Aquarium @ Osaka

A long but easy walk from the last train stop to the aquarium

The World of Jellyfish - simply fascinating!

A happy seal preparing to take another plunge

Colourful underwater world

Holiday

Why Osaka and Kyoto?

Having been to Tokyo and the surrounding highland areas, a trip to the southern part of Honshu would be refreshing.

From hindsight, it was probably a safe bet. Intuitively, it did not seem alright to travel close to Fukushima vicinity. Being cautious was a right move. A couple of months after we returned from Japan, reports of radioactivity resurfaced.

We did not want to take the easy way out by joining a package tour. This meant familiarising with places of interest and foreign names. But DIY free and easy tours requires planning before and during the trip. When you gather more information or the unexpected crops up, the schedule has to be altered.  Being flexible and easy going helps. It's a holiday, not a marathon. On balance, it was an enjoyable trip. We did it!

The timing could have been better. We were in the middle of hot summer. Except some cloudy and drizzly days, sweltering heat and high humidity was the order of the day. However, that also meant there were vacancies at pretty good hotels before the peak season from late August to early October.

Osaka Castle

OSAKA CASTLE  大阪城天守閣

 

Accessible by train. The station is only 15 minutes walk to the castle.

Viewed from a distance, the white and black structure has an imposing grandeur, matching its historic dramas. The building looks new because it was reconstructed and restored after every battle.

You would not have guessed that the walk (more like a climb) up to the top would be that tedious in the summer heat.

At the entrance, a ceremony to pay respects to the deities, complete with cheers synchronized with drum beats, attracted a huge crowd.

After all the excitement, continue trudging uphill through the maze of trees and garden.

A quick stopover for ice-cream was necessary.

Only five minutes to closing time and it does not seem likely we would reach the top and visit the museum. The climb will take another 10 minutes.

Before the gates shut, tourists should be making their way out of the castle grounds.

A last look - view from the back gate.