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

Iwatayama Monkey Park

If you like monkeys and want to get up close with them, this is the place! (But if your best friend is scared of monkeys, you might want to cross this off you itinerary.) Iwatayama Monkey Park is a 5 minute walk from Hankyu Railway's Arashiyama Station, but count on 10 more minutes to climb the mountain to where the monkeys are hanging out.

Starting from downtown Kyoto, catch the Hankyu line bound for Osaka (usually Umeda Station). It's 220 yen for the whole trip, but you will need to switch trains at Katsura Station. At Katsura you will need to exit your train, go up some stairs and go back down another flight to your left. Then you will be on the correct platform to ride to Arashiyama.





When you arrive in Arashiyama exit the station and go straight. This isn't the most direct route to the park, but I feel that's it's the most scenic and also gives you a chance to buy snacks. You will pass bus stops and a parking lot, but then you will arrive at the park by the river! Turn left and do not cross the bridge onto the island that is a large park. Keep walking straight until the road ends and turn right. In about 1/2 a block you will be at an intersection with a bridge. Stay to the left and walk along the river- don't cross the bridge! The entrance to the park is inside a small shrine- look for stone steps to the shrine on your left after about 180 ft. The shrine looks empty, but when you enter there is a booth on the far left selling tickets to the park. It is 550 yen for an adult entrance ticket. Now the hiking begins!

I was carrying my camera backpack, was in fairly good shape and still had to take a break halfway up. Apparently I took the left path, which is shorter but steeper. Hang right for a less onerous climb. On my trail there was a sign halfway up reading, "Hang in there! The monkeys are waiting for you!" There is fencing up around the trails which made me think there were monkeys in the bushes and trees, but I didn't see any on my way up to the top.

At the top of the mountain it is MONKEY CITY! Monkeys sleeping, grooming, just hanging out. There is a small wooden building with chain link fence over the open windows. You can buy food in here and give it to the monkeys through the fence-windows. They were selling apple slices and peanuts- I asked the lady selling them which the monkeys liked better and she said the younger monkeys liked the apples and the older monkeys liked the peanuts. When you feed the monkeys you are supposed to put the food on the windowsill for them to grab (so you don't touch them), but they hold out there little hands and it is Very Difficult not to put the food in their palms.

Outside the hut the monkeys don't bother you for food, but there are still rules to follow:
1. Don't look the monkeys in the eye.
2. Don't touch the monkeys.
3. Don't feed the monkeys outside.

There are rangers walking around making sure everyone is following the rules and that monkeys and humans play nice. The rangers are happy to take your picture with a monkey you just need to stand a few feet behind one so you are not too close, but in the same shot. The rangers also know all about the monkey's history and hierarchy. If you speak Japanese I highly recommend asking them questions, they are happy to answer!

Last of all, if you are there at the end of the day (4:30 to 5 pm), you will catch feeding time. I'll let the video speak for itself:

Otagi Nenbutsuji

Otagi Nenbutsji is a small temple located in northern Arashiyama. It's so small that even though I've been to Arashiyama many times, last year was the first time I visited it. I was surprised at how close it was to Adashino Nenbutsuji- how can I have never gone before?

To get to Otagi Nenbutsuji you need to walk through most of Arashiyama. Since that would be a long, long paragraph of directions, I'm going to start from Adashino Nenbutsuji and write a longer post on the walk through Arashiyama later. There is also a decent map on the temple website, but it starts from the JR station and I think the walk is best started from the Hankyu Arashiyama station.

Looking down the street from Adashino Nenbutsuji.

Starting from Adashino, head north up the Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street. If you are just leaving Adashino Nenbutsuji this means you will be turning left. The street looks mainly residential, with a few shops. One shop directly across from Adashino sells handmade felt boxes that look like cake. They're extraordinarily detailed, with felt fruit and frosting, and the artist makes them right in front of you! The family that runs the shop is incredibly nice so I always make a point of stopping by and picking up some delicious looking gifts for friends.

Tiny felt cakes

You will pass traditional thatched roofed houses.

 After about a block the street forks. This is where I got confused on my visit. Stay to the RIGHT of the fork. If you go left (like I did) you will find yourself on a pleasant forest road that winds for 3 kilometers before reaching a train station. There is nothing for forest along the way, and the ladies at the cake box shop told me that bears, wild boar and monkeys can be encountered on the road in the summer! So stay safe and keep RIGHT, especially if you are traveling solo.

Don't go this way!

The fork to right continues past houses and then appears to also be entering the forest. No worries! After about 100 feet you will see Otagi Nenbutsuji on your left! Entrance is 300 yen, hours are 8 AM to 5 PM.

 Otagi Nenbutsuji is full of statues. They are all carved by amateurs (instructed by a master) and represent the disciples of the Buddha. Each one is different, and there are some very funny figures! Happy statues, grumpy statues, serene statues, statues bowling, pouring sake, listening to walkmans(!), even one that looks like Mike Tyson! Although they are covered in moss, they were created only in the 1980s. There is a temple bell you can ring. Ask the staff the correct order, since there are 3 bells!

 On my last visit I only saw three other people here, and they didn't stay long. While it's a little out of the way to reach, this is a great place to really take your time, enjoy the atmosphere and the quiet. 

                              

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.

Mt. Kurama, Part 2

Road to the gate.

The road to the trail and temple is pretty obvious- you turn left out of the parking lot and about a block away you will see the large gate where they charge admission. Lining the road to the gate are a few touristy shops. I was a little surprised how few of them there were, but I recommend stopping by to pick up a drink and snack- once you get up on the trail there isn't really anywhere to purchase food.

Average section of stairs and road on the path.

It costs 200 yen to enter the mountain and temple area. They give you a very useful map, and walking sticks are available for free if you want to take one along for steeper parts of the hike. At this point you can decide to walk or take a cable car (100 yen) to the temple. I HIGHLY recommend walking, unless you have a physical limitation that will prevent you. The trail to the temple is more of a road, and the switchbacks make it a fairly easy walk. Also, if you take the cable car you will miss Yuki Jinja, the shrine where the Fire Festival is staged.

Yuki Shrine

Yuki Jinja is a few minutes up the path from the gate. There are some steep steps to get inside, but it's a nice place to take a breather and bond with your fellow hikers.

Steps up into the shrine.

When I was there I bought a "tengu fortune" which consisted of a bell shaped like a tengu head with a fortune rolled up in the back. The older ladies at the shrine all asked what my fortune was and then we speculated over what certains part could mean- especially the love section! Mine read: "You will meet someone good, but it will be dangerous". All the ladies were wondering, "Good but dangerous?" "Maybe it's a 'bad boy'?"

Tree with shimenawa

Yuki Jinja also contains a beautiful cedar tree with a shimenawa around it. Coming out of the shrine I stopped by a pond with a dragon statue (and offerings of sake) to take some pics. As I headed up the road I heard screaming coming towards me! I couldn't see what it was, but suddenly a large group of kindergarteners came running down the road, hurtling past me. I continued up the road until I reached the temple...

 

Born to be wild.

Some other pictures from this part of the trail: