Continuing our tour of our final Japanese city Osaka. We spot a few of the more quirky features of Japanese socialising – pet cafes! In this case all things tiny, fluffy and spiky!
As well as photo perving on yet more perfectly replicated plastic meals and sushi.
This tiny shop is a manga lover’s paradise. Stacked from floor to ceiling with colourful books.
I love the vivid hues of the spines and the somewhat impenetrable plots!
Naturally there are an abundance of novelty items to make the man stick his head through or pose next to . . .
Then it’s onto Kuromon Ichiba which is one of the most well known central food markets in Osaka.
Its undercover stalls are crammed full of all manner of veg, pickles, fish and delicacies.
The market has a total length of close to 600 meters with 170 shops.
Although over half of total sales are for the business market, Kuromon Ichiba is also popular with the general public and definitely with tourists.
As well as fresh ingredients to make your own meals, you can easily pick up lots of ready meals to eat on the go. Made in front of your eyes or scooped out of tempting dishes.
My eye is drawn to these poor little baby octopi on sticks! Their heads look rather too round and that is because they are stuffed with a quails egg!
Considered to be a Japanese snack they are known as takoyaki or octopus balls and they are candied and skewered. Hmmmm . . .
Finally here are a few more fresh crabs and a vendor preparing some snacks.
We’re getting so very close to the end of our trip now . . . I almost can’t bear to finish it.
Although it will almost be a year since we visited it has taken all this time to document it all!!