who says 06.06.06 is bad? (read: going to osaka)

it was an ominous date to some, lucky for others. to me, its all BS. nothin but a bunch of bull. that day had come, and that day had gone. what happened? the world still stays as good and as bad as it had always been for generations. people still act like angels or demons in one time or other. but as for me, it's a different story altogether.

on the 6th day of the 6th month of the 6th year of the 21st century, i have landed on one of the world's most interesting countries, JAPAN! \(^_^)/ that's right, i went to japan on tuesday last. but not to tokyo as i had hoped, but in osaka, south of the capital city. that's okay, at least i got to experience japan first hand! it was only for one day actually, so time was really my enemy at that time. nevertheless, i took the opportunity quickly when my father offered to take me there.

my flight took off on the night of 5th june, and for 5 hours i was in the plane, excited of what i will find there! we arrived at 8.00 in the morning of 6th june at kansai international airport. it was empty save for few people since it was still very early. we went to the airport just across the bridge from KIX and slept for two hours. then, at 10, we went; my brother, my father and i, along with a stewardess and a very helpful guide, miki kobayashi-san, to osaka city.

we took the nankai trains to osaka city which was a fifty-minute ride. in osaka city, we arrived in the minami area and took a tour of the shinsaibashi shopping street. there was full of old and new shops there, selling various items from fashionwear, cosmetics, books and musical instruments. i noticed that there was a lot of pharmacies, guardian- and watson-like shops, along the way. everywhere i look there were japanese, japanese and more japanese people. i took some photos, so i'll post them later in an album.

we took a subway train to osaka castle. it was a recosntructed castle so it had lost its authenticity. nevertheless, the view of osaka city from the castle was simply breathtaking. what you see in those japanese doramas are exactly the same, or even twice better! the parks are clean, they swept the fallen leaves away from the paths and sidewalks. the trees are green and healthy, and the whole skyline was clear from smog. they observe traffic rules. nobody crossed the street even when there was no car and the light was still red. nice.

japanese people are especially amazed when i attempt to speak japanese with them. they keep praising me like i'm some kind of language expert or something. i'm not, and i'm not boasting, this is what they tell me. i like their attitude and ethics. i saw a shopkeeper kneeling down wiping the floor until it was clean (even though it is), something i haven't find here yet. something i observed are their toilets. clean as a whistle! well, i did find one that was not so good, what with a few cigarette butts and tissue, but it was still clean, and malaysian toilets are far from ever looking like it.

one thing i found rather a downer was the money. all their stuff are like the most expensive things on earth period! train rides are expensive, not to mention food! a japanese lunch of yakisoba and two okonomiyaki (fried seafood, eggs, and vege) and four drinks cost 7,600 yen (+-RM 245). i find books and magazines to be the same price as the ones found in klcc's kinokuniya. a keychain is 350 yen (RM11)! no wonder its hard to live in japan...

huhu, but trying to convey the experience in words is not the same as experiencing it yourself. conversing in japanese with japanese people, going around town by walking and using trains is one big different experience altogether. i hope i'll have the chance to go to japan again someday, and stay a wee bit longer, maybe even better if i live there, huhu...

did i say i bought the FFXII OST there? cost me 3900 yen (RM126)... i'm still trying to move on from that fact... (^_^;)