We kicked off our adventure at 8:10 a.m., reluctantly leaving the comfort of our cozy home base behind. After a surprisingly long hunt for breakfast, we finally found a gem of a spot called Marafuku. The smell of freshly prepared food filled the air, and everyone devoured their meals, savoring each bite. With full stomachs and excitement building, we set off for Osaka Castle, ready for whatever lay ahead.
While half the group stayed behind to wait for their food, the other half — already fueled up — set out on a mission to grab day passes for the metro and subway systems. It didn’t exactly go as planned. An irritable Japanese station attendant shut down Scott’s attempt to buy tickets for all of Osaka. In the end, we settled for metro-only passes — slightly disappointed, but still determined.
When we finally reached Osaka Castle, the air practically buzzed with history. Kane and I gave the group a quick but captivating history lesson on the castle’s grandeur. As we climbed its towering floors, we couldn’t help but be awestruck by the architecture and the stories etched into the walls. By the time we reached the top, the panoramic view of Osaka took our breath away. A cool breeze swept over us as we gazed out at the sprawling city below, feeling quite literally on top of the world.
Next, our stomachs signaled it was time for round two, so we made our way to a nearby poke bowl restaurant. After lunch, we hopped on the metro and headed to Osaka’s famous aquarium. Three hours flew by as we marveled at vibrant marine life featured at this aquarium. Their exhibit is unique, it focuses on life around the ring of fire. We snapped way too many photos, and picked up some quirky souvenirs from the gift shop.
As the clock ticked toward 5:30 p.m., we ventured into one of Osaka’s iconic megastores, ready to do some serious shopping. Of course, the highlight? Isac, lost deep in thought, walked straight into a pole — because why not? Slightly bruised ego aside, we carried on. Seriously, he walked away just fine and we did stop to make sure he was ok.
But the day wasn’t over yet. We headed back toward the hotel area and stumbled upon the home to Japan’s only vertical oval Ferris wheel. They also say that it’s the only oval Ferris wheel in the world. The neon lights flickered as we treated ourselves to delicious street food and explored even more shops. By the time we finally called it a day, our feet were sore, our bags were full, and our hearts were happy. We returned to the hotel, ready to rest up for the next big chapter of our adventure — Hiroshima.
-Santiago
