Last DaySad to leave, hard to believe it has been three weeks. So many place I want to come back to. So glad I bought comfy warm walking shoes it turned out quite cold the last two weeks. Breakfast at the hostel, walk to local station and catch a train to Isaka. Store bags for a few hours at the hostel. LunchWe had to queue for an hour for lunch: okonomiyaki another Michelin awarded restaurant. Hot chocolate and dessert at Daimaru food hall. A drink to celebrate a great holiday. Thanks Kyle xx
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Namba shopping and sight seeing.Light breakfast at hostel, check emails and relax. Head to Shinsai bashi to have coffee, second breakfast at Elk and shop. Kitchen ShopsBack to Dotonbori to walk around. Shops everywhere sticking all sorts of kitchen goods: plates, cups, knives, equipment for restaurants even shops selling the plastic food that all the food shops display. I bought some nice hand blown glass dishes. Snack Time and more walking.Takoyaki squid snacks. Yakatori for dinner.Dinner at Tori Dining ...Tsuki no odori, yakatori restaurant. I had plum liquour on ice with my dinner. Beautiful food, duck and chicken skewers, salad and a egg and chicken dish. Semi traditional seating, feet touching sunken floor. We receive a pair of souvenir chopsticks when we leave as a thankyou from our host. More walking , train and walk back to room. Strolling Day in Namba, OsakaFree breakfast at hostel: I love this place, I could stay here again. Train from Yodobashi to Namba.Shopping and eating day. Pizza at Pizza Stand , coffee at Luli Coffee Roasters and shop at Uniqlo. More walkingDotonbori and Shinsaibashi. Pancahes at ‘elk’ Osaka Castle by nightDinner Ramen.... of courseRamen for dinner, Kyle’s favourite. Train to OsakaWe are off to Osaka, breakfast first at Tully’s, pancakes and coffee. Buy a suitcase at Don Quijote, to fit in all my shopping ! Bags in storage at Osaka Station, much easier to find it at this station. Train Osaka station to Minoo Owl CafeOwl cafe near Minoo Station for lunch. https://www.google.com.au/amp/s/allabout-japan.com/en/amp/article/1802/ Sweets Takeoutcoffee and cake time. Minoo ParkAnother beautiful garden with lots of little waterfalls. Pick up bags from storage and head to air bnb Train and Walk to air bnbKamon Hostel, Higoboshi, Osaka https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/11726957?s=51 Dinner and a MovieA quick dinner in Namba and off to see Thor in 3D with Japanese subtitles. Train and walk back to air bnb, it’s 11.30pm and trains stop at midnight.
Sagano Train, ArashiyamaUp early to head to Torokko Saga station again. Hopefully we can get on the old train this morning. We are there by 8.20 am and there is a queue already. We book in for the 10am train. Coffee again by the river. Colourful walk back to the train. From Arashiyama to Kameoka. The view is best from the right side of the train. The engine is at the back going this way. Luckily we got the right side, the view from on the left is good for the initial part of the trip, Golden Pavillion: Kinkaku-ji Temple We walk to the next train station past rice fields and shops to catch a train and a bus to the Golden Pavillion. A stunning temple of gold with a beautiful pond. Another popular tourist spot, so many people and school groups. Philosopher’s Path A bus takes us close to the Philosopher’s Path. We walk past little local shops and buy some sandwiches and pastries for lunch. Then walk along the stepping stone footpath of the Philosophers Walk. Cute shops line the sides, coffee shops, souvenirs, pottery shops. Coffee for Kyle and a hot chocolate for me at the Rail Model Cafe. Cozy and warm inside and complimentary red bean treats and a walking map of Kyoto. Pretty trees with Autumn colours of red, orange and yellow. Zenrin-ji Temple We walk along and find an open garden and temple. Zenrin-ji Temple. Special Autumn Exhibition, lots of people have come to see inside the temple and the trees in their Autumn splendor. We take our shoes off to walk around the buildings and timber deck pathways connecting the rooms. Old paintings adorn the screened rooms. Dinner Gion Mentakumi Takamatsu 312 Ichirenshachō, Nakagyō-ku, Kyōto-shi, Kyōto-fu 604-8146, Japan +81 75-252-8270 https://goo.gl/maps/w2xdBCpKXcR2 Geisha spotting, in Pontocho After coffee at Starbucks we head to the Pontocho area, to try and catch a glimpse of a geisha ! No luck but there are many small bars and restaurants to look at, also restaurants that look to be quite private and exclusive. One side of these restaurants faces the waterfront, so would have a great view during the day. Train and then walk back to air bnb.Last night here. I would not stay at this air bnb again. The smoke from another unit came through the vent in our door. It was also too small.
Breakfast at Hoshino CoffeeThe Japanese love their coffee. We queue up and put our name on a waiting list. Coffee and French toast and a boiled egg. Train to ArashiyamaTrain trip to Torokko Saga station Arashiyama. The Sagano Train and river cruise back was booked out for the whole month, you can only book it in this region so it is a little difficult to book ahead. Ticket office at Torokko said if we come early tomorrow we will be able to get tickets. We queue to walk across the Hozugawa River, It is so crowded people everywhere. Monkey ParkCoffee and Souvenir shopping. Tenryu-ji Temple and Bamboo Forest Train from Arashiyama to Kyoto. Pizza for dinner at Kyoto Station.
Explore and Shop in KyotoShopping and exploring day for me.Kyle came home at 6am !!! Breakfast at Tully’s, Acheson coffee shop. Walk around Porta and Avanti Shops. Lunch at a macrobiotic cafe called Cosmo Kitchen Cafe. Alfons Mucha’s WomenAlfons Mucha’s Women an exhibition on level 8 of the Isetan Building. This was a huge shopping Centre, and very busy. A whole level for fresh food and another for take hone food and food as gifts and souvenirs. Coffee at Lower East Street HostelKiyomizu-dera TempleKiyomizu-dera Temple by night.So pretty.Dinner at Ramen Sen No KazeWe arrive at the ramen place for dinner in Gion, people have been waiting for hours to get in. A young couple hand us their number they have to go ! We are so lucky !!! Shinkansen to KyotoLeft air bnb in Okayama and had a coffee at Starbucks at the station. Bought some sandwiches and waffles to eat on the shinkasen to Kyoto. Lunchtime all the lockers are full already. We ask information for baggage storage room. Found a bag storage place to put our bags for the day as check in for air bnb is not until 4pm. Coffee TimeCoffee at Kurasu Coffee not far from the station, another shop Kyle found on instagram. Fushimi Inari Shrine Train to Inari to Fushimi Inari Shrine Train back to Kyoto, Collect bags from bag storage at station, head to air bnb. Dinner and coffeeWalk back to Kyoto for dinner and coffee at cute hostel near our air bnb. Looks like great place to stay ! Our apartment is tiny !! Trains to RitsurinShould have walked to Okayama instead of Omoto Station, to get the faster train to Takamatsu. Had to catch local train and change onto the faster train at Chayamachi. Plan trains and ferries if not in city areas, they are on time but don’t run as often. The train goes over the bridge over the water to the South Island. Great views from the train of the sea, oyster farms and lots of different boats and ships. You can see tiny islands dotted in the bays. Ritsurin GardenRitsurin Garden is worth visiting. A large garden filled with beautiful trees and ponds with koi. There are boat rides and many scenic spots to take photos. Lunch in the Garden Cafe then head through park back to Ritsurinkoen Kitaguchi Station to Takamatsu. Train from Ritsurin Garden to TakamatsuFerry from Takamatsu to Naoshima Island.3.30pm Ferry from Tokamatsu to Naoshima Island. Unfortunately we are too late for Chichu Museum. We walk around towards the Chichu Gallery, beautiful bay views and sculptures. We walk for about half an hour then turn around and head back as the sun sets. If I came to Japan again I would stay here for a week and explore the island and neighboring islands. Train back to Okayama.Return ferry at 5.30pm from Naoshima to Uno, sumo wrestling is playing on the tv. Train to Okayama, dinner at Cocoichiban, Walk to air bnb. Train to OkayamaNazomi Suoer Express train to Okayama, Bento box for lunch to eat on the train. Train Okayama to KurashikiKurashiki Historical Village. Ranen for dinner st village before we leave. Train back to OkayamaWalk back to apartment, stopping off at Sega for Kyle , about a 20min Walk, cold night tonight. Back to air bnb, WiFi wasn’t a portable one so made on the spot decisions about train difficult. Nice sized room, a little bit to far from station especially with bags.
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