We are having trouble getting past jet lag. We both look pretty rough with puffy eyes and can’t seem to get past wanting to nap. Nonetheless, we got ourselves together and decided to head out for a bit of exploring. We usually make our own breakfast in our room, but we know from past visits that the hotel dining room offers a superb breakfast…so that will give us a good start to our day.
Root vegetables, chicken with vegetables and ponzu sauce plus tasty salmon bites. The chef here is very good and all of the food is very fresh and tasty.
The steamed seafood dumplings were delicious. We like the way they present their food in small bowls and constantly replenish with freshly cooked food.
We have decided to take the subway and explore today. Of course we got lost and got off at the wrong stop, so we decided to take whatever comes. We just started to wander and came upon the Hankyu Department Store. Visiting this store is a delight and one could spend a full day here just taking it all in.
We can’t resist revisiting the Hankyu Department Store. It is a beautiful landmark building in Osaka with 13 floors above ground and 2 below ground level and it offers an interesting insight into Japanese life. We particularly enjoy the food floors (3 floors), the floor featuring housewares and stunning Japanese products and the exhibits that change periodically. We prefer seeing this vibrant and busy place to many of the tourist sites.
This department store has been here since 1929 and it is a beautiful building. Over 50 million people visit it annually and it truly offers something for everyone.
We had to indulge in some Dorayaki…..Barry’s favourite treat.
OMG…these fruit mochi were a standout. We bought 2 of them…one with a complete mandarin inside and the other with a strawberry. The flavours were divine.
How to describe the seafood section….incredible quality and beautifully presented. Locals come to these food floors for produce, seafood, sweets etc rather than to a grocery store. The sockeye salmon comes from Hokkaido
These mushrooms, the Matsutake are the world’s most expensive mushrooms…a package can. run up to $2000.00. Unfortunately the pine beetle is putting the future of these mushrooms in jeopardy.
The Matsutake mushrooms have a spicy flavour and a pungent odour, similar to sweaty gym socks! They are found buried underground in the roots of pine trees. The box of mushrooms on the top right has a price tag of 199800 yen or almost $2000
A luxury fruit offering of grapes…perfection. Of course you can buy regular grapes at a reasonable price, but luxury fruit is a special gift.The price for these grapes is over a hundred dollars
Odon is a simmered dish of root vegetables, boiled eggs, daikon and processed fish cakes simmered in a light soy flavoured Daishi broth. Often you see a pre packed bag like this of what you need to prepare this dish at home.
They create installations that are wall sized to miniatures. The work can be very exacting. The woman working on a miniature is using tiny tweezers while tending to it.
We would have loved to bring home a pet robot cat. It gives you all the love of a regular cat without the cost of cat food or the mess of kitty litter. If you pet its head, it moves its tail, purrs etc.
Hankyu Department Store has an event hall that is about 3 stories high. It features a number of events including this interactive exhibit of Tag Heur watches and Porsche cars. There were simulators where you could test drive. This area also features emerging entrepreneurs and their creations.
