8月19日
Osaka, Day 3.
The evening before, my friend told me that we should try to wake up around 9:00 so that we could have breakfast before leaving for Kyoto. His mother so kindly offered to drive us to Kyoto (a maybe 50 minute drive from Osaka? But his mother likes driving fast so it was usually quicker haha) since she had a friend there that she was meaning to visit anyway.
I wanted to visit Kyoto because back when my parents were my age, they met during study abroad at Waseda University in Tokyo. They visited Kyoto and say that that is where they fell in love. They visited in the winter and had nabeyaki udon (鍋焼きうどん) and saw a pond with giant koi fish in it.
It all sounded very cute and something I wouldn’t mind sharing with my friend (who I jokingly call my “husband”—long story, involves a ring pop and spirit week at our university).
The difference being that it’s August and it was like in the 90’s Fahrenheit? I was having none of it. My friend and I already agreed that we would wear tank tops and shorts due to the heat.
His mother dropped us off and we began to explore the different temples. Many photos were taken, as per usual.
Osaka, Day 3.
The evening before, my friend told me that we should try to wake up around 9:00 so that we could have breakfast before leaving for Kyoto. His mother so kindly offered to drive us to Kyoto (a maybe 50 minute drive from Osaka? But his mother likes driving fast so it was usually quicker haha) since she had a friend there that she was meaning to visit anyway.
I wanted to visit Kyoto because back when my parents were my age, they met during study abroad at Waseda University in Tokyo. They visited Kyoto and say that that is where they fell in love. They visited in the winter and had nabeyaki udon (鍋焼きうどん) and saw a pond with giant koi fish in it.
It all sounded very cute and something I wouldn’t mind sharing with my friend (who I jokingly call my “husband”—long story, involves a ring pop and spirit week at our university).
The difference being that it’s August and it was like in the 90’s Fahrenheit? I was having none of it. My friend and I already agreed that we would wear tank tops and shorts due to the heat.
His mother dropped us off and we began to explore the different temples. Many photos were taken, as per usual.
We walked around more of Kyoto. I could see why my parents fell in love here, as everything was very picturesque.
When we got hungry, we decided to stop at this place for cold noodles (as it was the dead of summer and no place would be selling nabeyaki udon). I had cold soba with duck and my friend had cold udon.
It was very tasty and worth the inflated touristy price.
It was very tasty and worth the inflated touristy price.
Then my friend told me that I needed to try dango, and so we did at a shop not too far from where we had the cold noodles.
Then we walked around a bit more, happening upon more of the city of Kyoto rather than the touristy temple area. We happened upon Gion in Kyoto, and found a shop selling shaved ice.
We had been searching for reasonably priced shaved ice for most of the afternoon (hint: it doesn’t exist in Kyoto) so we settled for a place had it for maybe 800 yen.
It was sooooo good though. Like, either it was the heat, or it was just really good, because once we had our shaved ice we were so set. My friend ordered two to share, one with brown sugar syrup and one with condensed milk, and both had azuki beans.
We had been searching for reasonably priced shaved ice for most of the afternoon (hint: it doesn’t exist in Kyoto) so we settled for a place had it for maybe 800 yen.
It was sooooo good though. Like, either it was the heat, or it was just really good, because once we had our shaved ice we were so set. My friend ordered two to share, one with brown sugar syrup and one with condensed milk, and both had azuki beans.
Dang.
It was great.
We walked around a bit more, I did a Shinto thing where I shook a bell, clapped twice, and bowed (?) I don’t know, my friend is Buddhist so he was like “nah I’m good you can try it tho”
Then we waited for his mother to come pick us up again. We were just waiting in the shade, as my friend called his mom to give the exact location we were at to get picked up.
It was great.
We walked around a bit more, I did a Shinto thing where I shook a bell, clapped twice, and bowed (?) I don’t know, my friend is Buddhist so he was like “nah I’m good you can try it tho”
Then we waited for his mother to come pick us up again. We were just waiting in the shade, as my friend called his mom to give the exact location we were at to get picked up.
Earlier that day we had packed a separate set of clothes, as we had anticipated going to the sento (銭湯), or public bathhouse.
It was a very interesting and relaxing experience! I find that many Americans would be put off by the idea of it, due to the public nudity and communal bathing aspects of it (some would probably think it’s unhygienic to bathe in the same bath as someone? That’s why you rinse yourself first before going in) but it was great. There was one with these really strong jets, and another one with milk in the bath, that I personally enjoyed. It made your skin all soft and smooth, which is always good.
Then, we headed to Osaka City Station to meet up with a friend of ours for dinner. We had ramen, and then we made plans to go to an izakaya (居酒屋) to meet up with an alumnus friend of ours who went to the same university we all go to.
That night, it was my first nomihodai (飲み放題) experience.
If you don’t know what nomihoudai is, I’m sorry.
Because it is awesome. All you can drink in two hours (you have to order a couple snacks but it’s so worth it). Once our alumnus friend came, we were able to catch up and let loose a little. I learned that he was actually from the same area I was from (in Southern California) and that he now teaches English at a Junior High and High School here in Osaka. We talked about university life and the culture that comes with it, etc.
It was a really great experience. I got a little tipsy on sho-chu because it was the last drink I had and I probably had at least five shots of it straight in a matter of like, a minute. I was alright though, all that really happens to me at that point is I walk with a little more swagger to my hips and talk a lil louder than I should, but nothing dangerous.
(Note: I do not condone drinking in excess—I just have a high tolerance for alcohol).
I probably had close to 15 drinks total that night? But the thing with nomihodai is that they tend to water down the drinks (unless you order straight) so it’s not too bad.
My new alumnus friend offered to pay the majority of our bills, and we managed to catch the last train home.
I think I probably took another shower before going to sleep? I’m not sure. It was my last night staying at my friend’s place in Tsurumi before he and his family had to go to Tokyo for some family business. So I went to sleep knowing that I could take it easy as the hostel I was to check-in to had flexible check-in time, so I could take the morning easy with my friend and his family for one last time.
It was a very interesting and relaxing experience! I find that many Americans would be put off by the idea of it, due to the public nudity and communal bathing aspects of it (some would probably think it’s unhygienic to bathe in the same bath as someone? That’s why you rinse yourself first before going in) but it was great. There was one with these really strong jets, and another one with milk in the bath, that I personally enjoyed. It made your skin all soft and smooth, which is always good.
Then, we headed to Osaka City Station to meet up with a friend of ours for dinner. We had ramen, and then we made plans to go to an izakaya (居酒屋) to meet up with an alumnus friend of ours who went to the same university we all go to.
That night, it was my first nomihodai (飲み放題) experience.
If you don’t know what nomihoudai is, I’m sorry.
Because it is awesome. All you can drink in two hours (you have to order a couple snacks but it’s so worth it). Once our alumnus friend came, we were able to catch up and let loose a little. I learned that he was actually from the same area I was from (in Southern California) and that he now teaches English at a Junior High and High School here in Osaka. We talked about university life and the culture that comes with it, etc.
It was a really great experience. I got a little tipsy on sho-chu because it was the last drink I had and I probably had at least five shots of it straight in a matter of like, a minute. I was alright though, all that really happens to me at that point is I walk with a little more swagger to my hips and talk a lil louder than I should, but nothing dangerous.
(Note: I do not condone drinking in excess—I just have a high tolerance for alcohol).
I probably had close to 15 drinks total that night? But the thing with nomihodai is that they tend to water down the drinks (unless you order straight) so it’s not too bad.
My new alumnus friend offered to pay the majority of our bills, and we managed to catch the last train home.
I think I probably took another shower before going to sleep? I’m not sure. It was my last night staying at my friend’s place in Tsurumi before he and his family had to go to Tokyo for some family business. So I went to sleep knowing that I could take it easy as the hostel I was to check-in to had flexible check-in time, so I could take the morning easy with my friend and his family for one last time.