Today was definitely less exploratory than yesterday - since we wanted to rest a bit, time was spent either in the hotel or walking around the Umeda neighborhood.
For our first meal, to be a bit healthier, we headed to the department stores to check out what bento boxes were available. Turns out the Hanshin building has a huge selection of vendors offering every possible combination of bento you could think of. Even if what you wanted wasn't there, you could buy enough small plates to make your own unique combo! I found a place that specializes in tamagoyaki and then supplemented the bento with a small container of pickles veggies.
I'm not sure if we were just lucky, but the floor above the bento boxes was also dedicated to a special food event, which brought in vendors from all over Osaka. One of the vendors had snacks from other regions of Japan! Of course, I bought some sakura-themed snacks and drinks, in addition to others that seemed interesting (e.g. premium coffee jelly, chestnut pie, and salted butter melon pan).
After lunch, I explored more of the shops to add to our pile of souvenirs from yesterday until my arms were full. I'll say this about my experiences today - when I got the chance to chat with one of the locals, it was such a pleasure to laugh over miscommunications via Google Translate and share how much we both enjoy the food in Osaka. I don't think I would have gotten the same interaction in Tokyo - they're hospitable, but much more formal. It was also wild seeing the continuous giant crowds of people on a Saturday eating food at all hours of the day - and queueing up to buy food at all the vendors in the mall. I thought there might be a rush hour, but on a weekend, I guess all hours are busy!
I also saw for the first time a Starbucks store dedicated entirely to tea! The Teavana logo was large and emphasized across the back wall of the shop, and there was a sizeable crew working efficiently to deliver drinks to a never-ending audience. A lot of the customers were there to sample seasonal cherry blossom drinks that were limited to only a handful of locations, this being one of them - me included!
The rain did sputter all day, but it didn't deter the crowds, especially since there are so many covered walkways on street level, in addition to the labyrinth underground. The dedication to one's fashion sense in Japan was very evident in the presence of umbrellas - I saw pedestrians (and cyclists!) use them outside, and most people were carrying them inside, with no sign of raincoats other than tourists.
When dinnertime rolled around, it was time for ramen. We opted for a place nearby, Ippudo, apparently one of the local favourites - sampling their "white" (non-spicy) tonkotsu ramen as well as their "black" (slightly spicy) version. Both were amazing - thin noodles in a rich broth, with the ability to add on different toppings if their defaults weren't sufficient (e.g. extra green onions, veggies, meat). The egg was cooked to perfection and we were also provided a pitcher of iced rooibos tea to drink, which was surprisingly lovely as an accompaniment to the warm soup.
Tomorrow may also be a more restful day, to bank up our energy for Monday when we visit Universal Studios / Super Mario Land!! We'll see what the weather is like then decide whether we chill out in Osaka or do a day trip out to Kyoto or Himeji.
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