My Japan Adventure

Japan - The Samurai, the Geisha, the Ninja Assassins, and every Anime I've seen and Manga I've read always gave me grand illusions about the Land of the rising sun. And it did not disappoint.

Conquering Kyoto

As soon as we arrived in Osaka, we spent the night to rest and rejuvenate. We left for Kyoto at 11am via train. It only took 1 hour.

As soon as we arrived at Kyoto, deposited bags at hotel and looked for lunch. We toured the nearby Subway restaurants and stalls looking for meals under 600 yen - about P250. Then looked for basics such as a grocery to buy water, a few snacks and prepare for our days ahead. Be sure to have dinner at Nishiki Market, which is only open from 5pm to 8pm. This is a great place to try the freshest and most authentic Japanese Cuisine – Ramen, Sushi, Takoyaki and so much more. But make sure you make it on time as most food kiosks close when their stocks are finished.

 

Kyoto equals Peace

The beauty of Kyoto lies within its Temples. Every single sacred place reminds me of the set of Memoirs of a Geisha or The Last Samurai.   

Here are the top 8 must see places in Kyoto:

Ginkukiji Temple

Honehin Temple

Imperial Castle

Nija Castle

Pontocho

Nishiki Market for Dinner

Kinkukuji Temple

Kiyumuzi Temple

Amazing Race Osaka

As soon as we get to Osaka, we have a light dinner of Sushi and Ramen then we were off to explore Dotunburi - the nightlife of Osaka. I was surprised by the Goth generation the twilight brings in. Men and women dressed in vampire-like personas filled the bright streets and quirky corners.

One-day Pass Osaka

Explore Osaka in a day. Luckily, our hotel sells the one-day pass for 4,000 yen roughly P 2,000. This is really value for your yen. We were able to reach the heart of Osaka and its core tourist attractions. The day pass includes even the subway passes and the entrance fees – making the trips fast and efficient.

One-day pass includes:

Osaka Castle

Tsūtenkaku Tower

Santa Maria Cruise

Tempozan Giant Ferris wheel

Umeda Sky Building Floating Garden

Japan was always my dream, my alternate universe. I love the culture, the fantasy and now, the reality. All my grand illusions were answered.

Land of the Rising Sun, thank you for not disappointing.