Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Arigato, Japonia! 46. In cautarea Japoniei de azi, Osaka / Arigato, Japan 46. In Search of Today Japan - Osaka

After one week of temple and garden visits, I went to Osaka, 40 km East of Kyoto. The third town of Japan as inhabitants number (2.5 millions), Osaka lies in the Osaka Bay, which enable its development as harbour and commercial centre.


Between Kyoto and Osaka there are only constructions, no free space at alll, which is astonishing. It rained, so my first glimpse on the city was a wet one! My accommodation was in a crowded and central area, Shinsaibashi. America Mura and Dotonbori, two objectives visited by a tourist when he comes here, were very near, at walking distance of my hotel.

Dupa o saptamana de vizite la temple si gradini, m-am deplasat la Osaka, la cca. 40 km est de Kyoto, in cautarea vietii moderne din Japonia. Osaka este al treilea oras ca marime in Japonia, dupa Tokyo si Yokohama, cupeste 2.5 milioane de locuitori. Asezarea sa in Golful Osaka, i-a prilejuit dezvoltarea ca port si mare centru comercial. Triunghiul Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto numara peste 18 milioane de locuitori, cam cat Romania astazi.

M-a surprins sa vad mergand cu trenul spre Osaka, ca intre cele doua orase nu mai exista, practic, nici o delimitare. Nu numai ca nu exista nici o palma de pamant neacoperit de vreo constructie, dar casele sunt foarte mici, mai mult ridicate pe verticala, decat intinse pe orizontala. Exista mai multe variante de a ajunge dintr-un oras in altul. Daca la sosirea in Japonia am ales shinkansen-ul, fiindca eram dupa multe ore de zbor si abia asteptam sa ajung, in sfarsit, la locul de cazare, de data aceasta am ales o varianta ieftina (400 yen), un tren care facea o ora de la Kyoto la Osaka. Vremea era inchisa. Ceturi deasupra muntilor si chiar ploaie din loc in loc, aratau ca trec in alt registru, nu doar arhitectonic dar si climatic.
 din tren, intre Kyoto si Osaka
Intrand in Osaka, au inceput sa apara blocurile mari si circulatia s-a intensificat.
in fundal, Castelul Osaka
De la gara la hotel, taxiul m-a costat 1220 yen. Ploua si aveam bagaj, altfel nu ar fi fost fosrte departe nici pe jos. Hotelul era intr-o zona centrala a orasului si, pana acolo, am avut ocazia sa ma familiarizez putin cu orasul, privind pe geam. Dupa ce m-am cazat, n-am pierdut vremea si am iesit sa ma plimb in jurul hotelului. Am stat foarte aproape de Bv. Mido-soji, in Shinsaibashi (mare cartier comercial), aproape de America Mura si Dotonbori, cunoscute obiective de vizitat in Osaka.
 pe Mido-soji
Am reusit sa fac o "recunoastere" a zonei, care m-a ajutat la orientare in zilele urmatoare. Mi-am cumparat si un card de o zi pentru metrou (600 yen) si chiar am mers cateva statii cu el, sa vad cum ma descurc. Semnalizarea este foarte buna, numele statiilor si liniilor este scris si cu caractere latine, deci nici o problema. Statiile se remarca prin curatenie. In cele mari si mai ales centrale, sunt multe magazine si 
restaurante. Vagoanele sunt mai libere (asa cum vedeti in fotografie) doar mai de dimineata.
Aglomeratia se observa la trecerile de pietoni
M-am plimbat pana s-a lasat seara, apoi m-am intors la hotel, sa-mi planific vizita de a doua zi.
marele magazin Damaru
Imagini din Osaka:


14 comments:

Duncan D. Horne - the Kuantan blogger said...

Hi, I love cities with good underground transport. Makes travelling around so much easier!

Joop Zand said...

Good serie again....... i like these.

Greetings, Joop

Traveling Hawk said...

You are right, Duncan! Taking into account the distances, it would be expensive to take a taxi everywhere. Thanks for the comment!

Traveling Hawk said...

Thank you, Joop!

LifeRamblings said...

such a bustling metropolis. i'd definitely get lost in that big city.

Traveling Hawk said...

Thanks for the visit Life Ramblings! With a map, you will do fine, I'm sure.

Randy said...

That's one busy city. I like that silver sculpture.

Traveling Hawk said...

It's near the Art Museum, Randy. Thanks!

VP said...

A different face of Japan, not always charming like the other, but always interesting.

Traveling Hawk said...

It's very different and that's what I looked for in Osaka, VP!

黄清华 Wong Ching Wah said...

I lived in Japan for few months in my early 20's, your pictures shows much the same of typical Japanese street I remember (at least from this sample). Thinking back, I really like the tidiness, the way most people behave on the streets, and in many places still keeping the old together with the new.

Traveling Hawk said...

Thank you, Wong, for your contribution. I think a blending of new and old is characteristic for Japan.

J_on_tour said...

Nice to see the Art of sculpture in this series and some interesting and varied architecture.

Traveling Hawk said...

Yes, J_on_tour, it is completely different from old Kyoto.