There are a lot of tour groups and tourists here, but fortunately, Osaka Castle is a large area, so you can still get some peace and quiet by going to some remote areas. It was cloudy when we visited the castle tower, but it started to rain and the wind got stronger after we finished. Yunluo and An Chuyu were originally thinking about finding the nearest subway station to go back, but they were on the way to Tenmabashi subway station.
Seeing two rows of extremely beautiful cherry blossoms by the river in the distance, Yunluo was completely conquered at first sight, thinking that he must go closer to take a look. However, there were many buildings in between, and the traffic was complicated, and he didn't know how to get around. Finally, he finally saw a bridge, and excitedly crossed the bridge to see the cherry blossoms.
It was cloudy when they visited the castle tower, but it started to rain after they finished and the wind got stronger. Yunluo and An Chuyu were originally planning to find the nearest subway station to go back, but on the way to Tenmanbashi subway station, they saw two rows of extremely beautiful cherry blossoms blooming by the river in the distance. Even from such a long distance, Yunluo was completely conquered at first sight.
I thought I must go and take a closer look. But there were many buildings in between, the traffic was complicated, and I didn't know how to get around. Finally, I finally saw a bridge, and excitedly crossed the bridge to see the cherry blossoms. I saw the sign "Clouds Falling" and realized that this bridge was Tenmang Bridge. At this time, night fell, the lights came on, and the color of the sky gradually deepened.
The buildings in the distance, the boats on the river, and the trains passing by on the other side all began to take on a different flavor. Under the cherry trees by the river, there were many snack stalls lined up, most of which had just been set up and started business for the night. Yunluo and An Chuyu stopped to eat octopus balls.
Then stroll along this row of cherry trees. The cherry blossoms are in full bloom on both sides of the river, the cruise ships are passing by leisurely on the river, the snack stalls with fragrance are under the cherry trees, the towering pull-rod bridge, the high-rise buildings in the distance, and the trains are roaring by at night. Countless urban style elements are gathered here. And there are not many people, so you can take a leisurely and quiet walk along the river.
On the way back, it was already very dark, and the colors on both sides of the river became richer. The night cherry blossoms under the lights were illuminated by a purple color, which was amazing. Back to Tenmabashi subway station. Take the subway to Ebisu Station, and "Osaka Shinsekai" is right outside the subway. Yunluo has been thinking about this place for a long time, because of a picture he saw before.
There were two rows of neon lights, with huge pufferfish balloons hanging in between. In the distance was the towering Tsutenkaku, showing a prosperous scene. But when Yunluo got here, he felt a little disappointed, because it was not as prosperous as Yunluo had imagined, and there were not many people. It was also very quiet, the streets and signs were smaller than Yunluo had imagined, and only the neon lights kept making noise in the night.
The photo of Tsutenkaku and the big pufferfish looks pretty good in the photo. Shinsekai was built in 1912, with the southern part modeled after New York and the northern part modeled after Paris. There are many skewers restaurants here, all of which are eaten by locals. Some restaurants require queuing before you can enter. Yunluo and An Chuyu originally wanted to go back to Kuromon Market for dinner.
However, when I was walking around Shinsekai, I passed by a branch of "Tsuruhashi Fugetsu". Thinking of the famous Okonomiyaki, I decided to go in and try it. The method of Okonomiyaki is quite unique. There is an iron plate on the table, and the waiter makes it for you on the table. Although... the taste is not quite what Yunluo likes.
The sun was shining freely on the street, and my mood brightened up! I had booked a kimono from the kimono shop "Miyabi" in Nara. It opened at 10 o'clock. It was said that there would be a lot of people during the cherry blossom season, so Yunluo and An Chuyu decided to go there as early as possible. It took about 40 minutes to take the Kintetsu from Nihonbashi. Nara was more modern than Yunluo had imagined.
After exiting Kintetsu Station, I felt that it was a very mature tourist attraction. I found the kimono shop very easily. After the boss read the reservation email, he indicated that Yunluo could choose clothes. There were three or two people in front of Yunluo. There were two employees busy helping people change clothes, and an old lady was doing hair.
After changing clothes, she helped Yunluo to put up her hair and decorated it with flowers. Yunluo also changed her shoes to wooden clogs, and she had a small bag to carry as an accessory. In this way, Yunluo started her day's journey in wooden clogs. 127 Yunluo was in Kansai for seven days, and only two mornings were sunny.
So you can see how precious this morning in Nara is! Blue sky! Sunshine! It's like I haven't seen it for several lifetimes! 128 First enter from the entrance of Kofukuji Temple, and then walk to Himuro Shrine full of cherry blossoms. The shrine is small, but the cherry blossoms are so dense that they are about to overflow from this small space. It's a pity that there are too many tourists.
I met many little deer on the road in Nara. There were many small stalls selling "deer senbei", which is food for deer. When Yunluo was buying "deer senbei", a deer came over and thought the two Nara maps in Yunluo's hand were food, so it snatched them away and ate them... The deer on the street were very arrogant, and Yunluo saw a mother pushing a baby carriage with her own eyes.
When I wasn't paying attention, my car was pushed away by a deer. Deer Crackers. 137 Feeding Deer ~ 138139 When you come to Nara, you must visit the magnificent Todaiji Temple, a world cultural heritage building. It is one of the seven great temples in Nanto and has a history of more than 1,200 years. The temple was founded in 728 by the Buddhist Emperor Shomu.
Todaiji Temple is the head temple of all 68 Kokubunji Temples in the country. It is called Todaiji Temple because it is located east of the capital Heijokyo. There is also Saidaiji Temple. The Great Buddha Hall of Todaiji Temple is the largest wooden structure in the world. Inside the Great Buddha Hall, there is a large Buddha statue over 15 meters high - Vairocana Buddha. 140 Todaiji Temple is also crowded with people.
Fortunately, it was quieter behind the temple, and I saw many cherry blossoms and deer on the way. 141 Take a photo of my hairstyle. Actually, I am not satisfied with this hairstyle. Later in Kyoto, I saw many girls wearing kimonos with beautiful braids. Yunluo's hairstyle is still a bit simple. 142 I rested for a long time in Nara Park before going back.
There is a large lawn here, and the slightly sloping slope is full of cherry blossoms. Yunluo and An Chuyu took more photos before returning the kimono, but it was a pity that the sky was overcast. Before going back, we rested for a long time in Nara Park. There is a large lawn here, and the slightly sloping slope is full of cherry blossoms.
Yunluo and An Chuyu took some photos before the kimono was returned, but it was a pity that the sky was already cloudy. On the way back, they passed by Himuro Shrine again. The shrine on a cloudy day had a different style. The streets of Nara are lined with small shops and cherry blossoms. 154 After visiting Nara, take the Kintetsu to Osaka Namba Station.
Then we strolled to Dotonbori and Shinsaibashi. The former is mainly for food, with restaurants and snacks all along the street. There were many foreigners queuing here who didn't know the truth. The latter is a place for shopping, and you can see many Chinese people shopping like crazy in cosmetics stores. People, people, people, a lot of people. 157 The iconic Glico billboard.
158 After shopping, I strolled back to the hotel. The day was over. According to the step count on my iPhone, today was the day with the most steps in Yunluo. I packed my luggage early in the morning. I checked out and took a train to Kyoto. Because the hotel is next to the Kintetsu Station, in order to save money and effort, I used the Kintetsu 5-day pass I bought in Nagoya and took the train to Yamato-Saidaiji Station. Then I took the Kyoto Line to Kyoto Station.
I didn't find a seat on the second car, but I happened to get into the first car. Yunluo stood behind the driver and watched the train running on the rails. The Japanese houses and cherry trees on both sides passed by in front of me. It was so beautiful. It was almost 10 am when the 160 arrived in Kyoto. Kyoto Station really shocked Yunluo, as a station in an ancient capital.
It was surprisingly modern and grand, with countless means of transportation converging here, so complicated that it could make people dizzy. Yunluo and An Chuyu first found a locker to store their luggage. Then they took the JR train to Inari Station. The first time Yunluo and An Chuyu got on the wrong train, but fortunately the radio on the train was in Chinese.
When they heard that this bus didn't go to the "Fushimi Inari Taisha" that Yunluo and An Chuyu wanted to go to, Yunluo and An Chuyu hurriedly ran down and got on another bus. Fushimi Inari Taisha is the head shrine of more than 30,000 Inari shrines across Japan. It is also one of the oldest shrines in Kyoto, famous for its "Thousand Torii Gates".
Fushimi Inari Taisha is located at the foot of Mount Inari. Traditionally, the entire area of Mount Inari is considered a sacred place. Fushimi Inari Taisha mainly enshrines the Inari gods, headed by Uga no Mitama, who have been gods of agriculture and commerce since ancient times. In addition, it also enshrines Sadahiko Okami and Omiya Nomie Okami.
Tanaka Okami and the four great gods. Every year, a large number of pilgrims come to the shrine to pray for a good harvest, a prosperous business, and safe transportation, making it one of the most popular shrines in Kyoto. 164 Foxes are regarded as messengers of the gods, so there are many stone statues of foxes of various shapes and sizes.
There are also fox-face-shaped painted horses (prayer cards). I saw a newlywed couple taking photos here. I took a few photos. 168169 It was drizzling when I was visiting Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine. Fortunately, I was walking in the long "Torii Corridor" and was able to avoid the rain. I was very tired when I returned to Kyoto Station and urgently needed a bowl of steaming ramen to keep warm.
So we went to the famous "Ramen Alley" on the 10th floor of Isetan. There are famous ramen shops from 7 places including Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo, Kyoto, and Hakata. Each shop is not big, but each has its own characteristics. Yunluo and An Chuyu chose the "Tonkotsu Ramen" in Hakata. The soup is very rich and it is the best meal that Yunluo and An Chuyu have eaten in Japan for a few days!
On the last day in Kyoto, Yunluo and An Chuyu came to eat for the second time. The way Ramen Alley sells food is very interesting, a bit like the self-service ticket machines in Japanese subways. You put in a banknote. The machine will print out a "ramen ticket" for you. You give this ticket to the waiter, and he will arrange to make ramen for you.
After picking up my luggage, I was ready to go to where I was staying. Because Kyoto Station is so big and complicated, it took a lot of effort to find the bus stop. I waited in line for the bus for a long time, and finally got on a crowded bus. The road to the hotel was a bit congested, and the bus was stuffy. It took a long time to get there. The place I stayed was near Heian Shrine.
As soon as we got off the train, we felt like we were in another world. The hustle and bustle of Kyoto Station in the afternoon was gone. Yunluo and An Chuyu had been to big cities like Nagoya and Osaka before, but now it felt like a completely quiet small town, with two-story houses on both sides and almost no people on the streets, which was great! Considering that hotels in Kyoto are too expensive.
Yunluo and An Chuyu chose a homestay. The owner was very friendly. He first welcomed Yunluo and An Chuyu into the house, and then led Yunluo and An Chuyu around the house, showing Yunluo and An Chuyu where the kitchen, bathroom, and washbasin were, and explained them clearly. After a short rest, Yunluo and An Chuyu strolled out to find dinner.
I had noodles and Oyakodon at a popular soba noodle shop nearby, and they tasted pretty good. It was drizzling when I was visiting Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, but luckily I was walking in the long "Torii Corridor". I could still hide from the rain for a while. I was very tired when I returned to Kyoto Station, and I urgently needed a bowl of steaming ramen to keep warm. So I went to the famous "Ramen Alley" on the 10th floor of Isetan.
There are 7 famous ramen restaurants in Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo, Kyoto, Hakata, etc. Each restaurant is not big, but each has its own characteristics. Yunluo and An Chuyu chose the "pork bone ramen" in Hakata. The soup is very rich, and it is the best meal that Yunluo and An Chuyu have eaten in Japan for a few days!
There is no mistake in the poem, post, content, and read the book on 6, 9, and bar!
On the last day in Kyoto, Yunluo and An Chuyu came to eat for the second time. The way Ramen Alley sells food is very interesting, a bit like the self-service ticket machines in Japanese subways. You put in a banknote and the machine will print out a "ramen ticket" for you. You then give this ticket to the waiter, and he will arrange to make ramen for you.
After picking up my luggage, I was ready to go to where I was staying. Because Kyoto Station is so big and complicated, it took a lot of effort to find the bus stop. I waited in line for the bus for a long time, and finally got on a crowded bus. The road to the hotel was a bit congested, and the bus was stuffy. It took a long time to get there. The place I stayed was near Heian Shrine.
As soon as we got off the train, we felt like we were in another world. The hustle and bustle of Kyoto Station in the afternoon was gone. Yunluo and An Chuyu had been to big cities like Nagoya and Osaka before, but now it felt like a completely quiet small town, with two-story houses on both sides and almost no people on the streets, which was great!
Since hotels in Kyoto were too expensive, Yunluo and An Chuyu chose a B&B. The owner was very friendly. He first welcomed Yunluo and An Chuyu into the house, and then led Yunluo and An Chuyu around the house, showing Yunluo and An Chuyu where the kitchen, bathroom and washbasin were, and explained them clearly.
After a short rest, Yunluo and An Chuyu went out for dinner and had noodles and Oyakodon at a popular soba noodle shop nearby. The taste was pretty good.
It rained all night, but it cleared up in the morning. When I walked out of the house, I found that the streets near the B&B, which seemed deserted last night, had some tourists. There were cart drivers pulling tourists around, laughing and talking happily. The sky was as blue as water. The sun was pouring down, which was a blessing for Yunluo, who had been watching the rain for too long.
Today is the day with the most packed schedule. I almost visited most of the major attractions in Kyoto. I took the bus to Ginkaku-ji Temple. When I got off the bus, I asked the driver to buy a one-day pass and started my day's journey. I got off the bus 179 and walked towards Ginkaku-ji Temple. After walking a few steps, I was shocked by the gorgeous cherry blossoms in front of me.
I immediately grabbed my camera and rushed forward. It turned out that this was the famous cherry blossom viewing spot in Kyoto - Philosopher's Path. 180 Perhaps it had something to do with the weather today. Philosopher's Path was the most stunning cherry blossom scene I had seen during my stay in Japan. Huge cherry trees were in full bloom on both sides of the river, as if they were about to burn out their energy stored for a whole year in the sun.
A gust of wind brings a shower of cherry blossoms. 181 Philosopher's Path is located at the foot of Higashiyama. It runs along the artificial canal from Wakaoji Shrine, through Honen-in Temple, to Ginkaku-ji Temple. It is a 1.5-kilometer-long walking trail that was once selected as one of the 100 famous roads in Japan. It was named after the philosopher Kitaro Nishida, who often walked here to ponder the philosophy of life.
The cherry trees along the road were donated by the painter Hashimoto Kansetsu's wife. In spring, the "Kansetsu cherry trees" along the road are in full bloom, forming a cherry blossom tunnel. 182 What shocked Yunluo the most was that there was a section of the river completely covered with fallen cherry blossoms, floating in whole pieces, all pink petals. The water flowed quite fast, and Yunluo watched the petals pouring down with the water.
I was deeply moved. The scenery along the 183 Ginkakuji Temple-Philosopher's Path was indeed very beautiful. The only regret was that there were too many tourists and it was very noisy. The further you go towards Ginkakuji Temple, the narrower the road becomes and the more tourists there are. After visiting Ginkakuji Temple, Yunluo and An Chuyu returned along the same route and took a bus to Kiyomizu Temple in the southernmost part of the city. The next itinerary was to head north.
The sky was already cloudy, and the limited sunny days were over. The second stop was Kiyomizu Temple. The red buildings shaded by cherry blossoms were super beautiful. Kiyomizu Temple is so famous that it is crowded with tourists even if it is not cherry blossom season or maple leaf season. However, if you go a little further back, you can still find a quiet place.
Kiyomizu-dera Temple is the oldest temple in Kyoto and is listed as one of Japan's national treasures. The origin of Kiyomizu-dera Temple began in 778 AD (the 9th year of Hokki), when Enryaku-shin visited the Kannon at the waterfall in Otowa. In 798 AD (the 17th year of the Enryaku era), Sakanoue Tamuramaro renovated it into a Buddhist temple, and it has since become a temple dedicated to Emperor Kōmu.
Walking down from Kiyomizu Temple, you will reach Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka. The narrow steps are lined with specialty shops on both sides. Of course, there are also crowds of people in the middle. Yunluo and An Chuyu spent a lot of time browsing the shops and bought some snacks and small souvenirs. Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka are both small stone slopes. (~^~)