Enjoying Sakura @ Kyoto, Japan
Japan is one of the most popular travelling destinations for a lot of reasons, e.g. their pop culture like anime or manga, their traditional culture like tea ceremony or kimono, their worldwide known food like sushi or ramen, their beautiful landscape like blooming Sakura or Mt. Fuji, the famous Hachiko, and the list goes on. That’s why Japan has long been on my travel bucket list since I can remember ♡
I was in Japan for 10 days and wandered around Kyoto and Osaka. It depends on you, but I spent more days in Kyoto rather than Osaka, 6 days and 4 days. Kyoto is smaller than Osaka, but it has more vibe of a big city. Osaka on the other hand is known as “Nation’s Kitchen,” which emphasizes the food options. When I was there, I found that Kyoto is slightly more expensive than Osaka. For a comparison, my family and I stayed in an apartment in Kyoto from AirBnB, while in Osaka, we stayed in a ryokan, the traditional Japanese inn for an authentic local experience.
What to do in Kyoto?
1. Visit the Fushimi Inari Temple
It is probably one of the most iconic places to take a picture when you are in Japan. I have seen so many people on the internet that took their photos in this gate. Fushimi Inari Taisha is the head shrine of the kami Inari. It is famous for its red gates with approx. 10.000 gates lining this road up the mountain to the shrine building. It will take you approx. two to three hours to walk up the Inari mountain and go back down.
2. Tour around Kiyomizu-dera for a picturesque view temple
It’s true that there are a lot of temples in Japan. But, I personally love this temple. Kiyomizu-dera or known as The Temple of Pure Water Spring offers you a unique panoramic view of Kyoto. Plus, the temple is really picturesque. I was there in Spring when the Sakura around the bloomed and it looked so beautiful. Since it’s a temple, I also took my luck prediction. If you are superstitious, maybe it’s better to skip this part since not every prediction may turn out how you least expected it to be.
Kiyomizu-dera Temple @ Kyoto, Japan
3. Go to Universal Studio Japan
I have never been to London, so I do not have any idea what Harry Potter’s actual castle looks like. But, when I was at the Universal Studio, I was at Hogwarts and enjoyed the Harry Potter land. There is a replica of Hogwarts, Diagon Alley, as well as the place where you can get your Butterbeer! It got even cooler, when I discovered that I could try the simulation of Quidditch, being a Seeker in the game, just like Harry.
Tasting Butter Beer @ Universal Studio Japan
4. Spend your day at Arashiyama district
This district is the famous home of the bamboo grove. You will particularly see bamboo along the way. For the Japanese experience, rent a yukata, a traditional Japanese robe, available both for men and women, along with the accessories, hair pin, sword, and wood sandals for your tour. Fun fact, I got this info from the lady at the shop, that only the tourists rent and walk with yukatas at Arashiyama. By the way, you can also take the carriage ride for your tour. My grandma took this since she was so old and couldn’t walk a lot. In the end, we were all amazed by the strength of the man that pulled my grandma’s carriage. Yes, it wasn’t pulled by a horse, but by a man. Now, go imagine.
Mike & Oma on The Ride @ Arashiyama Bamboo Groove
5. Shop at Nishiki Market
Nishiki market is a historic marketplace that is famous for traditional Japanese wares. Rumors say that the market has been here since 400 years ago. This market has more than one hundred stalls and a treasure place for hearty and good quality products, delicious treats and even Snoopy Cafe. The market is open from 9 AM until 5 PM and may vary for individual stalls.
Lady in Her Stall @ Nishiki Market
6. Stroll around Gion
Gion is the famous Geisha district. And if you don’t know, Geisha are female Japanese performance artists and entertainers trained in traditional Japanese performing art styles e.g. dance, music, singing etc. Geisha wear Kimono along with traditional hairstyles, and their faces are painted white. Gion is one of the most famous districts for that. But, more than that there are many high class restaurants with Michelin stars in Gion, making it a perfect place if you want to have fine dining.
What to do in Osaka?
1. Visit Osaka Castle along with the museum
This castle is one of Japan’s historic landmarks since it played a major role for Japan’s unification in the 16th century. The castle is located in a beautiful park in Osaka. You don’t have to pay anything if you decide to scroll through the park and walk outside the castle. But take note, that you do have to pay if you enter the castle and museum.
2. Visit Kaiyukan Aquarium
Kaiyukan Aquarium is one the biggest aquariums in the world. It is spacious and quite rich for its water creatures varieties. I really enjoyed my time there, especially because of the seals. They are friendly and well trained. One can see how they play along with the zookeeper’s as they are fed.
Fat Seals @ Kaiyukan Aquarium
3. Stay the night at Ryokan
What is a Ryokan? Ryokan is a typical Japanese inn, where you sleep on the futon, the foldable mattress that is usually stored in the cupboard’s room when you are not sleeping. Ryokan is famous for offering its communal warm bath. Fun fact, from my friend that has some tattoos, she was asked to cover her tattoos. So, if you plan to use this communal bath service, please put a band aid to cover yours if you have some.
Pic. Source
4. Tour around Dotonbori
If you love food, you will love Dotonbori. Dotonbori is a must if you come to Osaka. There are a lot of options for you to eat in Dotonbori, from a classic ramen bar to a normal bar. Every alley is really lively at night with the lighting and the eye-catching billboards. It will give you a vibe of a lively amusement park. Do take a picture in front of a Glico’s man billboard and enjoy the nightlife experience.
Night Stroll @ Dotonbori
5. Try Okonomiyaki and Takoyaki
These are the original two nation’s foods from Okinawa. Okonomiyaki is made from egg, cabbage, and some fillings, pork, chicken or seafood, and takoyaki is made from flour and usually octopus as its filling. They are usually grilled in a pan and topped with okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise and Katsubushi (dried fish). Therefore, if you are a vegetarian or a fan of octopuses, you might need to pay more attention and be aware.
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