down, you look at a menu, decide what you want, and purchase tickets for each item from a machine. You then give those tickets to a worker, find a table, and wait for your meal. It's a delightfully efficient way to speed up the whole process.Anyway, my breakfast was a waffle, ham and cheese sandwich, and orange juice, which totaled about $10. Japan ain't cheap.
Our primary goal for the day was Osaka Castle. On the train there, we saw a sign reminding everyone that groping is illegal. In urban Japan, being groped on trains is apparently a common occurrence. Ju has experienced it several times. It's such a big problem that some trains offer women-only cars, especially during rush hour.
As we entered the castle grounds, the first thing we came to was a garden full of trees that were just starting to bloom. I'm almost positive they were all plum blossoms, though I can't be sure. It was way too early for sakura. We spent a while admiring the scenery, watching the courting pigeons, and observing the other visitors.
Osaka castle was first built in 1583, at the order of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Thirty years after its completion, Tokugawa Ieyasu successfully besieged the castle and deposed the Toyotomi clan. The castle was reconstructed in the 1620s, and those walls remain today.
The castle grounds occupy about fifteen acres. The central structure sits on a tall stone foundation, which rests on a courtyard built from landfill and tall stone walls. That courtyard rests on another, larger courtyard, similarly constructed, separated by a moat. The second courtyard is separated from the outer castle grounds by another moat.
What I'm saying is that a lot of people blew out their backs building this thing. There are two moats, two courtyards built from landfill and enclosed by stone walls (built using no mortar), and the stone foundation supporting the keep.
We slowly made our way up to the keep, admiring the beautifully-maintained surroundings. There weren't a whole lot of tourists around, which made it a lot more pleasant. The central courtyard, at the foot of the keep, was festooned with shops and picnic tables.
As we wandered around, we saw a guy tending his parrot. He noticed our interest, and waved us over. He held up the parrot, smiled, and, when Ju nodded, he placed the parrot on her shoulder. After both parties got used to the other, the guy gave Ju some sunflower seeds and told her to put one in her mouth for the parrot. After a little hesitating, she went for it, but the parrot wouldn't take it.
Next, the guy put the parrot on my shoulder. As I watched the parrot, which was watching me and the sunflower seed in my mouth, I had just enough time to wonder how bad it would hurt... and then he cleanly nicked the seed from my mouth. No problem. Lee took a turn next. The guy was really nice, and told Ju she was very pretty.There was also a temple in the main courtyard, though it was being used for a wedding when we got there. I felt kind of bad for everyone (including me) snapping pictures of the happy couple, but I figure they wouldn't plan a wedding at a national landmark if they didn't want the attention.
I learned from Ju that the inside of the keep has been completely remodeled, and looks nothing like a vintage feudal Japanese castle. Hearing that, I wasn't heartbroken when we decided not to go up. We headed back down through the castle, buying pineapple and mango from a street vendor. I mention the mango because this was my first time ever eating one. I know, I know--I was a sheltered kid.
Both moats are enclosed by a fence. Posted at intervals along the fence is a sign that clearly indicates (in Japanese) that fishing is prohibited. I was highly amused, therefore, when I saw this.
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