Alien In Osaka...

According to Forbes 2010 its the 4th most expensive city in the world...one can see why...

Osaka is the second biggest city in Japan and boast one of the most important port...its a modern city with among the best transportation system...expensive too one might say...there are 3 main rail transport link within the city consist of JR Trains...subway...Hankyu...and its not of the same company...it means that if one bought a one day pass...it only apply for the respective train...which in a way does not help coz if one goes around the city...each interchange to certain areas requires different type of rail...

For instance the Osaka Castle is covered by the JR Train...but the big aquarium or known by the locals as Kaiyukan covered by the subway...so to save up your $$ planning which place to go within the day is essential otherwise it will be a waste of money...one way ticket also doesn't come cheap as it is easily can cost 200 yen ~ RM7.60 for short journey... there's another option for traveler which was to buy the one day rail pass that cost 2,000 yen ~ RM76 which can be used only for JR Train...but as had been stated...its only going to be worth it if one planned up where to go and how long the duration of stay also the cost of the single journey to go to the respective place in order to maximize the usage of this day pass...

As a modern city...there's not much of heritage areas can be seen as opposed to Kyoto...but interestingly enough...Osaka is the city in between Kobe and Kyoto and also Nara...which means that if one goes to Osaka...they will have an easy access to these cities...but in term of the city itself...Osaka does have its own attraction...

One of the major attraction in Osaka is the Universal Studios Japan (USJ)...entrance fee was 6,200 yen ~ RM240...erkkkk...but if there's an inclination to go for more than one time...consider buying the Annual Gold Pass for 12,800 yen which will be beneficial coz it can be used for unlimited entrance for a year and also express lane for all rides...

Another one will be the big aquarium or Kaiyukan in Osaka Port...the entrance was 1,500 yen...but after 5 p.m...there's a discount purchase whereas two person can go in for 2,100 yen...its amazing...just had this kind of feeling of being under water...they also have big whale in the aquarium...cool...within the same compound...there was the Tempozan Ferris Wheel...it was told that its the biggest giant ferris wheel...there's some sort of student discount available...otherwise the full price is 600 yen...they also have this see through floor in 2 of its 'cage'? hahaha...i don't know how the substitute the word in English...both covered by subway train...

Another one is the Osaka Castle...the original structure was actually burned down...so the castle that is standing today is actually a replica built to the exact architecture...owh yeah...its covered by JR Train...Osaka also have lots of museum...science museum...this museum and that museum...but we are not museum people but we had been told that the museums are worth checking out...we were more tantalized by the shopping department...hehehe...

Talking about shopping in Japan...hurmmm...we were never told that shopping in Japan can be so much fun...and also affordable...at least for certain things...the gadget geeks will find themselves in heaven if they go to Den Den Town...its like a whole stretch street of Low Yat Plaza...laptops...iPods...iPads...electronic gadgets...computer gadgets...camera gadgets...you name it...everything is there within the stretch of the street...there's new and second hand items available at affordable prices compared to our home country...owh yeah...gundams too...and also figurines...hurmmm...plenty of it to fulfill the hearts desire...

Those who are after branded stuffs can just hop on the JR Train...paid 980 yen one way from Umeda to Rinku (consider buying the JR day pass if one plans to go there)...and there you are...the factory outlets...one can just shop till they drop with big hole in their wallet and drain their bank account...and we were there during the Summer Sale...one can just imagine how it would look like...demmm...there's GAP...Dunhill...Nike...Adidas...Timberland...Coach For Men...Coach...Salvatore Ferragamo...and many more...aishhhh... (-_-")

But Umeda itself which is by the way is almost some sort like the center town of Osaka boast shopping complex within the buffer areas...Yodobashi Umeda...Hankyu Departmental Store...Isetan...stretch of shopping streets...aishhhh...it seems like Sale here is indeed SALE!!! and we didn't know that...no wonder all of us went back to our home country with at least 10kg extra baggage...owh there's also a ferris wheel on top of HEP Shopping Complex that overlooking the city...cool weih...500 yen...consider going up during nite time...it was gorgeous...owh its kinda hard to find an affordable souvenirs shop though...a simple chopsticks can cost up to 500 yen ~ RM20...erkkk...luckily we managed to find some within the Kaiyukan area...one of the shop we came across has the lady being able to speak in Malay...cool...

There's also two Hard Rock Cafe in Osaka itself...one in Hommachi...and another one in front of USJ entrance...as usual...there's always a tendency to bump into a fellow Malaysian whenever HRC is concerned...HRC is soooo Malaysian must go spot...hehehe...

More attractions are within Osaka city but most of it are modern attraction...so we kinda not going to all of it since we were more intrigued to explore the nearby cities...and also because of the expensive means of transportation kinda held us back a bit...

In a way...we enjoyed our stay in Osaka...or Ibaraki to be exact which is by the way 210 yen away via JR Train...enjoyed the shopping spree tremendously...enjoyed watching the life of ordinary Japanese people...i don't enjoy the food since i don't eat Japanese food...but others enjoyed it...aishhh...(-_-")...kinda feel alienated when i fail to enjoy the food...that kinda made me feel more like an alien in Osaka...

T.Y.S