Osaka - Seas of Streets

Trip Start Oct 05, 2009

Trip End Mar 28, 2010

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Flag of Japan Osaka, Kinki, Japan
Thursday, February 11, 2010

Osaka was one of those places where I visited out of convenience. It was close to Koyasan and not to mention cheaper to stay in because of the options. I had correctly anticipated there would be a big contrast between the mountain getaway I left and the major city of western Japan that I entered.

That being said, I was glad that I went. The fact that it didn't have many tourist activities beyond the impressive castle and aquarium, this meant that I spent more time on the streets. One would have expected the rainy weather to be discouraging but amazingly it had a different effect. At night, when the streets were crowded with consumers and comestibles, the lights reflected off of the wet streets. It was like a glowing welcome mat. Another thing that helped, was that many of the smaller street walkways were covered, well-lit, and of course, lined with shops too. I was astonished at the concentration of shops in one place. Try to picture a densely packed outdoor mall... it was a bit like that.

What I took away from the experience was that Osaka had many places which invited you wander the city for enjoyment (especially if you like to people-watch). There was seemingly endless eye candy... and the crowds made it a community experience.

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