Started today off pretty hard. Didn’t have much sleep thanks to light coming in and a snorer in the room. But I could be that same problem to someone else so I’m not even going to tell them about it. (Not like you can do anything about that..) and left my bed pretty late…
The included breakfast was just some toast. At least it was something, but after the rough night, it didn’t cheer me up.
Time for some culture today, with Osaka Castle on the schedule followed by a trip to Nanba.
So I took the train to Osakajokoen and walked trough the park. I was kinda happy to see a vending machine here that had some juice in it. Pokémon themed! Although I got a ‘special’ 6th-type Slowbro, or the advert is outdated…
The castle is surrounded by water with two bridges connecting the island to the mainland. I decided to first take the outer tour and inspect the walls, surrounding buildings and nature.
Near noon I’d finally enter the inner circle. But first checked out the ex-military building next to the castle. It now houses some shops and multiple restaurants.
After eating a cup of fried chicken pieces I entered the castle. As the elevator line was quite long I decided to do all 8 floors up by stairs. You can say it was a mistake.. but I was there faster at least? I got myself an audio guide and worked my way down in the museum. It had some nice artefacts from the old days but mostly poems written by important people that were somehow preserved over the years. -That was the temporary exhibition btw- The biggest show-piece is the 2 part screen that depicts multiple battles for the command over the Osaka tower. The 360 view on top of the tower is really nice.
So that was the traditional culture part done for today. I’d recommend doing it, but you definitely don’t have to see everything in the park. I tried to find my way back to a JR-train station for a way into the next stop, Nanba!
Getting to Nanba I did, getting lost there I did, asked a local for help I did, made it to Den Den Town I did. Am I in heaven now? 
All bad English and jokes aside. Den Den Town can be called the geek-district from Osaka, the local Akihabara. And boy was it great. Anime stores 8 floors up, new and used-goods store, cardgame shops.. just soo much to see and especially in the second-hand stores the best deals are hidden behind the popular stuff.
Yes I let myself go for a moment, but with prices here that equals to about €35 for all this stuff. Katanagatari figures, Saki Soundtrack, Saki Achiga-hen Opening CD from the group, some Kamen rider Wizard Rings (Y50 a piece..), a ton of Weiss Schwarz Shakugan no Shana cards including some level 3’s so I can finally build this deck!, an OCG Mahjong Munia Maidens and the new fire charmer.
There was a lot more stuff I wanted to bring home with me. But I still have to travel a lot and it would be hard getting those home…
I had dinner at a Curry Chain in Fukushima, took pretty standard tonkatsu kare but it was already pretty late when I got back from Nanba, my feet hurt and this was on the way to my guest house.
