8th of November 2024 – Nara Park and Osaka

Today we started with a visit to Todaiji Temple in Nara Park which is a public park located in the city of Nara.  Nara Park is one of the oldest parks in Japan and was established in 1880.  Over 1,200 wild sika deer roam free around in the park and there were vendors in the park selling food for the deer.  I wasn't too keen to get close to the deer as they have ticks.

In the afternoon we went to Osaka and visited the first going up the Umeda Sky Building which is a spectacular building made up of two towers connected on the 39th floor by the Floating Garden Observatory.  The Floating Garden Observatory offers panoramic views of Osaka,  Umeda Floating Garden, a. is home to the Floating Garden Observatory at 173 meters high.  The design of the Floating Garden Observatory is unusual with a see through glass elevator from floors 3F to 37F and the two floating escalator shafts that run directly to the main floors of the Floating Garden Observatory.

We then stopped to take photographs of Osaka Castle but were unable to visit the interior.

Our visit to Osaka ended with shopping in the Dōtonbori district.  Dōtonbori is known as one of Osaka's principal tourist and nightlife areas characterized by its eccentric atmosphere and large illuminated signboards.  It is absolutely heaving with people.

We had a yakatori evening meal in one of the restaurants in Dōtonbori decorated outside with a large baby.  Yakatori is Japanese skewered chicken cooked on a charcoal grill with sauce and can be delicious however this was truly one of the most awful meals I have ever had.  This was a view shared by most other members of the group.