Today was an action-packed day filled with lots of new and exciting experiences, including a bullet train ride, Osaka Museum of Housing and Living, Osaka Castle, and the Dontonbori district. My favorite parts of the day were exploring the castle grounds, observing the city from the top of the castle, and trying new foods at Dontonbori. The most interesting food I tried was a battered and fried octopus ball, which contained an octopus tentacle and various vegetables. It was certainly interesting and chewy to say the least! I’m very glad I tried it, although I might not seek it out eagerly again. Dontonbori is a very famous shopping street with dozens and dozens of places to get food. Particularly of note were several large animal signs advertising food on buildings, including a crab and a cow to name a few. There is also a famous bridge at this location which is famous for being a spot where single Japanese men ask pretty girls on dates! It was busy, but not too busy today and was overall a very good time!
I spent the evening with a fun group of friends finding a good place to eat. We ended up at a Japanese Italian restaurant, where we were given terrace seating. The view was fantastic and the Japanese pizza was even better! From there, we rode one of Osaka’s several Ferris Wheels, where we observed some amazing views of the whole city. It was a little scary for me, but overall very worth the ¥600 it cost to ride! Today was an amazing day full of new experiences in new and interesting places. Osaka is a beautiful city with so many great memories to offer!