Shinsekai - the real downtown of Osaka

Activity > Osaka > Sightseeing > Tennoji

Have you ever seen the movie "Black Rain" (Black Rain, 1989 with Michael Douglas, Andy Garcia and Ken Takakura), its got some REALLY cool scenes of the Japanese "underworld".  I lived in Tokyo for a while then moved down to Osaka a few years ago and never really quite experienced an area like that which I had seen in that movie. Until... I reluctantly went down to Shinsekai at night a few nights ago.

A friend of mine has lived in Osaka for... well... a long time (probably longer than he's lived back in his home country).  He's... kind of rough and... I really don't know what he does.  Anyways, he's a cool dude, got some very interesting stories.  Had him over for a beer last week and after slurping down a few Sapporo Lagers we started talking movies which came 'round to "Black Rain" which came 'round to, "hey, have you ever been down to Shinsekai?" he asked. "No" I said and he slapped me on the back and said, "lets go!".  "Go? now?"... and off we went.

It was already pretty late, around 10:30 p.m. when we headed out the door so I grabbed an extra Ichi Man (10,000 yen) just in case I needed a taxi ride home. We jumped on the subway near my house and got off at Ebisucho. I really had no clue where I was since I had never come down to this area before but, as soon as I stepped out of the subway exit I thought, "this is it!" My mind raced back to a couple scenes in Black Rain, but... my mind didn't need to race back, it was right in front of my eyes.

My friend stepped off the sidewalk and said, "come on" and I followed him down through some narrow side streets dripping with atmosphere (and aircon water from the building above).   He twisted and turned a couple times... I knew I would never be able to find my way back to the subway station, especially after what my friend probably had in mind. I saw a few "Chinpira" looking dudes (lowest level of the "underworld" mafia, the Yakuza) but, absolutely no problem... if you don't bother them, they wont bother you. Saw a few hookers (although it takes a while living in Japan to pick the working girls from the normal girls because they really don't 'look' like hookers), some drunks, some over-worked businessmen, some beautiful hostesses and even a one-man-band street performer whaling out a tune.

I followed my friend into a small doorway and up some stairs, then through another doorway, down a hall and into a final doorway/bar entrance. It was dark in there with things hanging from the ceiling and people plopped about here and there.  The bartender immediately recognized my friend and greeted him with a big, "Oh... hello!" I took up camp in a corner and immediately caught the eye of a "hippy'ish" Japanese girl to my left. Before I even had the first sip of my beer I moved to a seat next to her and we had a fun conversation.  The night blurred on from there... it was like being in a movie with all that atmosphere and excitement. I managed to make it home in the wee hours of the morning (by cab) and crashed till noon... Oh... the life of Riley...