Alex Quinn's Japan Journal

2/20/2005, My favorite places in Japan, so far

My mom will be coming in a while.  I made a list of all of my favorite places, foods, etc. that I want to show her while she's here.  Thought I'd stick it up here.

EXTRA IMPORTANT:

1. Osaka aquarium - About a bazillion times cooler and more beautiful than the Seattle aquarium.  I've never been diving, but I'm sure a diver would find some familiarity in this place.
2. Himeji-jo - The main attraction of Himeji, the closest real city to Aioi. The guidebook says it's .the most magnificent of the handful of Japanese castles that survive in their original (non-concrete) form..  I'd consider it a must see.
3. Minato-ya - An okonomiyaki (see below) restaurant that I go to every week or two.  I consider the owner a real friend. If either of you want to go to a hot spring, Mr. Minato will probably take us.
4. A visit with Akemi - Akemi will most likely be with us during our Osaka exploration. She could also potentially come with us on other explorations, although I'm sure we'll want some time with just the two of us, too.

VARIOUS PLACES I LIKE A LOT

1. Hot spring - Hot springs ("onsen") are a big part of Japanese culture. They take their bathing very seriously.  It's one of the few things here that is truly calm.  If we can get somebody to take us, it would be a great experience for you.  So you know, it's always done in the nude.
2. Rakan-no-sato - A beautiful park in Aioi.  Some very short hikes that are really pretty.
3. Aioi fish and oyster markets - These places are right next to the sea and are, to me, and attraction in themselves. Everything seems very fresh.  Many fish and shellfish are sold live in tanks.  And, the ride and sea nearby are quite beautiful.  There is a guest house where you could stay a night next to the sea if you had an interest.
4. Kiyomizu-dera - Famous temple in Kyoto.
5. Kinkaku-ji - Famous temple in Kyoto.
6. Yakiniku - Grilled meat.  You got to a restaurant with a grill in the middle of the table. They bring you thinly sliced raw meat which you grill yourself. It's really good.
7. Nijo-jo - A castle built in 1603 to house Tokugawa Ieyasu.  Whatever. Not being a history buff, I didn't get a lot out of the castle itself. But, I enjoyed the gardens around Nijo-jo immensely.  Really, I love all Japanese gardens. Probably my favorite real sightseeing.  And, this one was memorable.
8. Ramen - There are restaurants all over that sell nothing but ramen. It's a noodle soop with a rich broth and a little meat and vegetables as a topping. One of my favorite Japanese foods.
9. Udon - (Pronounced ooh-DOAN) A soup with thick white noodles and various other stuff.  One of the heartier Japanese foods.  I like ramen the best, but udon is also very good and worth one of your dinners while you're here.
10. Large department store - They're pretty different here and worth a short trip, if you can handle the intensity.  I suggest the one in Osaka Station.
11. Department store basement eating area - It's a little like a food court you'd find back home, but fairly different and worth the trip.  I suggest the one in Osaka Station.
12. Hiroshima Peace Park - There are a number of monuments in Hiroshima which I think are well worth the trip.  There's a large park, a museum (known for gory photos), and the remains of the bank which was at the epicenter of the bomb.  I went last year.  And, Hiroshima is a really nice city, in general.
13. Hiroshima okonomiyaki (see below) village - One of my favorite foods. Hiroshima and Osaka are known for okonomiyaki and have their own distinct styles.
14. Osaka okonomiyaki (see below) - Different from Hiroshima okonomiyaki.  I like the Osaka style the best, but somehow I eat the Hiroshima kind more often.  I suggest the one in Osaka station.
15. Karaoke - Keeping in mind the karaoke originated in Japan, it is everywhere here and is a very refined form of entertainment.  In its most common form, you rent a room where you can embarrass yourself in private. The staff brings drinks and food to your room.  This is a really cool experience, but we'll need to get some Japanese folks to go along. It's no fun with just foreigners.
16. Nabe - (Pronounced .NAW-bay.) It's a big stew that is always cooked at your table. It usually contains various seafood and vegetables.  Another treasure that never quite made it to the United States.
17. Zosui - (Pronounced .zo-SUE-ee.).  It's a rice porridge made with some kind of seafood.  I've had it with oysters and with salmon.  Akemi made it for me at home once, too.  Delicious ever time.
18. Edo-ya - The best restaurant in Aioi.  .Best. does not mean expensive. It's just a nice place with really good food. And, lucky for us, it's a 10 minute walk from my apartment.
19. Haagen Dazs Cafe in Osaka - The best ice cream sundaes I've ever had.  I know it's not a reason for coming to Japan, but I'm crazy about the place, so I couldn't help but put it on the list.
20. Namba shopping area - Namba is a very busy, hyperactive shopping area in Osaka. That might not sound real attractive, but I think it's worth a short trip.  It's unlike anything I've ever seen in the United States, in scale, form, and intensity.  In addition to the street level scene, there are extensive complexes both above and below ground. Akemi and I go there often to buy ordinary things cheaply and easily.
21. Shikoku Island - A large island that is mostly rural.  Japanese people would probably place it very low on the list of places to go.  But, personally, I think the beautiful train ride alone is well worth the trip. I find the place rather quaint.

NOT SO IMPORTANT, BUT WORTH MENTIONING

1. My school - I haven't checked, but I suspect I could bring you to school for a day if you were interested.  I am at school for 8 hours (including lunch), but I'm only teaching for 3 of them.
2. Aioi central park - Just a big park with a museum and library at the center. Not real exciting, but a visit to the harbor is a nice trip and a nice walk.
3. Kaiten sushi - You may have seen it in the United States.  They make sushi and put it on little plates which go around on a conveyor belt.  You take what you want.  At the end of the night, they count your plates to calculate the bill. It's a good, fun, and affordable way to eat sushi. But, sushi is not my favorite Japanese food, so I've only done this twice in Japan.
4. Kobe beef - Have a steak in Kobe.  Honestly, I've never gone, since it costs around $50 a person, but since Kobe is so close, I thought I'd put it on the list in case you had an interest.  I plan to go at least once while I'm in Japan. I've heard it's worth doing once.
5. Costco - It might be interesting for you to see a Japanese version of Costco. I was amazed when I first went, but I suspect this will be at the bottom of the list for either of you, so it's at the bottom of this list as well.

"Okonomiyaki" is a very delicious and popular food very vaguely resembling a giant crab cake, but with something other than crab meat.  I eat it all the time.  It's a mystery to me how something as bland as sushi got popular in the United States, but nobody has heard of okonomiyaki.

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