Day 1 ~ Shinsaibashi

Just when I thought, ‘Hey, Chinese New Year is just a week away, and with all the spring cleaning under process, why don’t I ‘clean’ other things that I’ve been slacking off?’

Yes, indirectly I’m actually referring to this blog that’s been collecting inches of dust just like my pc table, cupboards, drawers, boxes of books and mangas under my bed … and the list goes on. Horrifying? Yah, I call this the revenge of the dust. I admit I’m not much of a domesticated person but spring cleaning kills. Guess my New Year resolution reads, ‘Thou shalt not slack! It kills’

So moving on, from Kaoru’s post, the first night in Japan was exhilarating. There were a few *highlighted*points contributing to it but I’ll get to it as soon as I can.

From Cross Hotel in Shinsaibashi (心斎橋), a district in the Chūō-ku ward of Osaka, we made our way to a restaurant in the center of Shinsaibashi for steamy hot NABEMONO, nabe for short…~ (鍋物, なべ物, nabe cooking pot + mono things, stuff, kinds) so it’s basically our version of steamboat. But hey, this is Japanese steamboat! I guess that’s what makes it different…~ Their veggies and mushrooms are worth high praise, its much crunchier, juicier and well… tastier ~ It’ll make you warm and fuzzy inside while the temperature dropping steadily at night.

With fuzzily filled tummies, the night exploration begins. The streets were lighted up by blazing neon lights all over Shinsaibashi's billboard. We sauntered into as many shops as possible since most of the shops close at 8pm in Japan. Yah, weird ain’t it? Clothes, shoes, restaurants, pachinko parlour, designer’s shops, video shops, bookstore, sleazy looking shops, UFO machines and yah … arcades. We seized the opportunity to play a round of Taiko drum! In the middle of the road in Shinsaibashi! Not forgetting souvenirs from Shinsaibashi, we bought packets of delicious Senbei (煎餅), Japanese rice crackers. Along the way, we had some colourful macarons for dessert (kaoru's blue, mine's pink). (^ω^)

An hour later, not to our surprise, we heard severe tummy grumbling and then we knew its time for supper. Now let's think, what else in Osaka that we must try? YES..! That's TAKOYAKI (たこ焼き)..! Before you roll your eyes to dismiss me, let me tell you how is it different from those minuscule ones we have here. Its the size of a golf ball and crunchy and juicy tako with creamy okonomiyaki sauce and katsuobushi topping. YUMM...~ But wait, there is more! Shivering cold night will knock us dead if it wasn't for RAMEN...! Steamy hot Shio ramen...~ and ordering from a vending machine was such a fun experience.

Once again with our tummies happily filled, then it's bedtime, no? SO WRONG... *tsk tsk* It wouldn't be our style ain't it? (^_-)-☆ We did what most or almost or maybe some Osaka-ian did, we look for 'extra' entertainment... without paying a single ¥. Though some might really pay for it, but for us, looking at them in action worth much more. Still haven't got a clue? They are the host, which their female counterpart, well.. hostess. You can see them sprouting up here and there after 10pm along the whole stretch of Shinsaibashi. It is very interesting to see them trying to 'catch' customers and most of them were in dark smart suits carrying what it seems like a briefcase. Yes, a briefcase. It got me and kaoru seriously thinking what would've possibly be in there. But the amicably bright and smart us got it all figured out. It consists of menus. Nope not ordinary food menu if that's what you are thinking. Brace yourself. 'Menu' of the hosts on offer (男メニュー). Now you might slowly get up from the floor and sit yourself right back on your chair. We actually caught it on video for our own viewing pleasure but no, nothing exotic, just some hosts in action trying to chat up a few girls waiting for ... I don't know what are they waiting for. Probably some chat-up from them I guess.

So as we thought mission accomplished, we walked around for a bit more as that was the last night in Shinsaibashi.. in Osaka. Little that we know, a few hosts decided to try their luck with us. YES. US. NGOR DEI. WO MEN. KITA. KAMI. Yahh, go ahead and laugh your head off, I find it shocking too. Well, firstly, we looked like some disheveled damsels who just arrived from the village off-coast of nagoya. Simply put it, we don't look like we've got ¥ hidden somewhere inside our socks. Second, I guess these fellas are desperately desperate. They've got 'I need to catch some customers, ANY customers' etched on their beautiful foreheads. Even 'those' who look like us. Don't get me wrong, we look prettily Japanese and got mistaken quite a few times... (*^∀^*)

Unfortunately boys, I've got a strong alarm system installed in my brain and so the minute I saw them gesturing to each other to surround us, I inched kaoru into a lingerie shop! HAHAHA... Poor boys, kaoru and I look at their dejected faces and giggled. Nope, more than that, we LAUGHED.

In conclusion, ladies and gentlemen, we ended out exciting night exploration in Shinsaibashi, Osaka. Coming up - 2nd day: Kyoto!! Stay tuned.

ETA: Please pardon our backdated reports... as we are still recovering from the trip... (≧▽≦)♪