Osaka

Osaka

Our place in Osaka - Cogo Tennoji. This was formerly a 12 person bunk room which was converted to a private room. Very clean and spacious. About 10 minutes from the train station.Tennoji park has a big lawn in the middle, where people sit and hang out, picnic, etc.
This restaurant is right next to a zoo, which is probably why it's extremely kid oriented.Headed into the Shinsekai area, a retro shopping area famous for lots of deep fried skewers
We at at this place. Could have picked our our own fish (but didn't).
In Nara - the deer were everywhere.Banana trees? Wouldn't have thought...
They don't want you to sit long here...Feeding the deer is fun, but they will also sometimes get aggressive
At the Great South Gate of Tōdai-ji temple
In front of the Tōdai-ji temple. We had a guide - there are lots of senior citizen volunteer guides there, wanting to show you around and practice their english.Inside the temple.
I remember this place from last time...there was a long line waiting to squeeze themselves through a small hole in the base of this pillar
Around Nigatsu-dō, nice views
Resthouse, with tea
More yakiniku. Grilling it yourself is fun.
Next day at the "Camping Car Expo". So interesting, but also - what a bummer that it's illegal to import RVs from Japan, unless they're 15 years old!I believe this was a tiny little Kei car
The woodwork was exquisite on many of these. No wonder the US RV makers don't want to compete!
Efficient bunk beds. And a multi-purpose shower or cassette toilet area
These chairs also convert into beds
We also saw enormous numbers of dogs here, often dressed up and in strollers. Too bad they don't have more kids!
The doggie toilet area
Interesting folding stoolAll the RV vendors had little seating areas where they discussed deals with potential customers
This RV would be about 34K USD, - that's IF you could import it. The US RV manufacturing industry has made it impossible, because the Japanese would outcompete them.
These dogs, in Halloween costumes, attracted quite a gaggle of admirers
In the next exhibit hall over, ironically, there was a baby and child exhibition. This is the baby crawling contest.The "Learn English With Disney", advertising their program.
I think most of the young women headed to the exhibit halls were going to the Halloween fair.Eric thought she looked like the spook from the movie The Ring
This guy was singing to an appreciative audience on the overhead walkways outside the train station. The police put an end to it, though.More very conservative women's clothing.
There's an garden observatory the on the 16th floor of the Harukas 300 building (a huge mall), supposed to be great, but it absolutely poured all day long.Interesting cantilevered benches
Interesting sofa bedThe Japanese do really nice high quality wood furniture.
Another rainy day activity was walking the extremely long (2.6 k) Tenjinbashisuji Shotengai shopping streetThere was lots going on there!
Fried pork cutletBack at the hotel, fireman came in to investigate a gasoline smell from a room. I saw a total of 7 firemen, all in gear.
Making imagawayaki (little cakes filled with bean paste)Elegantly displayed sandwiches, these types are sold in many shops
Harukas 300 observation deck, on a nice day
Lots of young ladies dressed like this, "Sweet Lolita" styleIn Kobe, at the Weathercock house
They're really getting into Halloween here!
These young Japanese students saw me taking a picture, and made it more interesting.
This mall seating area had slanted seats - obviously they don't want you to stay long! Finding seating wasn't easy in many places.At a 100 yen store (like a dollar store), these bike locks were available! There must be a lot less theft in Japan for these to even be sold.
Waterfront in Kobe
People lined up to take a picture here.
We took a little waterfront cruiseKobe port tower
On the harbor ship. Those orange flat things behind us are very simple liferafts
Looks like a Minecraft bridge, but it was under construction
Dotonbori - very crowded, lots of neon. We could have easily skipped it...
Stopping at Nagoya on our way to Tokyo, for the Toyota Memorial Museum. Quite interesting, with a fabric weaving section (that's how the company started) and a car section.
The original panels for the old cars were beaten by handThis is a hatchback version of my old Toyota Tercel, that I loved.
Robotic assembly demo