Travel

Japan 2017: Osaka, Day Two

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This morning we got up and had a small breakfast in the hotel before heading out to Himeji which is about an hour away from Osaka by train. It was easy to get to the train station underground from the hotel and we used our JR Passes to take the train. We saw the ocean from the train on the way there and many smaller towns in Japan.

Side Streets

Japan through the train window

Our train went right by the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, the worlds longest suspension bridge!

The world’s longest suspension bridge

When we got to Himeji Castle it was more beautiful than we could have imagined.

The whole city is built around the castle

Himeji Castle through the trees

Himeji Castle is the largest and most visited castle in Japan, and it was registered in 1993 as one of the first UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the country.

Woohoo

Himeji Castle Selfie

The castle was massive and we walked through all 7 levels of it.

7 floors

Built into the Hillside

Wooden Castle

Massive supporting pillar

Himeji Castle

Beautiful elaborate roof lines

Himeji View

View from the castle windows of Himeji

Protect the castle

Close up view of decorative fish

It was well worth the trip, and it was late afternoon by the time we returned to the hotel. We finished the night by taking a cab into Dotonbori and explored one of the busiest metropolitan areas in Japan we’ve seen yet!

So many people!

Downtown Dotonbori

Crazy ride along the river

Woohoo!

Iconic Datonbori Billboard

So many people!

Hustle and Bustle

Tomorrow we are off to the Osaka Aquarium and even more! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Japan 2017: Kyoto, Day Two

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Let me just start this post by saying I am blown away by the iPhone X camera. I lugged a heavy DSLR all over Japan 6 years ago the last time we were here, and I’ve taken pictures today with my phone that rival the ones from that trip. I’ll include a few in the post but please look at the trip album for more, there were just too many beautiful temples to include in one post.

After breakfast at the hotel, we headed out early this morning to visit seven different temples and shrines. It was a gorgeous day, brisk and refreshingly cold – perfect scarf weather – but sunny and inviting. We hit the jackpot on Kōyō, the Japanese leaf change season. Ever since we were here the first time we’ve wanted to come back to Kyoto for this reason, and it couldn’t have been a more perfect day.

Koyo

View of Kyoto City from Temple

We were able to stop in one of the temples and enjoy afternoon Green Tea service. We sat on pillows and a tatami mat in a quiet room. Being in one of the most stunningly beautiful places in the world and having a moment for mindfulness is such an incredible way to recharge.

A hot tea for a cold day

Green Tea and Youkan

Listen, Think, Accept, Practice, Believe

A guide for Mindfulness

Japanese Maple

Sky Fire

Even though we had an idea of what to expect since this was our second Kōyō, we couldn’t have known how much the day would truly show up for us.

Stunning reflection pond

Kōyō

We even saw Komainu protecting the entrance to the Temple!

Japanese Guard

Komainu at the Temple

I saved the best picture for last, I might actually get this framed as it’s my proudest photo I’ve taken:

Having spent a perfect day outside we headed back to the hotel for some rest before dinner.

Yum!

Cold Sake made by the owners grandfather

We had dinner at Mikaku – the same Teppanyaki restaurant we ate at 6 years ago. It was surreal to come back after such a long time – most of our relationship in between – getting to have dinner with my best friend at one of our favorite restaurants of all time. It was a perfect ending to a beautiful day.

Died and gone to heaven

Waygu Filet frying in beef fat

Bamboo shakers

Japanese cayenne and pepper shakers

Modern, beautiful view

This is everything I would want if I ever owned a restaurant

The restaurant is ultra modern with a view of the changing leaves on the street. Our meal included a Kobe filet course, mushrooms in butter, fried onions, garlic fried rice, fried potato, beef miso, potato soup, dessert, and green tea. Everything was incredible, I almost doubted that it would be as good as we’d remembered, but it was.

Delicious

Potato soup

Tomorrow we are off and away to Osaka – thanks for everything Kyoto!

Japan 2017: Kyoto, Day One

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It’s hard to believe its already time to leave Tokyo and head to Kyoto, but nothing can top the Ghibli Store and the Robot Restaurant yesterday. (If you haven’t watched the videos of the Robot Restaurant in action, head over to the Japan 2017 photos on my photos page! It was a show to top all shows.

Bagels and Yogurt for Breakfast!

Sweet Couch

We’ve just had breakfast and soon we’ll be on the Shinkansen bullet train and on our way to Kyoto! We will be traveling between 150-200mph at any given time!

Bullet Train

It’s a double Shinkansen!

Gorgeous Mountain Ranges

The Japanese Countryside

 

We reached Kyoto in about two and a half hours. Once we got checked in, we made a reservation at a restaurant we went to six years ago the last time we were here. We had to show the concierge pictures of the inside of the restaurant we had taken the last time and the geolocation from our photos app to find it, but she knew where it was and we have a reservation for tomorrow night!

With just a few hours before dinner, we decided to see one of the temples illuminated at night. It was packed with people from everywhere imaginable, but totally immersive and worth the trip.

The perfect red!

Pond with Japanese Maple

Raked Zen Garden

Projection show in Zen Garden

Beautiful!

Japanese Lanterns

 

We even walked through a section where everyone took their shoes off to walk through some of the older traditional buildings!

When we got back to the hotel, we decided to have sushi for dinner. This was the best we’d had yet, even though my jet lag was causing me to have waves of nausea and feel just generally insane. I am essentially completely reversed between New York and Tokyo so my noon is midnight and my midnight is noon – it is the biggest time change I’ve had to deal with and Tim is doing much better.

We’ll have to see how tomorrow goes! We are planning more temples to walk through during the day and we are both looking forward to the restaurant we both loved so much last time we were in Kyoto!