Before we can start work at Nova, both Neil and myself need three days worth of training. We are both being trained at the Takarazuka branch of Nova, that’s where Neil will be working, but I’ll only be there for three days before moving to my home branch. So that we weren’t late for the first day of training, we decided to go to Takarazuka on the day before to find where we needed to go, that was the Sunday just been.
Takarazuka is a nice town, it’s four or five stops towards Osaka on the JR railway line from Sanda, and costs 320 yen to get there. If you get a normal train it takes around 20 minutes, while a rapid will only take a little over 10 minutes.
When we got to Takarazuka we immediately tried to find Nova, it was easy enough to find on the other side of the Hankyu train station in a building called Sorio 2. There is also Sorio 1, 3 and 4.
Having achieved the primary goal of the mission so quickly, we decided it would be a good use of our time to explore the immediate vincinity. We quickly found that a river ran through the town, and there were two bridges within walking distance apart. So we crossed one with the intention of recrossing the other.
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After a while we reached the other bridge, but before we crossed it I saw a shop called “Shop 99″, which intrigued me, so we investigated. It turns out that Shop 99 is like a supermarket, but everything in there costs 104 yen, products include but are not limited to candy, baked products, sushi, and drinks. While it may not be the best thing about Takarazuka, I have to say that Shop 99 is pretty close.
Once we had acquired some food to fuel our almost empty bodies, we crossed the river again and stumbled upon two things of interest. The first (but chronologically second) thing we found was a dog park. It was where dog owners could pay an admission price, and take their dog to walk or play with other dogs, there were all sorts of paths and tracks for the dogs to walk on, and a big open area for all the dogs to play in. It was so crowded, and there were all types of dogs, mostly small dogs, but there was the occasional big dog.
The second (and chronologically first) thing of interest we found was the Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum. Osamu Tezuka is the creator of Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion, among other things. It cost us a few hundred yen to get in, and we were able to look around a rather interesting collection of his work, ranging right back to pencils of some of his earliest comics. Outside the museum was an awesome statue of a Phoenix, one of his other creations.
Takarazuka is a really nice city, its got hills all around, a river running through it, it’s not too busy, and has a nice feeling to it. And, it has Shop 99.
Wheres the pictures of all the dogs to show Tuesday what japanese dogs are like?????????
shop 99 is one of those many little 4 square type shops you will see and they are really great value! Have you come across grape fanta? when i was there it was the best drink!
Hey Andrew, sounds like you’ve got things down pat.
You’ll be 8 stone by the time you leave there, all the walking you’re doing. Japan looks so clean and orderly, probably not so in the “Dog Park”, I suppose they’d have loads of plastic bag dispensers for the occasional doggy accident.
Hope your first day at work is successful.
Love Barb Paul and the boys[/quote]
Hi there
Just read Neils blog. tried to leave a comment but couldnt. he needs to put a link to your blog like you have done for him. please tell him thanks for the amazing photos especially the ones of Sanda as now i can visualise the place more.
hope all is still going well for you both
love you
i hope you’re eating lots of yum japanese lollies
Sandra,
- Thanks Andrew, I’m really glad that its going so well for you.
Neil did leave a link to Andrews blog, it was on his very first blog, near the end. Thats how I found out, and there is lots more detail here than Neils
take care,
nita