it and squeezes the ice then you take it to the coffee machine and press a button for hot milk, stir, and enjoy! It was really good. It was 260 JPY = $3.06 CAD

After we were done with the castle we walked towards Dotonburi, where we were meeting Mable and Keith. We took a leisurely stroll along the Tosaborigawa River and walked along the walkway, which I enjoyed a lot. The city outside of Dotonburi is so calm. It’s not that I don’t like big cities (referring to my post yesterday), I just don’t like huge crowds, they make me really upset.

River walk
Tosaborigawa River walk
One of Osaka's sister cities is San Francisco!
One of Osaka’s sister cities is San Francisco
thumb_IMG_7701_1024
Along the other side of the river were tall office buildings, many of them were Japanese company headquarters – like Shisheido and Mizuno
Beautiful walk in the city
Beautiful walk in the city

Eventually we made it back to Shinsaebashi, where we visited a few shops again before meeting Mable and Keith in Dontonburi. There are a lot of shops that sell just Japanese snacks. These shops make me so happy.

We went into a Kit Kat store, which sells more than just Kit Kats
We went into a Kit Kat store, which sells more than just KitKats
Heading towards our meeting point. So many people!! A lot of them are on ours and are dropped off in this area to shop.
Heading towards our meeting point. So many people!! A lot of them are on tours and are dropped off in this area to shop.
Sun is setting
Sun is setting. This place really comes alive at night.

We met Mable and Keith infront of the Forever 21. Lucky we picked a store to meet in front of because if we had just said the bridge near the Glico sign, then we would be in trouble as there were so many people.

We headed to an izakaya place called Kitazo, which was more of a local restaurant than a tourist joint. The food was good but a little pricey for an izakaya considering we didn’t order a whole lot. But it was okay since we planned on going out after to try some street foods that are a lot easier to share amongst four people instead of just two.

Dinner with Mable and Keith at an izakaya place in Dotonburi
Dinner with Mable and Keith at Kitazo in Dotonburi
Assorted sashimi
Assorted Sashimi
Seafood Salad
Seafood Salad

After dinner we went across the bridge to check out the Glico sign. It was the first time we had been in Dotonburi at night, which looks nicer at night than in the daytime (in my opinion). The neon lights everywhere gave the area so much life!

Glico Man pose
Glico Man pose
With Mable
With Mable

After taking multiple pictures on the bridge, we headed to a store called Don Quijote. This is a Japanese department store (Tim:ish) that literally sells everything. You wouldn’t think so, but the top floor has high end luxury goods! This location had 6 floors of food, cosmetics, electronics, clothing… everything! The busiest part of the store was probably the first floor full of Japanese snacks and treats. Mable and Keith are in Japan for a total of 3 weeks, and heading home next week, so they were able to buy a lot of stuff. When I saw them loading up their basket for gifts to bring home, I was a bit jealous. She said she has one dedicated suitcase full of food! In some ways, I was able to live through Mable telling her what I would buy to bring home, and she would end up putting it in her basket.

We spent around an hour inside
We spent around an hour inside
Takoyaki. Very delicious here. Big pieces of octopus inside and was perfectly cooked. 8 pieces for 650 JPY = $7.60 CAD (a bit overpriced because we're in Dotonburi but it was good)
Takoyaki. Very delicious here. Big pieces of octopus inside and was perfectly cooked. We shared 8 pieces for 650 JPY = $7.60 CAD (a bit overpriced because we’re in Dotonburi but it was good)
These were super hot.. I almost burnt my mouth when I tried to eat it in one bite.
These were super hot.. I almost burnt my mouth when I tried to eat it in one bite.
The lights in Dontoburi
The lights in Dontoburi
These gyozas were delicious. We shared 6 pieces for 240 JPY = $2.80 CAD
These gyozas were delicious. We shared 6 pieces for 240 JPY = $2.80 CAD
They were hot!
They were hot!
This was place had a huge line after we ordered
This was place had a huge line after we ordered. We were ahead of the crowds.

After the takoyaki and gyozas, we had the best thing for dessert, a warm melon bun filled with vanilla ice cream. A melon bun is basically like a Chinese pineapple bun (bolo bao), but the Japanese version of it. Tim and I ordered one to share and it was very good. Tim says it’s one of his favourite things he’s eaten all trip. The melon bun was freshly baked, which was a nice surprise.

He advertises as the "second best melon bun ice cream" in the world. So modest. I wonder who's the first?
He advertises as the “second best melon bun ice cream” in the world. So modest. I wonder who’s the first?
Melon bun with ice cream: 400 JPY = $4.70 CAD
Melon bun with ice cream: 400 JPY = $4.70 CAD

This part of Dontonburi had stalls/food trucks around with a seating area. We sat down and ate our ice cream and then ended up getting some drinks (beers for them and a peach Canada Dry for me) and sat around to chat for a bit. It’s great to hear about their adventures in Japan as we’ll be going to some of the cities they’ve already been and vice versa. They liked Sapporo the best and made their food sound amazing. I can’t wait to go visit ourselves!

I know I’ve always said it’s nice to see familiar faces while you’re away, but it’s even better to see good friends. Mable and I agreed that as nice as it is to travel with your significant other, it’s great to be able to see friends, as you can try more food with them, they can take pictures for you (instead of asking randoms (Tim: with questionable photography skills…)), and you can talk to someone else besides your significant other in a country that doesn’t speak English. I’m glad we were able to meet while we were both in Japan.

Today was a fun day. It also turned out to be a longer day since we didn’t come back to the hotel at all. We’re thinking of heading to Kyoto tomorrow for the day, it only takes about 15 minutes on the Shinkasen from Osaka. It’ll take us longer to get to Osaka Station than it will to get to Kyoto.

Steps today: 25, 200

Taipei (Day 29): Last Day in Taiwan

March 29, 2016

Today is our last day in Taipei until May, when we’ll be back for a couple of days before going down to Australia. We slept in this morning for the first time in a while which was nice. We used this morning to plan for Seoul – how to get to the hotel from the airport and researching DMZ tours.

We decided to go for lunch at this noodle restaurant that we passed by on our way to Daan Park multiple times. The restaurant was pretty much a hole in the wall (with no signage), the kitchen at the front with a “Mom” and “Dad” making noodles. Each time we passed by during lunch they always had a line up – which is usually a good sign. We ended up having a late lunch at around 1:30pm, which worked out because we avoided the work lunch crowd. This restaurant specializes in noodles – both dry and soup noodles (milk seafood broth and miso broth).

We picked the dry pork noodles and the milk seafood broth. The noodles were nice and chewy (the way I like them) and the milk seafood broth was surprisingly tasty and had a lot of seafood in the soup. The seafood soup bowl was a lot deeper than it appeared to be and was very filing. After we had this carb heavy lunch, I felt like falling asleep, so it was good we went for a walk after. While we were eating, the owners closed the door and were eating their lunch too (at the same table as us).

Noodle restaurant we had passed by almost every day
Noodle restaurant we had passed by almost every day
Dry noodle in pork sauce (60 NT = $2.40 CAD)
Dry noodle in pork sauce (60 NT = $2.40 CAD)
Seafood broth with noodles (160 NT = $6.45 CAD)
Seafood milk soup with noodles (160 NT = $6.45 CAD). It tasted like a watery chowder broth (tasted better than how I’m describing it)

After lunch, we went back to SunnyHills to buy pineapple cakes for Tim’s Great Aunt, who we will be visiting in Osaka. We got to sit down and have a pineapple cake and tea again – delicious!

We got seated in the front room this time
We got seated in the front room this time

Our only other plan today was to meet Tim’s second cousin, Janiss, for dinner at the fish market, “Addiction Aquatic Development” (AAD). The English name is a bit weird, but it’s basically a large Japanese food market with individual restaurants inside. They have sushi, sashimi, steamed/boiled seafood, grilled fish, BBQ, and hot pot. We decided to get a bunch of take out dishes and eat outside.

Us with Janiss outside of Addiction Aquatic Development
Us with Janiss outside of Addiction Aquatic Development
Fresh seafood area
Fresh seafood area
Inside the food area - it's like a Japanese "Eataly"
Inside the stand up sushi area- The AAD is like a Japanese “Eataly” (Tim: What’s an Eataly?)
They even have a flower and plant section
They even have a flower and plant section
Seafood counter
Seafood counter
Sashimi take out section. Very reasonable prices, 20 pieces of sashimi for 240 NT = $9.70 CAD
Sashimi take out section. Very reasonable prices,  20 pieces of fresh sashimi for 240 NT = $9.70 CAD
This is what we ended up getting for the three of us, we could've done without one of the trays. We were stuffed. Sashimi trays were 240 NT = $9.70 CAD, 6 pieces of nigiri 150 NT = $6 CAD, Egg wrapped dynamite/futomaki-ish roll for 225 NT = $9 CAD, salad was $4.45 CAD
This is what we ended up getting for the three of us, we could’ve done without one of the trays. We were stuffed at the end. Sashimi trays were 240 NT = $9.70 CAD, 6 pieces of nigiri 150 NT = $6 CAD, Egg wrapped dynamite/futomaki-ish roll for 225 NT = $9 CAD, salad was $4.45 CAD.

Everything was really fresh and delicious. I’m really looking forward to going to Japan now! It was great catching up with Janiss over a nice meal, she’s such a sweet and bubbly girl. The last time we saw her was 3 years ago in Taipei when she took us to the Shilin Night Market. She’s now graduated university and is working full time. She’s fluent in Mandarin, English, German and Taiwanese – very impressed and wish I was multilingual. After dinner, we walked to the MRT station and said our goodbyes. Hopefully we’ll see her again soon in Taipei or even Vancouver.

We’re flying out to Seoul tomorrow at 1:25pm, so we’re getting everything packed up and ready. We’re both excited to go somewhere we haven’t been before, and experience new adventures in a place where neither of us can speak the language (I can only say “hello” and “thank you”). As much as we’re excited to go to Seoul, we’ll miss being in Taipei and feeling like a “local”, especially in the Daan area where we’ve been staying. I’ll write more on Taiwan summarizing some of my thoughts from the past month in a future post!

Total steps: 19,500