2016/07/14
Can you believe this trip is coming to an end? Today is our last full day in Japan! A bit sad but also at the same time happy to finally go home haha.
Sightseeing around Osaka is on today's itinerary, our first stop, Osaka castle!
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First Stop : Osaka Castle 大阪城
Osaka Castle was built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi over 400 years ago in model after Oda Nobunaga's Azuchi Castle.
It has been burned down several times in the past but has been restored to its prime in the Edo era.
Today, the Tenshukaku (main building) is 8 stories tall and a very popular tourist spot easily accessible by public transportation.
not sure why this is here? lol "Osaka castle radio exercise committee"...
Osaka castle under Toyotomi's age
Osaka castle under Tokugawa's age (the Bafuku)
the Siege of Osaka
The differences between the Osaka castle under Tokugawa (left) and Toyotomi (right).
The beautiful Osaka castle Tenshukaku.
Unlike the Nijo castle we visited in Kyoto, the interior is made into more of an exhibition hall. It was a shame we weren't able to see what the actual castle looked like back in the days.
During the time we visited, a historical drama (Taiga drama 大河ドラマ ) was playing on Japan's NHK channel. Sanada Maru 真田丸 was a fortification attached to the Osaka castle, named after Sanada Yukimura during the Siege of Osaka in 1615.
There were quite a few exhibition corners dedicated to this topic.
All the banners of the generals that took part in the siege of Osaka. (1614-1615)
These are real size replicas of the Shachi 鯱 (legendary animal with a head shaped of a tiger and body of a carp) and Fusetora 伏虎 (crouching tigers) on display on the second floor.
This creature was believed to cause the rain to fall, thus it is often seen on temple and castle roofs. Protecting them from fire.
The Tenshukaku today has been standing since 1931. It has been rebuilt 3 times. First by Hideyoshi in 1585, then Tokugawa in 1665, then the castle we see today. It was modeled after the depiction of the Osaka castle during the Hideyoshi age. The third time, they used concrete to rebuild the castle which was uncommon at the time, and survived the attacks during World War II.
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Second Stop: Genroku Zushi 元祖元祿壽司
Before going to our next destination, we needed to fill our stomachs up first!
Since we have a packed schedule today, we wanted something fast. And that is when we stumbled across a kaiten sushi restaurant.
Apparently Genroku Zushi was the ones who thought up the idea of kaiten sushi! Who would've thought of putting sushi on a conveyor belt for the customers to choose their pleasings instead of ordering from the menu? haha.
They have branches all over Japan and its not hard to believe their popularity when every thing costs only 125 yen!
This was a traditional kaiten sushi restaurant so no fancy screens, trains, but they do have quite a nice selection of food available. Including my favourite aburi sushis.
make sure to check this place out if you ever stumble upon it :D
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Third Stop: Osaka Kurashi No Konjyakukan 大阪くらしの今昔館
After lunch we made our way to the Osaka Kurashi no Konjyakukan, part of the Osaka Museum of Housing and Living. They exhibit displays of the lifestyle/houses people lead from the past to present in Osaka.
The museum is designed for visitors to start from the 9th floor, the Edo era, and down to the present age.
Starting from the top floor you will see the streets during the Edo era in birds eye view.
To blend in to the streets of Edo, there were also free yukata try on experience available by reservation.
...and down the escalator
...like a time machine back to 17th-18th century Japan Edo era
The street was set to look like a summer festival day in the Edo era, so there were lots of vendors, decorations, and even firework presentations from time to time.
毎度！
Below were decorations all made from household items,
Chicken & Hen
Lion
Tenjin Maru was one of the important displays shown during summer festivals. It was supposedly 8m long, 2m wide and 3m tall.
After walking down the streets of Edo, we take a little peak at the interiors of the houses people lived in.
the kitchen
In the past, Japanese people didn't eat on tables like Western countries. Instead each person has their own set of food served on a small stool like surface.
Below was very interesting toilets used in the Edo era, hmm I don't think I would know how to use these things...
for females
for males
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Now let's move on to the Modern Osaka (Meiji, Taishou, Showa) era...
This was what a small classroom of an elementary school looked like in the early 1900's.
a few vintage photos
area in Kawaguchi where foreigners lived, 17th year of Meiji (1884)
long housing built in a newly developed area in Osaka (長屋), 14th year of Taisho (1925)
Karahoritsu 空堀通 in the 13th year of Showa (1938), a one km long market street that has been around since the Edo era.
This was what the hairdressers looked like in the early Showa years...
Look at the price back in the day.. if only getting a perm costed 35 yen hahaha :(
This is a model of the Shirokita bus housings that were formed for people who have lost their homes due to attacks during WWII. Buses that were no longer in use were made into convenient affordable "housing" for these war victims. They were lined up in a shape similar to glasses, forming a small and compact neighborhood and were in use until the 26th year of Showa (1951).
In the 31st year of Showa (1956), this was when apartments were built, and Japan starts to speed up to modernization.
A scene of what a normal household was like.
Very lovely, peaceful family :)
Fourth Stop: Pompompurin Cafe
In celebration of my birthday, we visited the Pompompurin Cafe in Umeda!
Everything was super cute omg
Please click the link here to read it in detail :D
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Last Stop: Umeda Sky Building 梅田スカイビル
To end our trip and last day in Osaka, we came to the Umeda Sky Building for a night view of the city.
On the rooftop of the building is the Floating Garden Observatory 空中庭園
On floor 173, there is even a small Kuchuu Teien Shrine, for any couples out there, love locks are available ♥
To get to the observatory level, we took a few escalators,
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into space...
LOL
The floor had many reflective stones? (I have no idea what they were) haha
but staring at the ground long enough really felt like I was in outer space!
☺
It was a shame my camera couldn't capture the beauty on photo :(
Definitely check it out for yourself, if your a sucker for cityscapes!
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Bonus Stop: Kani Douraku
Our last day in Japan was only a half day, to end the trip, we made a reservation at Kani Douraku for lunch before we head to the airport.
As the name suggests, this restaurant specializes in crab cuisines, and yes just by the sound of it makes me hungry.
Make sure to check the separate detailed post on it in the link below!
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Over a span of eleven days, our trip has finally come to an end, I think next time it would be a better idea to only visit one city at a time. Less stress, and more time to discover the surroundings. Kyoto in particular, I will definitely visit again. All in all, thanks for following me through these blogs, even though it takes me forever to publish.
I hope to see you on my next journey!
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& finally our last vlog of the trip...
Part 5: Osaka ♥
DAY 0 - VANCOUVER -> TOKYO ARRIVAL DAY 1 - HARAJUKU, ALICE ON WEDNESDAY, AMEYAYOKO DAY 2 - SNOOPY MUSEUM, ASAHI TV, ROPPONGI DAY 3 - SHINKANSEN TO KYOTO, FUSHIMI INARI TAISHA DAY 4 - KINKAKUJI, TENMANGU, NIJO CASTLE DAY 5 - KIYOMIZUDERA, GINKAKUJI, GION DAY 6 - NARA DAY 6.7 - OSAKA DAY 7 - USJ DAY 8 - SHINSAIBASHI, DOTONBORI DAY 9 - OSAKA CASTLE, UMEDA
♥ If you have any suggestions, questions or comments please let me know in the box below thanks :)
