nateniale's travels

{ Japan April 2010 - Day 7 & 8 - Osaka } We reached Osaka in the late afternoon and by the time we got to our hotel, which was supposed to be less than 10 minutes walking distance from the train station, the sun was already setting. The reason? We got lost in the huge, complicated and confusing Shin-Osaka Station. Armed with a Japanese map of the hotel , we were walking up and down the stairs, walking towards various exits with the numbers shown in the map, and ended up lost in the huge station. We tried asking for directions many times, and the locals were extremely helpful! While they were willing to help, the language barrier proved to be too much to overcome. So, while we continued to be lost, I loved how they would still try their very best to speak Japanese slowly with lots of hand movements, in the hope that we would be able to understand them. In the end, a kind Japanese control station lady walked with us to one of the exit and drew directions while explaining in s...

It was hard to believe that Japan is a country in Asia and only 7 hours away on the flight from Singapore. It was extremely different from all the Asian countries that I have been to - no, make that all the countries that I have been to. Japan is a land of contradictions.... Ancient temples and huge amazing gardens in the midst of modern skyscrapers Traditional wedding in Meiji Shrine with the bride in full fledged kimono and ladies in cosplay costumes right outside the shrine in Harajuku Clean streets and yet it was difficult to find rubbish bins (apparently Japanese will keep their rubbish in their bags till they see a rubbish bin!) Separating rubbish by combustible, non-combustible, plastic bottles, cans and papers while using lots of papers, ribbons and packaging materials for gifts and decorations. Young man purchased a fortune from a shrine and tied it to a frame with the rest of the paper fortunes, and walked away using all the gadgets and gizmos imaginable Modern anime an...