I think I spent a lot of the day shopping for things that weren’t available. For most of the trip I’ve been getting up before the alarm but this morning the alarm woke me up. I stayed up a bit late since I was having dinner at my cousin’s and there were stupid things I needed to do like post my awful pictures to this blog and play the NYT crossword puzzle.

Anyway, same breakfast place as before since the food and coffee are pretty good. This time I had the ham & cheese toast and I think that’s a winner.

Then after some more dilly-dallying I went looking for another Zento Signature pen. I already found one and I think that was pure dumb luck. I’m going to try in Fukui as well and if I can’t find it there I might just give up. I went to three different Loft locations. One told me they weren’t getting any more in at all. Another the girl told me she saw a ton of them in Sannomiya which is all the way out in Kobe. The other just said, meh, they’re hard to get. They’re on Amazon for 2x or 3x the list price and I might just do that instead.

Anyway, I went to Namba and yeesh. The lady at Bic Camera said I hadn’t registered my point card. Actually, I’m not sure what the hell she said because SHE SPOKE TO ME IN CHINESE. I said, Japanese or English. (I almost said a little German too and I could try Spanish but I only know a few words. Actually I think what I know is a very litle bit of Mexican Spanish.)

After that it was the fruitless Zento Signature search. Namba is a complete maze like Ikea. Once you’re in a building it’s hard to get out.

I finally found the Mitsutoyo digital caliper I’ve been searching for since the last time I was in Japan!  I know it’s probably just as cheap in the US off of Amazon but the web reviews say half of the ones on Amazon US are fakes. My sister suggested Factory Gear Namba (which AMEX has as Factory Geer Namba). They sell Milwaukie, Snap-On, Wiha, and all sorts of high-end tools.

My sister also reminded me that a bakery cafe we went to was nearby. I think it was only 20% or 30% Japanese. Lots of other nationalities represented. The loudest table seemed to be young Americans but a table of young Korean girls would randomly start singing. It was weird. The carbonara was good and the bread with it was even better. It is a bakery cafe after all.

I started walking badk towards Umeda (where my hotel is). I accidentally ended up in what I call China: Shinsaibashi. It’s usually full of Chinese people doing their retail tourism. Lots of high-end stores amongst more common touristy stores. The whoever-it-is-that-sells-Labubu store, Disney Stores, discount Rolex stores, etc. The Labubu store even had a security guard posted outside.

Anyway, I cut over to Midosuji, the wider street for cars that runs parallel to the shopping street. I didn’t line up to go in the Rolex or Omega stores (though I do like Omega watches) but I did peek in the Grand Seiko store. Every other high-end brand you can think of had big stores. The only one I can think of that I’ve never seen before is Fendi and I only know that name from rappers. Is it high-end women’s undergarments?

There is a Daimaru and inside is a counter where my mom used to go to every time she came so she could get a special traditional “instant” soup. The lady we would always talk to transferred to this branch years ago. She may have retired. I thought about seeing if she was there but thinking about my mom got me a little emotional so I avoided it.

As I went up the street further, I saw a Porsche store (for pikers) and also Ferrari, Lamborghini, and McLaren stores. I used to bemoan the fact that I couldn’t ever afford one of those cars but I can barely keep my Camry from scraping on curbs. Instead of a supercar, I think I need a smaller car like another Civic.

At some point I made a mad dash back to my hotel room because carbonara always seems to speed my digestive system. Made it in time. Then it was time to go out and get my traditional Osaka snack.

I always have to go to Toki and have the matcha shiratama. Matcha flavored sweet azuki bean paste with mochi balls.

Then I went and got a massage. Actually, the sign said, “Reserve online, the next available appointment is 17:30.” It was only 4pm so I went back to my room and found out that I had an account set up. Signed up for an 80-minute massage. I felt kind of bad because I’m all knotted up but luckily I got the sturdiest looking woman there. Come to think of it, I’ve had tiny women at that shop beat the hell out of me too.

After my massage I  went to Mos Burger for dinner. Standard Mos Burger, mixed fries & onion rings, and melon soda.

I wasn’t completely full so I added a chili dog.

None of it tastes like what you’re used to in the US but I love it. Oh and I might as well give you a give you a Wilkinson picture. I already drank the Pocari Sweat. And you probably noticed there was a bite taken out of the chili dog before I took the picture. PROFESSIONAL FOOD BLOGGER. PLEASE HIRE ME.