Fuku-Ro-Shaka! pt.4: Back in Osaka with The Man Himself!
After waking up from one of my most comfortable nights of sleep in Japan, I gathered my belongings, took a shower, and got ready to seize the day in Osaka. Oddly enough, at this capsule hotel (ASTIL Dotombori), all guests are required to leave the hotel from 11 AM to 3 PM so the hotel staff can clean. Interesting. Today was bittersweet as it was my last day outside of Tokyo, my last day with the man himself, and the last time I will see my friend again. But all is well, there will be plenty of opportunities to visit him in the future. That’s right, I spent the entire day with Mitsuteru again! I left the hotel and headed over to Namba Station where I boarded the Kintetsu Line train bound for Nara. This was the wrong train so after a few stops, I transferred to the correct Kintetsu train bound for Nagase where Mitsuteru and I met for Okonomiyaki. Okonomiyaki is a Japanese-style pancake made with various ingredients, ranging from cabbage to seafood. It originated in Osaka and has spread across Japan. I’ve had Okonomiyaki occasionally throughout the trip but this one was the best one I have ever had. Not only was I eating with Mitsuteru, but the okonomiyaki was really good. We also shared some yakisoba and an appetizer which resembled an omelet, made with egg and meat. This was honestly one of the most delicious meals I have had in Japan, and it was cheap too! It only cost about $18.00 USD for the two of us. As a token of my appreciation, I decided to pay for lunch.
CULTURE NOTE: Japanese relationships are about balance between friends. In fact, twice a year (July and December), Japanese people buy each other obligatory gifts in order to maintain relationships. Mitsuteru and I have known each other since last year when he studied at Chapman. What I did may have tipped our relationship off-balance, potentially causing some discomfort. I thought about this before deciding to pay for lunch but in the end, I did it anyway.
After lunch, we boarded the Kintetsu Line for a few stops and transferred to the Osaka Loop Line to Universal Studios Japan (USJ). USJ opened in Osaka in 2001 and has since become the world’s fourth-busiest theme park, the second-busiest in Japan, and the busiest Universal theme park in the world. Only The Magic Kingdom in Florida, Disneyland in California, and Tokyo Disneyland are busier (as of 2016). USJ puts Universal Studios Hollywood to shame, featuring a larger, better-themed park with areas themed after the cities of Beverly Hills, San Francisco, and New York. There are also themed lands dedicated to Jurassic Park and Harry Potter, just like most Universal parks. However, USJ features some unique attractions that can’t be found anywhere else. For example, the Hollywood Dream rollercoaster which opened in 2007. This was the first coaster we rode that day and in all honesty, it was one of the best I have ever been on. Riders have the option of riding the ride either forwards or backwards, but we decided to ride forwards and enjoy the massive amounts of airtime provided by the coaster’s 141-foot drop and many hills. It was quite the experience. We explored the park further and ended up in Jurassic Park, which alone puts USH to shame. After some hesitation, we decided to ride The Flying Dinosaur, a fairly new flying roller coaster that opened in 2016, becoming the longest rollercoaster of its type (a record previously held by Tatsu at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California). I have never been on a flying coaster before and let me tell you, it was the most terrifying experience of my life. Once we were strapped in, we were flying like Superman, with our bodies supported by nothing more than the train’s safety bars. We were lifted 151 feet into the air and descended head-first toward the park goers. We were spun around, doing nose-dives in giant inversions and getting spun around as if we were riding an actual dinosaur through the skies. The Flying Dinosaur was by far the most extreme roller coaster I have been on; Mitsuteru agreed. After riding a Final Fantasy-themed ride, we left USJ, briefly visited the Hard Rock Cafe in Osaka, and headed to Osaka Castle to view the castle in the Osaka Sunset and get dinner.
We got dinner at this Italian restaurant located on the castle grounds (in the same building as the store I purchased those engraved chopsticks), overlooking the beautiful Osaka Sunset as we enjoyed our dinner. Mitsuteru ordered spaghetti whereas I ordered risotto. Over the course of our dinner (and over a Blue Moon and a Guinness), we discussed various topics ranging from American and Japanese culture, politics, and our families. Just like lunch, I decided to pay for dinner as a way of saying thank you for everything Mitsuteru has done for me while in Japan. I told him my mom wanted to buy him dinner (which is true) and we were on our way. We walked around Osaka Castle Park for about an hour and then boarded the Chuo Line to the Midosuji Line for Namba. We walked around Namba for a couple hours before finally going our separate ways at about 11 PM. After going our separate ways, I was hit with the realization that this was my last week in Japan. It’s okay, I will be back soon. I headed back to my hotel and spent my last night in Osaka, and last night outside of Tokyo.
