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Post date: 25-Nov-2009 12:05:26
Den Den Street
Colin and I stayed in a traditional Japanese apartment with sliding rice paper doors, tatami mats, and we slept on futons. The lady who rented us the apartment is very nice and there is also an Australian teacher sharing the place with us. It's neat because there is a roof top where you dry your laundry and there is a super tiny alley that we have to walk sideways down to get to our back door.
Our apartment is in here
Takoyaki-battered ball with Octopus inside-a traditional Osaka dish
We went shopping on Den Den street, which is described as the Akihabara of west Japan (Electronics Town). We were on a stimulating shopping overdose rush for many hours. We entered video game store after video game store. Super Potato was the best video game store we went into. They have many vintage games and many Mario toys.
Colin inside Super Potato
Remote control rubber duck (no I didn't buy one)
We starred for hours at anime models including some extremely explicit dolls that we couldn't help but laugh at. As soon as you entered a store there were thousands of tiny objects to take in and admire. Colin described it perfectly after we left each store by saying "My eyes actually hurt." It's true if you blinked while walking around one of these stores you could miss something. Yet, after each store pretty lights and more colourful object drew us into the next store. We couldn't resist, it was like each blinking light was brain washing us to go see more. It was an Otaku anime overload in some of the stores. Otakus means obsessing over something. For example for me it's Otaku rubber ducks.
Ichigo from Bleach
After all our shopping we needed a snack and we found my favorite Meiji chocolate covered macadamia nuts from the Philippines in an ice cream bar.
Hokkaido Ogura ice cream with red beans in it
We went shopping in Crysta Nagahori which is an underground shopping area between metro stops. I found this awesome rubber duck purse in a store called Bones. The store lady sold me when she said it's very kawaii (cute). The ladies in the Japanese culture are all about looking kawaii with matching accessories and cutesy childish looking hand bags, so I will fit in while we're here. Whether or not people will walk down the street with me at home while I am holding this purse will be another thing.
We went to the water front in search of a large rubber duck on the river, but it was removed before we arrived. I mean really if they knew the biggest rubber duck collector was coming maybe they would have left it up. Near the water we also saw Billy Blank's studio. He has been in Osaka, Japan for the past year and a half with is daughter and wife. He used to do workout routines and training for people in the military. So cool.
Other random pictures from around Osaka:
Sewers are rather ugly so why not make the lids pretty
A precaution to prevent groping (chikan)
Drink stands and bathrooms are every few blocks
Saki and Beer are available on every street corner too
We've only scene beetles, no roaches
You can view our other 163 pictures here:
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