Osaka Kids

Waiting to Cross (Osaka) - Japan  2024

Kids (Osaka) - Japan  2024

Top photo: she was quite anxious, because her friends were across the street. We were a little concerned that she might jump the gun, but no, she waited for the green light, then dashed over.

"Early in the morning or late afternoon, you’ll see them traveling in clusters; small, near identical boxy bags strapped tightly upon the backs of only slighter larger Japanese elementary school children. These bags are known as randoseru. Carefully crafted, incredibly durable and often rather expensive, they’ve been a staple of everyday Japanese schoolwear for over a century."

Next: taken from the hotel's shuttle bus.

Osaka Sightems

Men Drinking (Osaka) - Japan  2024

Cycleland (Osaka) - Japan  2024

Other Japan drinking photos: Shinjuku Night, 2008, and Tokyo Food Tour, 2017.

Cycleland was located under a train overcrossing.

Below: taken from the hotel's shuttle bus.

I Love Osaka (Osaka) - Japan  2024

Standing Bar - Osaka

Standing Bar, Day (Osaka) - Japan  2024

Standing Bar, Night (Osaka) - Japan  2024

Top: as seen when we were walking around on our own. Next: as seen during our food tour.

Below: Google Translation as captured off of my computer monitor. The "bee" seen in the upper right hand corner is part of the word  ビル (Biru), I.e., beer.

Standing Bar (Google Translate)

Japan Culinary Adventure (45): Pachinko Parlor / Osaka Food Tour

Pachinko Parlor (Osaka) - Japan  2024

Pachinko Parlor Exterior (Osaka) - Japan  2024

As part of our food tour we got to visit a pachinko parlor! Just a walk-through, but a first time experience for us.

The food tour wandered through various Osaka street food establishments, serving small plates along with quantities of beer. At one venue we sampled horse meat, whale meat and raw chicken: that's an adventure!

Food Tour Food (Osaka) - Japan  2024

Monday Dog Blogging

Dogs, Dog Owners (Osaka) - Japan  2024

Lots of dogs in Japan. Alas, no other animal pix taken in Osaka . . . no particular reason.

Tenjinbashi-suji

Tenjinbashi (Osaka) - Japan  2024

Osaka Hall Sea Series (Osaka) - Japan  2024

"Tenjinbashi-suji Shopping Street in Osaka’s Kita district stretches a whopping 2.5 kilometers long. More importantly, it’s home to over 600 shops and restaurants to browse. Its mix of old and screamingly new might prove to be sensory overload at times, but it’ll give you a great insight into one of Osaka’s oldest merchant areas."

"Osaka Hall" is a pachinko parlor. This area was where our food tour was located! (The only food tour of the trip.) 

Osaka Station - Shopping

Yodobashi Camera Halloween Display (Osaka) - Japan  2024

Osaka Station Interior (Osaka) - Japan  2024

The hotel offered a shuttle service over to Osaka Station, located amidst a quantity of department stores and other high end shops. Very confusing area! The first time we needed a 7-11 employee to help us find the Yodobashi Camera store. The second time a lady volunteered to help us find Hankyu Department store. 

Google Maps wasn't helpful in this situation! The app seemed to have problems as we walked underneath train track overcrossings, and in addition there were a number of elevated walkways that Google couldn't recognize. Aside from train stations, the app seemed to work fine though.

Hankyu Department Store (Osaka) - Japan  2024

Okawa River

Hotel View, Sunrise, Okawa River (Osaka) - Japan  2024

Sculling, Okawa River (Osaka) - Japan  2024

Our hotel in Osaka had an impressive view of the river below and the skyline in the distance. Lots of sculling taking place on the river!

Also, there was a nice walking path alongside the river with some modern sculptures on view.

Reflective Sculpture, Self-Portrait (Osaka) - Japan  2024

Kansai Airport to Imperial Hotel, Osaka

Smokestacks (Osaka) - Japan  2024

Imperial Hotel (Osaka) - Japan  2024

There was quite a large crowd at the customs hall in the Kansai Airport! It took much longer than we had expected to finally pick up our suitcases: we were charged an extra fee for being late for our taxi pickup. 

Back in 2016 I noted that "the route from the airport into Osaka proper is actually quite long." So this time we weren't that surprised at the interminable drive, featuring smokestacks, freeway traffic and a super convoluted route down alleyways and side streets.

Finally got to the hotel though, with an impressive chrysanthemum display in the lobby!

Chrysanthemums (Osaka) - Japan  2024

Kansai Airport - Osaka

Airplane in Flight - Japan  2024

Midpoint in Flight - Japan  2024

We flew for almost the entire trip over clouds covering the landscape below. The only moment of excitement was when we caught up and passed another jet flying the same route.

I remember that we maintained an extremely high altitude during the trip, finally rapidly descending through the overcast, then catching a glimpse of Osaka Bay.

Osaka Bay - Japan  2024

SFO to KIX

Overcrossing (SFO) - San Francisco  2024

International Terminal (SFO) - San Francisco  2024

The start of our latest trip to Japan - on United Airlines from San Francisco (SFO) to Osaka (KIX). We were in Japan from late October to mid-November. Yes, we timed the trip to avoid the stress levels caused by the U.S. election.

As we taxied down the runway I got a good look at two departing planes with Mt. Diablo in the background!

Planes, Mt. Diablo - San Francisco  2024

Monday Osprey Blogging

Osprey with Fish (Lake Lagunitas) - Marin County  2024

Silhouetted against an overcast sky. Only got the one shot before the bird flew away with its prize - I didn't get the chance to increase the exposure for the shadows.

I used a Nikon Z7II with a 24-200mm lens.

Oak, Fog

Oak, Fog (Bon Tempe Lake) - Marin County  2024

Not haze, but legitimate fog! There were some very photogenic fog days towards the end of December.

"Haze"

City Hall - San Francisco  2024

Buildings - San Francisco  2024

Last December: no offshore breeze and no storms coming through, resulting in stagnant air and extremely unhealthy conditions. I happened to be in San Francisco in the afternoon with an Olympus E-M1II and a 14-150mm zoom lens.