Dōtonbori | 1

Namba | 3

Namba | 2

Kitashinchi | 1

Namba | 1

Streamer Espresso Ōsaka | 2

What makes a good coffee shop – a café, a kissaten (喫茶店: きっさてん) – great?

Lifting it far above its counterparts to become a favourite?

Is it the coffee beans (コーヒー豆) they use?

The way they combine those beans (豆: まめ) in the process of selecting, blending, roasting, grinding, tamping, extracting and pouring?

Maybe it’s their stylish latte art?

And the suave ambience of the premises?

Or perhaps the friendly baristas and other staff serving behind the counter who bring a smile to your face with a simple “good morning” (「お早う: おはよう」)?

I would like to think it’s a combination of all-of-the-above. And then some.

After all. There are innumerable kissaten between where I’m staying in Ōsaka and the humble dispenser of pure coffee joy at the end of my “yellow-brick road”.

Each and every day (毎日: まいにち) I traverse the great divide between Kitashinchi (北参道) in the north and Minamihori (南堀江) in the south.

A 3km – 45 minutes each-way – trek through the labyrinthine concrete jungle offering up countless alternatives to my intended destination.

Yet none have ever seriously tempted me.

None have drawn me away with their siren calls.

Their whispered offers of cool, crisp airconditioning and plush, comfy sofas and a foreshortened journey to ease my discomfort.

All very alluring in this oppressive, sweltering heat & humidity (蒸し暑い: むしあつい) of summer (夏: なつ).

For what they try to pass off as coffee is – quite literally – rubbish.

Insipid. Weak. Tasteless.

However, the prospect of a hot brew created with a deft hand and loving tenderness still needs more.

Why? Because we are incredibly adaptable creatures.

Easily convincing ourselves that what we’re consuming is quite alright. It’ll do. Close enough is good enough.

But more what?

“… ay, there’s the rub” Hamlet: Act 3, Scene 1

I reckon it’s the people.

Ultimately we’re all looking to connect.

Establish bonds. Cultivate relationships. Forge friendships. No matter how subtle or complex they might become.

And that happens best when there’s a common interest.

In this case, it’s an appreciation of fine coffee.

Once the foundation is established it becomes easy to build upon it.

The structures of shared experiences and insights pieced together like a LEGO set.

The bricks building up one upon another until there exists an interwoven mesh.

The multi-coloured layers forming a latticework of memories and emotions.

Now perhaps I’m ascribing too much to a band of rogues I hardly know.

Yet daily contact and a constant supply of caffeine is as helpful to me as their frequent provision of linguistic tutelage and recommendations of travel photography assignments.

What’s more, I’ve had the pleasure (快: かい) of meeting many other interesting folk in the hallowed confines of this mecca.

Photographers. Models. A masseuse.

Humble shop assistants. Proud business owners.

Locals and foreigners (外人: がいじん) alike.

So I ask you: “What more could one ask for?”

Streamer Espresso Ōsaka is quite simply an oasis of comfortable familiarity in a desert of abject solitude.

Kim*

Hanabi

Summer-time in Japan is a time for celebration. And what better way than with fireworks (花火 : はなび), pronounced hanabi in Japanese.

As I wander down to the Yodogawa River (淀川) in Ōsaka (大阪) the cops blow their shrill whistles directing traffic and the crowd alike.

And crowded it is. But orderly too as we follow one another like a herd driven to greener pastures.

The streets are lined with stalls selling food and small restaurants taking advantage of the passing trade.

Rooftop vantage points are popular with friends gathered for the occasion.

Young ladies dressed in colourful kimonos (着物: きもの) get into the spirit of the occasion. Laughter and chatter rise like incense into the night sky.

The start time is 7.50pm and given the size of the crowd I’m guessing I should have arrived a lot sooner to secure a spot overlooking the river.

Fortunately, I secure a reasonably good viewing position amongst the many families.

As the fireworks start, kids in pyjamas stare open-eyed in wonder.

The heat is heavy. The humidity oppressive. But it does nothing to dispel our enthusiasm. And many people cleverly wield fans like weapons to generate a modicum of breeze.

The “snap, crackle & pop” of the fireworks is deafening.

The ground shakes to the carefully choreographed routine which lasts a generous 50 minutes.

Needless to say the experience was amazing (すごい)!

Kim*

Link

I decide to stray from my regular haunts and try some drip coffee instead of my standard espresso.

I’d read about a café called Link on a website and figured it deserved closer inspection.

It’s easy to miss, located in the backstreets near Dōtonbori at 1-13-19 NTビル1F Higashishinsaibashi, Ōsaka.

On entering the premises I’m immediately impressed by the modern yet warm surroundings.

Shades of brown (yes, not grey) dominate. Timber and suede.

There’s soft, comfortable seating for about 18 people at both tables and a long counter bench.

They appear to take their coffee seriously. In the style of Café de l’Ambre in Ginza. Though perhaps with not quite the same obsession.

Jars and jars of coffee beans sit neatly in alcoves on one wall.

A separate “roaster’s room” provides them with the facility to freshly roast beans and thus create their own “homemade” blends.

The menu provides a range of bitterness strengths (strong, medium, light and soft). About 16 to select from all up: Columbia (コロンビア), Peru (ペルー), Kenya (ケニア), Kilimanjaro (キリマンジャロ), just to name a few.

I choose to play-it-safe and order their “LINK blend” (ブレンド).

It’s perfect! Just the right balance of acidity and flavour.

And sweet enough that it needs no sugar. Always a good sign.

The music playing is quiet and gentle: easy listening yet soulful.

Desserts and light meals can also be purchased. Although perhaps another time, as I’ll definitely return to sample some of the other beans on offer.

Mind you, I still prefer espresso. But this place does make a very nice change.

Kim*

www.linkcoffee.jp

Tempozan Ferris Wheel

Ōsaka Aquarium aka Kaiyūkan

It’s hard to miss the approach to the Ōsaka Aquarium given the enormous ferris wheel beside it. But more on that later.

On the plaza a street performer juggles fire and does a clever balancing act. But I’m not here to see him.

Fortunately, it’s not a busy day so the queues are short and I get in straight away.

In no time I’m confronted by tiny hammerheads sharks and an assortment of colourful, tropical fish and small sting rays.

Next stop is a Japanese mori (森: forest) complete with waterfall. Apparently otters live here but I can’t see them as their sleeping. But as they’re fed 3-times a day I’ll return later.

Some smaller tanks hold a variety of ducks, smews, herons & an egret.

Another tank houses larger sea otters but, unlike their smaller cousins, these guys are busy swimming on their backs and generally showing off.

Up next is a large display for the sea lions & harbour seals. Most are active to the delight of onlookers. Feeding time arrives and they don’t disappoint with the usual show of clever tricks.

Next door are ring-tailed coaties. They’re raccoon-like creatures but with long snouts and long striped tails like lemurs although their behaviour reminds me quite a lot of possums.

In the water below are pufferfish. porcupinefish and more tropical fish.

A freshwater tank with an extensive assortment of tetras don’t seem interested in the large iguana whose tail is draped over a branch and into the water.

In stark contrast the next tank is home to huge – really huge – aptly named colossama, a freshwater stingray, catfish and a few enormous pirarucu.

A capybara (large rodent) has a display to himself. Apparently they can weigh as much as an adult human. Hard to believe a rat can get that big but this guy looks to be well on his way.

A snow covered rock shelf is home to a number of adorable penguins: Emperor, Adelie, Gentoo, and King. Comically awkward. Yet graceful in their element. One in particular has placed himself strategically below the snow shower.

A pod of Pacific white-sided dolphins perform to the crowd during feeding time. It’s great being so close to them and seeing their underwater antics.

The Great Barrier Reef display reminds me of home: lots and lots of iro (色: colour).

The next section has on one side an octopus scuttling along the bottom of the tank, with more fish but very different to what I’ve seen so far, plus a nasty looking moray eel.

On the other side are the stunning spotted eagle rays, odd-looking shovelnose rays, and a glorious manta ray. All happily living with prehistoric hammerheads and the like.

Magical schools of sardines and anchovies move in unison like an orchestra of musicians.

A separate tank houses quirky oval squids and the evil-looking largehead hairtails.

But the main attraction is the whale shark in all of his majesty. Commanding yet docile. A beautiful beast.

I’m almost at the end when I come to a series of very small tanks. One has a bizarre-looking Darwin jawfish. Another is full of sea horses and sticklebacks. A third has a variety of ebi (えび; shrimp).

I spy a venerable sea turtle. There isn’t much this place isn’t have.

But just when I thought I’d seen it all, giant spider crabs like alien machines straight out of “War of the Worlds” creep and crawl their way in yet another tank.

All up its been a wonderful experience and I would be more than satisfied if it finished here but then I discover the room full of kurage (海月: jellyfish). Wow! Definitely my favourites. I love these guys. The way they move is like ink dropped in water. So fluid. They’re glorious!

This place is a must see!

Kim*