A friend who lives in Osaka invited me over, so I went back to Osaka last week. Come to think of it, I end up visiting Osaka a lot. I’ve been going at least once a month, and every time I seem to discover something new. This time I didn’t bring my DSLR. It was hot, so I traveled light. Day one was shot on my iPhone, and day two on a compact digital camera. I also posted iPhone photos to Facebook and Twitter to update my travel log in real time, and that was pretty fun in its own way ^_^
Saturday afternoon, after a few twists and turns, including getting pulled over by a police car, we arrived at the cheapest ^_^ parking lot in Namba. On weekends it’s about 1,000 yen for the whole day, so if you’re heading into central Osaka to have fun, I don’t think there’s a better parking lot.
My friend and I had planned to watch the fireworks together, but we had a bit of time before that, so we wandered around Namba and grabbed a light bite.
Salon de thé Alcyon, a cake shop and café in Namba
It’s tucked into a side alley, so it’s not easy to find… Even from the outside it has a certain air about it, doesn’t it?
Mont Blanc Exotique
A parfait made from Mont Blanc. It comes nicely chilled, perfect for summer. It tasted great, but it was a bit too much for one person. Looking at the menu, the cake prices were reasonable, and although I didn’t try the tea, it looked very good. The only thing is that the shop is really small and the tables are practically touching. Not a great place to relax over an afternoon tea set… (By the way, it’s not in the photos, but the staff were dressed as maids…)
The Kinryu Ramen branch in Dotonbori
This very spot is where I had my first meal when I first came to Osaka. Feels like a lifetime ago. People say it isn’t as good as it used to be, and since I’ve eaten a lot more ramen than I had back then, I didn’t bother to try it again. See all the young women in yukata on the street? That’s because today is the day of the fireworks in Umeda. When I see women going out all dressed up like that, even though the outfit and makeup take so much effort, all I can think is how impressive it is.
Now that we’ve had a snack, it’s time for a proper meal, right? ^_^ I met up with my friend and we went to the udon shop Tsurutontan, the main Dotonbori store.
Tea and an aperitif
Well… the interior is nice.
Tsukimi udon
Kitsune udon
Not as good as I expected. -_- The noodles were so soggy… Maybe it’s because they’ve gotten so popular, or because Tokyo has become their main focus, but the taste just wasn’t there. I didn’t think it was worth recommending.
After eating, we slowly made our way to Umeda. The problem was… there were so many people that we couldn’t even get off at the nearest station, so we got off one stop early and walked to the fireworks venue. That made us a little late, and the fireworks had already started before we got there.
Fireworks shot from the street
It was a big fireworks show that you could see clearly even from far away. I think it might have been the most spectacular fireworks display I’ve ever seen. We gradually got closer and eventually watched from inside the venue, and the colorful fireworks filling the whole sky were truly gorgeous. The paid seats were 5,000 yen, and honestly I wish we’d paid for them.
Crowds of Osaka locals who came to watch
It was so packed that getting home was a problem too.
Osaka at night
After the fireworks ended, we stayed on with friends until everyone had left, drinking beer with yakisoba being sold off cheap.
A young woman in yukata walking along the embankment
Before heading home, we decided to have a bowl of ramen. The most famous place in this area is, of course, Ippudo.
Rooibos tea
They advertise it as good for your health, but… hmm… if you’re thinking about your health, you shouldn’t be eating ramen. The taste itself isn’t bad, though…
Akamaru Shinaji
Ippudo varies a lot from branch to branch, but this one is on the good side. Though I hear the Shinsaibashi one is a bit better. I used to think Akamaru was intense, but eating it now, it’s not like that at all, it’s just right. That said, it doesn’t have much of that distinctive tonkotsu punch; it just felt like a tasty bowl of ramen.
The noodles
Typical tonkotsu ramen noodles. Honestly, when it’s this good you really ought to order a kaedama (extra noodles), but I’d eaten a lot of other stuff that day, so I held back.
The night isn’t over yet.
A friend told me about a popular club in Osaka, so we went. The DJ was just so-so, but the atmosphere was good. We partied until morning. I overdid it a bit that day and I’m still tired… -_- By the way, if you go clubbing in Japan, be sure to bring ID. They also do a body check, so it’s best not to carry anything weird, and beach sandals are not allowed. It’s the same at every club, so be careful…