Osaka

The 3rd Largest City in Japan

We’re staying in an Osaka district that seems like every store is comic books, video games, other card games like Magic and Pokemon, and electronics.  It reminds me of Lima, Peru where literally dozens of the same exact shop - like eyeglasses - were side by side. An entire district of optical stores.  Sometimes what you see doesn’t match the economics you studied.

Shopping, Shopping, Shopping!

There are malls within malls here. So many shops. I read that by 2030 the largest middle class will be in Asia.  It seems like it already has risen! We walked down a 3.0 kilometer street where you could seemingly buy ANYTHING.

So many people shopping & eating

Life-sized food (but no veggie potstickers to be found)

Past & Present Museum

This was a small yet charming museum with a life-sized replica of an Edo-period Osaka neighborhood.  There was a drug store, a ‘curios’ store, the town hall, homes, outhouses, etc. The hilarious audio guide said things like, “The town gates shut at 10 pm so that people could go neither in nor out.  This prevented teenagers from carousing about like they do today.”

Outhouse replica complete with special shoes (more cleanliness appreciation)