The Nara to Osaka ride was smooth. We made one slip up (it’s typical) and passed our train stop but we managed to switch to a new train easily and get to our destination…Spadio!! With all sincerity, this is one of the weirdest but coolest nights of sleep of my life. Scratch the sleep part, just one of the weirdest but coolest nights in general. I’ll get into that, but first, Spadio. This is a special kind of place, unique to Japan where guests sleep in “capsule” beds (more like astronaut pods) and there is a massive 24-hour onsen in the basement. They give you pajamas and a towel, and you are free to shower then bathe in every temperature water/waterfall feature/water-jet pressure/sauna and steam room that your heart and body desires.
But before exploring these glorious waters we had some people to meet. My Columbian friend and I met up with another friend of his at an absinthe bar called Kinguu. This is what made Osaka special for me. Lucky for us it was the one night of the week that the owner does a live performance for his guests. In this small space, with red walls covered in creepy masks and doll decor, among other oddities, Kinguu gave us a haunting performance. Accompanied by piano, he belted a set of songs in at least 3 or 4 different languages, dropping to his knees with the microphone dripping from his lips. He put his soul into his singing. Absinthe aside, I was moved and impressed. Being an intimate space, I have no videos to share. I just hope that if you find yourself in Osaka you make your way to experience Kinguu’s performance.
Returning to our hostel around 3 in the morning, post-performance, I took full advantage of the practically private onsen and then had a restful few hours in my “capsule” (spaceship). I spent the next day window shopping (with some little purchases), stumbled across a lot of live music on the streets, and tried this Osakan dish called omurice (flavorul rice wrapped in an omelette, served with sauce on top). It was a nice restaurant, had to take my shoes off my stinky feet (sorry), and left with a happy tummy to catch my train to Kobe (where I would continue to eat).
Bridge Over Distance 