Signs, Signs, Everywhere Signs

These are yesterday's photographs.

Jan 30th

Good question.


This is comforting!


I think I can take the risk of tsunami if it means that I can visit the ocean so easily.

I would write more, but I need to get ready for work soon. Somebody please convince me not to buy a Japanese Wii just so I can buy Wii Fit here.

Kombini Culture

If you want to make people really uncomfortable, take pictures of a yet-to-be-opened convenience store at night. Being a foreigner on a bike helps too.

When I finally make that big journey back home to America, I am fairly certain that one of the things I am going to miss the most will be the Almighty Convenience Store. Convenience stores (kombini in Japanese) are prevalent here in a way that boggled my mind the first time I came here. I've mentioned this before, but it bears repeating: the convenience store is one of the essential facets of life in Japan.

There are many different chains of convenience stores. This one is on my way home from work on Thursdays; it is, as you can see, an ampm (pronounced A-M-P-M, like the times of day) and will have its "grand opening" on the 31st. I'm a bit excited in a geeky way. This particular chain has always been one of the better ones in my area, so to have one so close to my apartment will be really nice.

I love convenience stores. I guess they're really nothing special, and at times they can be downright frustrating (except for core items, they tend to change their stock every month or so, which means that you can't let yourself find new favorite drinks or snacks because it will only end in heartache), but I still spend way too much money at these suckers. I can't go a day without sneaking into one to buy some water and bread. (Or, recently, as my building's washing machine is overloaded and broken, underwear.) I let myself get swept up in the new stock and promotions, practically tossing money at whatever new random cute thing I don't need but could have -- conveniently! It's a dangerous relationship, but I'm going to miss it when it's gone.

Anyway, ampm is one of my favorite chains. The other ones close to my apartment aren't as nice. We have two Lawsons that are regularly out of stock (and haunted by creepy drunks) and a Sunkus that never has what I want it to. Now, if this was a Seven-Eleven, I'd be a lot more excited, but hopefully this particular franchise won't let me down.

(Yes, Mom, we have 7-11s. No, they don't have slushies.)

A Very Overdue Post

I'm sorry for the lack of posts lately. I have been taking pictures, but a recent funk stole from me any energy or inspiration for writing up these boring pictorial accounts of my life here. However, I've finally cheered, so please enjoy a few days worth of catch up!

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Jan 25th

Yes, my picture on Sunday was of my defaced magazine.

This is an advertisement in Kansai Scene, I believe. KS is one of the free English magazines that floats around the Kansai area, and I'm an avid reader of it because it combines my two favorite qualities: easy reading and no cost. I apologize deeply to the model, but of all the pictures I took on Sunday, this was the only one that actually said something about how I was feeling. There is most definitely a desired "type" for foreigners here in Japan, and I can tell you a few things that said type isn't: short, dark haired, dark eyed, occasionally moody. Guess who's a short, dark haired, dark eyed, occasionally moody girl?

Anyway, I don't usually care, but Sunday was a downer of a day, so having my lack of even conceptual desirability rubbed in my face by some business firm's vacant advertisement... reduced me to a five year old, apparently. And you know what? I felt much better afterwards.

The Subway also helped.

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Jan 26th

This is a "curry udon" shop in the very outskirts of Namba. I really love this curry udon shop, and all I really wanted on Monday were thick noodles in a spicy broth. That's all I wanted. And then I got this.

What is this, you ask? Let me tell you. It's a TRICK. It's a mean, conniving TRICK. Do you see that orange sign? The orange sign says to feel free to come in and BUY FOOD. But right underneath it was that blue CLOSED sign. I struggled for about a minute and a half (I wish I was lying) trying to figure out which one to believe before feeling the hand of a higher power push me to the side window, where a sign was up saying that, just to spite me, they had shortened their hours on just that day.

You won the battle, curry udon shop, but not the war. Next time, your noodles are mine.

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Jan 27th

I took this while trying to balance on my bike as I rode down towards Nankai Namba station. It was a beautiful day and my inner eight year old was enthralled by the blue sky and the sunshine and the way the wind felt on my skin. It may not look like a very interesting photograph to you, but I think I'll always remember the giddy astonishment of my existence in this city that I felt as I pushed the shutter button.

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Jan 28th

I apparently took over 200 pictures today.

I was given some awesome news last night. My best friend was just offered a job over here in Japan, which is pretty much the best news I could have wished for. I woke up today feeling really happy for the first time in months, and when I ran to the convenience store in the morning to pick up some food, I was struck by how amazing the weather was.

I have a bit of a bad habit. Once I get an idea in my head, it's fairly impossible to get said idea out. Today's brilliant idea was "let's ride our bicycle to the port and aquarium, despite not really knowing where, exactly, it is." I knew what subway station it was closest to, so I figured I'd make the rest up as I went along. (I wish I was joking.)

Anyway, the port is about 8 miles away by subway, so I don't really know how long that is in road miles, especially since I got lost a few thousand times on the way there and back. The important part is I actually did it, and I had an absolutely amazing time.

On the way there.


There is an enormous Ferris Wheel at the port. It claims to be the tallest in the world, but I'm not 100% sure about that. Anyway, I rode it all by myself (much to the confusion of the staff) and the view from the top was amazing.

The aquarium was a mixed bag for me. I love aquariums, because I've always loved sea creatures and dim lighting (two things aquariums tend to have in abundance). However, this is Japan, and hence the aquarium -- like everything else -- is a couples activity. Hence my awkward foreign body had to compete with dozens of couples walking at snails paces as they held hands and cooing at each other as they hogged every good viewing spot.

I'm not bitter at all.

I promised myself I would not spam this blog with my ten thousand pictures of fish and marine life, but I hope you can forgive a few.

I love the out of place guy near the front.




It looks like a scene from a Disney movie, doesn't it?


Mr. Turtle.


I think nature's pretty cool.

I am going to spare you all the rest -- for now. I pretty much took pictures of everything in the entire aquarium, and what I couldn't take pictures of I took video of, so if anybody is desperate to see a whale shark or something, let me know.

PS: Mom, there were some ENORMOUS fish in one of the displays, and all I could think of was "would Grandpa eat this?" Ahaha.

The harbor.


My bike right before I left.
The bear is another stinkin' Rilakkuma thing. As much as I know that I don't need any more Rilakkuma junk, the moment I see his vacant face I'm begging to give my money away.


The ride home as a bit harder, as I'd forgotten the very creative way I'd found to get there, and hence had to make up a new route back.
This was the last stretch. Riding my bike under the evening sky, I suddenly felt at home in my surroundings, as if I was not any particular label -- A Foreigner, An American, An English Teacher -- but was just another person whizzing past the lit up trees illuminating Midosuji Avenue, just trying to make my way home.

It's now past midnight, so this will just be a makeup post! I'm sorry, once again, for the sudden absence. I can't say it won't happen again, but hopefully you won't miss me too much. If you do, send Rilakkuma goods. Or M&Ms.

Slummin' it up in Fashion

I find it funny that the only things in this strip of my neighborhood that are ever updated are those signs. Samantha Thavasa's bags are huge here, and the other poster is for the yet unreleased (here) Clint Eastwood movie Changeling. The vending machine you might be able to make out is amongst the cheapest ones in all of Japan. I was told the 60 yen ones were the cheapest, but I actually found a 40 yen one in my random urban exploration. No, I didn't drink anything from it.

I am the Lorax, I speak for the trees -- for the trees have no tongues.

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The next two photos are for my mother. The part of Osaka City that I live in lacks greenery (if you haven't yet noticed) but I really loved the colors of this plant. What is it?

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Now I will resume reading about Aretha Franklin's hat. Thank you very much for looking at today's entry. It was a very beautiful but very cold day. By "cold" I mean "low 30s," which means I am officially a Wuss. Hooray!

The Way Home

This is one of the busiest intersections in Osaka, although it doesn't particularly look like it from the outside. Trying to ride your bike through the (all too fast) green light means playing a real-life version of the old classic Frogger, looping around people and past the obscenely slow-footed youth of this city while, simultaneously, trying to not knock into the dozens of other bikes speeding by. Inner city biking is the best, and I recommend it to absolutely anybody who has an interest in almost killing themselves or other people dozens of times a day.

Today is the third day in a row that I've eaten at Subway. I can't help it. Their "seasonal" menu (nearly every fast food restaurant here carries temporary "seasonal" items, which naturally always appeal more to me than the rest of their offerings) is the "chili bean wrap" -- it's merely chili beans, cheese, tomato and peppers wrapped up in a toasted tortilla, but as tortillas themselves are difficult to find here for less than a billion trillion dollars, I am hooked. It's almost like Mexican food. By which I mean, it's almost like poor American Mexican food.

I give up. I can't defend it. It's total crap. But I love it. I'll probably eat it tomorrow too.

Anyway, the entire reason for that segue is that I was on my way home from Subway when I snapped that picture. Eat fresh, people. Somebody, please enjoy a meatball sandwich for me, as our Subways, while being one of the few places in Japan to carry turkey, lacks the cheap, greasy meatballs I love from home.

I always end up craving meatballs when I'm abroad!

Lawlessness in the City

For a city that boasts such a huge population of bicycle riders, Osaka is a terribly unfriendly place to ride. Not only do you have to loop through and around the maddeningly random and impossible to predict pedestrian traffic, but finding a place to legally park your bike, once you reach your destination, is also difficult. Bike racks are rare; cyclers are not supposed to park in front of most train stations, but nearly everybody does anyway. The cops usually only come around once a day to take illegally parked bikes, so as long as you know when they come -- the rationale goes -- you're fine.

I'm chicken. I will park my bike in front of a station if I absolutely have to, but I usually try and find a paid parking lot instead. I may be one of the few people who actually routinely utilize the underground parking garage at Namba Parks. Today's photograph was snapped on the way back from the gym (in the rain. Without an umbrella. Because I'm smart.) heading towards the paid lot in front of Abeno Lucias. It sucks paying 150 yen to park your bike, but to me it's worth the peace of mind.

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Cultural note: in Japan, most houses contain a piece of furniture called a kotatsu. This heavenly device is merely a low table with a heater built underneath, usually with some sort of blanket surrounding it to keep the heat in; you can put your legs underneath it and keep toasty and warm even in the most incliment of weather.

Sounds nice, right? If I stay here through another winter, I plan on buying one.

Anyway, that was all prelude to say that Japan, there are no kotatsu in America! I am sure it is a joke, but you would not believe the number of students that ask me this on especially cold days.

I really would love one of those action figures, though.

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Mother, you would be pleased to know that Womanizer came on MTV Japan's top 20 download countdown as I was walking the treadmill at the gym today. I was very happy for it, as the rest of the countdown was super sentimental and wistful, and the last thing I need to be known for is the weepy foreigner at the gym.

(That said, there is no reason for Otsuka Ai's new song Ai to have such a sappy video. It's a crime against humanity, by which I mean me.)

My favorite part of working out is coming home and eating candy.

Rain in Tennoji

It was rainy today.

I'm aware that this blog is probably not the most interesting thing in the entire world to look at or read. (That award would go to Goma, naturally.) I'm still getting the hang of this whole routine, so I hope those of you who bother reading will forgive me the lack of amazingly fascinating content. I swear I go around all day thinking of interesting posts, but the instant I get home I'm attacked by a Lethargy Monster and want nothing more than to sit around and eat bread.

I eat a lot of bread.

I do want to eventually make this blog more interesting and more INTENSE (to use 1990's marketing jingo), but I still need time to get used to posting almost daily. I've historically been a very lazy blogger and an even lazier writer, but if the goal of this blog is to chronicle every day of this year, I really need to toughen up.

Daily life in Osaka excites me, bores me, frustrates me, enthralls me. There are days when I am fascinated by every little thing, and then there are days when I just want to stay inside and play video games. (And, of course, eat bread.) The Japan you see as a resident is much different than the Japan you see as a tourist, and while I suppose my blog is currently lacking in the EVERYTHING IS SO SPARKLY AND EXCITING!!! side of Japan, it's true to my fairly regular existence.

That said, today I joined a gym where they have televisions attached to the treadmills. I watched MTV Japan's "USA Top 20 Countdown" and I am fairly sure it was misrepresenting the current musical climate in the States. You guys aren't really obsessed with Enya, right? And Miss Independent was so... months ago.

That's why I looooove heeeeer....

Everyone Needs a Friend

A few days ago I posted about my new stuffed bee, as of yet unnamed but affectionately called Honey. I love my bee dearly. He is a great cuddling partner in bed and an even better pillow. He makes me smile whenever I see his eternally cheerful face.

But I knew that inside his little buzzing heart, he must have been crying. Why, the rest of my stuffed animals here are all of the bear variety -- mostly panda, but occasionally Rilakkuma. As it was, he was the sole outsider, the only foreigner in my bamboo land. I sympathized with his situation. Everybody wants a friend.

Hello.

Meet Horton.

I don't know much about Horton yet, but I do know that the instant I saw him in the store, I knew that nobody in the entire world could love him more than I would. And perhaps my Bee.

I'm praying I'm reunited with my best friend soon.

Monday in the Park

Monday afternoon at Naniwa Park.


Children playing.


Urban solitude.

I'm Picking Up a Baby Bumblebee...

Hello.

I saw this guy at the Namba City shopping center on Tuesday and could not resist the urge to throw 1000 yen at the store clerk and whisk him away. Actually, that's a bit of a lie. I've been eyeing this handsome fellow for weeks now -- months, most likely -- but it was only on Tuesday that my "cheapskate" gene shut down and hence the love and companionship of a cylindrical stuffed bee suddenly seemed priceless.

I haven't given him a name yet. Any ideas?

(And yes, that is my bed. I sleep on a very uncomfortable "sofa bed" that I've attempted to improve by folding both a mattress pad and a comforter over it. It does not fold out, and hence I can only roll in place. I have a feeling that this is the reason that I have been playing a lot of Katamari Damacy lately. I also think that at least 3% of my occasional homesickness is caused by a deep desire for my old bedding.)

Cloudy in Kishiwada, Clear Skies in Tennoji

Apologies for the second double update this week. I've randomly caught Yet Another Japanese Plague and hence have not been able to find the proper energy to 1) stand up, 2) walk the meter to where my bag is and 3) find my SD card. I braved the jungle that is my room in order to bring all four of my regular visitors their daily dose of Things I See in Osaka, so here you go!

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January 16th

I went to Kishiwada again for work yesterday.
It was very cloudy, but my spirits were bright, as the Kishiwada branch of my company is my favorite.
This picture was taken from one of the Nankai station's exits.


Another crooked picture, but I like the architecture.


Out the other exit, towards McDonalds, which is truly the most important landmark in Kishiwada.
Speaking of McDonalds, they have recently started selling a new "Italian Chicken Fillet" sandwich here. By the picture, it looked like chicken parmigiana in a bun.
That is not what it really is.
I was very, very sad.
Please don't let this happen to you.


I love this random palm tree.
I also love this stupid fast food restaurant.
I had a "fried oyster rice bowl" and another thing of spicy "tantan" noodles.
My tastes have utterly warped here.

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January 17th

This is Tennoji Station and the Mio shopping center.
I have a love/hate relationship with Tennoji.
I love Tennoji because it is an amazingly convenient place, with a number of useful train lines and connections, and because the shopping is fantastic in its many malls and franchise stores.
I hate Tennoji because almost every Unforgivably Creepy person I've encountered in Japan has been either in or from Tennoji, including the random hunchbacked man who went around JR Tennoji attempting to lick schoolgirls.

Sometimes I am so happy that I'm plain.

A Wish

This is a "finding employment" charm.
I bought it on January 1st.
Someone very dear to me has a very important interview today, so I've been carrying it around everywhere in the hopes that it might help.
I figure "hanging" it from this site too couldn't hurt.
Good luck, buddy!

Two for the Price of One

I'm sorry for not posting yesterday! I was busy at work and wasn't able to get back to my computer until today. Hence I will be posting two days worth of pictures in this entry; please, don't cry, it's not becoming of you.

January 13th

The inside of JR Tennoji station. I seriously didn't mean to capture the random angel on the ceiling.


My friend Mariko and I at all night karaoke.
I'm not sure which one of us looks more like a foreigner, to be honest.

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January 14th

I like these shots because they make the area near where I live look like the setting of some strange science fiction novel.
(That would explain some of the weirdos I see wandering around, at least... and no, I don't mean myself. Usually.)


Look in the background. Sure, the cars and street look typically metropolitan, but do you see the weird pyramid structure in the distance? How about the "space age" (in some ways, literally) tower?


I wonder what those police are talking about, or what's on that dude in the background's mind?

Lovely Mariko is a chain smoker, so being in a small room with her for hours singing has unfortunately given me a lovely cough and sore throat. Does anybody out there have any suggestions on how to clear my poor lungs of second hand smoke? I've tried drinking gallons of water and taking a shower, but I'm open to other ideas too. It's even making my nose sore and itchy, which I'm sure registers as perhaps the most tragic story in the news today.

As the cold wind blows...

I took a bike ride through part of the ghetto today.
(This is, of course, not a picture of me.)




I know it's a little crooked.
The people around me were very uncomfortable with my picture taking.
This is the local supermarket.


Sometimes I try to imagine what this section of town must have looked like twenty, thirty years ago.
The dirty yellow sign is for an old candy store.
I like to picture it in its prime, some friendly old man or woman handing out sweets to the neighborhood children.




This, to me, marks the start of 'the better side of south Osaka.'
Family Mart is a famous convenience store chain here. Convenience stores have a sort of importance in Japan that they never could have in the US; they are not usually attached to gas stations, but instead are standalone entities. Most people go to the convenience store (the konbini) every night after work to pick up some drinks and snacks, maybe a boxed lunch or dinner.
When you go to rent an apartment, one of the questions you will be asked is "how close do you want the nearest convenience store to be?"
Anyway, Family Mart is my favorite. The restaurant on top is called Bikkuri Donkii and is a hamburger restaurant that I've never actually been to.
It's a chain, and as far as I've seen, they all look like that.


A church I saw on the way home. These aren't as common here as you might be used to.


On the way back home, I passed by this store and had to quickly take a photo.
It's nice to know that even in hard economic times in the roughest part of town, there is still room for a flower shop.