On to the last day of our trip, it was pretty much a simple day spent on shopping for last-minute souvenirs/clothes we wanted to buy the day before/etc. We decided to just go back to Dotonbori/Shinsaibashi, since it was within walking distance from our AirBnb–also, since it’s pretty much the central shopping district of Osaka. Apart from that, we didn’t really go to any other new place.
It’s as if Dotonbori was a tourist spot taken straight out of “Tidy Town” of Hayao Miyazaki’s Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch video game (or, should I say it was the other way around??). Even among the busy city streets of Osaka, there lies this hidden area of festivity and gastronomical adventures in between its tall buildings!
If I’d have to pick a favorite among the places I’ve visited in Kyoto, it would definitely be Fushimi Inari Taisha (Shrine). I’ve had friends who have visited it in the past, and I’d get jealous whenever they’d post pictures online with the iconic thousand vermillion torii gates! Imagining myself walking the golden trail leading to a forest of the sacred Mount Inari makes it feel like somewhat of a dream. ♥
As if Kyoto’s city center didn’t charm us enough, it turns out that there’s even more beauty to be found in the city outskirts. Tucked along the base of Arashiyama Mountains (“Storm Mountains”) in the far west of Kyoto is the lush natural scenery of Arashiyama.
Arashiyama is popularly known for its vast Bamboo Grove, the large streaming Oi River, and its pockets of zen shrines and temples. If you’re planning to travel to Kyoto, this is definitely one of the main attractions you shouldn’t miss out on!
I remember the last time I was ever able to travel together with the entire family was back in 2014 during our trip to Seoul, Korea. We rarely get the chance to travel together, so when given the chance, these trips tend to become extra memorable. This time around, we were able to travel as a family to Osaka and Kyoto, Japan.
Nagoya, Japan (Feb, 2016) Days Six-Seven: Nagoya Port + O-su Market + Nagoya Airport
June 18, 2016Last days in my Japan trips always leave me feeling a bit down, but at the same time, extremely pumped up to maximize my remaining days in the country. At this time, I felt like I already had a good fill of what Nagoya had to offer, and hoped that I could come back again one day to experience whatever I may have missed out on.
Nagoya, Japan (Feb, 2016) Days Four-Five: Nagoya Castle + O-su Market + Narita Shrine + Little World
June 4, 2016I tend to forget how different it feels like to step into a place of historical significance. Though, heritage and conservation wasn’t exactly my specialty back in architecture college days (I took Environmental Management Planning as an elective), that does not go to say that I have no interest in history and culture! (In fact, I am deeply interested in it, with my love for art museums and such! hehe :p)
On a slightly rainy day, we were finally being able to visit Nagoya Castle. Once arriving, after stepping past the gate, I felt my imagination stretch a little bit and began to picture what life must have been like many years ago. I was very impressed with how they were able to preserve and maintain the place, since I noticed how the pathways were spotlessly clean and the built structures were still in very good condition.
Nagoya, Japan (Feb, 2016) Days One-Three: Gifu + Osu Shopping District + Nabana No Sato Winter Illumination
May 6, 2016I’ve always wondered what winter felt like in other countries. I remember the last “winter” (actually closing to spring already, so it didn’t really count?) I was last able to experience was back at Los Angeles, USA. I was still in the second grade of primary school. We were able to catch up with the last few hints of snow up towards the mountain area. It felt like such a surreal moment as a child to actually be able to experience those generic fantasies of being to build your own snowman, having snowball fights, making snow angels on the ground, and the like. Although being able to feel the snow was an enjoyable experience on its own, the main difference was that the cold in the atmosphere was not the same as that of an actual real winter. Thus, leading to this thirst to experience it one day.
Recently, I have been getting a lot of questions from friends regarding planning a trip to Japan–questions such as, when is the best time to go?; what places should I go to?; where is the best place to stay in?; etc. Having done a lot of research about Japan, as well as having gone there a few times, I thought it best to come up with a blog entry that simplifies all those questions by providing the most direct answers.
With Tokyo being the most popular area to visit, I decided to focus on that area first by sharing some pieces of experience from my trip there during last year’s summer (Tokyo’s summer, i.e. June-August), and by also sharing whatever knowledge I have gained about it during all my research. So, let’s get down to it!