Osaka (english version)

It's been a while since my last writing. Honestly, I don't know what to write during this pandemic situation. We've been quarantined since march 2020. hmm.. how about I write about my unforgettable trip, it's a Japan trip. Before we begin, I want to tell you that this will be my first English story, because I need to improve my English, and if you don't mind please give me feedback on either my grammar or the story itself. Here we go...

Our trip started in Tokyo, to be specific we arrived at Haneda Airport on February 27, 2019. Before we went out of the airport, we bought Suica and took a shinkansen to Osaka, (we bought JR Pass in Indonesia if I'm not mistaken this ticket can't be bought in Japan, so be sure you buy it in advance). Otherwise, you can buy a ticket plane directly to Osaka. However, I didn't have a choice, because it was a promo ticket. The total journey time was roughly 4 hours.

Osaka is Japan's second-largest metropolitan city after Tokyo. Unlike Tokyo, this city is more rebellious, not as tidy as Tokyo or as Beautiful as Kyoto, but still attractive with its culinary. We stayed in e-hostel Shinsabashi, it has a tiny, clean and comfortable room. We chose a bunk bed, I and my baby slept on the bottom, while my husband slept on the top.  

In the evening we went out to narita ya ramen, which only 450m away. Their opening hours are 11 a.m - 3 p.m/5 p.m - 10 p.m, make sure you come at the certain time. 

In my opinion, the ramen was not as delicious as ramen in Indonesia, probably it didn't meet our expectations, for another halal option, you can try ayam ya in namba station. It costs about 600-900 Y per portion.

narita ya

DOTONBURI

From narita ya we went to Dotonburi, only 1 km away, you can either walk or take a train to namba station. Dotonburi is famous for their street food, and their favorite spots to take pictures are in front of glico man and a giant crab. The street itself was vibrant and crowded. We tried their famous takoyaki which was very delicious, the texture was soft and moist, it had a chewy octopus on the inside, and the sauce was a bit sweet. This was the best takoyaki I've ever tasted, please try it if you are around!  

Takoyaki shop

OSAKA CASTLE

The next morning, we visited Osaka Castle. The nearest station is Osakajokoen station. It took approximately 30 mins from our place. It opens from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. The castle itself is surrounded by secondary citadels, gates, turrets, impressive stone walls, and moats. As we walked down, there were so many pigeons came by.

Osaka castle area

Osaka Castle

For the food, to be honest, we didn't have much time to find halal food, and we were in a rush, so we chose Mc Donald and ordered chicken nuggets, french fries, and a chicken burger.

the street in front of Mc Donald 

We only had one night in Osaka, we moved to Kyoto and Takayama afterwards before returning to Tokyo. I will complete the story in separate parts. Enjoy!