Trip to beautiful Osaka- sightseeing day 1

We are on a four night vacation in Osaka, Japan. I’ve been to Japan a few times but that was over 20 years ago. So a lot has changed. The biggest is using apps with maps to navigate the transit system and streets. Before, i used paper maps and guide books (like a caveman).

First we took a train from near our B&B to Naniwa, Osaka. A very bustling center with lots of things for people looking for fun to do.

My youngest tried a game of knocking over prizes with a real cork rifle. Of course, the cork is so light and unaerodynamic that it doesn’t fly straight. And when it hits something, it’s too light to knock anything over.

Here’s the targets. Anything knocked over is a prize.

Japan is a very 3D country. There are so many large and three dimension advertisements and even building façades. Here is a typical statue outside a restaurant.

This restaurant has a giant ship on the front of our building. This is not flat but coming out of the front. I wonder how it withstands typhoons.

Here’s more examples of this unique building artwork.

This one is very interesting. I think it’s a local deity. He was literally all over the place.

Well, after a quick check, his name is Billiken. And he’s as unofficial mascot of Osaka. Hi
He is the god of “things the way they should be”. And he’s made by an American artist in the 1900’s. Oh well. Anyway, he is everywhere in Osaka!

Like here

And here. It gets creepy after a while. But at least he’s smiling.

One thing common in Japan, Taiwan, and China is the lack of places to sit for the public. And with my wife and sister-in-law shopping, we really were hurting for a seat. But they were happy and we had time to talk.

We never travel without checking happy meal toys. Taiwan changed the toy to children’s books. Great idea, but sales are down. Here they have dolls and trains.

After dinner, we walked around the old streets and enjoyed the traditional view.

We visited this small shrine. Very picturesque.

It even had a lucky water fountain with a sign not to drink the water.

Finally, we started to walk back to the train station and were amazed by the night advertisements.

Even this River boat was a floating billboard.

Not bad for the first day.

*all pictures taken by me with iPhone 14