10/25/2024, CruiseDay 13, Osaka
Relative positions of the cities we were considering for the outing.
1. is Osaka. 2. is Himeji. 3. is Nara. 4. is Kyoto.
A snippet of Osaka city on Google Maps.
1. is Osaka port's cruise terminal called Tempozan Wharf (天保山碼頭).
2. is Osaka Castle
3. is Osaka's city center in the south called Namba (難波).
4. is Osaka Station.
Next to the Port of Osaka, the red-n-gray avant garde building with two wings is the Osaka Aquarium KAIYUKAN.
A giant ferries wheel right next to the cruise terminal
Osaka's Champs Elysées.
The taxi driver let us off at the Mido-suji (御堂筋) Avenue in front of the Daimaru Shinsaibashi (大丸百貨 心斎橋店).
These sections of Mido-suji Avenue with wide sidewalks are populated with high-end boutique stores.
Dōtonbori canal.
The giant Glico-man (running & wearing a red cape) billboard behind us is a landmark of Dōtonbori, Osaka.
The billboard was installed in 1935 as an advertisement for the Glico confectionery company.
(Suzette was behind the camera.)
This golden dragon made news beyond Japan.
The dragon is an advertisement for the Chinese restaurant named "Golden Dragon Ramen" in Dōtonbori.
Not long ago, a neighbor sued because the tail encroached on the neighbor's property.
So the owner had to saw off part of the tail and move it within his own property.
A giant octopus on top of a shop making octopus balls (Takoyaki).
For lunch, we split into 2 groups.
One group of 4 came to this Daiki-suisan kaitenzushi (大起水産 回転寿司 道頓堀店) for conveyor-belt sushi.
It was very satisfactory, not bad at all, considering it is right in the
middle of the busy Dōtonbori.
(This group of 4 consisted of Stanley, Chester, Toshiko, and Mei-Ching).
Lunch option 2.
The other group of 4 who did not want raw fish went to this Osaka Ohsho (大阪王将 道頓堀本店) for noodles.
The city of Osaka sent us off with a taiko performance on the pier.
Osaka harbor as we sailed away.
Duck was on this evening's dinner menu.
One of the dessert choices.