Travel : Osaka,Japan

Osaka was our last destination of our Japan trip.We started in Tokyo and decided to fly back to Malaysia from Kansai Airport in Osaka.I'm not so sure about the total flight tickets damages,but I assume that there is not much different than flying to and back from the same airport and taking the train twice,or flying to different airport,and flying back from different airport but only taking one time train.Besides,this way we can save time and energy.

However,we were so done with Japan by the time we arrived in Osaka.It was mainly because of the heat.Osaka is the 2nd biggest metropolitan city in Japan,so apparently,it has many interesting places to explore and see.I was still eager as I was not so familiar with this city eventhough I have been here several times before.

When I studied in Japan,I came to Osaka only for 3 reasons.One time I came here because I wanted to go to USJ(Universal Studio Japan).Second reason coming here was because I had several job interviews that time that required me to travel from Nagoya to Osaka and third,Osaka was the arrival and departure city when I first arrived in Japan back in 2005 and when I departed back to Malaysia for good in 2009.

This time though,we still didn't do much here.However,we met my long-lost friend I got to know when I was studying in Nagoya,Kak Ros,a famous food blogger of jintanmanis and her two daughters Damia,who was born in Nagoya the time when we were all still there,and the latest and the youngest one,Maryam,who is 4 months younger than Alayna.

We really had a fun time together that day in Osaka.Kak Ros brought us to the famous Namba and Dotonbori area,a famous shopping arcade in Osaka.It was definitely my first time here and the place itself is freaking freaking huge that we took few hours to walk passing each shop :P

We also bought some Osaka souvenirs here.

Namba/Dotonbori Area

Met Kak Ros and her kid,Damia

This place is like the trademark of Osaka,the Glico Man

Pretty manhole cover in Osaka

Dotonbori Area

This is also another trademark in Osaka,the big Crab on top of the famous crab restaurant in Namba area

Shopping Arcade street

Yukata Wearing at Osaka Tourist information Center,Namba

This was not initially planned,but Kak Ros invited us to try on Yukata,another traditional Japanese costume normally worn in Summer to celebrate the festival season each year.People normally get it wrong with Kimono.Kimono is a thick,made of high quality fabric,very neatly and perfectly made because it is occassionally worn(modern days)only for formal occasions.

My husband and daughter "were" also forced to wear these traditional Japanese costumes,and to my surprise,my husband liked this idea a lot.

It wasn't the first time for me,I even have Yukata back home that I bought one time in Kyoto,but since I came back to Malaysia I had no reason to wear it :P

Such a picture to keep

Umeda Sky Building

This is a good place to look over the metropolitan city of Osaka at any time of the day.We chose to go up the building at night as we wanted to see the scenery of Osaka at night.It's not only about the high building and the scenery from up there,but the history about the building itself.It consists of 40 storey towers that are connected through a bridge in the middle,and a very high escalators going up and down the open sky garden where the visitors are allowed to enjoy the panoramic view of Osaka.Whoever is afraid of speed on high level,this place is not so recommended as there is only one way going up to the open sky garden. By ESCALATOR :P

Kansai International Airport

This is the airport where I first landed in March 2005 and was also the airport I departed back to Malaysia in March 2009.It was a happening airport I would say,with very efficient facilities,many shops to shop from when killing time,and the latest,there are 3 Malaysian authority halal certified Japanese restaurants available here.As I wanted to eat soba so badly before we departed back to Malaysia that night,we went to one of the halal restaurants which is famous for serving soba.

The land of the flavored Kit Kat

The Soba set I ate that night.I'm such a big fan of Japanese food,give me Japanese food anytime anywhere,I can eat it all clean :P

With this Osaka travel post,comes the end of my Japan travel diaries.I hope you guys enjoy every story I post here,and for those who are planning to visit Japan as first timers,I hope my entries will help you guys a bit.

Till then,next post will be about my trip last weekend to Praha/Prague,Czech Republic.Bye :)

Travel : Kyoto,Japan Last Part

It's the last part of Kyoto travel.This post is about Arashiyama and Gion districts.
Arashiyama is a bit far from Kyoto center.There are several options of accessing there from Kyoto Station,one is by bus,also accessible using the one day bus ticket,and the other option is by JR train bound for Arashiyama Station.I normally took the bus,bus this time we decided to take the train as it is faster and we planned to save time because after Arashiyama we were on the plan to go to Osaka,our last destination.

Arashiyama is quite a big place to explore,and it offers many attractions.For nature lovers,they can hike the hill and top off the scenery from up there.This time though we didn't hike up because it was too hot,and our time was limited.

We were pretty much satisfied by just walking crossing the famous bridge across the river back and forth and went to other parts of Arashiyama.

Later we went to Tenryuuji Temple,a UNESCO World Heritage site.I suggested to husband to go inside the temple,but since baby strollers are restricted inside the temple,we stick to only visit the temple garden.

From this temple compound it leads to the famous Arashiyama Bamboo groove,which is quite famous amongst visitors coming to Kyoto.


Arashiyama District

Crossing Togetsukyo Bridge in Arashiyama

The small buddha statues near the Tenryuuji Temple

Tenryuuji Temple from outside,next to the temple garden

The temple garden

Tenryuuji Temple

 Sagano Arashiyama Bamboo Groove

At Arashiyama Station


Gion District

This is a famous Geisha district,although the number of them has actually decreased since over a decade ago.Walking down the road in this area somehow feels like taking the visitors back to the old era of Japan.In fact,there are still many traditional Ochaya/japanese tea houses in their original architecture.

If you're lucky,you might stumble into the worldwide famous Geisha/The Japanese woman artisan whose skills including traditional japanese dancing and the japanese traditional instrument playing.I wanted to show to husband last time we were in this area,and purposefully brought him there during the sunset because normally they come out on the road after performing late in the evening.Unfortunately,we bumped into only one :(

Walking down the road leading to Gion district

At the bank of Kamo River

At the small alley full with Ochaya/Japanese tea Houses

The famous Yasaka Shrine in Gion

Hanamikoji Street,a street famous for Business entertainment including a few number of Ochaya shops.

Travel : Kyoto,Japan Part 2

We spent 2 days in total last time in Kyoto.To be honest,2 days isn't enough to explore the city and its attractions.However,we were quite pleased as we managed to visit many places despite the heat and traveling with baby is also not an easy thing.

I was also so pleased that husband enjoyed his time in Kyoto.Other than being first timer to Ginkakuji,I was also the first timer to this famous Fushimi Inari Shrine.Although I was in Kyoto few times before last visit last July,I didn't manage to visit this beautiful red shrines and its famous red gates,don't know what gives,perhaps because lack of time and info on the public transport going there.

However,we went there last time and it was such a beautiful place,reminds me of one scenes of one of my faovurite movies "Memoirs of a Geisha(2005)" where the little girl running through the red gates out.

Fushimi Inari Shrine

The thousands of red gates leading to the mountain,but we walked halfway through only because it got darker the time when we arrived there.

The milk-fed machine :P

Kyoto Station

The hub for people to/from Kyoto/other places.We also took the one-day bus trip and JR train going places here.In front of the station is also the Kyoto Tower,the tallest building/tower allowed to be built in Kyoto.Do you know that in Kyoto,there should be no other taller buildings than the tower because apparently Kyoto is a preserved historical city,so tall buildings are not allowed here in order to emphasize the historical buildings ,temples and etc so that the highlights of the city will be on the historical buildings,rather than on the tall buildings,unlike Tokyo or its neighbouring city,Osaka.

For the record,we stayed at Keihan Kyoto Hotel,just at the back of Kyoto Station,less than 5 minutes walk to the platform.It is very recommended because it's close to the station,the room size is big enough for the 3 of us,and affordable too.

Husband in front of Kyoto Station

Kyoto Tower.There is prayer room available inside the tower for the convinience of muslim visitors.

Inside the bus going places using the one-day ticket.The ticket can be purchased at the tourist information center outside of Kyoto Station for 500 yen only.Then the visitors can take any bus to any destination just buy scanning the card at the machine next to the bus driver

Had scrumptious Tendon(Tempura set rice) at Kyoto Station.The waiter asked me whether I want "Sake" to be poured on top of the rice since he saw wearing scarf and assumed I am a muslim,so I politely said "I don't want sake".See,if you want to enjoy japanese food but doubt what the ingredients inside are,you can always ask to the waiter/waitress.

Kawaramachi/Sanjo Shopping Arcade

My happy place during university days because I get to shop here!!And this place is so happening too at night,and many places to eat.If you want to find Kyoto Souvenirs,I would recommend this place.There is this one small souvenir shop at Sanjo,the owner treated the Malaysian students and visitors very nicely,and whoever comes and buys at her place will get discount on the purchased stuff.Last time I went to her shop,but to find out(or I assume so) that the owner is now changed and I didn't get to meet that nice auntie again.No luck I guess :P

We walked along Kawaramachi street,stopped at Sanjo Shopping Arcade,bought some snacks and souvenirs before we walked some more to Gion district.This will be storied in next post.

At a small temple at Sanjo Shopping Arcade

Kyoto Postcards/cards

Sanjo Shopping Arcade

Till then people.Tomorrow we will be on the road again going to Praha/Prague,Czech Republic for the weekend getaway!!

Wish us luck!

Travel : Kyoto,Japan Part 1

So Kyoto is my most favourite city in Japan.Why?Because it's Japan's historical city(like historical city of Malacca in Malaysia),many old temples and city landmarks are well preserved here making it as an icon of Japan and a visit to Kyoto will call you to come back even more.For the record,I was in this city for 4 times already and never get tired of it.Coincidentally,husband also likes this city a lot after his first visit in late July.

A little fact of Kyoto

Kyoto was the old capital city of Japan before Edo period that lasted over 1000 years and is also known as the City of Ten Thousand Shrines.With its 2,000 religious places,1600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines, as well as palaces, gardens and architecture intact, it is one of the best preserved cities in Japan.

Kinkakuji/The Golden Pavillion

One of the most popular UNESCO world heritage sites in Japan,Kinkakuji is a Zen Buddhist Temple that includes the golden pavillion and the classical designated garden complex.I was already at this place 3 times,but to be honest I never had a tour inside the very pavillion,because I was not sure whether the temple can be visited or not,though I doubt so :P

The Golden Pavillion

The garden from the entrance of the pavillion till the exit.Such a serene garden complex

Ginkakuji/The Silver Pavillion

Last visit to Kyoto I spent my first time at this temple complex.Can't beleive that I'm so much in love in Kyoto,but never bothered to come here,mainly because I thought that Kinkakuji is much more interesting because it is "King"/Gold.But to be honest,my first visit to Ginkakuji,and I was already in love with it.

Ginkakuji is also a zen temple,despite its name,it was not built of any silver at all.It also has a very serene classical japanese garden complex,and another interesting thing about this temple complex is that,it has the striped sand art called "Ginshadan".

The Ginshadan at the Zen garden of Ginkakuji

On the left of the picture is the Silver Pavillion

The Zen Garden

Kiyomizudera

Also listed as one of the famous and most visited temsple in Japan.It is also another UNESCO world heritage site in Kyoto.Although the hilly way leading to the temple didn't stop us from visiting this beautiful place.It is an example of a great Buddist temple,aging as old as since 1600s.

 Along the way to the temple are the souvenir shops on right and left

 Other temples in the same complex,although names I am not so sure of :P

 The wooden wish boards.Visitors can buy the boards and write down their wishes and hang them here

 Kiyomizudera