Thanks to jet lag, we woke up super early our first morning in Osaka (and if you can tell from the time stamp on this post, we did it again the next morning). The trains don't start running until 5:30am and we waited for the hostel's 9:30 tour. And we thought we wouldn't get up early enough, ha! We walked around and ate at McDonald's for breakfast. Okay, you know how classy Panera bread is with its nice booths, internet, recharging stations for your electronics, and classical music? That is McDonald's here in Japan. So breakfast was delicious and classy while we watched people walking to the local JR station.

Finally at 9:30 and the rest of the world was awake we, and other people staying at the hostel, grouped up in the lobby for a tour of Osaka with Mr.Yano.

Mr.Yano: 5'5" Japanese middle-aged man. Job:Tour Guide Status:Eccentric but enthusiastic Catch Phrase: "It's OK!". Mr. Yano is the hostel's tour guide who gives morning tours on Wednesday and drinking and bar hopping tours at night. As he says "English, know LITTLELittlelittle english! It's OK!" Jeph and I had many theories as to who he really was. But this man, we think, uses the tours as a physical version of linked in. He Gaijin-bombs a local business with his tours and then talks to the store owners about how if they support the hostel, he can give them business by having their store part of the tour. Brilliant.

Anyway, the tour was to the area of Temma which has a loooooong roofed street market (like Nishiki Market in Kyoto). In this market is a museum that Mr. Yano kept referring to as "Samurai-era! Samurai! Dress in kimono. Teachers help!" Admission was 300Y for students, 600Y for everyone else (so,most of us) and we went into an Edo-era town replica with the old shops, homes and firehouse (like a larger version of the museum in Ueno Park). So we got all dressed up, Jeph looking mighty fine in his Yukata, and got to walk around for 30 minutes like this. Yano enthusiastically tried to explain about the fire fighters of the time, raincoats and mice. I have a video of him explaining how in his childhood there was a huge mice problem as they ate stored food. Kids would catch the mice and get 10 yen per mouse to make extra money (or get sweets for them). So when Mr. Yano goes, "Chu chu chuchuchcuhuchu!" he is making mouse noises.

We ate lunch at a Kaiten-zushi (sushi on a conveyor belt) and it was super fresh and a really good deal! 120Y per plate! My new food I tried was an octopus salad sushi-thing. It was really good! From there Yano showed us a bit more of the market and we all separated and made our ways back home. I saw some Okonomiyaki but, alas, wasn't hungry enough for it. I vow to eat it today for lunch! I really want to try it!

When we got back to the hostel around 4, we CRASHED. Seriously. We slept for 4 hours, forced ourselves to get up, explore and walk for a few more hours and then crashed again. That's all from me, let's see what Jeph has to say:

So, I see you noticing my Crab colors. Yasuki Jefu here with news from Kitanai Tori-mura. Yesterday, we met an insane person who calls himself Mister Yano. I say Insane with the utmost respect, mostly because I swear this guy is Yakuza. He stopped at at least 14 small local businesses and had rushed, quiet conversations with each owner. I believe he was looking for protection money. I've uncovered your schemes, Yano.

Anji and I were then overcome by a Neru Oni. It was a fierce battle, but in the end we were vanquished. After the effects of the Demon's attack were gone, it was 4am and time for donuts.

Japan continues to be strange.