Tokyo is to Osaka what New York is to California

My oldest daughter’s high school class took a three-day field trip to the Western Japan city of 大阪 (Osaka).

All of the photos in this post were taken by her during this trip.

The headquarters of the Japanese "Glico Candy Co.", Osaka, Japan

Have you ever visited Osaka? Have you ever visited Tokyo?
Did you notice how different they food and the people are?

Some people say that Tokyo is famous for fashion and Osaka is famous for food.
Do you know the delicious Japanese dishes 「お好み焼き」 (Okonomiyaki) and 「たこ焼き」 (Takoyaki)? Did you know that they are both “Osaka dishes”?

That’s not to say that Tokyo doesn’t have delicious food. In fact, Tokyo has more Michelin Star restaurants than any other city in the world.

And Tokyo has original dishes as well. Have you ever tried 「もんじゃ焼き」 (Monja-yaki)?
I guess you could call it “Tokyo-style Okonomiyaki”.

People from Osaka are more outgoing and friendly compared to people in Tokyo. A large number of Japan’s most famous comedians live and work in Tokyo but they’re actually from Osaka.
People in Osaka are famous for asking shop clerks for a discount when they shop. But that’s not done in Tokyo…here people just pay the listed price. People in Tokyo don’t feel comfortable “bargaining” for a discount.

Personally I think Osaka is a fun place to visit but I feel more comfortable in Tokyo than any other city. I enjoy living here. It has become “home”.

Anyways here are the rest of the photos that my daughter took that don’t have her or any of her friends in them:

The famous "Kani-Doraku" seafood restaurant

A type of "Takoyaki" called "Akashiyaki"

"Carl Corn Puffs" snack logo

The famous "Kuidaore-Tarou" statue

A train advertising "Universal Studios Japan" amusement park, which is in Osaka

Entrance to Universal Studios Japan (USJ) with X-mas decorations

Snoopy and Hello Kitty "Nikuman" meat-rolls at Universal Studios Japan. I guess Universal Studios in America doesn't have these.

Is "Hello Kitty" at the Unversal Studios parks in the U.S. too?

The giant X-mas tree at USJ.

McDonald’s cell-phone straps

In America, key chains are popular (at least they were when I lived there. Are they still popular there?).

Key chains aren’t popular at all in Japan. Here, 携帯電話ストラプ (cell-phone straps) are very popular.

I wrote a post about “Samurai cell-phone straps” and another post about “Snoopy cell-phone straps”.

I had meant to write about the cell-phone straps that McDonalds in Japan began offering last July but I didn’t get around to it until now.

Unfortunately, if you want one of these straps it’s too late now. The campaign has recently ended.
I thought the straps were a good idea and they were fairly popular. They looked just like McDonalds burgers, fries, coffee and apple pie…but they’re too big, in my opinion.
I wouldn’t put one on my phone. I have a strap on my phone but it’s nothing like these.

To get one of these “McDonalds Food Straps“, you had to order a large size value meal set and a strap would be included with the set…during the campaign period.

Would you put one of these on your cell-phone? Do you already have one? Which one do you like best? Does McDonalds offer things like this in your country?

Pepsi Samurai

Pepsi-Cola Japan is has a new campaign.

Last summer, they gave away Snoopy cell-phone straps with bottles of Pepsi NEX.
Click here to read my post about that.

Now they are giving away Samurai cell-phone straps (well, one of them is Matthew Perry. Click here to read what I wrote about him.)

If you buy a bottle of Pepsi‘s “zero calorie” NEX cola at a convenience store or supermarket in Japan during this campaign period, it will come with a Samurai cell-phone strap.

(click to enlarge)

Personally, I don’t drink much cola…and I never drink “zero calorie” or diet drinks (they taste terrible).
Also, although I think 「侍」 (samurai) are cool, I don’t really need any more cell-phone straps (I have one on my phone that looks like a skull and I’m happy with it).

How about you? Would you buy this? Do you like “zero calorie” Pepsi?
What type of cell-phone strap do you have? (Does your country have straps on the phones like in Japan?)

Pepsi and Snoopy

In Japan, keychain accessories aren’t popular. But ケータイ電話のアクセサリー (cellular phone accessories) are. Especially cell-phone straps.

In your country, are cell-phone straps popular?

Last Spring, ペプシ (Pepsi Japan) gave away Snoopy cell-phone straps with purchases of 500ml bottles of Pepsi NEX.

The straps were Snoopy with 「全国おいしいものアクセサリー」 (“All of Japan Delicious Foods“). They featured Snoopy resting on food items from 24 different areas of Japan.

Tokyo’s was the best! It has Snoopy resting on 江戸前寿司 (Old Tokyo Sushi). Osaka’s was Snoopy with たこ焼き (Octopus Dumpling).

These were given away with Pepsi NEX for a limited-time only and aren’t available anymore.

But now they’re offering Snoopy with 「全国おいしいものアクセサリー第２段」 (“All of Japan Delicious Foods…Second Version“) with purchases of 500ml bottles of Pepsi NEX.

This version doesn’t include a strap for Tokyo nor Hokkaido. But there is one for 横浜中華街 (Yokohama Chinatown)…「中華まん」 (“Chinese Steamed Meat-filled Bun“).