lea pof travels: Osaka, Japan: Dontonbori

Friday, October 3, 2014

Osaka, Japan: Dontonbori

Can't say I've been to Osaka until I've met the real you, Glico Man.

As you read this post, see if you can spot the Dotonbori landmarks as listed in Wikipedia the last I checked:

1) Glico Man: Originally installed in 1935, the giant neon athlete on a blue track is a symbol of Glico candy.

2) Kuidaore Taro: A mechanical drum-playing clown, also known as the Kuidaore Ningyo, installed in 1950. Every March the visiting rikishi for the Osaka Grand Sumo tournament used to line up with Kuidaore Taro for photos. The restaurant has closed, so Kuidaore Taro has been moved to a new location slightly east of his old haunt.

3) Kani Doraku Crab: This six and a half meter crab is on the front of the crab restaurant Kani Doraku. It has mechanised arms and eyestalks. Built in 1960, this mechanical billboard soon spawned imitations, including a squid that puffs steam and oni (demons) that light up at night.

4) Bonus: Blowfish lantern of Zubora-ya

This is the Dotonburi area, alight from Namba Station and just go with the flow. The area includes highlights like the Dotonburi Canal stretch, Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade, etc. My top picks will be the neon signs (including the Glico Man), the 3-D shop signboards, and the quirky snack shops (for omiyage or souvenirs).

I think this basket of gyozas is quite epic

Shopping

I think this is the shop I bought a ton of omiyage from. I had a coupon (from one of the passes) and the assistant was Chinese! More often than not, in Japan, shops follow the list price on items, so there's no need to compare between shops (except when it's duty-free at the airport, so just splurge at the airport!).