Day 11 - Osaka-Jo

It's notable that on some "Top 10 Things to do in Osaka", "Day Trip to Kyoto" appears as one of them! There are actually loads of things to see and do here, such as The 2025 Expo, Universal Studios, the Osaka Aquarium and, of course, the castle, but...it isn't far from the truth to say that of the top 100 things to do here, 95 are shopping or eating. The population of Osaka is almost the same as London, but it has an estimated 120,000 eateries compared with London's 15,000! A ninefold uplift! Zoiks, Scooby Doo!

So this morning we went and joined the throng at Osaka-jō. This is (obviously) a reconstruction of an earlier one that burned down, which replaced the one before that which was burned to the ground! This concrete copy may last a bit longer. The most extraordinary thing about these Japanese castles is their moats and defensive walls. They could have taught the Europeans a thing or two.



The earlier two instances of this castle were established by Toyotomi Hideyori, until this was torched in the Summer War (1615), and then rebuilt by Tokugawa Ieyasi.

The heat has got the better of us, so for now, we retire to the apartment...rest up for a wee while and then decide what to do with the evening! Ooh it's a tough life. 😉

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Airbus A380 to Dubai

Image
Here we go! I'm really excited to finally fly aboard the massive A380. I'm reminded of the many flights out to the Philippines and back in 747s in the late 70's when I was a skinny lad. By luck, Diana and I chose to eat in Wagamama which got us a clear view of our ride pulling up to its gate. Well, I say a clear view, but the runnels of rainwater on the window didn't help. Next stop, Dubai!
Read more

Day 7 - Rendezvous with Rufus

Image
Yesterday evening, Rufus met us at Kyoto Station and then took us to a pizza restaurant nearby that he knew... All three of us are spending the weekend at an apartment that's almost dead centre of the city. Today, Friday, we've packed in the sightseeing, and pretty much all on foot. First there was the old imperial palace, Nijo-jo that was previously the seat of the Tokugawa shogunate until about 1877...   Then we strolled along Taramachi dori, a covered shopping street. After lunch, we crossed over into the Gion District which is famous for geisha and sprinkled liberally with shrines and temples... Lots of people dress in kimono to wander round Kyoto, but most especially around Gion, Japanese and foreign tourists alike. I'm not averse to a bit of cosplay, but white folk in kimono just don't look right to me. So we didn't do that... And today, I'll spare you the pylon and treat you to a display in a Jap...
Read more

Day 2, A Bonsai Pilgrimage

Image
Something like 36 years after starting my own bonsai collection, I finally made it to one of the destinations for anyone interested in trees in pots. The Omiya Bonsai Art Museum exists in a cluster of nurseries some half an hour north of Tokyo centre. Here are some photos... ...had enough yet?
Read more