OSAKA 15-16 May

Finally decided on clothing after checking weather and finding Osaka's forecast is the same as Brisbane, but trending warmer as Spring ends.  We had good flights from Brisbane to Cairns with Qantas and from there to Osaka with Jetstar.  Landed at 5:46pm but didn't leave terminal until 8pm. Two hour queue for Immigration!! 
Our guide Nobuko  greeted us and we met 2 other Journey to the East travellers, Fred and Jenny from Byron Bay.  Taken by taxi to Osaka rail station and by rail to our hotel, Harmonie Embrassee.

View from Osaka hotel

Long narrow hotel room, comfortable with lounge and outside balcony. 

 Next morning after a great hotel breakfast we set out on a 10 minute (David's estimate - hotel said 1 hour) walk to Osaka Castle. Abandoned effort after 45 minute walk and no taxi in sight.

Arcade near hotel

Turned back at this park

We met the other 6 people on this tour in the afternoon - 3 sisters from NSW (Helen, Catherine and Ann), 3 other women - Sue, Vilma and Laurie, all from Victoria.  The official tour started with a kilometre walk to a railway station to validate our Japan Rail passes (worth A$544 each).

Waiting for the bullet train at Shin-Osaka Station:  

Catherine, David, Sue, Jenny and in foreground, Ann, Helen

That night we set out with Fred and Jenny to find a seafood restaurant recommended by a hotel employee and marked on a map.  When we stopped to figure out the route, a very dapper Frenchman insisted on helping us.  He had trouble with the directions and enlisted the aid of a cheerful lady on a bike.  After some 15 minutes we all gave up. He led us to his favourite fish cafe in the area and gave us his business card.  He was hurrying to assess the New York food fair which he had organized in earlier years.  His restaurant according to the web is no. 1 in Kobe, Bistrot Cafe de Paris.
We enjoyed a great meal at the fish cafe - sashimi, tempura and much more.  We had to sit at the counter as all tables were taken but the chefs were most entertaining!

Jenny enjoyed her sashimi