Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Destination - Osaka!

After living in Japan for over 30 years I finally visited Osaka city.

Osaka's Tsutenkaku tower.

If you walk under the tower and look up this is what you'll see.

The lively entertainment area of Dotonbori.

A river runs through it.

Where there's a river there's always a boat. In this case it's the Don Quijote tour boat.

The Dotonbori river in the early morning.

The city of Osaka likes to keep their river clean.

They slowly cruse the river picking up floating pet bottles and plastic bags.

The streets are full of tourist from Asian countries.

It's a colorful place.

On the right side of this picture is the iconic Glico running man.

This is actually the front of a hotel.

Are you a girl that would like to entertained by a man? If so, for a price these guys are up to the task.

The streets are packed with places to eat and drink.

This is a city where you can get a drink 24 X 7.

I couldn't resist.

I've never seen so many lanterns before.

Lanterns are everywhere.

Every ally is packed with restaurants.

If you have money you can eat. The streets are lined with vendors selling any kind of food you want.

I need a beer!

I needed chop sticks too!

Street life.

Last day of the trip and we visited the Expo '70 Commemorative park where there is a beautiful lotus pond.


It was a hot day. I think it was the hottest day of the year.

The star attraction of the '70 Expo was this - The Tower of the Sun!

To enter the Tower of the Sun one needs to make a reservation in advance - we did. Inside the tower is the tree of life. It's amazing but photography is not permitted.

Last view of the park before we got on the monorail train and started our trip home.

Thanks for stopping by!
Mike

Bonus shots!

Sony A7III camera, 90mm f3.5 APO-Lanthar LTM lens
Yokohama city









Sigma SdQ camera,  Sigma 17-70mm f2.8-4 DC lens












Thursday, May 23, 2019

Kanazawa-Hakkei - Walking and Riding the Rails

Now that the major renovation of Kanazawa-Hakkei train station is nearly complete I decided to spend some time re-exploring the area.The biggest thing that the renovation did was to connect the Keikyu train line and the Seaside train line into one station. In the past one would have to exit the Keikyu station and walk across route 16 to get to the Seaside line station. Now it's so convenient; walk out of one wicket and then a few feet away is the next!

As I exited the Keikyu line I looked over at the entrance to the Seaside line. But today I'm more interested in a walk along Hirakata Bay.

A view of the Seaside train line crossing over Hirakata Bay.

There goes the Seaside train heading to Kanazawa-Hakkei station.

In the distance is  my first destination - the Sekisho Bridge. 

The Sekisho Bridge is not big or even an engineering marvel. However, it is in my opinion a pretty cool looking bridge.

On the other side of this bridge is Nojimacho.
 There are 3 view points on each side of the bridge for pedestrians to stop and...

...enjoy the view.

Next destination - Nojima Park.

Nojima Park is such a great place, especially for clam diggers!

At the far end of the park is Hirofumi Ito’s former seaside residence.
Stone lanterns in the residence garden.

Inside the residence looking out.

Outside the residence looking in. By-the-way, admission is free!

This small seawall and navigation light mark the entrance to the channel that separates Nojimacho from the mainland.

Near the bridge to Nojimakoen train station is this small restaurant. They serve fresh locally caught fish and it has been featured on TV. I hear it's very good.

Crossing the bridge over the channel, the Nojimakoen train station is on the left side.

It's getting late and I'm getting lazy so I decided to catch the Seaside train back to Kanazawa-Hakkei and call it a day.

It's a clean train with a great view of  Hirakata Bay.


Day 2: The adventure continues! I returned to Kanazawa-Hakkei a couple days later to further explore only this time I decided to take the Seaside line to Uminokōen-Shibaguchi Station and then walk back to Kanazawa-Hakkei station.

Entering the Seaside line station.

On the platform waiting for passengers to exit the train so I can enter.

 Uminokōen-Shibaguchi Station is the fourth stop on the Seaside line. After leaving the station me and my new friends head for the Marine Park beach!

It looks like a bunch of junior high school students beat me to the beach. No problem, the Marine Park is quite large and it's a great place for walking.

It's a good place for rest and relaxation too!

As close as this place is to my home in Yokosuka I really should come here more often.

Not so many people here today but come back on the weekend and it'll be a different story.

Walking my way back to Kanazawa-Hakkei I stay cool in the shade of the Seaside line.

Back in Nojimacho. I think this is the only store on the island.

It's low tide and the clam diggers are out in force.

I had to get off the seawall or be run over by this serious cyclist.

His destination.

As I walk through Nojima Park I'm surprised at how many people are digging for clams.

Back on the Sekisho Bridge and I decide to pause and watch the world go by.

Looks like another serious cyclist.

Leaving the Sekisho Bridge behind me its not to far to go now.

Another view of the Seaside line crossing over Hirakata Bay.

Well, I'm back at Kanazawa-Hakkei train station and it's time to go home.

Thanks for stopping by!
Mike

Bonus Shots!