Japan Tour 2025: Day 5 Exploring Kashihara and Osaka

Hinotori Train

 

By the numbers

31,869 steps

24.92 kms

Level of Chaos: Distracted to the max

 

Random FamilyMart find

I basically had a free day where I could do anything I want as the only place I wanted to go was to Kashihara, although I did not know the station by that name. The station was called Yamato Yagi. I was going to catch the Hinotori train from Namba station to Yamato Yagi as I would miss that section as I would be in Kyoto. Instead I would catch a train to Yamato Yagi, and then get the Hinotori to Nagoya. I left early thinking I had to pick up a ticket, but the printout was my ticket for the train and all I had to do was scan my IC card. To me that seemed too simple, but there you go. I waited for the train to come and there were a few people around that were catching the same train. I was able to watch the train arrive and easily board. It turns out I was at the back of the train in the first seat and it was a comfy seat. The seat reclined and even had a heating function.

 

Vending machine cake

I would only be on the train for half an hour and sat there looking out the window as the voice over told us which station we were arriving at. By the time I got off the train, I found it had started heating up. It was going to be another hot day and My plan at the moment was to find the Street Fighter game characters dotted around town. I started off with the first three as one was outside the council chambers, another outside the information centre, and another just outside the station as art work. There were sewer caps as well that I came across. After those ones, I looked up online to see where the other stuff were and had to catch a train, so I could find the one that was next to Kashihara temple. I decided to have a look at the temple and at that time of morning it wasn’t crowded, unless it isn’t that popular with the tourists, who knows. After that I decided I should walk to the Yamato Yagi station, which was around half hour away. On the way I stopped to have a look at the burial locations of two emperors, though I knew nothing about them and there were no information about them.

 

Chun Li Street Fighter

Using Google, I was following the path that it took me and I came across a barrier, and there was a road that went under, but didn’t look like I could walk it. Wandering the overpass bridge I spotted that there was actually a footpath that I hadn’t seen beside that road. Doubling back I took the path and went inside a random building as it had the Street Fighter artwork inside the lobby. At this stage I was feeling a little energetic and went looking for the ruins of a palace called Fujiwara Palace. I was hoping I could see something. Google again sent me through the back streets again. Literally walking beside rice paddies and my mind going what the hell. I even had a postie come by when I was in a narrow alleyway. Google sent me on more twists and turns as I realised I was running out of water. I found the ruins, but I couldn’t read the signs that were there and around the time my phone lost colour as it had gotten too hot. It did cool down as I wandered on sweating away. There wasn’t much to see of the palace apart from what looked to be pillars used to show how big the building was. It ended up being half hour before I got back to the station and along the way I bought some sports water from a vending machine. I should thank the random vending machine.

 

Rice Paddy

I thought I would have a moments rest, but decided to get a ticket to Namba as I could only get a limited express. I had 10 mins to get on the train, but then I had an issue thinking that the train on the same line was what I wanted. Before I could get off realising it wasn’t the limited express, the train was moving. The train I wanted was 2 mins behind this one, and wasn’t going the full way as it was three stations short. I thought I could jump off at a station to catch it, but didn’t have enough information to find which stations. I stayed on that train the entire way, and jumped onto the next one that took me into the station I was meant to get off at, around 5 mins after its arrival. I was out the ticket gate without a problem. A very different way to work around the issue of getting stuck on a random train going in the right direction, a happy accident, but there was also something else I realised. My travel debit card didn’t work in the ticket machine and the machine screamed at me that it didn’t like the card. Luckily I had cash. There must be something to do with the system Kintetsu uses.

 

I got back to my room and had a brief rest before heading back out to have a look at several things I had on my list of things to see in Namba. I had seen many things about the Namba Jinga shrine that had a head of a lion and was well known. I walked to this and while there was plenty of people there visiting, I managed to get a photo or two before heading to the Namba JR station to top up my IC card. I seen a station stamp inside the ticket gate, but thought better of it as I had to catch a train to get out. I headed to the metro where I was going to head to America Mura, which was a trendy part of Osaka where the youth fashions are. I found it was an interesting area, which had similar vibes when I was in Berlin, when I went to see some music. I also found vending machine cake and that was nice and cold. It came with a fork and I ate it with my hands. America Mura was crowded, but I soon found Dontombori was just as crowded that evening, and I was put off when I visited a restaurant that was recommended for individual dining, but I got told I needed another person. Looking that up later I realised there are two in the area. I didn’t know what I wanted to eat then other than the cake I had. I visited Denden town for the ship I had found something that I would like and I got the figurine. I also found some anime music that I knew I would not find again. They asked if I wanted tax free and I said no both times as I hadn’t set that up for myself. The maids were still out the front trying to get people to eat at their shops. Some were dressed like they were princesses instead. The food I got as I went to my room was Maccas and that was the first time since I had been to Japan that I ate it. They thought I would be upset over the burger taking a couple of minutes to cook. I wasn’t worried.

 

Now that I have some of my list crossed off even though I never went to all places, it just means I have a reason to return and continue my explore as I have been lucky to go to out of the way locations. This will happen to every location I end up at. I am satisfied I have been to what has interested me in every way. Now off to Ktoto!