Like the title says! + Time’s been too tight to take photos and blarg about em and stuff. But I just got back from Osaka a few days ago. Fell in love with the place, the music is mad colorful and the people are really free and all that stuff. I miss it.
Stayed at Ten Hostel, recommend thoroughly. Late night pressing buttonz:
Most of my time is spent navigating through OCEANS OF PEOPLE:
They got these shopping streets, I’ve been told what they’re called like ten thousand times and I keep forgetting. They’re like a mall except longer and with better food and no chains:
Yangjah + Jerry Gordon killing it at this one party in Osaka:
Not pictured here: Mr. Won Jiksoo, the greatest living musician. More on him another day.
OMFG THERE IS FOOD IN JAPAN DID U KNOW:
Later on I went to Kobe with some friends to see this thing called “illumination”. I decided to go without asking what it was, figured it would be better that way. We arrived at this one street and stood in a huge crowd for a good ten minutes or so, taking pictures of all the people taking pictures of all the people etc. etc.
Eventually someone came on a loudspeaker and was like “(GUYS. YOU CAN START WALKING NOW PLEASE THANK YOU.)” The whole crowd turned around the corner and was like “!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” and took ten thousand more pictures, including this one:
I asked during the trek down the street, “So what *is* this thing anyway?” and though I recall it was explained to me a couple times in clear English, I don’t think I could really explain clearly what it’s about other than like a christmas-decoration-except-like-*more* kind of thing.
It was basically a simulated near death walk-towards-the-light kind of experience, except festive, and Japanese. Awesome.
If I turned the exposure setting all the way down on my point and shoot I could get a pretty clear picture of it:
The crowd moved down the street at less than 1 MPH, pausing to take photos every few steps. Once people reached the giant christmas spaceship, they stopped taking pictures and walked briskly through the tunnel to get takotaki down the street (as we did).
Bee tee dubs, takoyaki and okonomiyaki in Osaka. If you don’t like it then I feel bad for you.
Next day, peace out Osaka:
Pretty much napping with my eyes open on the train back:
