Osaka, Part Two: The Osakaning

Today was my last full day in Japan. I can’t believe I’ve been here this long, it feels like ages ago that I arrived. But time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana. All in all I’m glad I came, I’m glad for the experiences I had despite the weather, and I’m excited to visit again some day in the future.

That said, today wasn’t anything special. After having been on the move daily for the last week and a half, I was fine with staying put for a bit. I did go out and do some last minute souvenir shopping, trying to use up the last of my yen… As well as take advantage of the tax-free shopping. I guess there is one benefit to being in this consumer-driving district.

Tonight I had dinner at a fantastic little ramen shop. Fantastic because it caters to the socially inept, the agoraphobics, and those who just want to eat alone. When you enter the store, you make your order at a multi-lingual kiosk. After paying, it dispenses a number of tickets that you then bring with you. Before entering the dining room, you check the board to see which seats are free, and make your way to your own tiny booth. Tiny as in just enough room for your arms and a bowl.

When you arrive, the back screen is lifted and the faceless server behind passes you a sheet in multiple languages for you to select how spicy, how chewy, how garlicky you want your ramen. You pass that back with the tickets you received from the kiosk. They thank you and close the screen. You’re now alone in your booth… but still sitting very close to the diners on either side of you. There are partitions so there is at least a semblance of crowded privacy.

Eventually the screen opens up again and your food is delivered. They even have multi-lingual wooden tags to show the waitstaff if you don’t want to (can’t) communicate with them. It made me so happy thinking of Spain and how they would view this. Schadenfreude, that’s not me!

Tomorrow, I’m not sure what I’ll do with myself. I check out at 10:00, but don’t have to leave for the airport until 15:00. So I have a bit of time to kill. I don’t have any more room in my luggage, and I’ve spent more than enough, so I’m my shopping has come to a close. We’ll see. I’ll be fine no matter what it is.

So おやすみなさい¹ Japan, until next time.