Originated in America, BilliKen is somewhat like a diety in Osaka and Shinsekai downtown area.  they say to touch its feet to bring you good luck.  Things as they are .. was what the statue represented i think.. something to do with the war .. and the american invasion some time in 1912.  So if you see one in Osaka, Japan.. take a picture.. don’t forget.  But note the the original one is made of wood and located on the 5th floor of the observation deck at the Tsutenkaku Tower.  The original Billiken in Tsutenkaku Tower is quite worn out .. truth be told.. and people even pen down wishes.. besides rubbing its feet .. like a few times.  It’s amusing to watch.  600 yen for a wish card.. to be hung beside BilliKen’s statue.

Friends asked me all the time about the famous Love hotels in Japan .. and each time i tell them.. that they do exist.. and very popular not only with the tourist.. but with the locals as well.. they just can’t believe it.  No way..!! they said.   The japanese gals.. are so meek .. and conservative.  Muahahahah!!! wait till you meet them.. when they are vacationing abroad.  Most of my Japanese g/fs goes wild..!!!  i kid you not.  I love them a lot .. but you can never imagine.. how wild they get.. when they are out for fun.  For those who are not aware of this.. the Japanese girls.. love the darker skin men ..  truly i tell yer..  they have some sort of fascination for them.  No idea why.. but they just do.  My g/fs visited me in Singapore.. and  they ALL got hooked up with the malay boys back home.

The Japanese are a great bunch.. but they do love their animes and Hello Kitty a lot as you can see here.  This is found in a love hotel in Osaka. Adonis Love hotel.  But having said that..  Love hotels in Japan are not only for those who wants a quick romp in bed with their lovers, it is a place for being romantic even with your legal husband and wife.  Why i hear you asking.. and scratching your heads.  Well.. in Japan land is really precious .. therefore it is not surprising to find someone living with their in-laws.. and their grandparents-in-laws.  So to be romantic.. at home, it can get quite impossible.  Therefore, sometimes couples choose to go to these love hotels.. and pay for them for a few hours.  To them .. it is not a Love Hotel .. it is a Rest Hotel.  Couples typically stay for a few hours.. because the wife/girlfriend.. like to relax after the romp and most Love Hotels .. cater to this need for the men with big screen tvs.. dvd players and even video games.  Have i been to any love hotels..?? you are prolly asking..??  No price for guessing it right.. hahah!!!

My absolute must have dish if i were in Osaka and can’t get enough of it.  My favorite place is FuGetsu, the restaurant is jam with ppl .. all the time.. and the only thing i donch like about it .. is the smoking part.  You can choose to sit on the booths or tables that has the grills in the center and the best part of it.. is they cook in front of you.

The waitresses were always nice to us.. i think it had to do with the fact that I had my American engineers with me all the time. Okonomiyaki is actually also known as the Japanese pancake.  I love the sauce that they put on top of it.. and the Japanese mayo. The dried bonito flakes were also the best thing ever.

I haven’t thought about Okonomiyaki for a long time.. till my blogging buddy reminded me of it.  Now i’ll have to get ahold of some ingredients.. and try and make them myself.. or i’ll go crazy.. mauahahah!!

Pictures from Reuters

Geishas are a very important part that represents Japan.  I was in Osaka.. and attending a conference there.. where these lovely ladies where hired to entertain us in the evening.  A lot of people associate the Geishas with being the traditional ladies of the night.. but we were told otherwise.   That this ladies were trained to sell and art.. and not their body.  But I can never make out where they have to paint their faces these way..??  it doesn’t make sense to me at all. I often wonder too.. if those white painting on their faces would caused acne , afterall they do have this for a long night sometimes.

This is the Swissotel Nankai in Osaka, being a hotelier before with the Swissotel group, i had the privileged to stay in their complimentary rooms when i was on vacation in Osaka many years ago.  When we had first decided to choose Osaka as one of our destination, we didn’t know that Osaka is actually a very vibrant city.  The hotel itself is at the heart of Namba .. where you can just shop till you drop because Takashimaya which consist of a 7 storey high shopping arcade is just beneath the hotel.   And when you are tired out with the shopping, you can just head back to the hotel’s 9 different restaurants and bar and i have to specially mention their  bar stools because they were really pretty and comfy. You bet it was expensive.. !! had we not had gotten complimentary rooms, I doubt that we could have afforded to stay a week in Osaka.

Some 15 years ago, i was in Japan for a business trip and a cell phone was required for keeping in contact with the Singapore office.  They didn’t use GSM phones then.. so i had to loan one when i was in Narita Airport, but i was amazed at how light and think the phone was.  It was paper thin.. and didn’t look or feel real at all, a toy phone my boss had laughed. A cell phone repeater would be nice, since we had to go to some remote warehouse out in the jungle but alas they didn’t provide it.

When one is in Osaka, you’ve gotta visit the Osaka Castle. Touted as one of Osaka’s most famous and unforgettable landmark, the Osaka Castle is well known for its cherry blossom season. Many people from all over Japan and other countries flock here to see the cherry blossoms.. in April. There is an admission fees of course.. i think adults pay like 600 yen.. if i remembered correctly. Don’t forget to take a picture of the cannon outside of the castle.