Japan Trip: Kaiyukan Aquarium and Tempozan Ferris Wheel

The best aquarium in Japan is the one in Okinawa. But because Osaka to Okinawa is far and needs plane or Shinkansen + Ship, so I decided to to visit the second best aquarium in Japan, which is Kaiyukan Aquarium, in Osaka. This aquarium located in western Osaka, and if you use subway, you can stop in Osakako station. I visited the museum on Saturday, so when I got out from the train, I saw many families and young couples walked to the same destination like me. From Osakako station, you can walked to the aquarium by following the directions that were appeared in almost everywhere.

That day was rainy, so when we walked from the station, we saw everybody using their own umbrella. It was seems like everybody had prepared for the rain and brought their own umbrella. After walking for about 5 minutes, we finally arrived at the aquarium. The shape of the aquarium is not common and really eye catching.

in front Kaiyukan Museum

After paying entrance fee for 2,300 yen/person, we walked into the museum. The concept of the museum is from the top floor to the bottom. So, at first you should take a long ascending elevator, and then you walked in downward spiral way to the ground floor. With the concepts Ring of Fire and Ring of Life, Kaiyukan recreates natural environment around the Pacific Ocean as faithfully as possible, with hopes that all the visitors feel and reconsider the preciousness and wonder of life and the importance of nature environment all round them. Unlike the other aquarium I have visited, I saw "balance" in this aquarium. So you can see various animals in one aquarium with perfect harmony. The belle of this museum is the Shark Whale. Shark whale is the biggest largest known extant fish species, so you could imagine how huge the aquarium was. Another interesting species is crab. I amazed seeing Alaska King Crab, since its shape was almost as big as my head.

every tickets have different pictures

the long and ascending elevator

Seals are taking some rest

my traveling partner almost kiss the prehistoric fish

yes, the aquarium was this huge

with the famous shark whale

me and the Alaska King Crab

cool jelly fish

just some penguins chilling out

After visiting the aquarium, we walked to the nearby attraction, which is Tempozan Ferris Wheel. The Ferris wheel was made in 1997. It is one of the largest Ferris wheels in the world with 100m in diameter and 112.5m in height.

with green-lighted Tempozan Ferris Wheel as the background

The ticket for the Ferris wheel was 800 yen/person. But because we have Kansai Thru Pass, we got a discount coupon to enter this Ferris wheel. The amazing thing about this Ferris wheel is the lights of the wheel. The light’s color inform about the weather forecast for the next day. Orange lights indicate a sunny day, green lights a cloudy day, and blue lights indicate rain. What I saw that day was green, so the next day should be cloudy.

the entrance ticket

view from Ferris wheel

view of Akashi Strait Pearl bridge from the Ferris wheel

XOXO,
The Tourist

Japan Trip: The Mystery of Osaka Maritime Museum

My travel partner and me went to western side of Osaka, which is Cosmosquare. When we browsed about this place in the past, we found that there is a maritime museum in this place. We interested to visit this place since it has unique shape and it sparkling at night, it also has unique entrance which looks like an underwater tunnel. But when near departure date to Japan, the review about Osaka Maritime Museum was disappeared from www.japan-guide.com. We wondered what was happened to the museum, but then we still tried to visit it while we were in Osaka.

That day, the weather was raining. To get to the museum, we need to walk from Cosmosquare station through bay side park and at the end of the park we could meet the museum. Since the weather was raining, the walk through the park is like a long, winding, and stormy road. Actually the view of the park was amazing, there were sea and at the other side of the sea was filled with lots of huge cargo ships. We really couldn't enjoy the park since my umbrella flips several times due to strong wind. 

with Osaka Maritime Museum as my background

What we saw after arrived near the museum was a place that looks like an abandoned place, so deserted. We felt disappointed actually, but since it was really quite place, we were a little bit scared to enter the museum and decided to go back to the station. But as a prove that we ever gone to this place, my travel partner took me this photo. The pose not really nice since I had to bear the rain, wind, and the cold weather. I really curious the status of the museum but can't find it anywhere :( 

XOXO, 

The Tourist

Japan Trip: Osaka Castle and Its Time Capsule

Going to Osaka won't feel complete if you didn't visit Osaka Castle. That's why I decided to visit this famous landmark of Osaka. My travelling friends and I went to the castle using subway and stopped in Tanimachi 4-chrome Station. The exit gate of the station is not really close to the castle, but there were many signs that guided us to the castle. Since the castle is huge, you can even see it from far away.

To enter the castle, we had to pass many layers. The outer side of the castle complex is the huge walking area, then the walking area get smaller and smaller until we really getting close to the castle. One cute thing that we found in the walking area was a fat cat who just sat in the park. He didn't bother with people who passed by or took his photos.

walking area before entering Otemon gate

the shady and beautiful walking area after Otemon gate

in front of Sakuramon gate

the fluffy and fatty creature who sat quietly in the walking are

Before arrived at the castle,  we walked in front of the former Osaka Castle Museum. This place was used as museum during 1960 to 2001.

the former Osaka Castle Museum

Then we arrived in front of the castle. In front of the castle, there was a time capsule buried 15 meters beneath the monument, in 1971. Actually there are 2 identical capsules were buried in it. The upper capsule will be opened at the beginning of every century, and the lower are remain unopened until the year 6970. The capsules contain 2,098 cultural assets of the 20th century, selected with the cooperation of the people of Japan and those from all over the world are stoned in the special metal container. Constructed with the latest technology. Hoping for never-ending world peace and prosperity. The Manichi Newspaper and Matsushita Electric Co. Ltd. (who buried these capsules) bequeath these two capsules to the people living 5000 years from the time of burial.

in front of Osaka Castle and its time capsule

the time capsule

description of the time capsule

Finally we enter the castle. The entrance fee was 600 yen. When entering the castle, many people queued for lift directly to 8th floor. Because we didn't want to waste time queuing, we used stairs to 8th floor. Even though each floor interested us, but we insisted to go upstairs first, because this museum were made to be enjoyed from top to bottom. The top floor (8th floor) is used as observatory. We can see the beautiful scenery of Osaka from above here.

entrance tickets

view from 8th floor

another view from the top

The other floors are filled with museum, which tells about the history of the Hideyoshi Toyotomi (the one who construct Osaka Castle in 1590) and His Era, The Summer War in Osaka, and the Osaka Castle History.

The Summer War in Osaka diorama

The most interesting part is in 2nd floor, where we can experience using battle surcoat and samurai helmet for 300 yen/person and take a photo with them. The helmets are vary and have different type for women and men.

ticket for trying the surcoat and helmet with the options of helmets

getting ready to battle

After finish wandering inside Osaka Castle Musuem, we took a rest by sitting at the bench outside the castle. From there, we could see a souvenir shop and many food sellers, but the most interesting view that we saw was a dogs pack using sun-glasses. It such a rare moment to see this kind of view. Kawaii!

dogs with sun-glasses

XOXO,

The Tourist

Japan Trip: Another Side of Dotonbori

After walking around Dotonbori, my eyes were attracted by some teenage girls that standing along Dotonbori avenue. These girls wore short skirts and thin tops. Well, that evening was not really cold, maybe around 19 to 20 degrees celsius, but for me who usually live in temperature 24-28 degrees celsius, I still needed my shawl and cardigan to keep me warm enough.

When the first time I saw these girls, I thought they were just teenagers who hang out together and still waiting for friend whom not yet came. But the more I looked at them, the more I saw a pattern, these girls not only waiting, they also approached teenage boys or salary men who walked near them, especially the ones who walked alone without companion. In most cases I saw one of these girls approached the man and talked like offering something, the man then said something, after that the girl took a step back, and then she looked for another man. Well, who these girls really are?

To solve my curiosity, I googled about them and found out that these girls usually looking for salary men who needs “entertainment” at night, by bring the men to hostess club nearby and accompany them for some chat and drinks stuffs or other things beyond it. Then I amazed, because it was something that I did not expect to see in Japan, but I believed that every city in the world has this kind of story. I guess I was just lucky to saw this story in Japan with my own eyes.

XOXO,

The Tourist

Japan Trip: Foods Strolling at Dotonbori

My first stop in Osaka is Dotonbori. It is located in Namba District. If you using subway, there are two way to reach Dotonbori, either from Minami Subway or Namba Station. If go to Dotonbori from Minami station, you can take a look at the busy shopping center in Minami first before arrived in Dotonbori. You can find many stores in Minami, from cheap boots sellers to branded clothing lines like Zara and H&M. At the end of Minami, you’ll meet Dotonbori, which was my original destination.

Dotonbori Gate

Dotonbori name is consist of Doton and bori. Doton is the name of a local entrepreneur, Yasui Dōton, who began expanding the tiny Umezu River, which ran east to west, hoping to increase commerce in the region by connecting the two branches of the Yokobori River, which ran north to south, with a canal. In 1615 the new lord of Osaka Castle, Tadaki Matsudaira, named the canal and avenue beside it Dōtonbori ("bori" from "hori", meaning "canal").

Dotonbori Canal

Dotonbori Avenue

Intersection between Minami and Namba

One of the famous landmark in Dotonbori is the “Glico Running Man” huge billboard. At night, this Glico Man will change its color continuously. I was so happy seeing this Glico Man since my original purpose to Dotonbori was to take a picture in front of it *corny, I know, haha*.

Glico Man during the day

Glico Man at night

The main street of Dotonbori filled with many food sellers. The unique thing about the store in Dotonbori is the stores’s front view. Most of the store owner put giant food illustration on front of the store. Therefore, no wonder if you see giant octopus in front of Takoyaki sellers, huge Fugu fish in front of seafood reastaurant, and giant sushi in front of sushi store. Something that you hardly found in other places.

The first food that my travel partner and me tried in Dotobori was Takoyaki. I forget how much price that we paid for the takoyaki, but it's not more than 300 yen. The funny thing about the takoyaki store is the store played a theme song for takoyaki. Though I did not understand about the song but it just funny to find out a takoyaki song is really exist. Besides takoyaki, we also tried gyoza. For me, the Gyoza is quite cheap, it only cost 100 yen and it taste really moist, unlike oily or dry like what Gyoza in Indonesia.

The Takoyaki store

Eating gyoza

Since my stomach still needed to be filled, I went to the Kani Doraku, the famous crab store with giant mechanical crab illustration in its front side. We quite surprised to see the price in the menu, it was pricey. The store itself offered lots of variety of crab menus. We tried the Alaska King Crab. It was great, full of crab meat, though we only afforded to buy the the crab legs. Besides crab, we also ordered potato gratin. from those two foods we were billed around 2,000-ish yen.

in front of Kani Doraku store

My traveling partner with alaska crab leg

some candies as souvenir and refreshment from Kani Doraku

Since we were not full yet, we then went to okonomiyaki store. I thought that I had to cook okonomiyaki on my own, just like what I saw in some okonomiyaki review in websites and youtube. Fortunately they gave us the ready-to-eat one, and put it in a heated table. For me, eating okonomiyaki is taste like eating a bigger version of Takoyaki. Maybe because I requested an octopus okonomiyaki. 

Me and the okonomiyaki

After eating too many seafood, then our head started to get dizzy, maybe the cholesterol just boosted up, just like old peoples, hahaha.

p.s: I don't have the clearer foods images of the crab and okonomiyaki since I didn't have a thought of creating this blog at that time :p 

XOXO,

The Tourist

Japan Trip: Jakarta to Osaka

I went to Osaka last autumn. At that time, an airline in my country just open a direct flight route from Jakarta to Osaka, therefore I got promotion price which was only 540 USD (round trip). Fortunately the date that I was chosen was the initial flight for the route, so there was flowers and opening speech in the boarding room. The passengers also received a souvenir from the airlines, which was a passport cover. Oh, I just love free stuff  :D

in front of the boarding gate

the ceremony

Passport cover as souvenir

When arriving in Osaka, I also saw the same thing happened in the boarding room for the initial flight from Osaka to Jakarta. 

After passing through the immigration and took the baggage, we were greeted by some girls who welcome me and my travel partner by saying "welcome to Osaka!" and then they handed us a guide book and postcards of Osaka.

The guide books

Postcards as souvenirs

Since we will spent three days in Osaka, we decided to buy 3 days Kansai Thru Pass for 5,200 yen. This pass is really useful for paying the subway trains, so we did not need to buy ticket whenever we took subway. This pass can also be used to travel in Kyoto, Kobe, Wakayama, and Nara. By having this pass, we can also claim discount for entrance fee in some tourist attractions. 

3 Days Kansai Thru Pass

While standing in Kansai airport, a police officer came to us and asked us some questions, he asked what flight we took, how long we stay, and which airport that we will take when we left Japan. He also told us if we have security problem during our stay, we can contact him. Since I only wore a thin shirt at that time, the police officer suggested me to use a jacket because the weather outside the airport is cold and I might get a flu if. Wow, that was nice. Though till now I still have no idea why the officer only came to us and not to other passengers. 


XOXO, 
The Tourist