It’s Day 2 in Japan and All I Want is a New Front Tooth 🦷

April 19, 2023

We are so happy to be here in Osaka after months of planning. As we were getting ready for breakfast and making plans for the day, I heard Barry yelp and and show me that one of his front teeth had broken off. What a rough start to the day. Well, back to the drawing board regarding today. Right after breakfast, we’ll head to a dental practice that has good reviews for helping travellers and the dentist speaks English.

We noticed this note on one of our bikes boxes when we were at the hotel. A thoughtful personal note from the crew n Tokyo where we were delayed overnight.

We have eaten breakfast in the hotel most morning..the buffet is a lovely spread of Japanese and Western choices…there is a blender with freshly squeezed carrot/orange juice, many unique presentations of seafood, eggs, salads, etc. it requires more than one trip to try the many options. Here is one of Barry’s plates with raw salmon, roasted sweet potato, temago (egg), okonomiyaki - an Osaka specialty: savoury pancake with squid or shrimp, tamago (Japanese omelet) etc.

Now we are off to visit the dentist. The hotel has arranged a taxi for us.

We have grown to appreciate that Japanese workers take great pride in their jobs, work hard and dress impeccably. Our driver wore white gloves with his requisite black suit…and what a character he was. When he found out we were off to see the dentist, he gave us candies whilst shaking his finger telling Barry no candy for you until you are finished with the dentist.

Just like the driver, his taxi is impeccably outfitted with white lace cover on the seats.

Barry, with his dentist, Wataru Kono, a young man of 71 years with a zest for life. The visit exceeded our expectations. We had hoped he could get fit in sometime this week, but within minutes Barry was in the chair and the work had begun. It’s a small world. His daughter is an opera singer and lives on Orcas Island near Seattle. As the crow flies, she lives about 40 miles from us.

A charming image of a family owned business near our hotel. The older couple live upstairs and have run this business most of their lives.

This building is in the well known and jam packed district of Dotonburi. This is Rose Lips Hotel… we liked it’s facade.

Thanks to our Vasco translator device, we know that this says…bikes slowly, pedestrians have priority. It has been an eye opener to be walking and feel the rush of cyclists of all ages including moms with 2 or 3 children zooming by and weaving in and around pedestrians. As a pedestrian, keep mindful and never deviate from your line. Somehow we have seen no collisions. We will ride on the road when we can as we are so wide. So far we have seen no trikes.

The iconic Dotonburi…it stretches for quite a long way and is mind blowing with sensory overload. As you will see from our photos, food, activities, small shops…if you want it, you will find it.

The huge illuminated sign of Glico Man in Dotonburi is perhaps one of the best known images in this area. There have been 6 versions of this sign..originally neon, but now LED. Glico Man is an advertisement for Glico candy.

As you can imagine, the appearance and vibe of Dotonburi is completely transformed with the spectacle of glittering lights and the colourful decor of this area. Unfortunately, we have been pretty tired by the time darkness comes, so we will save experience that for another time.Q

Thanks to Barry’s research, we walked until we found this landmark...Marufuko Coffee, a local favourite for almost 100 years. A special tradition is their pancake. It is unlike pancakes we have at home with a crispy exterior and a luscious centre.

Osaka is known for many things..and this cafe features one of them: takoyaki (octopus balls) …Takoyaki is made of wheat flour batter filled with diced octopus, tempura scraps, pickled ginger and green onion The sauce is soy sauce with mayonnaise.. I know this may sound repetitive but they are delicious, especially when prepared fresh.

This restaurant is called Kushikatsu Dar Uma…we didn’t try it, but the image was worth the photo. This place has been serving deep fried kabobs of skewered meat, fish and veg since 1929.

Another Takoyaki cafe…as usual the lineups are long….mostly students who have just finished school.

The always eye catching oversized signs on businesses in Dotonburi. Here is featured the takoyaki.

Kanidoraku is a crab restaurant. It is known for an incident 1984 when one of the crab legs fell off and struck a customer.

Ebisu Tower with the ferris wheel reaches a height of 250’ and is built in to the facade of Don Quijote store and is decorated with the image the god of fishermen and luck, Ebisu.

We enjoy seeing the plastic food replicas on display in front of cafes. This really helps foreigners know what they are ordering. Love the fork suspended above.

The historic. Daimaru Department store is a luxury filled multi floor building with brand names I have only ever read about. Nonetheless the kiddies aren’t forgotten with this floor.

The food floor at Daimaru has a section featuring luxury fruit. This small box of beautifully wrapped strawberries costs 6480 yen ($64.80)

A typical side street in the area near Dotonburi.

This charming establishment survives alongside modernity.

In Japan one can find anything you need in a vending machine. In our hotel we have several featuring beverages and most importantly for Barry…one is for a variety of ice cream treats.

We thought this apartment building had a pleasing unique design with pipes serving as planters.

We have been having an extraordinary day. We started with a crisis (Barry’s tooth) and then we wandered for the rest of the day…over 18 Km. Thank goodness for our new Hoka running shoes. When we realized that we were tired and were still 5 Km from our hotel, we considered a taxi…but we didn’t understand how to flag one down as their availability sign was indecipherable for us, plus we didn’t understand how to use the metro…so we dug in and kept going.

Wow, an unforgettable day. We will sleep well tonight.

We have been surprised by the huge number of bicycles in the city…many multi passenger bikes accommodating parent and 2 or 3 children and almost always a place for an umbrella and pouches for your hands on the handlebars.

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Suzanne GibsonIt looks like this is going to be a fascinating trip - for you and your readers, as well! I am loving your first impressions!
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11 months ago

Barry BartlettThanks for your comment. Good to hear feedback as I sometimes get too wordy!
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11 months ago

Jeanna & Kerry SmithAs fellow Seavo riders, we have enjoyed your blogs for several years. I can't recall now whether we have ever commented, but I must have sometime. I am really looking forward to joining you on this tour in Japan. Thank you for all the great stories of your adventures. (And I don't think you get too wordy!)
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11 months ago

Barry BartlettTo Jeanna & Kerry SmithHow nice to hear from you: Seavo rides unite! We feel so lucky to have Seavo and our trikes….we try to show equal love to them so that neither get jealous!
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11 months ago

marilyn swettIs there a covid mask requirement in Japan? Seems weird to see everyone wearing them.
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11 months ago

Barry BartlettIn the past, most people in Japan wore mask to lessen spreading germs There was no mandate during the pandemic, yet people chose to wear them. We see that everyone wears masks, indoors and out.
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11 months ago