Squishy boobies – Japan’s a bit weird

We flew into Tokyo as the Sun rose, which is of course quite appropriate.

First impression was not good, as getting through immigration meant shuffling through a kilometer of switchbacks in a never-ending queue. But then we hopped on a local train, grabbed a coffee, and joined our Shinkansen to hurtle down to Osaka. High-speed trains make me feel there is hope for humanity’s future.

All foreign countries are different, that’s their charm as a traveller. But Japan has a combination of being advanced, behind, really cool, and really conservative that leads me to it being just a bit weird. You can hurtle along at 300kmh sipping Pokari Sweat but you can’t find anywhere that will take a credit card. The attendant bows deeply to welcome you in the train and each time she leaves the carriage. Modern buildings surrounded by little boxy cars. Weird. But cool, for all that.

We are staying is the Dontobori district of Osaka, which is known for street food and bright lights. The latter was lacking in the early afternoon, but the former was plentiful. So we started our food odyssey with takoyaki, which is a local delicacy of balls of batter stuffed with octopus. Tasty enough, but as always, I struggle to see the point of octopus in food. But sitting by the canal with takoyaki and a beer was a pretty good start to Osaka.

The day was really all about food as this evening we joined a food tour exploring the Shinsekai district. It was excellent and we got to try a range of things Wes have otherwise missed. Shinsekai is renowned as a down-market area and it’s a little like a fun-fair mixed with back-street bars. We had the most amazing udon which cost a princely $1.70. We had fried avocado, sake, ‘squishy squishy’ – an alcoholic lemon drink where you squeeze your own lemons – and way too much more.

We also got to see some of the district including the roadside vending machines selling ‘squishy boobies’ and another selling Arnold Swarzenjager ‘mushrooms’. The large Buddha-like statute, whose feet people rub for luck, was the mascot of an American university football team – but now it’s the symbol for the area and treated as a serious minor deity. As is say, Japan is a bit weird.