It’s 8:15 am on our second day at Osaka and almost time to go to the Museum of History to, wait for it, go and see an exhibition titled “Evangelion and Japanese Swords”. Like in EVA, our very favourite anime (probably the very best thing of fiction ever, if you ask us) ever made – and katana. In one and the same exhibition. It’s so awesome, we almost suffered a mental breakdown when we discovered the posters in the subway station. I don’t think I have to explain why we love Japan, now, do I, because if you know us just a little bit, you will understand instantly how this makes us feel.
Museum of History
But before we embark on what is hopefully (certainly) going to be another great day in lovely Osaka, let’s have a quick look at what happened yesterday.
We left our beautiful little hostel to trade it for a cheaper one (still nice enough, though) where we were lucky and scored another ryokan instead of Western style room (although Danie is having her problems with the smell of tatami). But it’ just so pretty. We then went to see Osaka Castle, which is just a concrete reconstruction of the real thing (which burnt down some time ago), but it was interesting, anyway. We also got to take pictures of ourselves in authentic (well, shiny) Samurai outfits, katana included. Consider me pleased.
Osaka Castle
In the evening, we went to the Umeda Sky Building where we enjoyed a gorgeous Japanese meal at a little restaurant (the fried Tofu = oishii deshita) before we went up the architecturally interesting tower to enjoy the night view of Osaka skyline. Very nice.
Umeda Sky Building
Back at the hostel, we tried our first onsen experience, which even I found to be very relaxing after a day of running around in all this heat and humidity. Like at our previous hostel, we then decided to take a late night bento on the hostel’s rooftop (trying to establish a tradition here).
It was a gorgeous first day with many memorable impressions, sights, and moments (another kind stranger coming to our aid when we looked lost trying to locate the Umeda Sky Building – the kindness of the people here really was no exaggeration). Everything here is just so clean, pretty, friendly, organised, comforting, it feels like being bathed in positive energy somehow.