Japan 2025, day 4: Osaka (day)

Our Airbnb is large by Japanese standards and very quaint. I am happy that we have a washing machine, although no dryer means that we are hanging clothes on the balcony. Fortunately, the balcony is fairly private so the neighbors aren’t privy to the gaijins’ delicates, AND it’s almost 100F* out so everything dries within a few hours. Bonus: The washer is outside on the balcony, so it’s like having an outdoor laundry room.

Anne: So good to have a washing machine. The place looks great!

The mod cons are very IKEA, which I personally appreciate.

As I mentioned in a previous post, our accommodations are in what seems like a working class neighborhood. Most buildings are homes, with a few businesses sprinkled in. The train station, Dempo, is more simple and basic than the stations closer to the city center; you only get off at that station if you’re actually going into the neighborhood, as there are no connecting lines. So, it’s a welcome change from the hustle and bustle of Shin Osaka, which connects with many train lines as well as the Shinkansen.

Although the place is large by Japanese standards, it is NOT large by Western standards. Fortunately, Casey is accustomed to ducking when needed.

Anne: Careful, Casey!

Dempo train station…the seats look lonely, don’t they?

…sometimes it’s best not to dig too deep.

On Sunday we walked around Dotombori and Amerika-mura. Anna found a sweet treat to help her beat the heat. It’s a place that specializes in strawberry desserts…

Anne: Lovely picture of Anna!

Casey found a takoyaki place that seemed popular, with lots of miserable people lined up in the hot sun waiting to get in. He joined them, but chose the faster “to go” line. This was only a 15 minute wait. At least he had an octopus to keep him company! (Anna and I were across the street in the shade.)

Takoyaki are savory fritters with pieces of octopus (aka, octopus balls). This might not seem appealing, but they are actually quite delicious. They are topped with bonito flakes, which seem to dance in reaction to the intensely hot balls. (Sorry, we are still PG here, I just didn’t know how else to phrase it.)

Anne: Funny! Glad you enjoyed the fritters.

Dotombori canal

Wagyu beef and marinaded beef heart

I had a delicious noodle soup with just a bit of kimchi and a drizzle of vinegar.

Anna soon joined us and tried her hand at the grill. She also impressed the chef with her Japanese!

Anne: Nice! Always a good idea to know some words in the language of a foreign country.

While Anna was at an animal petting zoo next door, Casey and I went to a yakiniku place for lunch. Well, mostly lunch for Casey as yakiniku is essentially grilled meat. Japanese restaurants typically specialize in one type of food, so they usually do it really well but this means that you aren’t going to have the variety that you would have at a place like Cheesecake Factory. If the restaurant specializes in grilled meat, there ain’t going much more than that on the menu.

We went back to the Airbnb to cool down and wash up for an evening food tour in Shin-Sekai. The area has a lot of food stalls and restaurants but it also has a carnival-like atmosphere, with games and lights and lots of people. We met up with our guide and a small group of tourists (a U.S. couple, a Danish couple, and a man from Cypress) and headed to destination #1 out of 6.