OSAKA

Osaka, which means large hill, has a population of 2.7 million (was up to 3.1 million in 1965) and is the largest component of the Keihanshin (or Greater Osaka) Metropolitan Area, the second largest in Japan, and tenth biggest urban area in the world, with 19 million inhabitants.  

• From the early beginning of the country, Osaka was traditionally considered to be Japan's economic hub, having a major port in the 7th and 8th centuries, and continuing to flourish during the Edo Period (1603-1867), becoming the center for Japanese culture, with Kyoto and Nara in this region.  Our two final stops on this Japan trip are to these two cities.

• 
  Kyoto was the capital of Japan for more than a millennium, from 794 through 1868.
• All changed that year when the capital was moved to Edo, which was renamed Tokyo.
• Osaka was hit hard by U.S. bombing during World War II, particularly just before the end.
• Reconstruction stimulated population growth.
• 
  Osaka hosted the World Expo in 1970, and will again do so in 2025.
• The city's most famous landmark is Osaka Castle, built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1583.
• Is home to Shitenno-ji, the oldest Buddhist temple in Japan, established by Prince Shotoku 1400 years ago.
• Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan has two whale sharks.
• I first went there more than 30 years ago and saw them.
• However, my stop in 2012 reported that Yu-Chan and Kai-kun were away on vacation, meaning they were sick, and they subsequently died.

• 
  Incidentally, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia was selected to host World Expo 2030, beating our Busan, South Korea and Rome, Italy.

I have been to Osaka so many times, I've lost count.  

• I was a minor part of a team nearly a third of a century ago to plan for an ambitious mass transit system around Osaka Bay, and my contribution was to internationalize each train station to feature countries, just like in Disney's Epcot Center World Showcase.

• 
  If this effort became reality, Osaka would have thus become the world capital.
• Imagine one station being Chinese.  They would bring two real pandas, open restaurants and hotels, etc.  The architecture would be from that country.
• Then another from France, etc.
• Thus, more than a dozen mass transit stations, each featuring the lifestyle, cuisine and culture of those regions.

Then came the Great Hanshin Earthquake of 1995, only 7.3 Moment Magnitude, but 6,434 people died, and our project came to an end.  I, however, again used this concept as explained in one of my Huffington Post articles in 2010, proposing the Sustainable Expo of 2020.

To link with the "Lockheed Martin/Disney" platform, rather than set aside a plot of land and have various countries build structures that will become obsolete, there already are twenty ideal locations awaiting inspiration. Honolulu is suffering through the pangs of planning a mass transit system. Funding crises will no doubt appear, again and again. Why not find a way to allow international teams to finance, design and manage these stations? Like in EPCOT Center around a lake, each site would feature a different region of the world interfacing, in principle, with the Pacific Ocean. A China village, with the architecture, restaurants and entertainment otions of that country. Maybe they'll bring and leave two pandas. Same for Japan, Korea, the European Community, South America, Africa...and more.

That Lockheed Martin/Disney platform was to be the first step of the Blue Revolution.

The Marriott Miyako Osaka begins on the 38th floor, and goes up to 55.

This is a Mormon hotel, and three religious books are provided in each room.

The executive lounge is excellent, with a plethora of drinks, quite spacious and an good assortment of appetizers.

Shanghai Soup Dumplings were featured.  Had seven of them.

Ended with a pizza and assortment drinks.

Night view from our room.

Walked 4677 steps today.

Goodnight.

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HO CHI MINH CITY, HANGZHOU and OSAKA

Again, no Trump.  We're leaving in about a month to the Osaka Expo, then a cruise from Yokohama to Vancouver.  Thus, today, a look at travel, featuring Condé Nast Traveler's Best Places to Go in Asia in 2025, where Osaka is featured.  First, Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City, which was known as Saigon during and before their war with the U.S.

• Has grown into one of the world's fastest growing tourism powerhouse.
• Have been there a couple of times.  Here are some tidbits from 2009.
• Interesting that I said the population is nearing 10 million, and expected to reach 20 million in 2020.  

• 
  Well, this is 2025 and the population is 9.8 million.
• Located 1100 miles south of Hanoi.
• That population is for the metropolitan area.  For only the city itself.
• HCMCity  3.5 million
• Hanoi  1.4 million
• Da Nang  0.75 million

• 
  This is surprising, for Vietnam is in the northern hemisphere, but HCMCity is cooler in September than January and February because of the monsoon season from May to November.  This is when it rains more.
• A 15-minute taxi ride is from $3-$5, but always use one with a meter, and there still is a lot of haggling.  Pre-book through your hotel to minimize being overcharged.

• 
  There are 78 universities and colleges in the city, with Vietnam National University at #1.  However, it only ranks #671 in the world.
• Don't jog because there are too many motorcycles that dart around.  There are 4 million of them.  Also, bad air pollution.

• 
  The Sheraton, where I stayed, had the best executive club of any in the world, but only if you stay in the newer and more expensive tower, which is not so costly for a major city.
• They have very large catfish in the Mekong River.  This one is 9 feet long and 646 pounds.

• Oh yes, and also stingrays, perhaps up to 20 feet and 1320 pounds.

• 
  When I left my hotel to go to the airport:

My cab ride to Ton Son Nhat International Airport was harrowing. At 3:45AM, vehicles, at some speed, go right through red lights. Thus, I felt safer sneaking through a red light because the driver was somewhat cautious. A red is taken to be yellow here. However, barreling through a green light was high adventure because who knows what was coming from right or left. On arrival, there was a mob outside the airport, so I thought it was closed. Oh no, not another Cairo experience (see Chapter 6 of SIMPLE SOLUTIONS for Humanity).

• 
  City has a new metro which just opened.
• Finally got a one-star Michelin restaurant, the Anan Saigon, but the best is hu tieu noodle soup from a hawker and banh mi sandwiches.  Remember, the French suffered here for a long time before the Americans, and brought excellent now fusion cuisine.
• If you ever go to Vietnam, and you should do this between December and April, you need a visa.  Read about my ignorance and woe.
• Condé Nast recommends you stay at the Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel....and splurge in the newer tower if you are a Marriott Platinum Member.

Next Hangzhou, China.

• I was there in 1997.  Read a summary from my SIMPLE SOLUTIONS for Humanity.

Thus, I woke up that fateful morning to catch a flight to Hangzhou. I got a call saying the area was fogged in, so wait in my room until further notice. Finally, I was picked up and boarded the plane, but it was still foggy. The flight nevertheless took off, and I never saw land until, a short while later, a sudden bump announced our arrival at the Jianqiao Airport. I was initially impressed with the unbelievable radar system, but then decided they had just winged it. I was alive, so all was well.

Hangzhou is located in the Yangtze River Delta. The city is 2,200 years old and is famous for its natural scenery. While the population today is greater than 6 million, in 1276, already a million people lived there. Marco Polo then called it the finest and noblest in the world.

• 
  From CN Traveler:

You know a city is having a moment when Chanel decides to host a runway show there—in December, the French fashion house unveiled its Métiers d’Art 2025 collection in Hangzhou, the capital of China’s Zhejiang province. This is already one of the country’s most-visited cities, with its snow-dusted Broken Bridge, picturesque West Lake, spring willows along Su Causeway, and Leifeng Pagoda silhouetted against dramatic sunsets.

In 2025, the city will highlight some of these natural attractions as host of UNESCO’s fifth World Conference on Biosphere Reserves, which will address global concerns about environmental issues, sustainable development, and biodiversity conservation. The Tianmu Mountain Nature Reserve in Lin’an—one of the first sites in China to achieve UNESCO biosphere reserve status—possesses the world's largest ancient Cryptomeria forest community, as well as the oldest natural ginkgo forest.

There are plenty of direct flights to Hangzhou, or visitors can take advantage of high-speed trains from Shanghai’s Hongqiao Station, which reach Hangzhou East Station within an hour. March to May is peak tourism season in Hangzhou, when vibrant blooms and misty rains vividly repaint its natural landscapes. There are plenty of new hotel options emerging, but those looking for a more classic stay should head to the Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou at West Lake.  China plans to build a MagLev line connecting Hangzhou and Shanghai.  An hour trip is cut to 9 minutes.

Condé Nast Traveler also covered Aseer Province/Saudi Arabia, Karakol/Kyrgyzstan, Kuala Lumpur/Malaysia, Muscat/Oman, Pererenan/Bali, Prayagraj/India and Osaka/Japan.  I've been to Kuala Lumpur and Muscat.  Read the article for details on those others, for I will end only with Osaka, where I visited at least 20 times in my life.

• 
  Here is review I made about Osaka in 2023, another posting from 2014, and an even earlier one in 2012.
• A big attraction is the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan.
• I went there in 2012, looking forward to the whale sharks.  Well, they were said to be on vacation elsewhere, meaning they died or were sick.
• 
  It was still worthwhile.
• However, I read that there are now two whale sharks.
• Another is the Osaka Castle.
• Goes back to the Shoguns of the 1600s.
• Built of wood, and has been rebuilt at least twice, if not seven times.  Earthquakes, fires and World War II also did damage.
• 
  Osaka World Expo from April 13 to October 13.  28 million visitors expected.  
• The Expo is on a newly created island in Osaka Bay, called Yumeshima, with a new metro station.
• Fly into Kansai International Airport, although the Shinkansen is only a 2.5 hour train ride from Tokyo.  You might thus be able to see Mount Fuji coming and going.

• 
  There is a JR Kansai Area pass for unlimited use.
• The next Expo will be Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2030.
• Osaka (train) Station is the largest in western Japan.
• Food haven KITTE Osaka opened last year within the JP Tower Osaka, featuring 50-plus new dining spots embodying the essence of Japan's Kitchen.

• 
  Grand Green Osaka, a green space project, also opened here last year, with Umekita Park.
• Also just opened is the Autograph Collection New Osaka Hotel.
• Other new hotels in the city are Waldorf Astoria Osaka and Four Seasons Osaka.  Not cheap, but more than a 1000 rooms each, with a level of elegance and serenity to overwhelm.

Oh, I should warn you that for most in the U.S. (Hawaii and Arizona are exceptions), tonight you will need to move your clock one hour later for Daylight Saving Time.  You get one less hour of sleep.  From Pew.

• 
  Only a third of the world's countries practice DST, and those that do are mostly in Europe.  
• Egypt  ended DST in 2014, but brought it back. It is the only African nation on DST.
• Half of countries once did this, but no longer.  Mexico stopped in 2022.
• Very complicated exactly when this occurs around the world.

• 
  Did you know that the U.S. is one of the few countries with multiple time zones?  Trick question, but the U.S. has nine time zones....because of the territories.  Why....but 15 states have more than one time zone.
• Russia has 11 time zones, all with the same time.
• Some countries use times not on the hour.  I won't explain this, but be careful in Afghanistan, India, Iran, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Australia, Canada and Nepal.
• Donald Trump promised to end Daylight Savings Time.  Will he?

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2016 JAPAN SAKURA ADVENTURE: Day 11--Whale Sharks, Osaka Castle and Kigawa

This was the best day of my trip thus far.  Breakfast here was excellent.  We had a free day, and I did what I wanted to do, for I will return to Tokyo tomorrow morning while the Panda Tour goes to Osaka Castle and Kaiyukan, the Osaka Aquarium, which is locally advertised as the largest in the world.  One problem is that it is not even in the top ten according to this list.  While there are various parameters to determine largeness, the consensus is that the Georgia Aquarium is #1.

My first stop was the Osaka Aquarium.  

Here are some attractions:

Did you know that the capybara is the largest rodent?

The two stars, and many consider this to be cruel, are two whale sharks.  Of course, I'm condemned more than any aquaria, for I've looked into Whale Shark replacing beef.  Here's an earlier article.  Interesting that my whale shark postings regularly are among the most popular.  So, anyway, there are to smiling whale sharks in Osaka:

Then, the Chuo Line comveniently took me to Osaka Castle.  Incidentally, I bought a one-day pass for $7, where I can catch any local subway and buses.  

You can barely see the castle in the middle.  The cherry blossoms were at an absolute peak, with a  few petals now falling.  I had a modest hanami:

At the base of this tree you can see sake, hotdog and mouse:

I'm having an early dinner tonight.  After lunch I bought a Kirin, and found a second use for the small towel the Towel Museum gave me.  The first is to wipe my and after going to the restroom.  They don't provide paper towels here.  The towel protected my hand as I carried the beer, and it lasted for another hour and a half as I walked around Osaka Castle, mostly because I couldn't find a trash can.

I saw a cute dog having a hanami with two girls and asked if I could take their photo.  Unfortunately, you can only barely see the dog (note that he has his own plate).

I might add that at Ueno Park or Shinuku Goen, you pretty much need to bring your tarp or blanket and eat on the ground.  Here at Osaka Castle, there are various options ranging from tables to benches to an assortment of other options that make it more convenient for singles or couples.

So more photos:

My Blue Bar Pigeon came by to say goodbye.

But this was not the end of the day.  After a hot bath, I walked to Naniwa Kappo Kigawa, a French-style Japanese restaurant operated by Osamu Ueno. The hotel made this reservation for me as the best available on short notice.  Osaka has now a number of kappa type establishments, perhaps best explained by this Wall Street Journal review.

They were initially quite protective.  No flash,  Take photos only of your food, not the people.  However, I snuck in this shot below of how the place looks.  I was the first one there, but the place was filled  when I left.  Actually, there are two floors of eleven seats each, and I'm not sure how upstairs was doing.

If I explained the 12 courses I had, this posting would go on forever.  So, let me me detail just one course of seven sushis:

• ocellated octopus dill's flavor jelly
• cherry blossom's leaf sushi of white bait
• jelly fish and Yacon sesame vinegar
• Japanese Tiger Shrimp and Japanese pepper
• thistle and sea urchin sauce
• chinese yam with plum and honey such
• bracken lily bulb

The typos are theirs. If you count less than seven, that is because I ate two before realized I had not take a photo of this plate.  I've never had any of these sushi before.  Each was exquisite.  Here are the rest in pictures:

With a large bottle of beer and a small flask of hot sake, the price was around $200.  I would say it was well worth the cost.

On the way back to my room I stopped by Don Quixote just because we have one in Hawaii, which is much larger.  I bought a box of bubbling bath salts.

  Across the street is the Cross Hotel.

Tomorrow, back to Tokyo, then, after one night there, on to Hokkaido.

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