Holiday Trip With Family To Japan - Osaka (Part 1)

Osaka, 大阪 is the third largest and second most important city for Japan. For the whole trip, we had spent total of 4nights in Osaka..

People who travel to Osaka normally will be visiting the Osaka Castle...

The Universal Studio......

The Osaka Aquarium.....

Or maybe the Umeda Sky Building...

But, we chose to forgo all these... Some due to the reviews from tripadvisor... And some because of the entrance price... And some because of daddy said no....  So, where did we go and what did we do?

WHERE WE WENT IN OSAKA

Firstly, due to the first hotel we stayed was in Shinsaibashi.... We came across this place while we were finding our way to Namba JR Station.. 

1. DOTONBORI - A single street that running alongside the Dotonbori canal between the Dotonboribashi Bridge and the Nipponbashi Bridge in the Namba area.

The unique hotel in Dotonbori

Small face vs big faces

Finding our way thru the map

Looking at people walking up and down the bridge

Liked I said, we are in love with this place (Shinsaibashi/Namba)... We actually back to here again after came back from Kyoto. 

Day time of Dotonbori

Dotonbori canal

Naughty daddy

When we were walking down the Dotonbori, we came to here..... 

The black dots represent the place where we walked thru

2. SHINSAIBASHI-SUJI

It is one of the Osaka's oldest and busiest shopping destinations. In this shopping arcade, there are so many shopping to do~ But what I am really interested is the drug store in Japan... Shiseido, Macquillage, Kate, Kanebo and etc.... All these brands are selling so cheap here~ Especially Shiseido... Back to Malaysia, Shiseido is a brand that usually sell in the shopping mall counter or maybe a brand outlet. However, in Japan, we can get any product of Shiseido in any of the drug store's shelf. Actually, it is not only Shiseido... I found out that Clinique and some other few brands are also the same. Such a convenience for the Japanese ladies... 

Night time at Shinsaibashi

Day time at Shinsaibashi

See how crowded at the shopping arcade

On the direct opposite side, there is another shopping arcade....

3. EBISU-BASHI SUJI

One of the street in the Ebisu-Bashi-Suji

Spotted this shop in the Ebisu-Bashi-Suji... A shop that helps to do painting for people....  Was thinking wanted to give it a try. After enquired the price, we gave up the idea... It costs around 9000Yen / RM270+ for 5person painting.... Anyway, managed to snap few of their paintings for the sake of memory... 

I guess it must be a cute guy asked to draw for his lovely girlfriend / wife

Good idea for a wedding reception

3. GLICO RUNNING MAN SIGN AT MINAMI (NAMBA)

Minami is one of the largest shopping district in Osaka. While Shinsaibashi-Suji is found in the Minami; At Dotonbori, Shinsaibashi-Suji becomes Ebisu-Bashi-Suji although it is the same shopping atmosphere with the Shinsaibashi-Suji. So, between the Shinsaibashi-Suji and the Ebisu-Bashi-Suji, I found a big mall - H&M. YES! YOU HEAR ME RIGHT! A real big mall - H&M!!! *Sorry.. no mall picture taken*

Besides this, I also found this..... the famous Glico Running Man Sign. I was looking for this on the first day I arrived at Shinsaibashi. And guess what... I only found this after we back from Kyoto~ The funny thing is we actually walked pass this famous sign for few times. Yet, none of us realised it~

For this period of time, Japan is actually going thru the election. We happened to see a talk performed by their politicians~ I even shakes hand with one of the politician. Too bad She knows me but I don't know her... Hahahahaha! And I don't even understand a single word that they said.... ^^"

Talk in front of the Glico Running Man Sign

People who stand at the road side and listen to the talk

Wonder how they feel by standing high on a van and facing such a view while giving their speech

4. SHINSAIBASHI

While we were walking thru the Shinsaibashi-Suji, we didn't realise that Shinsaibashi is actually really big. We didn't cover the whole area.... But, managed to see the beautiful culture of the place~

The theatre 大阪松竹座一歌舞 伎 . 演剧 ｜松竹株式会社

  Daddy spotted this king crab that costs 250,000Yen / RM8,000!!  O.o

Can't get to eat but take picture also ok~

See how big it is

While walking down the street, my sister spotted something.... One of her favourite.. 

The black kitty~ She was thinking maybe just one round of game then can bring it back already..

One of the shopping arcade (Don't know what's the name)

 I realised that the restaurant here decorated with a lot of nice, big animal signboard....

Dragon

Dragon again~

Cow

Another dragon again~

King crab

Did you spot the Japan "Statue of Liberty"? ;)

HOW DID WE GET THERE

After this Japan trip, finally I know what pass to get and which way is the easier way to get there... How we got there from the Kansai International Airport, just follow this..... 

Kansai Airport --- (Nankai Airport Express) ---> Namba (Nankai) ---Midosuji Line---> Shinsaibashi

The fees is only 890Yen~ I checked from the Hyperdia.com and it shows that the fees is 890Yen + another 200Yen for the Midosuji Line. But I remember clearly that we only paid for 890Yen at the Airport then went straight to the Shinsaibashi by changing 2trains. Anyway, I could be wrong. So, ask the information counter there is the safest way ;)