Gaijin Smashing Through Osaka

Not mentioned in this blog, but this is me at Namba Yasaka Shrine in Osaka!

 

Kyoto→Shin-Osaka→Shinsekai

Following my eventful departure from Kyoto, I hopped on a local commuter rail and traveled to Osaka, the last stop on my 2-week tour of Japan's 'Golden Route'. The journey was about 50 minutes, although it could've been 15 if I had been willing to fork over the cash to ride the shinkansen. I didn't mind, though - taking the commuter rail made my travel day a lot less stressful. After a pleasant ride that seemed to never leave the city, a 5-minute walk is all it took to get to my new hostel. 

The building was situated right across the street from Shinsekai - a popular tourist district home to dozens of cheap bites, dive bars, and tourist traps. It's a charming place full of interesting characters, so I was happy with my choice of accommodation. To my relief, this hostel was very comfortable, secure, and full of amenities. Hmmm, strange that it was so cheap...

Osaka is not nearly as packed with historical to-dos as Kyoto or points of interest as Tokyo (at least on my map), so I planned to take my visit slow and try to immerse myself in Osaka's famously unique culture and people.

A nice place to stay, a fun city to explore, and a sunburn that is almost healed - this is shaping up to be a great 5 days in Osaka! 

Osaka Highlights

These were my favorite places and activities in Osaka! Not included in this list is my day trip to Nara; for all your bowing deer needs, please see Oh Deer ~ An Afternoon in Nara below.

• Dōtonbori
• 
  Dōtonbori is the most popular tourist destination in Osaka and is home to one of the most famous photo ops in all of Japan - Dōtonbori Bridge. The entire district is filled with seafood & wagyu beef restaurants, karaoke bars, shops, arcades, street performers and loads of other fun stuff. Maybe you've seen pictures before of the giant neon sign of the Glico running man. First installed in the 1930's, the advertisement was put up by Japanese snack company Ezaki Glico to market their new caramel candy that supposedly gave you the energy to run 300m (really doesn't seem that impressive to me...). Fast-forward to 2026 and I doubt that most tourists even know what Glico means, but it's still an iconic symbol of Osaka and draws enormous crowds. Dōtonbori kinda feels like Times Square if it didn't smell like shit and the street performers didn't charge you to take a video of them. Personally, I thought it was an awesome spot to explore after dark, and on the topic of nightlife, my favorite find in Dōtonbori, and one of my favorite finds in Japan so far, was a vinyl jazz bar called bird/56. bird/56 is a small, moodily lit 3rd floor joint tucked away in a side street off of central Dotonbori and was such a blast. Great music, great staff, and great people are what you're sure to enjoy when you visit. I had to go a couple times - don't miss it!!

	You didn't go to Dōtonbori unless you recreated the Yakuza picture. I don't make the rules.

• Osaka Castle
• One of the few things I remember from my days of trying not to nod off in AP world history was learning the story of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of Japan's greatest leaders who is credited with unifying the entirety of Japan. Most Japanese regard him very fondly, with some even teetering on the edge of idolatry (ask a Korean their opinion on Hideyoshi for a MUCH different story). During his rule, he built Osaka Castle and used it as his central political and military command station. Back then, it was built to be the biggest and most impressive fortress in all of Japan, and it definitely stands the test of time. It's a spectacular sight, but I must admit that I was a little disappointed by the interior. For one, it was not a cheap ticket. For two, the interior has not been historically preserved at all and now serves as a very modern museum. Don't get me wrong, it's amazing to see historical artifacts and learn more about the history of the castle, but I was hoping to get a glimpse at what it would've looked like back then. I'll give them credit though, the observation platform from the top of the castle was pretty rad.

	View from the top of Osaka Castle!

• Shinsekai
• Shinsekai is a super cool spot in southern Osaka that happened to be right across the street from my hostel! It's famous for its amazing views of Tsutenkaku Tower, and similar to Dotonbori, it is a well-known spot for Osakan cuisine, nightlife, and tourist traps. For anyone itching to shoot a traditional longbow or throw shurikens, step right up - Shinsekai has you covered! To me, Shinsekai felt a bit more local and grungy (in a good way) than Dotonbori - maybe because of its proximity to Nishinari (see Nishinari - Osaka's Underbelly below).

• Amemura (aka Amerika-mura)
• I wouldn't really say Amemura is a must-do, but it definitely made for a fun afternoon. Amemura is a small neighborhood that specializes in American fashion, culture, and cuisine. It was a spectacle to walk through the thrift stores full of overpriced American clothes and peruse the outlet stores for Carhart, Supreme, and other famous American brands. It's a bit of youth hub for imported fashion, much like Harajuku in Tokyo.

What the heck is SHE doing here???	Cool clothes shops everywhere

• Nakazaki

• Nakazaki was a place I heard about online after I arrived in Osaka, but I'm so glad I learned about this hidden gem in time! It's a neighborhood near Shin-Osaka station overflowing with character and charm. I went there on my last full day in Osaka and nearly spent the whole day wandering the alleys popping into thrift stores and cafes. This place really felt like authentic Osaka - I don't think I saw a single other tourist the whole day. Here's some highlights from Nakazaki:

• Found a pizza place called Hughes Pizza! The guy working there spoke excellent English and I really enjoyed chatting with him while enjoying a few delicious slices. He was amazed when I showed him my passport to prove myself a "Hughes".

• Happened upon Elemeka Laboratory - an electro-mechanical retro arcade that is probably one of the coolest places on Earth. It's a small space that's packed with vintage mechanical arcade games from decades and decades ago. I can't believe I had never heard of this place; it's definitely still a secret that's well-kept from tourists, so keep this on the DL! All the games were excellently preserved and, the best part for me, super cheap to play. I also loved that it was obviously a family-owned business - the cash exchange counter was operated by a kid who couldn't have been more than 13 while his dad walked around giving people tips and fun facts about the games. Such a sweet spot.

In that red game on the left, you steer a truck along a winding path that speeds up as you progress through different cities. It played a different song for each city you passed through - so fun!	Old pachinko machines. The small one in the middle was quite scandelous!

• 
  I stopped in a cafe for a while to grab a bite, journal for a while, and of course, people-watch - one of my favorite hobbies in Japan. The first thing I noticed was that I was the only one in the cafe without some sort of greens on their plate. Instead, I, the glutinous American pig, got a crêpe topped with a fat scoop of vanilla ice cream. Sorry Americans back home, I didn't do much to fight the stereotypes that day, but damn that crêpe was good!! The second thing I noticed was the couple sitting next to me. They sat across from each other, and both only ordered drinks, but the girlfriend's was completely full. Turns out this was because the drink's purpose was not to be consumed, but was to be a prop for a photoshoot. For the better part of 40 minutes, the boyfriend would pose the girlfriend, take 1 zillion photos, hand the phone to her to inspect, get pointers from her on his shots, and repeat. It didn't look like they spoke a single word to each other that wasn't about the shoot the entire time they were there; I'm not even sure that the girl drank her drink. I suppose I shouldn't assume they were a couple - for all I know, the guy could've been a hired photographer - nonetheless, it was entertaining for me to spectate out of the corner of my eye while journaling and enjoying my embarrassingly sugary lunch.

• 
  As I mentioned above in the blurb about Amemura, Japanese people are really into American clothes and fashion. This trend becomes really apparent in Nakazaki's trendy vintage clothing stores. To be honest, I was hoping to find some vintage Japanese clothes, but I couldn't get away from the same stuff I find in thrift and vintage stores back home! I even found a Silverwood hat!!! How interesting that America and Japan share a mutual obsession with each other's fashion.

• 
  I was walking to the train station to head back to my hostel from Nakazaki when I saw a bustling indoor shopping street across the road. I was in no hurry, so I decided to go check it out. Turns out, I had accidently found Tenjinbashi-suji Shopping Street, Japan's longest shopping street at over 1.6 miles long. Now, to be clear, I didn't know that going in, so I was really confused when the street just kept going...and going...and going. Restaurants, grocery stores, souvenir shops, clothing stores, bars - you name it, this place had it. Looking down the street, it looked like the shops never ended. Is this an Osaka must-do? No. But, it's fun if you've got time to kill!

Oh Deer ~ An Afternoon in Nara

Nara is one of Japan's most popular tourist destinations and thanks to a pleasant 45-minute train ride, makes for an easy day trip from Osaka. But, what's so fantastic about Nara? Famous temples? Good food? Historical significance? Well, yes to all of the above, but the small city attracts flocks of tourists for a completely different reason - the locals. 

Nara Park is home to over 1400 "wild" deer that that are a genetically unique type of Sika Deer. These deer have been living there for over 1300 years and according to legend, Takemikazuchi no Mikoto, the Japanese god of thunder, came to Nara riding on the back of a white deer. As a result of the legend, the deer in Nara are regarded as messengers from the gods and are very strictly protected.

The deer in Nara Park freely roam the park grounds as well as nearby streets and the Kasugataisha Shrine grounds. Above, I put "wild" in quotations because these deer are unlike any other wild animal you've ever seen; during my visit to Nara, I had to try to forget everything I've ever learned about the appropriate way to interact with wild animals. Similar to pigeons in big cities, they are completely comfortable with humans and have even learned to mimic human mannerisms. 

Deer biscuits

Upon arrival to the park, you can buy a pack of 10 deer biscuits for 200 yen to feed to the wide-eyed, hungry quadrupeds. They've learned which vendor carts the biscuits come from and gather around them to wait for the next patron. As soon as someone trades their coins for biscuits, the most aggressive of the bunch rush forward to take their best shot at charming or intimidating the food-having human into submission. When I bought a pack of biscuits, I was immediately surrounded by 3 deer that started nibbling at my shorts, biting the drawstrings on my backpack, and trying to steal the biscuits directly out of my hand. I shoved the biscuits in my pocket and hurried away from the cart. Luckily, I wasn't chased, but I saw countless other gaijin who weren't so fortunate.

After evading the crowds of aggressive deer near the park's entrance, I enjoyed strolling the park grounds and Kasugataisha Shrine, feeding polite deer along the way. I mentioned before that the deer have picked up some human mannerisms - most notably, the deer in Nara are famous for bowing to visitors before and after being fed. They must have learned a long time ago that doing this increases their chances of being given a biscuit and now it's baked into their nature. I even fed a few fawns who were still learning to bow - instead, they kinda just shook their head around. So adorable.

As I was headed out of Nara Park to go find something for lunch, I happened upon a parade of vibrantly clad dancers! I found out later that this was the Basara Festival - a local celebration of dance that takes place each year over the last weekend in August, lucky me! I stuck around for a while to watch the different dance groups of all different ages and styles. They were all very impressive, but I especially enjoyed a group that danced to one of the opening themes from Demon Slayer (a popular Japanese manga and anime).

'Pus Ballz and Other Delicacies

When it comes to food, Osaka has a wide assortment of dishes that are sure to satisfy your tastebuds and reverse all that progress you've made in the gym over the last 2 months. These were a few of my favorite meals in the city that claims to have invented everything they serve. **I won't repeat myself by listing the pizza and crêpe I had in Nakazaki, but know that those were both delectable. 

• Kushikatsu at Hanamichi in Shinsekai

• 

  Note the vat of soy sauce

  Kushikatsu are deep-fried skewers. That's it - that's the only rule. "What's on the skewers?", you may be wondering. Well, dear reader, anything your little heart desires! We're talkin any type of red meat or sea food under the sun, any vegetable, potatoes, cheese, avacado, and even bananas! There really seems to be no limit to what an Osakan will throw in a deep-fryer and boy, am I glad for it. The story goes that kushikatsu was first created in Shinsekai, so I feel very fortunate to have gotten to try two different kushikatsu places there. The first place I went was very good, but was quite touristy and didn't quite scratch my itch for a place that felt local. My main takeaway from this place was that the soy sauce was kept in deep, metal dishes that allowed me to dunk my skewers completely in it! It was quite the novelty, but I couldn't help but be a little concerned about the cleanliness of this communal sauce bath. My favorite of the two kushikatsu places was called Hanamichi. It's no secret that I'm a sucker for a tightly packed, tiny restaurant off the beaten path and filled with locals, and Hanamichi definitely fit that description. There were dozens of skewers to choose from for incredibly cheap that were perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Don't sleep on the deep-fried banana skewers - I was unsure of them at first, but was taken aback by how delicious they were.
  

Deep-fried who-knows-what!	Deep-fried banana ~ yum!

• Takoyaki & Okonomiyaki at Takonotetsu



Tokoyaki I bought on the street in Dōtonbori

• Takoyaki are balls of batter that (traditionally) are filled with octopus, and an okonomiyaki is a savory pancake. In addition to kushikatsu, Osaka also claims the creation of both of these, although the latter is HEAVILY disputed with Hiroshima. I honestly think takoyaki are a perfected street food and one of my favorite Japanese dishes overall. They also hold a special place in my heart because I was first introduced to them by a few Japanese friends in my freshman year of college! Even if you're not a seafood person or your delicate western mind still shudders at the thought of eating octopus, I implore you to try takoyaki. Okonomiyaki is also a special dish for me since I ate it at home growing up! That being said, Osaka-style okonomiyakis are far different from any other version I've had; the one I tried had much more egg, but was still delicious. All this being said, perhaps you can see why a night out eating okonomiyaki and takoyaki with the same Japanese friends that introduced me to the dish almost 5 years ago was my favorite night out in Japan so far. The food was incredible, but as is with any memorable meal, the best part was the company I shared it with.

Making okonomiyaki and takoyaki with friends!

• Curry with fish cutlets at Dahl near Osaka Castle
• 
  After a HOT afternoon exploring Osaka castle, I was starving and wanted a bite to eat within walking distance of the castle. Most of the surrounding areas are business districts, but I still found a highly rated curry shop a few minutes away amongst the high-rises called Dahl. As soon as I walked in, I immediately knew the vibe - this was a place where people on their lunch break snuck off to to get a quick bite. I took a seat at the U-shaped bar amongst the blouses and button-up shirts and, seeing there was no English menu, just asked for the server's recommendation. Within a few minutes, I had a plate of curry and fish cutlets in front of me. When I tell you that this was one of the best plates of Japanese-style curry I have ever had, I mean it! The quality of the food is really hard to do justice with words, but just know that this place deserves its abnormally high rating and praise from locals. This was definitely the most impressive dish I had in Osaka. To top it all off, the bill came out to only 900 yen - less than $6. I would go back in a heartbeat.

Nishinari - Osaka's Underbelly

On the first walk from the train station to my hostel, I noticed a charming local bookstore next door. The bookshop was open to the sidewalk and had thousands of books stacked haphazardly to the ceiling. I was excited to take a look, but as I strolled up, I realized that this bookstore was not quite as charming as I initially thought. On the contrary, a closer inspection revealed that this bookstore specialized in the Japanese version of Playboy magazines and seijin manga (Japanese adult comic books). Since sexually explicit content of all kinds is heavily regulated in Japan, I was quite surprised to see these not-so-tasteful pieces of literature on full display from the sidewalk (and the sheer number of old men browsing the store's selection). Needless to say, I didn't stick around to peruse.

The following night when having dinner with my Japanese friends who work in Osaka, I told them this story, and they asked where I was staying. When I showed them, they were a bit shocked and told me that it makes sense why my hostel was so cheap - I was staying just outside of Nishinari, Japan's most dangerous neighborhood, notorious for higher crime, heavy yakuza presence, and the largest red-light district in western Japan. My friend Sakura, who works and lives nearby, even knew the bookstore I was talking about in my story. She told me that the store is actually breaking the law by displaying some of the more graphic content openly to passersby but has somehow gotten away with it for quite a while now. 

After telling me about the bookstore, Sakura actually recommended that I give Nishinari a chance and go explore it if I am looking to immerse myself in authentic Osaka. She told me that it gets a bad rap because of its history, but is actually a great spot for cheap shopping, dining, and nightlife. Sounds like my kinda place! So, I did what any rational solo traveler would do and headed out the next day to explore the most dangerous neighborhood in Japan - alone, and after dark.

Now, before anyone starts texting me about making smarter choices, let me explain. Before heading into the belly of the beast, I did a lot of research and came to the conclusion that Sakura was right. Nishinari had a nasty reputation for its history and technically still had the highest crime rate in Japan, but it's really been getting cleaned up the last couple years. Besides, the vast majority of the crimes committed there are non-violent and, let's be real folks, the "most dangerous" neighborhood in Japan has about the same relative safety as the average neighborhood in the states. This place is not exactly O Block, it's just got a lot of unhoused people. On top of all of this, I am well aware of the additional safety that my privilege as a tall, muscled white man brings me and what good is that privilege if I don't use it to do some good ol' fashioned boots-on-the-ground journalism!

As I was expecting, Nishinari was really not a scary place for me. Yes, it was a little dirtier than other places I had been in Japan and yes, there were quite a few shady-looking characters, but I never felt like I was in immediate danger. I'm very glad that Sakura recommended I check it out because, although I went at night when many of the stores were closed, I saw (and heard) dozens of small karaoke bars that were overflowing with locals smiling, laughing, and singing the night away. This was obviously a place that still held a special place in the heart of Osakans, and I felt very lucky to get to experience it. The only place in Nishinari that I was itching to get out of was Tobita Shinchi, the red-light district.

Tobita Shinchi

TRIGGER WARNING - IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO READ OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE JAPANESE SEX WORK INDUSTRY, PLEASE SKIP THIS SECTION! WHILE I NEVER ACTUALLY ENTERED ANY OF THE SHOPS, THIS SECTION STILL DESCRIBES SCENES THAT SOME READERS MAY FIND DISTURBING, DISCOMFORTING, OR TRIGGERING! YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!

I've been debating whether to write about Tobita Shinchi for hesitation to bring attention to an industry that I know is dangerous, manipulative, and predatory, but I believe that when trying to understand Japanese culture and psyche, this is an unfortunate, but critical piece of the puzzle. Throughout my travels, I strive to learn everything I can about the reality of the places I go, not just the parts that are safe for TV. When I found Tobita Shinchi in Nishinari that night, I decided that my amateur anthropological investigation of Japan would be incomplete if I buried my head in the sand at the sight of something I didn't like or agree with. With that in mind, I turned down the street of western Japan's biggest red-light district.

In case it wasn't already abundantly clear, I hadn't come to this place to spend money - I wanted to get in, get a look into this side of the underbelly of Osaka, and get out as quickly as possible. Going in, I really didn't know what to expect. I had never been to a place like this, but was vaguely familiar with the famous red-light district in Amsterdam where the workers are on "display" behind glass facades. Tobita Shinchi was nothing like that. Instead, the district consisted of a few streets lined with businesses that all looked like open garages illuminated by neon pink and red lights with a second room above it. Inside each open store were usually 2 people - an older woman sitting off to the side at the front and a younger woman sitting further back on a raised seat in the middle of the space. The younger woman was obviously the one who's time and services were for sale, and the older woman was there to bring in customers. As people walked by the shops, the older women would call out to them from each side, trying to coax them into coming over. In contrast, the younger woman always sat in complete silence, and as still as a statue. Thankfully, I was only beckoned to a few times, which I later learned is because most of these places don't do business with people who don't speak Japanese. Long story short, I walked up one of the streets, back down another, and scrammed!

Obviously, photography is not allowed in Tobita Shinchi, but
I found this picture on Google that shows the shops pretty well!

Much like gambling, prostitution is technically illegal in Japan but still exists thanks to a number of loopholes in the law. Tobita Shinchi and other Japanese red-light districts capitalize on those loopholes to keep their doors open. The big one is that each of these places is technically a restaurant - I think this is the most interesting thing about the whole operation. The old woman at the front is the owner of the restaurant and the younger woman is the "waitress". When a patron pays for a "meal" they are escorted upstairs to a private room where they are fed an assortment of snacks with tea. Under Japanese law, anything that then happens between the waitress and the patron in that private dining room is their business and their business alone. Seems like a stupid loophole that would be easy to close, right? That's what I thought, at least. Makes me wonder if the politicians in charge of these things in Japan might not actually want the loophole to close...

The thing that surprised me the most about my visit to Tobita Shinchi was how the young women in the shops were dressed. Given the circumstances, you might assume (as I did) that they would be scantily clad, but that's actually not the case. Instead, most were in cheap-looking nurse, flight attendant, or schoolgirl costumes (among others) that, in some cases, I wouldn't even describe as "revealing" or "scandalous" - definitely more modest than most Halloween costumes you'll see on any college's Greek row! To be honest, these costumes are what I thought about the most after leaving. Part of my brain finds it far more alarming that the women were almost modestly dressed; I think it speaks volumes about the psyche of the men roaming those scarlet avenues. 

This is where I tried to write out my thoughts on this matter many, many times, but ultimately failed to communicate them in a way that I felt was accurate, fair, and/or insightful. Between what I have seen in Tobita Shinchi, the bookstore next to my hostel, the magazine rack in every konbini, and the maid-cafe-packed streets of Akihabara back in Tokyo, I have a lot of thoughts about Japanese beauty standards, attraction, and sex culture. Maybe I'll revisit this someday when I'm a more competent writer or if I'm able to untangle my mental knot, but for now, I unfortunately don't think this is a matter that I can easily tie up with a bow into a satisfying conclusion paragraph. Sorry to end this section on a nothing burger, but I encourage you to come to your own conclusions about what I've written here by thinking about how it differs from where you live. Perhaps we can discuss it over a beer next time I see you!

New Characters in the LLEU (Landen's Letters Extended Universe)

New section alert!!!!! From now on, each post will feature any new characters that need to be added to the Landen's Letters Extended Universe canon. I hope that I'll be lucky enough to keep meeting cool people and add lots of lore to this story. 

Senna

I was approached by Senna, a 17-year-old Japanese kid on my first night in Osaka in Dōtonbori. He introduced himself and said he was trying to practice his English by talking to foreigners. He told me that he was visiting Osaka for the first time from his home in Hyogo and was amazed by the city. He told me a bit about life as a Japanese highschooler and how he couldn't wait to graduate because he wanted to dye his hair blonde like mine, but his school dress code only allowed natural, black hair (BOO! BORING! TOMATO! TOMATO! LET KIDS EXPRESS THEMSELVES!). He also told me that he was trying to build up the courage to talk to foreign women because he wanted a foreign girlfriend! He prodded me for advice on talking to women and where to meet them, but I had to let him down by telling him that I could use some advice of that nature myself. I suggested that he try the arcades nearby to meet girls his age, but he seemed more interested in sneaking into bars to meet older women... well, I tried.

Ben, Aisha, & Marvin

I also met these 3 on my first night in Osaka during my first trip to bird/56! Ben & Aisha were a couple of ex-mormons who had moved from Utah to Chicago to now New York City. Ben was also a fellow Ute! Needless to say, I had a LOT to talk to them about. Marvin, who sat with us at the bar, was a charming fellow from Cologne, Germany and was visiting Japan to see his boyfriend who had recently relocated here for work. Coming from Europe, Marvin knew almost nothing about the LDS church, so Ben, Aisha, and I had a ton of fun giving him the spark notes. Marvin also told us all about his home in Cologne and about Cologne Carnival, a huge festival thrown every year that is often compared to Rio's famous Carnival. I had never heard of it, but it's definitely on my bucket list now! Thank you, Ben, Aisha, and Marvin, for a fantastic first night in Osaka!!!

Mahiro, Manami, & Sakura

These 3 are some of the sweetest, most genuine people I have ever met in my life. I was lucky enough to befriend them in my freshman year at the U while they were studying abroad and now, nearly 5 years later, the long-awaited reunion finally happened! I couldn't believe how much they had changed since I had last seen them - they all looked so professional and grown up (although, this is partially due to the fact that Sakura and Mahiro had just gotten off of work hahaha). Even though we all looked quite a bit different than we did back in 2021, when we sat down at dinner and started chatting, it was like no time had passed at all. That night with my 3 friends was easily my favorite night in Japan and one that I will not soon forget. To my dear friends, Mahiro, Manami, and Sakura, thank you for the time, the food, the conversation, and the gifts - I love you all very much. It's all of your turns to come visit me now!!! <3

The last time we saw each other in 2021!	Finally reunited 5 years later! Blake, we miss you bro :'(

Adil

I met Adil at Hanamichi - the kushikatsu place in Shinsekai. He sat next to me, and I offered to help him with the menu when he was having trouble ordering (the only reason I had help to offer was because I also had trouble with the menu, mere minutes prior). We struck up conversation and he told me all about his travels from his home in Austrailia to all sorts of places throughout Japan. Really, really nice guy and convinced me that I needed to try the deep-fried banana when I hesitated to order it. What a good piece of advice that was!! Thanks, Adil!

Additional Remarks

• Remember how I mentioned that people stood on the left side of the escalator in Tokyo and seemed to flip flop in Kyoto? Well, in Osaka they always stand on the right and walk on the left! I asked my friends why this was and they had no idea. Figure it out, Japan!!
• From what I've heard from other Japanese people, Osakans have a bit of a reputation for being loud, lively, and gregarious. From what I saw, I would have to agree! People seemed a lot less buttoned-up and more authentic, especially compared to Tokyoites. I've seen many more people wearing casual clothes here; I even saw a salaryman wearing a striped button-up shirt! My friend Aki says that they are fun people, but he doesn't trust them hahaha.
• Osaka station is an absolute nightmare if you're trying to get on a highway bus. More on this in the next post but just know that I've learned my lesson and I will now always arrive 2 hours early to anywhere I am getting on a bus...
• While in Osaka, I was introduced to the phrase "gaijin smash" and I think it might be the funniest thing I have ever heard. In Japanese, "gaijin" means foreigner and sometimes carries a bit of a negative connotation. I think this reddit comment explains the term quite well: 

"...it was coined by "Azrael", a guy who wrote a blog/website originally called Gaijin Smash about his JET experience or something. The term was used to explain the innate ability of non-Asian-looking foreigners to intentionally or accidentally break through Japanese customs/rules with little-to-no repercussion."

As you explore touristy spots of Japan, you're bound to see "gaijin smash" in action A LOT. I just think the term is so funny, to me it sounds like an attack you would use in Pokémon or something - American uses GAIJIN SMASH! It's super effective! Whether it's talking loudly in public, standing on the wrong side of the escalator, eating/drinking while walking, or keeping their backpack on while riding the train, I notice gaijin smash every day. And I'll be honest; I'm definitely guilty of accidently smashing through cultural norms from time to time, but I think I'm getting better at blending in as much as a 6ft white man can here.

• Not just in Osaka, but throughout all of Japan, I get asked in most of the bars I go to where I am from. I've been told many times that I am the first person they've ever met from Idaho. So, to all Idaho people, you're welcome for putting us on the map and dispelling the misconception that the only thing in our state is potatoes (ha! those fools didn't know that we also have white supremacists!).

Survival Japanese Special Lecture: Introduction to the Kansai Dialect

Kansai Region

Throughout Japan's Kansai region, people speak a different dialect than those in Tokyo aptly called the Kansai dialect. As someone who only understands very basic Japanese, 99% of the time I don't notice a difference in the accent of a Kansai speaker, but I can pick up a few distinct words that tell me they are from the Kansai region. Here's the very short list of words specific to the Kansai region that I like to listen for and try to use in daily conversation.

Kansai word w/romanization ~ Tokyo equivalent w/romanization ~ English Translation

• めっちゃ(Meccha) ~ とても (Totemo) ~ "Very"
• This is easily the one I use the most because it's super easy hahaha. After basically every meal, I like to say "Meccha oishi" (very delicious) to the cook.
• ほんま(Honma) ~ ほんとう (Hontou) ~ "Really?"
• This is a very versatile word that I'm pretty sure can be used for much more than just an exclamation, but that's the easiest way for me to use it in everyday conversations!
• なんぼ (Nanbo) ~ いくら (Ikura) ~ "How much"
• In our first Japanese lesson, I introduced the phrase "いくらですか？" (Ikura desu ka ~ "How much is it?"). In the Kansai dialect, you can instead say "なんぼですか？" (Nanbo desu ka).

Where To Next?

My departure from Osaka marks 2 weeks in Japan and the end of my journey on Japan's "Golden Route". For most travelers, the blog would end here at a measly 5 posts. Lucky for us, I am not most travelers. Stay tuned as I venture far off the beaten path to the rural farming town of Awa to learn the secrets of beekeeping and immerse myself in the side of Japan you've never seen in an Instagram photo dump. Until then, thank you for reading and be well.

Stay tuned for the next blog where I embark on my
 most ambitious side-quest yet: beekeeping in the
 Japanese countryside!

 

One last housekeeping item! I finally figured out how to enable comments on these posts, so feel free to post any thoughts or questions down below - I will respond to them as soon as I can!

またね!

🎵NOW PLAYING🎵

ミッドナイト・ランデブー - CASIOPEA

Primal - CQ

hades in the dead of winter - my dead girlfriend

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