Japan, pt. 2: Osaka

Osaka is Japan's second largest city. Like Tokyo, the residents are very stylish. It was in Osaka when I noticed that everyone here always looks pretty impeccable. Clothing is tailored very well here, and fits people with flattering precision. The color schemes tend to be more conservative, but this makes it even easier to match all the time. OK I'm going to stop now, as writing those two sentences about fashion was exceedingly difficult, despite the fact that I was recycling Project Runway soundbites in a watered-down manner.
Osaka is also known as a food destination. Two of the most famous regional cuisines we sampled were Takoyaki and Okonomiyaki. Takoyaki is a set of fried balls of octopus and batter. Okonomiyaki is a pancake made of cabbage, noodles and various mix-ins. A lot of eating centered around Dotonbori, the district pictured below:
We also did get to see some nightlife. We went to a Takoyaki and beer bar with an incredibly enthusiastic bartender. At a super-friendly and small gay bar, the three patrons and two bartenders wow-ed us with their karaoke skills, so we naturally joined in with a Lady Gaga duet.
Umm, somehow I have progressed this far in the post without mentioning that Osaka is a BIKE UTOPIA! Within a few hours of arriving, I noticed that there were very few cars in the city. There were, however, countless bikes! In fact, there were so many bikes that people life their bikes UNLOCKED on the street.
Rows and rows of unlocked bikes:

For those who ride in NYC, WTF, right? In NYC, you can lock your bike with an inch thick steel chain, and it will still be stolen. What is wrong with people? How is the social contract so strong in Osaka that people can just leave their bikes out in the center of the city all day?
Vending machines. These vending machines are ubiquitous in Japan. After a week, I capitulated and was pursuaded that in some cases, it might make sense to obtain your hot coffee from one.

Adding to the euphoria of a society where cars seemingly play a minimized role, Japan has a superb train system. Trains are convenient, plentiful and reach most destinations. The Shinkansen, a high speed "bullet" train, is required to be on time by law. If it arrives three minutes late, passengers receive ticket refunds. Trains are also well-maintained and clean.
Shinkansen: