Over wheeling luxury
The Osaka Wheel, located in the city of Suita, Osaka Prefecture, is Japan’s tallest Ferris wheel. The ride is 403.5 feet off the ground at its highest point, the Osaka Wheel provides stunning views of the surrounding scenery. All 72 carriages feature transparent glass panels on the walls and floors, creating a see-through environment to give passengers the feeling of floating though the sky. The wide seats are designed to comfortably fit six people, with each carriage air conditioned in summer and heated in winter so customers can enjoy the views year-round. During the winter months it gets cold in Japan and especially when you 400 feet in the air. So those clever Japanese have an added feature: they added the warmth of kotatsu and hot sake. A number of its gondolas will be outfitted with kotatsu. “ Kotatsu” are tables with heaters attached to the underside and a thick blanket sandwiched between a two-layer top, creating a paradise pocket of continually warm air you slide your feet, legs, and forearms into. Really, the only downside to kotatsu is that once you sit down at one, odds are you’re not going anywhere for quite a while, on account of how cozy they are. Putting a kotatsu on a Ferris wheel cleverly solves the chill problem, though, since you can stay seated and warm while the gondola rises into the sky and comes back down on its circuit, which in the case of the Osaka Wheel is a leisurely 18-minute ride. Since you and your guests are so warm and toasty you can also order food and Sake for your go around.
And if you’re having a drink, why not have some snacks too? Here again, the Osaka Wheel has thought of your needs and provides kotatsu gondola passengers with hot canned oden, a mixture of vegetables, fish sausage, eggs, and other simmered foods that’s especially popular in winter. The potential problem with kotatsu is that it can be hard to ever convince yourself to leave one. Accommodatingly, the Kotatsu in the Sky package is also available in a two-circuit format that lets you ride for two rotations of the wheel, which takes 36 minutes. The one-rotation package, with sake and oden, is priced at $13.45 per person, and the two-rotation plan at $17.
But wait there is more! Two carriages are designated VIP carriages, with space for four passengers on extra-luxurious sofa-style seating and special interior lighting provided by floor LEDs. These carriages are perfect for special celebrations, anniversaries and magical wedding proposals.
Getting around to Japanese humor
I bought a used Japanese car. I turned on the radio…
I could not understand a word they’re saying.
The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.
On the other hand, the French eat a lot of fat and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.
The Japanese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.
The Italians drink excessive amounts of red wine and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.
Conclusion: Eat and drink what you like. It’s speaking English that kills you.
Our son-in-law, who is Japanese, hosted a dinner for the family at a local Japanese restaurant. When we picked up our chopsticks, he asked the waiter for a fork. “You’re Japanese,” commented my nephew. “Why are you the only one not using chopsticks?” With a laugh, my son in law replied, “I like to show off how well I can eat with a fork.”
The inventor of the Ferris wheel never met the inventor of the merry-go-round.
They moved in different circles.
November 28th Birthdays
1988 – Karen Gillian 1989 – Scarlett Pomers, 1976 – Sunny Mabrey, 1979 – Aimee Garcia
1993 – Adam Hicks, 1993 – Jarvis Landry, 1982 – Alan Ritchson, 1929 – Barry Gordy