I chose this out-of-the-way neighborhood in Osaka because of its relative proximity by metro to the artificial island where the Expo is being held, with the added bonus of staying several nights in a surprisingly affordable hipster hotel in the area as well. The quaint backstreets here were where we learned that one does not simply order a coffee at a cafe during breakfast time in Japan. There are set menus here and you’re going to get a slice fluffy, pillowy bread and maybe even a hardboiled egg with it too, even if you’re already looking forward to the spread back in the lobby a little later. One cannot have enough fluffy, pillowy bread.
I know I have a tendency to make all my posts overly “thinkpiecey,” particularly when I’m travelling, but I genuinely believe that these past few weeks were part of a trajectory of personal growth I’ve been on since at least May. I feel stronger and more integrated coming out the other end, in ways I’m not sure I can fully explain. It was a lot of fun, of course. But it also challenged me in good ways too. You know?
I have a lot of photos to get through, so I’ll probably find the words to express how eventually.
(I forgot to ask @sumiresuzan to translate what’s going on in this video.)