There must be something about Ferris wheels because we have seen one at each port so far. Osaka is no exception. It and one of the most spectacular aquariums in the world are right on the pier.

Dan and I chose to entertain ourselves yesterday and had a delightful time. After cappuccino and muffins in the coffee shop we strolled the four and a half miles to the canal-side area of Dotonbori, a downtown area renowned for its gaudy neon lights, extravagant signage, and enormous variety of restaurants, shops, and bars. The weather was perfect for our long walk. We passed a few daycare centers stopping each time to wave at the littles in their matching hats. We poked our heads into a dumpling shop and watched two ladies feed little round discs of dough into a machine that within a couple of seconds deposited the stuffing, folded each disc neatly in half, and crimped the edges. Another two-person shop was assembling tatami mats and let us peek inside. We shared the sidewalk with lots of bicycles, many of which had one or two child seats. Some had baskets in the place of the seats and others had umbrella holders to protect the rider from the sun. Quite a few bikes had cloth covers to shield the rider’s hands from sun damage and cold weather.

Dotonbori was mobbed by the time we got there at noon. Mobbed in a high energy, fun way. Lots of laughter, picture taking, and posing in front of the huge picture of Galia, the obviously popular logo of a food packaging company. Boats moved slowly up and down the canal while onlookers enjoyed small fried balls make with octopus. (We passed on the balls.) Dan and I enjoyed the vibe; bought sun screen, Mt. Fuji Kit Kats, and chocolate-topped cookie treats in the shape of mini-mushroom at a drug store with a very helpful sales lady; and then headed to a department store where we checked out the toy department. Hopefully Bryce, Jack, and Evy will be happy with our selections. Just like at the drugstore, we were able to have the tax backed out because we had our passports as proof we are not locals. A quick taxi ride had us back at the ship in no time.

Today started with pastries and cereal in the room followed by a trip to the top of one of the peaks in the 18-mile-long Rokko Mountain Range. The area has summer homes, corporate retreats, hiking and biking trails, and manmade snow for snowboarding in winter. Clouds were predicted, so we went knowing we could have limited views once we got there. The sun surprised us with temps in the low 70s and good visibility of the city and water below. A funicular took us half way up the mountain and the bus took us the rest of the way. The mountain top did not have much to recommend itself in our opinion, but what we did enjoy was traveling on the tangle of raised highways going into and out of the city, great views of the tidy industrial area of the port, and the cherry trees, some still in full bloom, on the side of the mountain.

We also visited a sake museum at one of the local breweries. It focused entirely on the process in days gone by when everything was done by hand. We were surprised to learn that part of the process was stepping inside a large wooden vat and stomping on the grain just like grape stomping in the old days. The quality of Japan’s national drink depends on the quality of its four ingredients: sake rice, water, rice mold, and yeast. Of course we were offered samples and the opportunity to take some home.

Our runaway favorite, Japanese drummers, performed last night. Cymbals and an eerie flute were added to the mix from time to time plus lots of let’s-have-a-good-time attitude on the part of the five spunky drummers. Another group of drummers, half women, performed on the dock as we were preparing to sail away tonight.

… Fun Facts about Osaka …

Universal Studios Japan, located here in Osaka, is the company’s first theme park outside of the U.S. 

With nearly 20 million people, Osaka is the second most populous city in Japan
and the tenth most populous in the world!

Because it was the most popular port city way back when, Osaka was the first capital of Japan. 

An American architect designed the Osaka Aquarium.