SPRING in Osaka is as good a time as any to be in Japan. The weather is ideal — 20-24°C in the day, dipping to a low 12°C at night — and the city is, as my pretty guides point out, cosy (read “warm and steeped in tradition”), more so than bigger cities like Tokyo.

Forget cherry blossoms if you arrive in May, as I did, for they have apparently said their hellos and bade a quick farewell a month earlier. Never mind that — Osaka still has its myriad attractions. We have only little more than half a day to tour the city so you can imagine how selective our itinerary is. Temple, check. Modern city symbol, check. River cruise, check. Shopping, check. Lunch at popular eatery, check. There’s even time to squeeze in a quick course on udon-making!

SUMIYOSHI SHRINE

Also known as Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine, this Shinto shrine attracts more than two million visitors yearly, the bulk of them congregating on the third day of the new year.

It is the headquarters of over two million such shrines all over Japan and houses the guardian deities for sailors as well as the ones for prosperity and business success.

Walking through this peaceful enclave is therapeutic. There is a section where one is required to wash one’s hands and lips before proceeding to the individual shrines. As with all places of religious worship, tranquillity and a solemn atmosphere prevail. However, the presence of “happy cats” in various sizes — symbols of business prosperity — and the numerous flags sponsored by business corporations do put a commercial and gaudy spin to the whole place.

TSUTENKAKU TOWER

A landmark in Osaka, this tower will give you a 360-degree view of the city from the 91m-high observation deck. Of course, I think only city residents will go ooh and ahh as they recognise familiar buildings in the distance.

The sky is gloomy and my interest in peering at distant buildings quickly waned. I cheer myself up by playing tourist and taking pictures with my media friends. Some sweet girls on duty also get my attention — they will yell something enthusiastic every time they help visitors take snapshots of themselves. Their cheerful demeanour never seems to wane however many times they are asked to take a picture!

Elsewhere, there’s a creepy charm doll named Billiken. Its ominous presence follows you everywhere you turn — from providing good luck to visitors who rub its soles, to its manifestations in various shapes and sizes at the souvenir section on the ground floor.

TOMBORI RIVER CRUISE

The aural assault on my eardrums by the young guide on board this river cruise is unforgettable. Hardly pausing to catch his breath, it’s quite a din as he leads us on the cruise traversing the canals of the city going past busy shopping centres.

I do not understand a word he says but he’s making such a racket that I’m strangely mesmerised. From my other guide, I make out above all the noise that we are passing some very popular city malls. Some of the bridges we encounter are also great for making out... er, I mean, going on dates. Once in a while, small groups of local residents cheer us on as we pass under them. All said, this river cruise is really quite something.

NAMBA PARKS

This shopping centre is located at the heart of Osaka. Its design evokes images of a natural canyon and makes it an eye-catching landmark. Its direct link with a major train station makes it a popular hub.

There’s a wide selection of shops, restaurants and even a terraced outdoor garden. Lots to see and admire but my mind was on my next assignment — making udon!

ART OF NOODLES

Hironobu Maeyama, the proprietor of Miyoshiya, is a large man with a ready smile and a hearty laugh. His little shop is cosy and warm, hardly able to accommodate more than 10 customers at any one time.

Mr Udon teaches the art of making the thick wheat-based noodles popular in Japanese cuisine and usually served in soup. He tells us with a twinkle in his eye that he got to be this size from making udon day in and day out, though I suspect he means consuming it rather than any physical exertions!

An assistant is in the kitchen trampling on something. We find out that it’s dough and Hironobu whispers that this is the secret of his delicious udon. Err, okay. I suppose the less I know the better!

All that kneading and shaping the dough (and we are not privy to what goes in the dough other than salt) out of the way, we proceed to roll out portions over a wooden stick before folding it over itself a few times. That done, we cut the dough into strips. Then we grab a few, shake them in the air to loosen them, twist the darn things into a loose knot and viola, the noodles are ready to be cooked! Of course, the end result in our hands are more a mess of dough strips than smooth udon noodles!

Hironobu serves us udon in curry gravy and we are instant fans. Of course, what he will do with our versions of the noodles, we do not know (or want to know!)

Incidentally, Hironobu charges about RM100 per person for the quick lesson on udon-making.

Happily stuffed with udon, my one-day Osaka visit concludes. It may be just a few hours but the city’s friendly face endures in my memories. In fact, years from now, if people ask me what I like most about this city, it will be the happy faces, the cheery smiles everywhere I turn and the cleanliness of the city that I will recall.

I may have had an Osaka quickie but it turned out to be such a pleasurable jaunt. Osaka in spring? Yes, I had a spring in my step and a smile as wide as Mr Udon himself as my day trip ends. fenglah@yahoo.com

The writer’s trip to Osaka was courtesy of AirAsia X and Universal Studios Japan. AirAsia X flies four times a week from Kuala Lumpur to Osaka, its second destination in Japan after Tokyo.

NEXT WEEK: Throwing my weight around at Universal Studios Japan