Osaka Sunday

On the advice of friends, I did not spend much time in Osaka. If you visit Osaka, please don’t make the mistake I made of not giving Osaka a fair share of your time budget. Osaka is wonderful, and during Sakura, the cherry blossoms are resplendent. Osaka is Japan’s third largest city. It is exotic, but easily accessible. The people are polite and helpful, and the food in Osaka is very tasty.

When I first got to Osaka, it looked as if the cherry blossoms had come and gone. There were no blooming trees in the area of the hotel. I was sad, for sure, but not sad enough to ruin a beautiful Sunday in Osaka with pouting over blossoms. Ashleigh and I pressed on with our plans to visit Osaka Palace and the adjacent park. We took a train which let us off at the bottom of an incline. The walk to the top of the hill and a bit beyond was rewarded with a park full of more blossoming trees then we could have wished for…all freshly popped.

The park was chock full of blooming trees and people with their children. Many of the citizens of Osaka were doing what we were doing….taking advantage of good weather in a beautiful setting. The main mode of transportation to the park is by bicycle; it seems like everyone peddles to the park.

The bike ride to the Osaka Castle Park might be fun, but the real fun starts once you arrive and meet family and friends. The entire park was filled with folks having small family gatherings under the blooming trees. It is quite a sight to behold…picnics, games, food, kids, adults…all in a serene setting. Everyone respects the grounds and trees. There were no overloaded trash containers, as everyone took their trash home to dispose of it there. Everyone follows this rule. I found this to be a remarkable concept, and so, from now on, I will carry a small trash bag with me whenever I go out. Disposing of your own personal waste creates an atmosphere of cleanliness which enhances everyone’s enjoyment of the park….and it makes the park look like this…

a simply wonderful area for everyone.

Some people even dressed in pink in honor of the cherry blossoms.

The entire experience is exquisite, and can only be topped with a walk around Okasa Castle. This castle is one of Japan’s most famous landmarks. It was built in 1583 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and it played a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteeth century. Okasa Castle is a magnificent castle on a huge compound. It has a dry and a water moat, both with bridges. Now, thousands of visitors a year come to experience its splendor.

For some it is a quiet space.

For others, it is a chance to see how Toyotomi Hideyoshi saw the world.

No Osaka Sunday would be complete without a solemn moment of introspection. Lingering at the Shitennoji, a restored Buddhist Temple first built in 593, was perfect.

The temple allows visitors to walk the grounds late into the evening.

People walking their dogs or just strolling are welcome to spend time here.

The mood is peaceful and inclusive.

Soooo, of course, we stayed!!!

See you in Kyoto….The Unseasoned Traveler.