My Japan: Kobe & Osaka

We left Okayama by shinkasen to Shin-Kobe, where SH's good friend Kumiko came to fetch us in her car at the eki. Kumiko and SH were university mates in the 70's when SH was in Japan on a Mombusho scholarship.

In Kobe, Kumiko first took us to the oldest mosque in Japan, for our prayers. This mosque was built in1935, in the traditional Turkish style by a Czech architect Jan Josef Svagr. It is located in the Kitano-cho foreign district of Kobe.

The Kobe Mosque (CNB 2012)

Interior of the Kobe Mosque (CNB 2012)

With Kumiko in front of the Kobe Mosque (SH 2012)

We had lunch at the Naan Inn nearby, where we had mutton curry with (Japanese) rice and naan, plus salad and samosas. International cuisine is available in all the cities of Japan and so one can indulge in any, apart from local Japanese food. (But I think that one should partake of the local cuisine at every opportunity - food is always more oishii in its own/home country).

We have lunch at the Naan Inn (2012)

'Peace' from the waitress at Naan Inn (CNB 2012)

Kumiko then drove us to Kobe Daigaku (university) where she and SH had studied before. It was nice to see them both happy to reminisce about their alma mater and Kobe, and how it was then, especially before the Great Hanshin Earthquake of 1995 (I do remember seeing pictures in the papers, particularly of the elevated expressway that toppled over).

Kobe Daigaku is a national university and located beside the foothills of Mt. Rokko. From the campus, this port city of Kobe is visible from a distance. Today Kobe is home to 18 public and private universities. The city is associated with cosmopolitanism and fashion. I read somewhere that there is a Japanese phrase, 'If you can't go to Paris, go to Kobe'! Ooh la la!

The main building of Kobe Daigaku (CNB 2012)

Kumiko & SH  (CNB 2012)

A distant view of Kobe from the campus grounds (CNB 2012)

Kumiko, who used to do show jumping, then invited us to feed some horses at the campus stables. While doing this, I realised what huge, beautiful eyes horses have. But all too soon we had to leave them because Kumiko wanted us to see a bit of Osaka before we took the train (JR Sakura Super Express) again to Kyoto in the evening from Osaka-eki.

My... what big eyes you have! (CNB 2012)

Kumiko feeds the horses (CNB 2012)

Posing with a horse and a Kobe Daigaku student
(KT 2012)

From Kobe to Osaka, it was a half hour drive away. We managed to be in Osaka just before the sunset, and so caught passing glimpses of the Osaka skyline in the dusk. I remember we crossed many bridges to get there.

Crossing one of many bridges on our way to Osaka (CNB 2012)

Osaka thoroughfare in the evening (CNB 2012)

Osaka is Japan's third largest city with many attractions, but we were too late to visit any, though we did get an inkling of its shopping malls. Kumiko took us into the Q's Mall, Abeno Market Mall and The Loft. I did note that some of the outlets in these malls had 'curious' names - 'Soup' for a clothes boutique? There was also Ciaopanic Typy, LuLuLuniy, Discoat, Aimerfeel. Huh?

'Soup' boutique at Q's Mall (CNB 2012)

Flowers for Mother's Day start early in an Osaka depato
(CNB 2012)

Here in Osaka (at Q's mall), Kumiko also introduced us to 'shadow art', a craft she is skilled at. She showed us some exquisite pieces she had made, and later we were guided into making our very own 'masterpieces'. Below is mine! Arigato, Kumiko san!

My shadow art piece - sorry though, this photo does
not really do justice to the artwork (CNB 2012)

3-12 April 2012