Nagoya and Osaka <3

Note: Well in June I had this post written as I got back to Tokyo, but I stupidly put the pictures on my external hard drive and forgot where they were ^__^;;; and no travel post is worthy without pictures.

In June my man came to Japan for a visit and of course I said: we’re traveling. So whirl of a vacation started with 4 days in 3 cities and a 3 hour hike down a mountain with a suitcase (:o)

Nagoya

Had a lovely, but short time there. I however had to make the quick stop to their gal shopping Mecca. Since Tokyo 109 gets everything first usually, it was more just to scope the layout and the crowd.

Egg always likes to talk about how Tokyo girls are different than Nagoya girls are different from Osaka girls. Nagoya always gets this hime/agejo touch to it, while Osaka gets the more Amekaji. This really didn’t come across to me while I was there. Nagoya girls were doing it right although I felt the audience was younger than Tokyo’s. 109 is often a mix of high school and 20+ yr olds.

Nagoya however has a Glam Baby right inside it’s mall, which I wished 109 would do since Glam Baby {much better than} Chiara.

I have nothing at all negative to say about Nagoya girls, I’d consider living there since it’s very laid back.

Oddly enough I was in Nagoya on a Sunday and barely saw any couples. Tokyo Sunday is all about couples. People of every age pair up and do everything from grocery shopping to regular date activities. It’s impossible to escape in Tokyo and it does make you want to scream out I HAVE A MAN, TOO!! if you’re alone at the time. I am unsure if this is Tokyo only, but it definitely didn’t seem like the Tokyo level of dating.

Onsen!

I tried to book an onsen stay before we left Tokyo, but right before the weekend all of the big ones were booked solid. So I dropped into the travel beaureu in Nagoya and they helped me set up a rocking Onsen play in Yunoyama which is hidden in the mountains between Nagoya and Osaka. Mountains, streams, unlimited shabu shabu and the perfect cap to a night: a private outdoor bath for me and me man. Happy me!

Osaka

Osaka was a bit of a mindwhack after being nestled in the mountains with only the sound of flowing water to greet you. Friends always tell me Osaka is a bit behind in the behind in the times fashion-wise. Personally I believe Kansai-people are more likely to hold onto a trend they like.

Osaka gyaruo especially reminded me of 2007 Tokyo gyaruo. Since Tokyo gyaruo have been charmed by either refined Host-kei or they’ve latched onto DJ Ace’s Oraora kei with more Exile looks, it was nice to see many in Osaka doing simply gyaruo.

I noticed a few talking about me as a white gal. In Tokyo it’s not as shocking, but I think it’s even more rare outside of Tokyo.

Osaka had some great style, I spent most of my time there around Namba and their awesome aquarium, too. Namba was full of shops with fake Amekaji Cocolulu stuff and Gilfy-style look alikes, but this seemed more acceptable in Osaka.

Tags: gyaruo, hosts, nagoya, onsen, osaka, traveling