After spending some relaxing time in Kyoto, it was off to Osaka. As predicted, Osaka is much more rowdy than their neighbor to the north. This was what I'd been told, so I was ready for it...but I still wasn't fully braced for just how much of a change in atmosphere it was! Overall I had a really great time, and met some really fun travelers. Including coincidentally bumping into someone I had met in Kyoto! Aside from Osaka itself, I also spent a couple of days down in Kobe, which is a relatively short train ride away. That was more my speed, since it was a bit slower and there was more opportunities to explore the surrounding mountains.
As you'll see, this leg of my journey was pretty social...and lots of eating!
Dotonbori is arguably the most popular neighborhood in Osaka, with thousands of shops, restaurants and vendors lining the street. This particular storefront got a chuckle from me.Osaka is well known for its street food, and it certainly didn't disappoint! These people are making takoyaki, which I tried to make on my own later this trip!I wasn't quite ready to pivot away from the peace and quiet that I had found in Kyoto. With the advice of someone I met at dinner, I was pointed towards Fujita museum. It was a nice museum that also served tea and snacks. Better yet, they had a beautiful garden and a nice little futami floor seating area to sip your tea and relax.In another attempt to relax, I visited a Shiba Inu cafe. These cute little guys always put a smile on my face! That said, this particular cafe was less "cafe" and more "playpen."One night, me and some boys from the hostel decided to head out to an izakaya. I found a small hole-in-the-wall nearby, and it ended up being such a fun time. The owner and regulars were all really friendly, and after I bought people a round we were even more warmly welcomed! The owner let us pour our own beers, and even gave us some presents!Before we left, the owner asked us all to take a group photo. As you can see, we were all having such a fun time! Despite the language barrier, we were still finding ways to make each other laugh and joke around.The next day, I decided to take a trip down to Kobe. There's a gondola that you can take up the mountainside to Rose Symphony Garden, which offered some great views.Here's another photo of the view, minus the selfie :)On the way up in the gondola, I spotted Nunobiki Reservoir. It caught my eye, and I snapped a photo and made a mental note to see if I could find a way over there.The walk through the garden was pleasant enough, even though I'm not usually one to admire plants. But this particularly vibrant colored set caught my attention!Sure enough, I was able to find a trail that led around the reservoir.The reservoir was really quite a scenic spot, and this might be one of my favorite photos!While hiking, I happened to notice that Google Maps showed a hot pot restaurant (Momiji no Chaya) deep in woods. Curiosity got the better of me, and I veered off the trail to investigate. This nice lady has converted part of her house to a dining room! She didn't speak much English, but was really excited to see a lone American visiting her humble shop. She gave me a present, and insisted on taking a selfie before I left. What a nice lady!After getting back to Osaka, I went on a bar crawl with some other travelers. One of my favorite parts of Japan are the "yokochos," which are small alleyways crammed with cozy bars and izakayas. They're absolute chaos to get through, but worth it! Funnily enough, the couple in front of me in this picture were both from Denver as well. Small world!As the evening dragged on, the crowds thinned out. It was a late night for me, and I had a lot of fun popping in and out of various bars, ordering drinks, snacking, and chatting.A friend I met in Osaka, Oylum, mentioned heading to Kobe the next day for some authentic Kobe beef. I didn't have a chance to try it the last time I was there, so I happily tagged along. It was absolutely unreal, next-level steak!After filling our bellies with steak, we wandered around the city. Here's a photo from the Kobe Port tower. I always love getting a vantage point of a city.Nankinmachi is Kobe's version of Chinatown, and it was really popular. The street food looked absolutely amazing, and so it was bittersweet that I was already full from steak lunch.Another cool photo of Nankinmachi. I wish that I had some more time (and room in my tummy) to explore this part of Kobe some more.Back in Osaka, I stumbled upon Groovy, which was a cool lounge tucked off a quiet street. The owner spoke excellent English, and played vinyl records of American jazz and indie hits. It felt like an alternate universe of a lounge near my house (esp), which has a Japanese theme, and plays vinyl records of Japanese indie hits!Some assorted foods I was eating around Osaka. From left to right, top to bottom: decorative bao buns, pork belly bao, takoyaki, friend chicken, beef gyudon, and gyoza.Here's some delicious nigiri. We had someone in our group who knew the owner, and so they were hooking us up with some really stellar cuts. The otoro at the top was the single best cut of fish I've ever had in my life!I also had a chance to make my own takoyaki. To my surprise, it was easier than I thought it would be. And as you can see, they turned out pretty nice!Lastly, here's some delicious, fatty beef that we had at a yakiniku restaurant.
