New day, new baseball game! Also, Wednesday and English school work for the girls. Plus a bit of math at the end, because of our new tactic. School work went well, and the Blue Jays took an early lead, and all was good in the land. Joe made lunch, and once we had that all done and over with, Joe had picked a new destination for our afternoon adventure.
We set off and came across this interesting-looking parking garage. See how the levels seem too low for cars? Many Japanese parking systems use elevators. I did not have time to stand and watch cars come and go, but I thought I’d share anyways.
Our destination today has the dullest name of any place ever, and I’ve dismissed it as an interesting destination several times already. Joe informed me this was where we were going today, and I went “oh fine”… Osaka Municipal Housing Museum, or as it is also known (I didn’t learn this until today) “Osaka Museum of Housing and Living”. I am so glad we went!
Getting off at the right station? Easy! Knowing which way to turn from there? Not as easy. Turns out, we should have just looked behind us, as the staircase we emerged from was located at the actual entrance to the building that housed the museum!
This museum takes up the three top floors of the Osaka Municipal Housing Information Center, which I’m guessing is the dull part. After we paid our tickets and shoved our backpacks into a locker, we took a super long escalator from the 8th to the 10th floor, where there was an observation deck. On the 9th floor, they have recreated an authentic-feeling Edo-period neighbourhood. When was the Edo period? Yeah, I had to look it up too, don’t worry! From 1603 to 1868, when Japan saw over 250 years of stability and “peace” under feudal lords. Anywho, history was my weakest subject, but seeing exhibitions like these makes it come alive!
Once we descended to the 9th floor, we found that each little house or doorway had a different theme, on the main “street” they were all little shops! The first one we came to was the doll store:
We spent quite some time ducking in and out of houses and alleyways, even though they were filming something (promotional material? interviewing important guests?), and it made me uncomfortable, so I was running away every time I spotted the cameras. I found the forerunner to today’s amazing and high-tech Japanese toilets! Along with their not-so-comfortable looking wooden sandals. I’m glad to be a visitor to today’s Japan, and not Edo-period Japan!
The other shops were a joinery store, a cosmetics store, an import goods store (Chinese goods being the most common during that time), a fabric store, a pharmacy, a book store, a public bath house and a gathering place.
Téa and Maylin were given scavenger hunt papers, and were off trying to check off all the animals hiding in both plain sight as well as more difficult spots. We had good help from a sweet Japanese woman who worked there, with minimal English and lots of body language, she showed us the swallows’ nest and the beehives, the dragon flies and the cicadas. We even found the house geckos!
Through the back alleys, we got glimpses into the homes (all the buildings were storefronts on one end and homes on the back), like this living room all set up for dinner. Reminds us of our AirBnb’s upper level, with the tatami mats and sliding paper walls and windows!
Once we had discovered all the details on the 9th floor, we descended to the 8th floor, where they had several large and detailed dioramas from different time periods:
There were also several old artefacts around the exhibition, like the below low dining table, or electric foot warmer, whichever you are in need of?
And then, at the end, we came to an area we recognize! Tsutenkaku tower still stands today, but the old amusement park grounds have been bulldozed and made room for restaurants, shops, games and other tourist traps.
After we called ourselves done with the museum, we found that the museum was at the northern end of a covered shopping street, and we set off in search of this afternoon’s snack. We walked forever and then some, and finally picked a place. Maylin had a sweet potato croissant, I had a chocolate almond one, Joe had a French toast slice and Téa had a ham and cheese pastry.
We continued down the same shopping area, and came to realize we had visited it before, although maybe just one block out of the entire strip. Kids’ Plaza is about half way down this area, and the covered street just keeps on going. We did not make it to the end today either.
By now it was getting late, and we knew the fridge at home was practically empty. We directed our Google Maps towards our favourite local restaurant close to the AirBnb, and had dinner at Hama’s!
Joe and I always enjoy the sushi at this conveyor belt restaurant, and I rarely get any photos of our food, today was no different. Although, we did not jump straight into sushi today, Joe had a $4.50CA bowl of ramen, I had a $1.20CA bowl of miso soup and a $1.75CA bowl of chawanmushi. Chawanmushi is a set egg custard served in a cup, this one had bamboo shoots, dried mushrooms and slices of fish cake in the egg. It was so tasty!
After dinner, it was a quick walk home, where we watched Jingle All The Way for some feel good, home-style Christmas prep. No scary stuff here, thank you very much!
BUT! I bought a cup today! One of the many interesting stores in the shopping street today was a cute ceramics store. I could have bought so many things there, but there’s a limit to what I will carry around the world with me, or risk shipping! This though, was a must. The cups provided in the AirBnb are not all that big, so I’ve been drinking tea out of what I call thimbles for the last 6 weeks, so when I spotted this cup, I just knew she had to join our world travels! No handle on this cup, and for some strange magical reason, the stoneware does not heat up on the outside!
Tomorrow we have a big day planned, with no school, so off to bed we go!
Love the tea cup!
Thanks, me too!