I stayed in Osaka for a week-long induction as a visiting JICA fellow 20 years ago.
Back then, my knack for adventuring was just evolving so the farthest I ventured was to the train station nearest to the JICA Center with the intention of visiting the Osaka Castle.
That failed excursion haunted me so 20 years after, I led Pugad Baboy to a revenge tour of the Osaka Castke (circa 1583), scaling all its 8 floors for a panoramic view of Japan's 3rd largest city where he image of two oversized samurais from Bakal 2 were imprinted as eki stamps.
It was there where the wife fell for the dango.
From Kyoto, we went back to Osaka to celebrate Balong's 23 years, reporting first to a ticket inspector of the Osaka Castle before the enticing smells of a grilled Wagyu beef skewer, a slice of sweet cantaloupe, and pan-fried tokiyaki, obanyaki, and okonomiyaki reeled us to the Kuromon Market where Balong hosted a birthday lunch of unagi, sukiyaki, yakitori, sashimi, kare, and Wagyu steak.































