March 31, 2013

In the Dead of Nakasaki-cho

Near Nakasaki-cho Station in Osaka. I'd heard it was an interesting, arty area filled with shops, cafes, and galleries.

It's hard to tell when the stores aren't even open. This was at 11am on a Sunday morning.

Judging by the handful of stalls that were open, it seemed like your regular old shotengai (shopping arcade), with cheap food, clothing shops, and pharmacies. Not quite the Koenji I was hoping for.

To be fair, I should save my judgement until I actually visit this area at night.

A sign for the koban (police station).

A bookstore posted a very long-winded, borderline incoherent message saying that it would not be open that day. ("To be stepped on and kicked at but grow to be strong -- that is the life of a weed. We believe books are life.")

The tiger is a nod to the baseball team Hanshin Tigers.

Coffee bean dispenser.

A takoyaki stand and its ever-innovative menu. I did not have the courage to try out the Takolian -- takyoyaki with semi Italian food-inspired toppings such as ginger sauce, wasabi, yuzu (a type of citrus) pepper and parma ham, and tomato sauce and cheese.

Osaka's stray cats are apparently fancy.

The giant tunnel shape of the station looks practically European, but the unabashed use of fluorescent lights is clearly Japanese.

A View of the Osaka City Central Public Hall, which kind of looks like the new Tokyo Station buildings.

The nearby bridge lights up in rainbow colors at night.

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