Hello SuperForest! I just returned to Korea from a week in Japan, and every day was astounding and significant. I’ll be sharing the whole trip with you over the next few days. Last May I had a weekend in Tokyo, and I knew I had to come back. This time around, I visited Kansai, the region that includes Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and other powerful places.
I flew into Osaka, called the nation’s kitchen. We’ll get to the food later, which was, of course spectacular. But what makes Osaka for me is the earnestness of the people, a total lack of pretension, kindness all around.
After checking into my hostel, I did what I must always do, wander the neighborhood: Momodani, where the people live.
Shrines tucked in between buildings speaks to the combination of centuries in which the Japanese live. They have created some of the most advanced technology, but retain groundedness. I think this is due to the cultures continued reverence to the past. Ancestors’ spirits are a part of everyday life.
The temperature was a blistering 93F, but I had to see more of the city. After a short train ride, I set out to raid the castle.
Osaka-jo has been destroyed and rebuilt many times. First constructed in 1583, the castle fell, figuratively and literally, to a successive number of shogunates. It was burned to the ground in 1868 by Imperial forces. The current structure, while beautiful to look at, is a concrete reproduction of the original. I didn’t feel called to go inside, so I strolled toward downtown.
The landscape of the city struck me. Osaka is not nearly as crowded as Tokyo, its spacing reminds me of American cities, like my beloved Chicago. The city is so powerful — it produces the 7th largest GDP of any metropolitan area — but I felt a striking sense of peace and cheerfulness. I ambled on to the National Museum of Art, Osaka. It was, of course, closed for the day.
Nonetheless, César Pelli’s building is a work of art in itself. The architect says it portrays reeds waving in the wind. Still, I felt a bit stuck. A friendly young lady was nearby, and I asked her what I should do. Being an Osakan, she had one answer: Eat!
Megumi took me to this little place, where we feasted. She told me of the city and the region. Never before had I felt such warmth from a stranger. So, so good. Arigato, Osaka!
Up next: Nara! Sacred deer will be involved. For more pictures, check out the flickr.
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