Tourists…

I don’t care if I am a tourist.

I don’t care their a vital part of the economy.

I am just sick of tourists at all the touristy places…

So, what should I have expected. Osaka Castle in cherry blossom season would be full of tourists and locals out at Hanami (cherry blossom picnics).

Of course, where there’s people theres food stalls and performers and super long lines.

I left my hotel as late as possible. I had booked luggage transport to the airport, but my hotel didn’t work with that company, so there was miscommunication that went on through email throughout the day. But my luggage did successfully make it.

By the time I got to the castle, it was already 11, basically. I thought it was packed then. Boy, was I wrong.

As with most castles, they cover a lot of ground. Most have been reclaimed and transformed into buildings, sports ovals, etc. I left the JR station and stumbled across a fluffy pancake restaurant. I waited about 5mins before I was let in. I was going to get the fluffy pancakes but was put off by the fact that their 3 pile stack had a fruit pancake, a chocolate pancake, and an egg pancake with hollandaise sauce.

Instead, I got the apple, cinnamon, not fluffy pancake. It was good, but there’s just something about a warm pancake with maple syrup and butter that’s hard to beat.

Kept on heading to the castle after dawdling some more.

Found more food stalls, ate the instagram famous 10yen shaped dorayaki (sweet pancake with filling), it had cheese in it, and it was not a good combo. The batter was sweet and sweet, and there was not enough cheese to balance that.

Kept dawdling and climbing and pausing and dawdling and pausing my way to the keep.

Got there and saw a performer doing kendama (ball and stick toy) tricks.

Thought about going inside the castle keep but then I saw the line so massive I couldn’t fit it in one photo.

Chose to go to the shop instead. Browsed, sat dawdled. It was about 2pm, when I found the basement had another gacha section (not completely cured after all). There was also a figurine museum, so I went through that and left about 3 pm.

Was walking back out when I decided to stop by a restaurant for a late lunch, early dinner. Earlier, it had taken about 5mins of waiting to get in. I was standing outside for about 30-40mins and was just about to leave when they called us in.

So close to leaving. I got a Hmaburger steak set. Basically, it’s a hamburger patty with sauce and rice.

Got back on the train and rode the loop line all the way to the airport. Picked up luggage, dropped off internet. Then, I got in line to check in. Ate Fami Chiki, Family Mart’s (conveience store) signature food. I wasn’t overly wowed. It is what it is, I preferred Lawson’s cheese chicken nuggets.

That’s it now. It’s goodbye, Japan. Hello Australia.