Yes, let's self medication! Seems I've picked up a bit of a cold, so yesterday I was off to Universal City in search of a drug store where I might be able to understand what I was buying, and where I found this delightful sign.
But let me back up a bit. Saturday, I met up with Liz in Osakajo-koen, Osaka Castle Park. Lovely day!
We wondered about the park a bit, then headed down to Shinsaibashi. Our
orginal plan was to meet up with a friend of hers to go to New Age healing
fair, which sounded like it might be interesting, but that didn't work out.
Instead we got dinner at Slices (yes, I
was able to order up vegan style pizza), met
up with Eric later on. I ended
the evening with a few drinks at Mojo Bar, a little walk-down place in
America Mura. Not a gaijin-bar, but enough English about that I could talk a bit. The nihonjin present were tickled that I was a karate teacher and a shiatsu practitioner.
Sunday, Liz had a performance in Kyoto, at the KyoRyuKan. I had intended to meet her and
her host family early for a picnic, so took my guitar; but ended up getting
lost and wondering the streets a little bit. (It was cold, and I think this
is where I caught the chill I'm currently fighting off. But I did get to
see folks out ogling early cherry blossoms.) But I found her just in time
for her first performance - and, since I was carting around my guitar, got
invited to jam along in the improv session at the end of the set. My
Japanese musical debut. Quite fun! And well received, if I do say so
myself. 
Between sets, Liz decided that the her little "host sister" and friends
should overcome any fear of gaijin men by playing with my hair. Thus I
ended up with a whole bunch of decorations. I caught the whole show for the second set, jammed some more. We all
went out for a beer, and I caught the train home - but missed last train on
the loop line at Tennoji station, and had to catch a cab from there back to
Bentenchou. Ouch! About 2500 Yen.
Monday, I took a little shopping expedition to Den Den Town, the local
electronics shopping district. It's a little rough around the edges, but
good deals to be had - I bought a nice used kimono (it's not just
electronics for sale there) for 500 Yen, as well as a little electric
heater for my apartment, and a travel hairdrier.
Tuesday I stayed close to home, and by yesterday was feeling a little
bit sick. Google suggested that there might be a branch of "American
Pharmacy", where I might find some familiar drugs, out near Universal
Studios just a few train stops along. No luck finding "American Pharmacy",
but I made do at the place advising "Let's self medication!", buying some
nasal decongestant pills, as well as some (expensive!) echinacea and nettle
teas.
