The Road to Home begins with Osaka

Onto the closest international airport that has regular-priced fares to America, Kansai International Airport (Kansai Kokusai Kuukou, or kankuu for short). Take an overnight ferry from Toyo Port in Saijo to Osaka's South Port (nankou).

Osaka is one of Japan's biggest cities, with over 17 million people in the metropolitan area. My buddy Takashi picked me up from the ferry port, and we tooled around all day until driving to the airport to catch my flight.


Here is the moat around the Osaka Castle grounds.


This pond is reminiscent of a traditional Japanese 'strolling garden' (kaiyu-shiki). Although in this case its merely thrown in as an extra to Osaka Castle's rustic Sengoku scenery.
Here is a massively old tree, very knobbly after years of being cut short, so that the close branches are quite thick. It is probably cut back every year, with fresh shoots in full Spring bloom giving the effect of a much younger, small tree. Who knows how long this thing has been growing here, there is no plaque, it is just another extra to the castle grounds under the shadow of the castle.
The early period following the Sengoku Period (also called the Warring States Period or the Japanese Civil War), after the unification of all of Japan, is one marked with big, bold, extravagant architecture. This castle had to withstand attack just a few years later, as the Toyotomi Hideoyoshi's son used it for defense in a succession dispute with Tokugawa Ieyasu. The result was not favorable for him, as Tokugawa went on to be the supreme military ruler of Japan, establishing a Shogunate (bakufu) that lasted for the next 260 or so years.
Takashi, eatin some delicious octopus.


The back entrance to the Shrine located on the grounds.

And the front

A statue of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, grand unifier of Japan and pacifier of all other Daimyo (feudal lords). He conquered, allied, and united over 500 territories that had hitherto been controlled by other Sengoku Daimyo. He is basically a giant badass. He also established the four class system which was a hallmark of the following Tokugawa Era, comprised of the Nobility, and the separate hereditary classes of Peasants (mainly farmers), Artisans, Merchants, and Samurai (which were essentially the bureaucrats and civil servants).
A famous Kendo (Japanese Swordfighting) Dojo. How epic would it be to train at the foot of a castle next to a giant statue of one of the most powerful samurai in history?



'Let's open some happy', Merry Christmas Japan, courtesy of Coca Cola.

At Takashi's apartment, he likes to spin drum and bass.

Goin to the airport.

Kansai International Airport, KIX, is actually located in the Sea on reclaimed land. Kind of a wild drive.


The list of departures, one of them being to SFO (which is where I was headed)