Buddhist Temples and Shopping Districts

Ok, so, today's post is a big one cuz it was a Jam-Packed day. It actually happened last Monday (6/10) but I'm such a busy bee, I'm only now getting to tell you all (sorry).
The day started out with going to school, and after classes ended, we all headed out to go to Tennoji Buddhist Temple in Osaka.

The grounds were so pretty, there was no grass, it was all dirt, but it was weed-free and all the paint looked fresh and nothing looked horribly weathered. So it was really pretty. There were a bunch of old buildings and shrines, and monuments. It was so amazing. I ended up buying an Omamori (a good luck charm) that said I wouldn't die in any transportation accidents (bonus! ;) ).

Shrine across a bridge. It is fronted by a Tori Gate and surrounded by a moat.

A Statue of a Buddha.

This is a pool of water, you're supposed to wash your hands before entering the Temple Area.

Praying. Step 1: Ring the Gong at the top of the Rope.

Step 2: Clap your hands twice and pray.

J, Myself and A. (LtoR)

There was also a turtle pond which had hundreds of turtles in it. They were all so cute!

We were feeding them bread bits and they were swarming!

Pretty Groundskeeping

After the Temple we headed off to the Nanba shopping district. It has two distinct shopping areas. One, the Nanba Parks Mall, I saw a picture of a couple months ago and wanted to go. The building is open to the sky in the middle and is all squiggly. We did walk through, but we didn't stop. It also looks like I wouldn't have wanted to stop. All the stores looked very mature and boring. But the architecture was pretty cool-looking.

Courtesy of Google Images: This is the Nanba Park mall from the sky. I entered from the Parking lot on the right, and exited towards the more awesome shopping-district in the bottom left.

Outside view by parking lot.

Inside: Facing up and towards the parking lot.

Facing away from the parking lot

Looking up from the middle of the mall.

The other area is very busy and is filmed often.It's the shopping area that has the giant crab on the side of a building, and a giant Glico man on another. It was so busy! This shopping area is directed towards young people. It had so many young, hip and fun-looking shops (not that I got to actually shop in them, more on that in a min).

I finally saw all the crazy looking people I had heard were in the busy cites. I saw a lot of Host boys (Men you can pay to party with) I had never seen any before, but there was no mistaking them once I had seen them. They were so plastic. In expensive shirts and accessories. They had big, gelled hair, and they looked so pretty. You knew instantly that they were the man whores. I didn't get any pictures, cuz I was so shocked I didn't think I could do it discreetly. Dont worry. I am going back soon so I will get one then. I also saw cute little Lolita women. All ruffle-y and adorable! Same thing, I was too mentally helter-skelter to get pictures.

Busy Busy!

The River running through the middle.

All Lit Up!

I was super annoyed at the people who brought us though. She brought us to one of the biggest shopping centers in the world, and then told us that we had a half hour to look around and then we had to leave. So I'm going back to do some shopping and I'm gonna take my sweet time while doing it!
This area also has a river running right through the center of the shopping district, so there is this great bridge in the middle. And while we were there, there was a movie or something being filmed just a few hundred feet away. It was pretty cool to see them in action!

Action!

Anyways it was a great day. I saw a lot I had wanted to see. Osaka is awesome. I love being so close to all the action of this unique part of the world!

Manhole Cover in Nanba area.

This is an automated parking structure. You roll your car in on the bottom of the skinny side, and a machine takes your car and parks it with space efficiency! Pretty cool, if you ask me.

The men with the "White Gloves" at the train station. They are only at the really busy stations, and they are there to "Pack" people in the trains when it's too busy. They do it to fit as many people on a train as absolutely possible. 

On the outsides of many restaurants there are plastic displays of the food offered.

A few shrines on the streets of Nanba.

This is a typical school lunch. It's very filling (I can only eat about half) and it comes to about $3!