Nine is the new midnight.  After a relaxing day (we only went to one lecture, but it was a difficult one to hear, on the atom bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki delivered by a retired officer and military historian) the ship got into Osaka at 4 PM.  By 4:30 we were through customs headed for Dotombori, the nightlife and shopping district of Osaka.  We arrived just before sunset and went down to the Dotombori Canal off the Tombori River.

The two biggest attractions, beside all the international brands in overpriced shops, are food and, well I can’t say neon anymore, but advertising LED lights that out times Times Square. 

The guide on the boat did not speak English but held up a sign board in English as we passed the Gilco Running Man sign.  The Gilco Sign Board has 14 million pieces of LED chips.  It’s that type of district.

On our cruise we passed the Jazz Boat twice, a river excursion with a live “Dixieland” style jazz band on the stern, it’s music echoing under the bridges.   

The only shopping we did was in a drug store to get some more vitamins. I spied Spam sushi for sale (in a drug store!). 

Otherwise, we wandered looking at people taking selfies in front of colorful advertising signs or posing while someone else took the picture.  Courteous people waited while the shot was framed so progress along the river walk and down the main pedestrian street was slow. 

After walking a couple of miles (so says my iPhone) we took a taxi back.  I asked the driver to take us past Osaka Castle, originally built in 1583, employing over 100,000 workers.  It was built as a display of power.  The present castle was rebuilt in the 1930s of concrete.

We got back to the ship in time for a 9PM local show of Taiko drumming.  Bringing Osaka nightlife to the ship.  

Back in our stateroom we have another giant Ferris wheel (they seem to be a Japanese harbor fixture) with flashing LED lights winking at us.

The next morning at breakfast several of the crew told us that they had been to Dotombori the night before and loved the lights, the food, the atmosphere.  “We got back to the ship at 2 and had to report to work at 4:30.”  For them, 2AM is the new 10 PM!