on missing trains

The bad thing about Japan is that all subways and trains are ontime 99.9% of the time, so one minute of indecision - what platform was it? how much is the ticket? - will cause you to run down the stairs just as the train pulls away. It's a sad feeling. In America, everything is slow, so that moment of indecision will cost you nothing. You'll probably be early.

But the great thing about Japan is that the trains are 99.9% of the time on time, so when you miss the train you almost accidentally got there early enough for, the one you were planning for will come 15min later. Plus, this time you'll be early enough to get a seat. :)

Departing Osaka (GREAT Mexican food for dinner last night and slept in a capsule hotel) for Himeji (big castle).