Osaka

Osaka must be the second largest and busiest city after Tokyo. If you are in Osaka city one may get lost easily. 

Osaka has 2-4 railway stations taking you in all directions depending where you want to go.

After Narita Airport of Tokyo , Kansai must be the second busiest airport.

For Sight seeing I would recommend only three places , Osaka Aquarium , Osaka Castle and Shitennō‑ji.

1. Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

This is one of the largest aquariums in the world. The central tank represents the Pacific Ocean and contains a whale shark, which is the highlight. Visitors walk around the tank on a gradually descending spiral path, seeing sea life from different ocean regions

The aquarium is designed in a very interesting way. Visitors start at the top floor and then slowly walk downward around the huge central tank that represents the Pacific Ocean. In that tank lives the famous whale shark, the largest fish in the world. As you go down the spiral path, you see the same tank from different depths, which creates the feeling of descending into the ocean.

Around that main tank, each section represents a different part of the Pacific Rim—for example:

• the Japan Forest zone with river animals

• the Aleutian Islands with sea otters

• the Antarctica area with penguins

• tropical coral reef tanks

For many visitors, the most fascinating moment is when the whale shark slowly swims past the glass, because the tank is so large that the animal appears almost like something moving in the open sea.

2. Osaka Castle

A historic castle originally built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the 16th century. It played an important role in the unification of Japan. The surrounding park is very large and pleasant to walk through.

3. Shitennō‑ji

One of the oldest Buddhist temples in Japan, traditionally said to have been founded in the 6th century by Prince Shōtoku.

These are the three locations worth seeing. In Osaka my husband was teaching at Sakai City Hospital. At the request from a Doctor from Maizuru we were accommodated at a Hotel close to Hospital. This place was like what I call a wedding place. Very spacious big rooms and several kitchens. There was a Cafeteria at grand level for our breakfast. I was allowed to use one of the kitchen to warm up our lunch.

Later came Mimihara hospital and we continued to stay in same hotel.

Mimihara doctors were very enthusiastic . Not a Cardiologist but Gastroentero logist took us to Nara the first time. After that every weekend he would drive us to surrounding temples and gardens - big and small. Any student and one surgeon would join us for Sunday outings. It became like a family like my father used to take us to places around Mumbai.