In the Land Of The Rising Sun - Kyoto to Osaka - 30 April 2026

Starting early has its advantages. The streets are virtually empty, and the public transport is not crowded. I took a short bus ride to Kyoto Station for the train ride to Osaka. As I had bought the train ticket the previous evening I went in the general direction of the platforms and asked one of the gate wardens for assistance. He told me to get to platform 6 for the 6.31 am rapid train to Osaka. I had just a minute, but I made it to the train and got a seat for the journey of 30 mts.

The train was fast, but not noiseless like the Shinkansen. Many commuters were sleeping. One directly in the opposite seat was nodding so vigorously that I worried if his head would fall off. Next to him was a earphone, which I thought he had misplaced. A couple of stations later a lady occupied the vacant seat. She woke up the young man and asked if the earphone was his. He said it wasn't and the lady kept it in the empty space between them. It is famously said that in Japan one will not lose anything. What one loses one can find through a lost and found booth at almost all stations. I trusted that the earphone would find its rightful owner sooner rather than later.

Upon reaching Osaka, I hopped off and sought Help to move to the metro station. On the way to the metro, I came across ticket counters. Again, it was quite early in the morning and hence, the counters were free of customers. I went to one of the counters and immediately the staff got up and bowed and greeted me. I requested for an 8 am train ticket from Osaka to Hiroshima. He looked up in his computer and apologized that the train was completely reserved. However, he said he could get me a reservation for the 7.56 train! That is what minutes make to the schedule in Japan.

I took the metro line to the hotel where I had the reservation in. When I got to the hotel the girl at the reception told me that I had reached the wrong hotel! Where I was and where I should have been belonged to the same group of hotels, I had reached the Fresca Inn whereas I should have gone to Grand Fresca. Disappointed I was for the silly mistake I had made. However, the girl told me that either I could take the metro or walk to the Grand Fresca as it was not too far away. The drizzle was very light and therefore, I decided to walk.

When I reached the right hotel, I was told that I would be able to check-in only at 3 pm, as per policy. But they agreed to hold my suitcase in storage and give me an umbrella to do whatever sightseeing I wanted to do till the check-in time. Considering that it was drizzling and the skies were grey and rather drab I recast my plans for the city. The 300-meter Umeda Sky Building, Tsutenkaku Tower and Abeno Harukas, the two tall towers, were pruned from the day's itinerary. Armed with the transparent umbrella I walked to the metro, just a few minutes away from the hotel.

From the station where I got off to visit Osaka Castle, it was a walk of roughly 2 km. In Japan, on a sightseeing trip, one should be prepared to do at least 15,000 steps every day. I have been averaging over 18,000 steps per day. On the way to the Osaka castle, I came across a site where there used to be large, elevated warehouses, called the Hoenzaka warehouse, built in the 5th century AD. In close proximity to the reconstructed warehouse is the Osaka Museum of History and the office of Japan Broadcasting Corporation, NHK.

The grounds of Osaka Castle are huge and the park covers a total area of 105.6 hectares. It houses the Osaka Castle Museum, the Nishinomaru Garden and the Music Hall. It is free admission to walk most of the park, with admission fee for the garden and the Castle. The original castle was completed in 1583 and was attacked and destroyed several times, during WWII air raids and factional fights. The present castle is a concrete reconstruction finished in 1995. The main tower of Osaka Castle is an awesome sight, but knowing that it is a total reconstruction takes the sheen off somewhat.

While walking back to the metro station from the Osaka Castle I made a short detour to the memorial built in 1936 for schoolteachers and children who lost their lives in a typhoon a couple of years before. Teh Education Tower was publicly funded and now serves as a memorial to those their lives in subsequent disasters too.

From the Osaka Castle I made my way to the Shitennoji Temple, which is one of Japan's oldest temples and the first ever to be built by the state. It was founded in 593 by Prince Shotoku, who supported the introduction of Buddhism into Japan. Although the temple's buildings burned down several times over the centuries, they were always carefully reconstructed to reflect the original 6th century design.

The outer temple grounds are free to enter, but admission to the inner precinct is paid. In the pebble-covered courtyard of the inner precinct stands a five-storied pagoda that can be entered and ascended. In the Main Hall Prince Shotoku is enshrined as a statue of Kannon.

In the santum sanctorum a senior monk was conducting ceremonial prayers accompanied by chanting of two junior monks. I was surprised that visitors were not asked to take off their footwear. I stood around in complete awesome of the proceedings, at the end of which the faithful were individually blessed by the senior monk.

From the Temple I made my way by foot to the Kuromon Market. Along the way my stomach protested the lack of activity since the previous evening. I spotted a restaurant and walked in. I ordered skewered salted shrimp grill and a plate of mutton and rice. The food was average and the shrimp was heavily salted. Once the meal was done, I resumed the walk to the Market. In a few hundred meters the smell of fresh cooking assailed me.

The Kuromon Ichiba Market in Osaka is a historic, 170-meter-long covered market known as "Osaka's Kitchen". Featuring roughly 150 shops, it is a premier foodie destination specializing in fresh seafood (sashimi, grilled scallops, sea urchin), wagyu beef skewers, and Takoyaki. It offers a vibrant, albeit crowded, street food experience. The entire floating population of Osaka seemed to be there. The array on offer was exceptional. I regretted having gone to the restaurant. I should have waited and feasted on what was on offer in the market.

I saw Takoyaki being prepared fresh in one of the stalls of the food court and ordered a portion of 6 pieces. Takoyaki is a popular street food that originated from Osaka in the 1930s. These savory, golf ball-sized snacks feature a crisp, golden-brown batter exterior with a soft, gooey center filled with diced octopus, pickled ginger, and green onion. They are topped with savory sauce, mayonnaise, green seaweed and bonito flakes, served in a boat shaped plate. It looked so appetizing and yummy that I immediately started eating it. It was so hot, with trapped heat inside the ball shaped batter, that it burnt the food pipe!

After walking around the market for a while, marvelling at the various preparations and retail shops I got back to the hotel and checked in at the appointed time. The Hotel had asked for an additional 1000 JPY for check-in at 2 pm! After unpacking the bags, I rested for a while.

It was just a short walk from the hotel to the Dotonbori waterfront - must say that the hotel location is awesome. The waterfront promenade is impressive with its beautiful neon lights reflected on the water's surface. Th Dotonbori River, the face of Osaka, flows through the heart of the city. The extension of the promenade is underway along the river as part of a project aimed at positioning Osaka as the "Water City."

Many prominent stores like the Don Quijote have riverside entrances too. It also boasts a large Ferris wheel. The dock on the waterfront is popular for sightseeing boat cruises along the Dotonbori River. At the time of visit the river cruise boats were doing brisk business with long queues of passengers waiting for their turn. The cruise guides try and make it as entertaining for their customers as is humanly possible.

Visitors and river cruise boats stop at Osaka's iconic Dotonbori Glico Sign, or "Running Man", first installed in 1935. This famous Osaka landmark symbolises health, victory, and the city’s energetic spirit. It advertises Glico caramel, which promised enough energy to run 300 meters. It represents resilience, having been updated six times to become a popular, LED-lit photo spot.

The Dotonbori Street represents Osaka's premier, vibrant entertainment and nightlife. The street is known for its dazzling neon lights, iconic 3D signages, and dense concentration of restaurants. Naturally, it is a magnet for tourists and is bustling of activity. The numerous restaurants, cafes and stores have devised unique way of drawing customers to its doors.

A signage that caught my attention was the warning that it is prohibited to smoke in the entire city of Osaka. A violation attracts a fine of 1000 JPY. The entire street is meant for pedestrians only. Even bicycles are prohibited. I ambled along for hours quietly taking in the scenes, the excitement of the tourists, the animated restaurant and cafe ushers, appreciation of customers trying out the delicacies of Osaka culinary bouquet and Youtubers capturing the vibrant scenes on their devices.

Before returning to the hotel, I tried out a vanilla and chocolate ice cream. The cone tasted very different from what I had experienced before this. From a fruit shop I picked up some cherries before retiring for the night. A tightly packed day in Osaka.