Japan - Day 14 - Osaka, via Kyoto and Shinagawa

Saturday marked the beginning of my short trip to Osaka and Kyoto with my brother. We took the JR Yamanote line from Ebisu to Shinagawa, and changed to the Shinkansen - Hikari, not the super fast and more expensive Nozomi. After arriving at Kyoto, we took the subway to Shijou and checked in at the hotel before chionging out again to go to Osaka and meet some friends. How come my travelling always involves mad rushes?


Start the trip with a bento lunch and meiji yoghurt drink on the Shinkansen. The bento is really cute! It has tomato rice, karaage, some pasta, one quarter of a fried egg (yes, one quarter), a small beef patty, and a few french fries. My brother said its for kids. Ok lor...


Secret shot of the ticket master on the shinkansen. Hehe.


After two and a half hours on the shinkansen, here I am in Kyoto station waiting for the subway (chikatetsu) to take me to the hotel.


After checking in at the hotel, we went back to Kyoto station to catch the train to Osaka. If you look at the signboard, you can see that there are local trains versus super rapid trains. Local (futsuu) trains are usually really slow cos they're smaller and stop at every station. Super rapid trains, on the other hand, are faster and also stop only at major stations, which saves a lot of time. At certain stations both types of trains depart from the same platform, so you wait for the appropriate one to arrive before boarding. Interesting system!


Doutonburi in Osaka. Has many restaurants, many of them have cute signs outside indicating what they sell. See next pic! I also took pictures of octopuses (octopi?), pigs/pork, crabs etc.


Huge puffer fish (fugu) in front of a restaurant.


Pausing to stop for a shot before we went for dinner. That tall-ish yellow thing behind is a ferris wheel. I've been itching to sit on a really big one ever since I saw the London eye. Nothing comes close! Left to right: Hiromi, Maiko, me and Kor.


Okonomiyaki. Clockwise from top left: The hot-flavoured one, with a melted bear, the special which contains squid and prawns dunno what else, and the pink heart-shaped one is mochi cheese or something. I like the special the best!


Ready to eat! Itadikimasu!


Night scene in Doutonburi, Osaka. Many neon signboards.


Last picture of the day, specially taken for Carine! :) Japan is truly the land of Hello Kitty. They have Hello Kitty versions of almost everything. Cookies and sweets, Tokyo Tower souvenirs, bags, and now even karaoke. The sign means "Hello Kitty's Karaoke Room". Can't imagine what the decoration inside must be like. Pink, pink and more pink.