{"id":7954,"date":"2024-04-14T07:00:03","date_gmt":"2024-04-14T07:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/?p=7954"},"modified":"2024-04-07T12:33:26","modified_gmt":"2024-04-07T12:33:26","slug":"osaka-japan-week-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gowatkinsgo.com\/?p=7954","title":{"rendered":"Osaka, Japan"},"content":{"rendered":"

We arrived in Osaka on a cold and rainy Sunday afternoon. Okinawa was a bit cool. Osaka in March is downright cold. Cold weather was not in our Asia plan, so we do not have warm-weather clothes. The high the day we arrived was in the 40s (that’s single digits for all my non-American friends). It took us about two hours via public transit to go from the airport to our Airbnb.<\/p>\n

Our Airbnb is a traditional Japanese house with bamboo floor mats and sliding doors. We have two stories that allow us to spread out. The boys stay upstairs, and Michael and I stay downstairs. The rooms have heaters, but the living. area\/kitchen stays chilly because it is a big area to heat.<\/p>\n

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The day after we arrived, we decided we needed a down day. We went grocery shopping, but otherwise, we were hibernating. The next day Michael and Lucas went to play pickleball and made some new friends. Luckily, the pickleball is indoors. Michael, Lucas and Henry played pickleball a few more times, and Michael led a pickleball drilling session. They also practiced in the street in front of our house. We are up to eight pickleball paddles. At least we are getting use out of them.<\/p>\n