Recently we have been looking around Osaka, the big metropolis in the Kansai region, and to round it up I would like to show you one more picture show from this colorful and turbulent city today.
As written before, of course Osaka has a lot in common with Tokyo, the big capital a bit further north. But Tokyo is, despite all its modernity, in many places a very conservative and traditional city, whereas Osaka can sometimes seem almost wild and detached. The people in Osaka also seem to have become accustomed to a somewhat rougher and more direct lifestyle: "Work hard and play hard" seems to be the most important motto for many here, and the physical well-being is absolutely part of this concept.
One thing I always notice here in Japan is the great density of restaurants and bars, especially in the inner city districts. Japanese people seem to place great value on eating well and also often, and even when going out in the evening, they almost always check out the menu and order something to eat. Drinking without eating seems to be out of the question for most people, and that is why in the many Japanese bards, the izakayas, you can always find a kitchen that is steaming and sizzling late into the night and from which you are always served tasty food.
For most Japanese, Osaka is the unbeaten gastronomic center of the country, and even though you can dine wonderfully anywhere in Japan, the rest of the country holds the Osaka Cuisine in high esteem. The "normal" traveler to Japan will usually not put too much emphasis on discovering the many hidden secrets of Japanese cuisine, because everywhere you can easily find so many specialties which you need to try that you usually don't have the time to dig deeper into it. There are so many other things to discover and admire in this great country, that many foreigners will be satisfied with the restaurants they pass on their way back. And this is usually a good choice, because bad food seems to be an unknown word here in Japan.
So today let's dive into the colorful world of Osaka once again and follow the culinary trail for a while. In this case just follow your nose, because on many streets you are greeted by an inviting smell which quickly stimulates your appetite and makes you want to stop for a bite to eat.
So here we go...
If you like to cook, you can't miss the Doguyasuji arcades in Oasaka. This covered shopping street is a must-see for anyone who likes to spend time in the kitchen. The narrow, 150-meter-long covered shopping arcade is located very close to the large Namba Station, in the middle of the shopping and entertainment district of the same name.
The huge and never-ending supply of inexpensive kitchen tools and utensils is a paradise for anyone looking to fill up their kitchen cupboards a bit more. The selection of cooking supplies is amazing, and anyone who should be looking for proper Japanese chef knives, lacquer bowls, chopsticks and and other kitchen items must simply stop by here. But even for all the others, I can only recommend a walk through the arcades, because it's huge fun just to see what's all those little shops have to offer.
In the many small and narrow stores, you have to be a little careful not to clear the displays which are piled high. Large backpacks and other luggage can quickly become a hindrance here and a potential source of danger. I was quite impressed of the size and sight of all those shelves and I am sure, putting up all of the porcelain products must requires a very steady and calm hand.
What always impresses me the most is the display of cutting tools. Lined up accurately next to each other, knives in all shapes and sizes sparkle there making it a true splendor. As I've learned, every real chef always has his or her very own set of knives with them everywhere, and they often and happily go about re-sharpening and polishing them over and over again.
But you can not ony buy kitchen tools and cooking equipment here in Doguyasuji, you can also find something very special, but so typical for Japan. Shokuhin-Sampuru (ι£ε γ΅ γ³ γ γ«) which translates into "food models", are an essential part of any restaurant in Japan. Manufacturers have been developing these models for about 100 years, making it easy for customers to order without using menus.
Restaurants across the country use these replicas to showcase the dishes they offer in their windows and displays to attract customers. The plastic food industry in Japan is a very lucrative business; a complete menu of plastic items can cost as much as a million yen (about 10.000 $). The plastic replicas are much more expensive than the real foods, but they last forever, which unfortunately leads to a decrease in demand.
Over time the production of shokuhin sampuru has turned into an art form, and I am always amazed how true to the original and genuine the food imitations look. Especially for foreign customers, a Japanese menu is often like a closed book, so the Shokuhin-Sampuru come in very handy when choosing and ordering. Even before ordering, you can get a good idea of the dishes on offer, and you often work up an appetite just by looking at the displays.
Finest sushi made of polyvinyl (also called PVC), which will not get bad even in the hottest temperatures. Here in Doguyasuji you can choose from hundreds, if not thousands, of food models to decorate your own restaurant with.
A bit of sashimi and tempura is always a good choice, and if you haven't heard of such food before, you'll get an idea of what they mean after seeing this display, and then maybe you are ready to try something new.
Or how about some of the finest udon, with a little seaweed and leek and ginger on the side?
Or Monjayaki, a special form of the popular okonomiyaki pancakes offered with fried noodles, which are especially popular in the south of the country. 4,620 yen is about four times the price you would pay for the real thing, but you'll still have some left next year - you just can't eat it!
4,620 yen is about four times the price you would pay for the real thing, but you'll still have some next year - you just can't eat it!
But also for the breakfast menu you can find a good selection. Even toast with butter has made it into the assortment.
And of course all possible variations of the always and everywhere popular Onigiri, the versatile and convenient rice balls. Here in the store they are still finely wrapped, but maybe tomorrow they will already shine in the restaurant next door.
This or similar is what you will see in the windows of the countless restaurants here in Japan. Just walking by, you quickly know what's on offer here and it's often hard to resist stopping and entering into all the inviting and tempting restaurants and bars.
Anything seems possible, and with these playful and colorful works of art, the maker, or should I say artist, can really let loose and show off his talent. Almost like a real chef.
At the end of the Osaka series, we are once again heading towards Osaka-jo, the castle in the middle of the city. This area is simply attractive and has such a calming and comforting aura in the midst of all the loud and colorful hustle and bustle. The spacious park, which also houses a shrine, adds a lot to this atmosphere, here you suddenly seem far away from all the noise and rush of the big city.
And when you then walk around the castle complex, your eyes almost inevitably get stuck on the walls over and over again, which have been standing here in exactly the same place for centuries.
Probably that's why they have something so reassuring, outlasting the times, which helps to classify and understand the present day much better.
I love this sight, which partially brings together the old and the new Japan and combines them quite discreetly. It is wonderful that even in the center of large metropolises I can still find such places that do not have to fall victim to the fast and noisy modern progress. On the contrary, they are quite important and indispensable and help us to identify with our own past, right into the future.
At the very end, we move once again into the modern age, the future that has become the present. If you are coming to Japan for the first time and have to deal with the train system, you can quickly be overwhelmed, but with a little patience you will quickly master this challenge and learn to love the trains here, which are almost always on time throughout the whole country. So don't be afraid of such sights.
And also the streetscape of the big cities may be a bit unfamiliar to some people, even to some Japanese. Elevated trains and elevated roads are nothing special in Osaka and also in Tokyo and are simply part of it. Impressive and also commanding, and sometimes also somewhat disturbing and annoying. Typical for our modern times.
And with this view over the city's skyline, which is blinking even at night, we end our trip to Osaka. The sometimes quite strong contrast between modernity and tradition is what still fascinates and excites me so much here in Japan. Of course, not everything is perfect and there is enough that bothers me even in this country. But it is the same everywhere in all the other countries of our planet. You will never find a perfect place, so let's enjoy everything we see on our doorstep. Every city has its charm, maybe sometimes you have to look a little closer, but there is always something to discover and marvel at.
Have a wonderful day everyone, I'll be back soon with new pictures from the land of the rising sun.
γΎγγ matane
[//]:# (!pinmapple 34.673323 lat 135.493062 long Osaka - Another colorful picture potpourri d3scr)