Should we go to Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan and Tennoji Zoo?

I'm an animal lover. I love all animals except for ants, cockroaches and spiders... but I digress.

I've read a lot of different reviews, and I'm torn whether or not we should visit Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan and Tennoji Zoo in Osaka.

Whale shark at Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan (Photo from Odigo)

First, let's talk about Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan. Some say the aquarium is really nice and that you shouldn't miss it when you're in Osaka; others say it's a heartbreak for animal lovers. They pity the whale shark because it's put in a tank that's too small for it and with no vegetation. They say the penguins are stressed because people take pictures with the flash on even when flash photography is prohibited. They also say that the manta rays in the petting zoo have nowhere to hide when they want to get away from hands that poke at them.

Elephant in Tennoji Zoo (Photo from Welcome Kansai)

As for Tennoji Zoo, I've read similar stories. Some say they enjoyed going there; others say avoid it at all costs! They say the animals don't seem happy there, that they're obviously stressed and aren't in good condition, and that they're put into enclosures too small for them.

It's my principle to not patronize something that will encourage the mistreatment of animals. For example, I do not eat shark's fin siomai or soup because I do not want sharks killed just for their fins. And I will never buy dogs and cats from pet stores because I have seen (on YouTube) the abuse and mistreatment that goes on in puppy mills where the animals are bred. But I've never been to an aquarium or zoo as large as the ones in Osaka, and I'd like to go there. I'm not even sure what the reality is. Different people have different opinions.

To go or not to go? That is the question.

Gyudon in Japan is like a Starbucks drink???

Did you know that you can customize your gyudon or beef rice bowl in Japan like you can customize your Starbucks drink? I didn't know until a few minutes ago, but apparently you can at Yoshinoya, one of the three largest gyudon chains in Japan (the other two being Sukiya and Matsuya). There are supposedly as many ways to customize your gyudon as there are ways to customize your Starbucks drink, but here are two that I plan to try when we eat there:

• tsuyudaku - extra gyudon sauce
• atama no omori (アタマの大盛) - extra helping of meat

Gyudon @ Yoshinoya, SM Seaside Cebu

Another thing I've learned is that you have to specify the size when you order since gyudon comes in a range of sizes from kid-sized to mega-sized. We'll probably just order the nami (並盛) or normal-sized one. One person suggested in his blog to order the kid-sized gyudon plus side dishes of vegetables and miso soup to create a healthier, more balanced meal. That sounds like a good idea.

Beef Misono @ Yoshinoya, SM Seaside Cebu

To order a normal-sized gyudon with extra sauce, you say, "Gyudon nami tsuyudaku de." I want to try the one with green onions and egg on top so I should say, "Negitama gyudon nami tsuyudaku de." Or maybe I'll try getting one with an extra helping of meat and extra sauce: "Negitama gyudon atama no omori tsuyudaku de." Or I can just point to the picture and say, "Kore desu!" (This one!) ;-D