3.3.23 (reflecting on 2.19.23)
James, Manki and I have started calling our friend Yuki "ANGEL." This is because, well he really is our guardian angel here in Yakage...from giving us annual rice field experience to driving us to get Tottori crab to helping us get 20000 JPY for free, he looks out for us like no other.
And so, it is no surprise that my second Osaka adventure came to being all thanks to Yuki ANGEL. On a random Tuesday he turned around from his work computer and asked "do you want to go to Osaka for free?" To which of course I answered "HECK YEAH - but wait, huh?"
Yuki and his family was driving to USJ for a small vacation, and he offered to take me along for the ride. It was so random and short notice, but it sure amounted into a weekend that was so memorable and long lasting.
If I took the time to explain every detail of this two day Osaka-sojourn, your eyes would never forgive me, so I will attempt brevity and conciseness.
Since I had done the whole tourist rounds earlier in the summer, I decided to focus this weekend on two specific themes and go from there. This equation:
books + tadao ando = osaka part 2. Voila, voila.
Theme 1: Tadao Ando
The equation we will follow here: the Nihonbashi House + the Children's Forest = concrete warmth and wonder.
Initially, my main Osaka goal was to visit Tadao Ando's infamous "Chapel of Light" which sits 20 minutes outside of Osaka. However, it was closed due to COVID and so I readjusted plans, replacing the Chapel of Light with Ando's newer project, the Children's Forest. And let's just say Ando's forest is one I could stay in forever.
The Children's Forest is a donated 70,000+ book collection for children. And that could be either an actual 5 year old child or the inner 5 year old in all of us...books ranged from artist monographs to toddler boardbooks to huge atlases to classic manga series to photobooks around global breakfasts. There was no limit to browsing for the dashing-around-the-shelves-of-books kiddos, the found-a-nook-and-will-read-until-forever kiddos, the yes-mom-read-another-book-to-me-on-these-stairs kiddos, and the when-did-I-pick-up-another-8-books-to-bring-back-to-my-seat kiddos (me.) And it was brilliantly designed in that the floor-to-ceiling shelves were all gridded so that it exhibited the books like works of art in a museum. Further, the method of organization was very atypical but very logical, as books would be grouped into less taxonomical, more ideaological sections that proceeded to wrap around the building in a flow-chart kind of way. For example, "beautiful things" that would then be placed next to "beautiful words" that was next to "beautiful sounds" and "Osaka wonders" went to "west Japan wonders" to "Japan wonders" to "world wonders." And each section could find a very adult-targeted recipe book right next to a phonics picture book as long as they had the same theme...which I thought was remarkable because people wouldn't be limited in access to knowledge based on factors such as age. I often wish that more adults would read kids books and more kids would read adult books, for we often become stifled and stuck in the set groupings our society creates. This library seemed to be a place where such boundaries could be erased. Adults looked like they were embracing being a kid again, and kids seemed to walk with authority and independence from the way this forest takes these younger souls seriously.
The Nihonbashi house was also incredible because it is basically the real-life version of 12 Grimmauld Place. Why? It is EXTREMELY thin. 4 meters in width.
BUT. Ando designed the residency tall and long, in a way that still allowed for a full furniture studio/exhibit space, an inner courtyard with parallel sets of stairs, 4 rooms, a kitchen, and a living area. What was extra lovely about my visit was that even though this stop was totally at a whim (I decided to turn rather than walk straight) I actually got to experience the whole building. Typically, the house is closed to the public as it is a private residence; however, the original client and still-present owner, Mr. Kinmori, had it opened for a 3 week art installation. After making my rounds of oo0ing and aahing the way Ando masterfully worked shadow, light, angles, and lines into the house, I had a long conversation with Mr. Kinmori who told me stories and insight of the building I'd never know otherwise. We ended up having a photoshoot and are now Facebook friends.
Theme 2: Books
The equation we will follow here: the Children's Forest + Bed & Book Hostel + osaka indie bookstore adventure = a heart fulll of loooove (from books)
I've already raved about the Children's Forest, but just once more--brilliant bookish building bequeathed to a beautiful body of bibliophiles.
The Bed & Book Hostel was just as amazing...I mean how can it be anything less when the bed capsules were embedded in a floor to ceiling bookshelf that wrapped all the walls? The main room also had a central pyramidal book shelf displaying a great selection of monographs, artbooks, photobooks, recipe books, comic books all for unlimited reading...it was essentially hostel heaven. As soon as I got showered and settled, a small corner called my name for my hours of reading, which was made even more wild with my daifuku and cider midnight snack.
My two days was walking the city in search of any indie bookstore that came my way...and I ended up finding three! My first stop was found in a refurbished Showa-Era bank building. I was perusing the old fashioned halls about to leave when I saw some shelves inside a corner room on floor three. This one-room bookstore focused on selling architecture and design books, so many were familiar titles I handled during my time at the MET and the MFA. The bookstore owner also collected old furniture catalogues, so it was quite fun flipping through the 1999 Ikea catalog and becoming enlightened on what my birthyear sported in the Scandinavian Style World. My second stop was also a one-room bookstore, Toi Books, that was on the second floor of yet another refurbished Showa-Era building. Toi Books carried so much character, as it sold only books that the bookstore owner actually read and liked--what a well-crafted and looked0after curation. Toi Books was special because I got to converse with its owner Mr. Isogami, who told me about the challenges, rewards, methodologies, and stories behind his making a bookstore. He was also super patient and understanding when it took about 5 minutes for me to actually allow myself a book purchase...my indecisiveness was out the roof, but boy am I so happy I invested (it's an art book that is a collection of 60 East-Asian arists' favorite/most nostalgic Asian food depicted by an illustration and explanations translated in the artist's native tongue, English, and Japanese.) My last bookstore stop, FOLK Old Bookstore, was recommended to me by Mr. Isogami who encouraged me to speedwalk the 20 minutes before its closing time (which was in 30 minutes) just to see how great a store it was. And WAAAH! So! Good! Not only did it have the scent of homemade curry wafting in the air (it is also a cafe!) but it also had a children's bookstore attached called "Kodomono Honya Potato" which translated to "The Children's Bookshop, Potato." I came bustling in, knowing I only had 10 minutes to absorb the whole environment, when this bookstore owner was like "yo, take your time. I'll close when you're done, no need to rush." And I may have overstayed because despite intending to stay only 10 minutes over 7PM, I ended up leaving past 8PM. But what can I say? The selection and set-up were just too good.
So yes, I have over-done it with my words yet again, but here stands my reasoning for why I left Oska with a heart full of loooooooove. And a stomach full of gooooooodness. Because dang. Osaka knows how to eat. I'll stop here with my words, but please do go on if curious about Osaka with my lens! It's a city that truly lives both at day and at night. Thank you Yuki for hitching me along, and thank you, Osaka, for giving me countless reasons to sing praises into the night.
OSAKA BY DAY
OSAKA BY NIGHT
AND OF COURSE...OSAKA BY FOOD
