Osaka: A Love Letter

Osaka doesn't get enough love. When my mother and aunt came to visit me in Japan, my aunt told me, "Osaka is the ONE city you can skip in Japan." I'm here to tell you that is so, so false. Let's break down a few reasons why Osaka is so great.

5. The Airport

This may seem minor, but the Kansai International Airport is the best airport I've flown into in Japan. Customs in Tokyo involves long lines and take around an hour. Customs in KIX takes 15 minutes, tops. Once you get out of customs you cross a skywalk and are at the Japan Rail Office where you can get your Japan Rail Pass. From getting off your plane you can be on a train to your destination in about 30 minutes. The Hotel Nikko (a little pricey, but nice) is located right across a walkway from the airport, so if you are done in after you arrive there is a place to crash nearby.

4. The Food

Osaka coined the phrase "kuidaore" which literally means "eat 'til you collapse" (or "eat 'til you ruin your life"). The city is famous (or INfamous) for the dish takoyaki, fired balls of dough with pieces of octopus in the middle, and you can find these treats from many vendors across all of Japan. But Osaka is full of all kinds of deep-fried, goes-great-with-beer cuisine, including kushikatsu (anything and everything on a stick, dipped in batter and deep-fried) and okonomiyaki (sometimes compared to pizza, a mix of dough, cabbage and whatever you'd liked, fried together in a massive pile on a grill).

Tonkatsu in the underground mall

3. Bunraku

I don't have a picture for this because I haven't been to a bunraku production since college, but it is Amazing! Bunraku is traditional puppet theater. Three puppeteers control each puppet, and the plays performed are historical, much like kabuki. The puppeteers study for years to learn their craft, and it really looks like the puppets are alive. If you closely you can almost see them breathing! If you get a chance to attend, jump on it!

2. Hep 5

Hep 5 is a department store right across the street from the Hankyu Umeda Station in northern Osaka. When you walk into the store, there is a large atrium reaching up seven stories. Hanging in that atrium is A GIANT RED WHALE.

Most of the building is full of small fashion boutiques, but on the 7th floor you can buy a ticket to ride the huge ferris wheel that is built into the building itself. Last time I was there it cost 1000 yen to ride. You sit in an enclosed "pod" that even has a heated seat in the winter! It takes about 15 minutes to go all the way around, and there are great views of Osaka. The windows have map outlines drawn on so can tell what you are looking at (written in Japanese). After you get off the wheel, cruise over to the restaurants and enjoy some Italian food or a waffle cone ice cream sundae. There is also a large 2-story arcade taking up the top two floors of the building. Hep 5 used to have an ad campaign composed of posters of people covered in ketchup and the words, "You need Hep 5". INDEED.

View of a ferris wheel "pod".

Giant TETRIS

Hep 5 is located in Umeda, the northern entertainment hub in Osaka. There are a gigantic underground mall and a Mandarake located in this neighborhood, as well as the Umeda Sky Building (Japan's 12 tallest building) and a Yodobashi Camera (large electronics store).

1. The People

People in Osaka are (in general) incredibly friendly. I've had people yell at me out of windows to say hello, cab drivers who go waaaay above and beyond in helping me get around, restaurant servers who go the extra mile to help a lost tourist, just a string of amazing encounters in this city. Although I prefer to live in smaller towns, Osaka is the one big city in Japan that I could see myself living in happily. There are many more reasons to love it than the ones I've listed here, but a big shout out to all the Osakans livin' and lovin in that fair metropolis. <3

Sanjusangendo

Sanjusangendo is probably my favorite temple in Kyoto. Most tourist guides urge you to go to the Golden or Silver Pavilions, but I say Sanjusangendo is far more worth your time.


To get there it's easiest to take the Keihan train line to its Shichijo stop. It's 150 yen from either the Sanjo or Gion-Shijo stations. You want to use Exit 2 from the station. It will bring you up on a corner of an intersection right across from the Kamo River. Walk up Shichijo St. east, away from the river. You will come to Sanjusangendo in about 3 blocks. You will see the wall around the grounds first- keep walking, the entrance is on the next corner!

The longest wooden building in Japan, stuffed with AMAZING.

It costs 600 yen to get in, and you get a short pamphlet that will give you the pertinent information on the temple, including how it used to be an imperial residence. You need to take your shoes off before you go in- one time I was here they made us carry our shoes through with us in a bag (lame), but last time they were back to letting you leave your shoes on shelves. It might depend on how busy they are and if there is a large tour group coming through, but no worries- your shoes are perfectly safe when you leave them behind.

So much better than carrying them.

Once you move into the main part of the building, no photography is allowed, and there are plenty of signs to tell you this. There is incense burning and you really feel like this is a holy spot. The 1001 statues of Kannon, bodhisattva of mercy are lined up in rows down the length of the building. There are so many statues that all look similar, but they say that you can find one that looks like you, so that's what many visitors are looking for while they are there.

In the center of the temple is the main image (the 1001st), which is larger and different than the other statues. There are many prayer candles and booklets you can buy there. Since this is my favorite temple, I bought a cool portable paper shrine that unfolds and has the prayer written on it (only 2000 yen!). You can also buy offerings to leave. There is a monk on duty, but they don't usually speak much English.


In front of all the Kannon statues are 28 statues of the Guardians of the Buddha. These are some of my favorite statues in the building- I can spend over 30 minutes just looking at the detail on them. On some of the statues you can still see traces of painted designs. Since they are in front they are much easier to see, and each one has a description posted to tell you about who they are. The defenders are a pretty varied group of deities- they include the famous Raijin and Fujin, lightning and wind gods, but my favorite is this guy:

 He's got a beak, but somehow he's playing the flute (and tapping time)! Last time I was there, a teenage girl asked her father, "If he doesn't have lips, how can he play the flute?" I was standing nearby and cut in, "That's what I want to know!!" Her dad tried whistling without pursing his lips for a few minutes, but in the end it was decided that it must be a "God-thing".

After you see all the statues you round a corner and walk back up the back side of the hall. This area is a museum with information on how the hall was built. There is also a display on the Toshiya, an archery tournament held every year at Sanjusangendo.

You loop back through to the gift shop and your shoes. I would recommend spending a little time on the grounds. They are not especially spectacular but are very pleasant on a nice day!

Across the street from Sanjusangendo is the Kyoto National Museum if you are up for more fabulous artwork. On the way back to the Keihan you will pass a curry shop called "Curry House Coco Ichibanya". Although it's a chain, it's very cheap and delicious! I make a point of stopping here after a trip to Sanjusangendo to recharge. Mmmm, curry!

Shichijo St. curry - a nice pick me up!

Thus ends our tour of Sanjusangendo, my favorite temple in the city!

Tofu Donuts

OM NOM NOM

 One of my favorite snacks back when I was in college was Tofu Donuts from the shop "Konnamonjya". Light, fluffy and sold by the dozen, these tasty treats are an inexpensive and authentic Kyoto experience. Buying them also takes you through Kyoto's Nishiki Market, also known as the "kitchen of Kyoto", where many fresh ingredients and local delicacies are on sale. You start your trip on one of Kyoto's largest shopping arcades, Shinkyogoku.

Shinkyogoku- Empty because it's 8 AM

Shinkyogoku runs parallel to Teramachi St., the other large shopping arcade downtown. Starting at the Shijo St. end of Shinkyogoku (cross street will be Shijo/ Shinkyogoku) walk up the shopping arcade. You're starting at the very beginning of the arcade, so there's only one direction to go. You'll pass one of my favorite shops on the street, The Mighty Soxer (yep, they sell socks).

Walk about one block and you will come to a shrine on your right. This is Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine.

Lanterns in the entryway

Fun things to do at Nishiki Tenmangu include:

*Get your fortune from the automated dragon-dancer machine. While drum music plays, the mechanical dragon dances, picks your fortune and bows.
*Check out the amazing flower arrangements placed around the shrine.
*Rub the head of the large cow statue. This is supposed to make you smarter!
*If you have a water bottle, fill it at the shrine well. This well is very famous and there are almost always people stocking up on its water, filling tons of bottles and containers.

                                                                                                              

Leave the shrine and go straight on the street that crosses the shopping arcades (Shinkyogoku and Teramachi). Once you pass both streets you will find yourself in Nishiki Market.

Nishiki Market may be known as the kitchen of Kyoto, but food isn't the only thing you will find sold there. A mix of souvenir clothing, practical household goods and freshly-made local specialties, Nishiki can be almost overwhelming, so take your time. You might get a chance to watch mochi being made, or get a chance to sample some interesting foods, like these boiled eggs stuck on tiny octopi:

 

Keep walking- "Konnamonjya" will be on your left, 6 intersections after you leave the shrine. The front of the shop sells Tofu, but the donut stand opens on the side street. They're pretty small, so they are sold y the dozen, 300 yen a pop. Don't worry, yo won't have any trouble finishing them off. Enjoy!

Mt. Kurama, Part 3

Once you reach Kurama Temple the area opens up a lot. There are benches to rest on and a small area with picnic tables. The temple is associated with the zodiac year of the Tiger, so there are statues of tigers on the premises and all amulets you buy will have tigers on them. There is stone triangle in front of the temple that is a "power spot" associated with the practice of reiki. I didn't know that at the time, but stood on it anyways- every little bit helps, right?

A roof at Kurama Temple

There is also a museum on the temple grounds, with an extra charge to get in. I didn't see this, but if you are interested in statuary it might be worth your time. Mostly I spent my time enjoying the beautiful weather and fabulous view. You are above it all up in the mountains!

From the temple you follow a steeper set of stairs up to the path to Kibune. This portion of the walk is truly a trail, with lots of roots and stones to watch out for. It isn't that bad since you are almost near the top- most of the uphill was just getting to the temple. Sights to see along the way include Kinone Michi, the path of roots, an area where the roots of trees have spread and joined across the forest floor. I was interested in seeing the measuring stone where it's said that Minamoto Yoshitsune measured his height while training with the tengu.

There are several small shrines and temples along the way down the mountain. They are great stops to rest, look around and enjoy the forest. You will know you have reached Kibune when you come out of the forest at a red bridge, crossing the river.

Another mountain shot, because being there rocked!

To get to the Kibuneguchi Station turn left on the road and walk 2km. Before you do, visit Kibune Shrine. They have one of a kind fortunes that are blank until you soak them in the shrine's spring.

Starting at Kurama vs. Starting at Kibune

Most guides will advise you to get off the train at Kibuneguchi, walk up the road to Kibune and start the hike from there. I think this approach might be best in the summer, when the shops in Kibune are serving lunch on platforms over the stream running through town, and it's a nice cool break after your walk from the station. Starting from Kibune also means you are all ready to hit the Kurama onsen (hot springs) when you finish your hike there.

Starting in Kurama means you are right at the trailhead when you get off the train. This is the ideal plan for anyone who only plans on seeing Kurama Temple and not hiking over the whole mountain. You can even hit the hot springs on your return. If you do plan on hiking the whole trail, when you arrive in Kibune depending on the time of year there may or may not be many restaurant and entertainment options. When I went it was very cold in Kibune, though I warmed up on my walk (nice and downhill) to Kibuneguchi station.

Ending Tips for a Trip to Kurama:
- Wear layers of clothes. In the mountains it can go from hot to cold very quickly.

- Bring something to drink and a snack. There's nowhere to get anything once you start up the mountain.

-Bring your camera to capture the beautiful scenery!

-Interact with other hikers. Most people are friendly and willing to try and talk even if you don't speak Japanese.

-Take into account whether you will be hitting the Kurama hot springs at the end of your hike and plan from there.