Osaka - Grimey & Neon-tastic with great grub!

So we set off to Osaka on a bullet train, our first experience of this which was amazing (despite being stuck in the smoking carriage) - over 200 miles in 2 hours isn't bad! (You can note the speed by the picture Sam tried to take where the train had already passed him as he pressed the button) Mountains and snow flying past out of the window but Sam wouldn't have noticed as he spent most of the journey obsessing over a man next to us eating satsumas continuously (apparently 15 in total with 3 left in the bag!).

As I perused the guide book I began to wonder why we had chosen to go to Osaka - Grimey and gritty were used to describe it! My gut reaction was the same when we stepped off the train in a run-down concrete area. However, once we had settled into our slightly more budget room (at this hostel we have to leave our shoes in the foyer in exchange for plastic slippers and there is only one 'western toilet') we headed for Dotonburi St (Namba) which is the nightlife and shops area - everything from Tiffany's to Prada and then as you turn onto the side streets you enter a crazy little world of neon. Whereas Tokyo is quiet and civilised this area is loud, bustling and bright. Street after street of arcades, open fronted eateries and tat-shops are lit up by neon signs and lanterns. If you thought Vegas and New York were dazzling you've seen nothing yet!

Today we headed to the Osaka castle - a grand pagoda shaped castle surrounded by an enormous moat and gardens. Very beautiful, however, the thing that sticks in my mind is the wheel chair classes we saw taking place on a hilly path - people were literally being taught how to push others up and down and rather more trickily... brake. Moving on to the 'Lumi Sky walk' on the 40th floor of a river side building we watched the sun set and all of that neon across Osaka get turned on (I hope Japan are offsetting their carbon footprint somehow). We paid to choose a 'fortune' and tie it to a wall - unfortunately they said travelling is not advisable at this time! Oh well!

On the way back this evening we stopped for dinner in the neighbourhood we are staying in - another crazy couple of streets with queues out of every restaurant (many just have people standing at a counter) but really cheap food. People are much louder in Osaka than Tokyo and this area is like a more 'real' Camden or Soho.

Off to Hiroshima tomorrow so another ride on the bullet train - maybe this time with less fruit and smoke.

Liz x