Osaka Castle, plum blossoms and kendo

In the hustle and bustle of Japan's big cities, personal space is something you never take for granted.

And yet despite the neverending waves of commuters on the Osaka public transport system, there's always a sense of order. Clear markings on train platforms indicate the precise point where doors will open, and passengers always form a polite and patient queue.

On our first full day in Japan, we headed out to Osaka Castle, or Osaka-jo. As we walked down the wide pathways of the surrounding park, we relished the fresh air, the trees and the gentle chirp of birds alongside joggers, dog-walkers, cyclists and chattering schoolkids.


Grilled sausages 200yen

We were temporarily distracted by a street vendor selling snacks en-route. It seems impossible to walk 100 metres anywhere without encountering some sort of food or snack for sale.


Mochi rice cakes in nori seaweed sheets


Grilled mochi rice cakes in toasted nori seaweed sheets


Grilled mochi rice cake in seaweed 100yen

Grilled mochi rice cake doesn't look like much, but it's heaven for a starch lover like me. The pounded rice has a traditionally chewy consistency, but the barbecue grill creates a crust that is smokey and crackly and guaranteed to get stuck in your teeth in a very good way indeed. The inner part is glutinous and stretchy and the toasted nori seaweed sheet imparts a salty fishiness.


Osaka Castle

Osaka Castle is always an impressive sight, looming high above us and protected by steep and formidable stone walls.


Eaves of Osaka Castle

It's my third visit to Osaka Castle, so we don't enter the building itself this time. Instead we bask in the warm tingle of sunshine with ice cream!


Ice cream time!


Hokkaido milk soft serve 400yen (approx AU$5.10*)
Grape and vanilla mixed soft serve 300yen (approx AU$3.80)
*based on our exchange rate of AU$1 = 78.9yen

"Number 1" says the sticker on top of the grape and vanilla mixed soft serve picture. We will soon realise that popularity in and of itself is a huge selling tactic in Japan, one that presumably self-perpetuates because everyone wants the number one selling item. In the interim, it works on us, as Veruca Salt follows suit.

The grape soft serve has the intense and artificial sweetness of grape bubblegum, and she's glad she didn't order the straight grape version. I opt for the Hokkaido milk (Number 2!) which tastes perversely of milk powder but enjoyably so.


Osaka Castle Park Bairin plum garden

The Bairin plum garden in Osaka Castle Park comes into bloom at the beginning of February and we join the camera-wielding throngs to capture the spectacular blooms.


Plum blossoms

Every man and his camera is out, from little point-and-shoots



to a heavy artillery of tripods and macro lenses.



Being completely surrounded by Nikon cameras was quite a novelty too - like coming home to my people!


Pink plum blossoms


White blossoms


Pink blossoms


Yellow blossoms

Osaka Castle Park plays host to a number of sporting facilities including a baseball field, athletics field, Kyudo Japanese archery and the Shudo-Kan martial arts training centre.


Kendo students

We were intrigued by a group of students practising kendo, or kenjutsu, a modern version of Japanese martial art sword-fighting.



We were pleased to discover that training sessions were accessible to the public, and we removed our shoes and headed inside the dojo to watch them practise.


Kendoka in bogu protective armour

Kendo is a noisy sport, the clash of wooden swords accompanied by wailing shouts that are meant to channel their fighting spirit. The females were noticeably much louder and more aggressive than the boys!


Kendoka mid-strike

And because watching other people be active does nothing but make us hungry by association, we end up indulging in more snacks. For research purposes, of course.


Grilled cuttlefish 300yen
Grilled squid 200yen


Obanyaki 100yen


Obanyaki filled with adzuki sweetened red bean paste

Obanyaki always tastes a little doughy to me, a bit like a cross between a pancake and a crumpet, but the adzuki red bean paste is thick, sweet and satisfying.


Food stall outside Osaka Castle

Osaka Castle
Nearest JR station: Osakajōkōen Station on the JR West Osaka Loop Line
About a 10-15 minute walk

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