Day 6: Yasaka Shrine, GiGo and nonstop eating - Osaka, Japan

 

Last day in Osaka.  Was a little sad that the check out time is so early at 10am.  This hotel / Airbnb doesn't help store luggage, so we went to the subway station to find a lock to store our luggage instead.

Glad that we checked out early to get to the subway early for a locker.  By the time we go there around 10am, the lockers were pretty much full at Nipponbashi Station.

Only a few left that can hold large luggage.  $1000 yen per locker.

Still pretty early after we put our luggage in the locker.  Many restaurants weren't open yet.  With quite  a lot of luck at GiGO in Umeda the night before, we decided to check out the GiGO in Namba (See 81).

Some more luck again and got myself another pokemon plushies, which I later got greedy and kept inserting money to grab a second one....but couldn't.

Wanted some udon noodles and found Namba Udon (Eat 109) on google map.  It just opened up for 5 minutes and the place was already filled.  Fortunately it's a fast food kind of place, so people quickly come and go.

Just line up outside the door.

Order with the ticketing machine~ The pricing...it's crazy. Good satisfying fast food for so little $.  About 500 yen per person.

It was raining outside again, so we went to have another meal...AGAIN.  Saw the mochi matcha pudding ice cream at Wendy's.

Also grab the melon soda float.  VERY DISGUSTING.

Then a burger...the burger itself is 2000 yen....curious why it's worth 2000 yen, so we got it.

It's pretty good, but really won't pay 2000 yen for it again.  Not when a set that comes with a big bowl or udon and scramble egg on rice is only 550 yen.  Can't justify paying 2000 for a single burger.

The ice cream with matcha puddy was smooth and yummy.

The rain didn't stop, but we didn't want to waste anymore time.  So, we just walk to Namba Yasaka Jinjya Shrine 難波八阪神社 (See 82).  It was Saturday.  Lots of people.  Good that it was our last day in Osaka.  Wouldn't want to be pushed around in the crowd for majority of the trip.  Best time to travel is during week day.

There are some cute fish shape charm.  If after opening up, it's for good luck, keep it.  If it's bad luck, hang it in the shrine.

I got one with good luck, so could take it back home with me.

With still a few hours before heading to the airport, we went to check out Umeda again.  There are some shopping arcade around the area with popular restaurants.  Super long line ups to those popular on IG.  Probably because it was weekend.

Ended up having a quick meal at Kita Bld (Eat 110).

A little skeptical when we sat down.  The inside smell really fishy.  The staffs were overly friendly.  Menu was not on the cheap side.  However, there were lots of locals.  Even though the restaurant was fill with locals, they are prepared for tourists with English menus and pictures.  The staffs were so friendly that it was almost uncomfortable and creepy.

We really weren't hungry.  I was even more on the full side.  So, we just ordered a few rolls.  They were so good though.  Value for the money.  Fatty tuna roll was amazing.  They even have California roll.  They probably included that just for the foreigners.

After paying for the bill, the waitress stopped us and told us how they welcome and love tourists and gave us a bag of treats to enjoy.  A bag of Japanese snacks along with a few greeting cards.  Either they are genuinely nice or they are trying very hard.

Then it was time to pick up our luggage at Nipponbashi Station, go to Namba Station to take the airport rail to Kansai Airport.

Took an hour to reach the airport and still some time before boarding.  So, more eating!

No idea how my travel buddies could stomach so much food through out the day.  

Amazing view out the window.  Could see the stars so clearly.

And this is the moon.  Not sun.

For me, I just ate a daifuku for dinner on the flight back~  Love these soft mochi treats that's basically available everywhere.  Don't know how they can keep it so soft.

With only 1 check in luggage, we were able to fit all these in it.  Pat on our backs~  This isn't even all of it.  Still around 1/3 of the things we got were hand carried.

Points on map:

Eat 109 - Namba Udon なんばうどん

3 Chome-2-14 Namba, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 542-0076, Japan

Eat 110 - Kita Bld

2-chōme-5-25 Sonezaki, Kita Ward, Osaka, 530-0057, Japan

See 81 - GiGO Namba-Avion

Japan, 〒556-0011 Osaka, Naniwa Ward, Nanbanaka, 2 Chome−3−15 B1F～3F ＭＭＯビル

See 82 - Namba Yasaka Jinjya Shrine 難波八阪神社

2 Chome-9-19 Motomachi, Naniwa Ward, Osaka, 556-0016, Japan