Day 14: Osaka Castle

Previously:
Day 14: Hotel Monterey Grasmere, Osaka

There are plenty of castles in Japan that would take you a whole month or two to see them all.  However, if your time is limited, you need to smartly pick the most unique and popular one.  Osaka castle is one of the best castle to visit.  Nice and well constructed with the location that easy to reach.

Not only pretty in photo but this castle has been well designed and formatted.  I believe in the past when the war between rulers existed, it was very hard for enemy to enter into this castle.  The main hall is surrounded by water and the way in is only by the bridge followed with high wall along the side of narrow lane.  



Osaka Castle

Time Capsule

Takoyaki Truck

Takoyaki with Salmon Roe

Yakisoba

Stay tuned for the next blog still in Japan:

Day 14: Okonomiyaki, Osaka

Day 14: Hotel Monterey Grasmere, Osaka

Previously:
Day 14: Uji


If you guys do not have much time in Japan but still willing to visit Uji as I mentioned in my previous blog.  This is what we did.  Early morning, we dropped our luggage and kept them in the locker in Kyoto Station.  Then we catched train to go to Uji and came back just before midday and heading further south to Osaka and spend the rest of the night in there.  It is doable as roughly one-way trip from Kyoto to Uji only takes less than one hour.  And in Uji town itself, you can cover the main town iconics in about two or three hours by foot. However, it depends of the people speeds too.


Once, we arrived back at Kyoto station, we grabbed a quick nibble from Lotteria.  They indeed serve a very good burger and chicken.  Then, we speed up running to catch our next shinkansen to Osaka.

In Osaka, we decided to stay in Namba, as I do some research that apparently Namba is a very busy area and lots of food around.  However, we need to change to JR loop train from Osaka station or we need to transit twice from Shin-Osaka station.  Luckily, the hotel that we picked for the next 4 nights is right next to the Namba station via north exit, just come up the escalator then you will see this tall building.

The room is pretty huge for Japanese-hotel's standard, toilet is also very spacious and clean.  They have a modern decoration and nice city view from our room's window.  They also have a nice small chapel too inside the hotel, just opposite the reception.

Hotel Monterey Grasmere, Osaka

1-2-3 Minatomachi, Naniwa-ku, Osaka

PH: +81-6-6645-7111

Stay tuned for the next blog still in Japan:

Day 14: Osaka Castle

Day 14: Uji

Previously:
Day 14: Fushimi Inari, Kyoto

Uji is a small town located just few minutes away from Kyoto by train and apparently always be an under-shadow of big city Kyoto where most tourists has not yet discovered Uji's charms.  But this tiny town is actually very famous with their green tea produces and the classic Tale of Genji that took place in Uji as well.  Few other places that you need to visit while you were here, such as the historic Uji bridge, Byodoin Temple, and last but not least astonish-looking of Uji River.  Also, along the omotesando or the narrow street back to station do not forget to stop by and indulge in one of the dessert shop and sample their popular hot matcha tea which is usually accompanied with some little sweets.

A public post box in Uji shaped as tea caddy

The Tale of Genji

Uji Bridge

Matcha or Green Tea Ice Cream

Uji River

Hot Matcha Tea and Sweet

Stay tuned for the next blog still in Japan:

Day 14: Hotel Monterey Grasmere, Osaka



Day 13: Italian Restaurant at Yodobashi Dining, Kyoto

Previously:

Day 13: Arashiyama

 

When we walked pass Kyoto station around 6pm, this colourful water flowing alongside with nice melody just about to start.  Nice show indeed and it runs for approximately 15 minutes and apparently they have this show everyday around the same time.  

Then we looked around for a nice dinner and we found this dining area like foodcourt but line up with heaps of proper restaurants not stalls, just 5 mins walk from JR Kyoto Station Karasuma central gate, called Yadobashi Dining.  We turn around in there until two round and still couldn't decide where to eat.  Too much good choices there, finally we chose this Italian restaurant.  Simply because I really want to try those long bread sticks.

Italian food served by Japanese is surprisingly good.  Their spaghetti was sensational, full of flavour and look at those sauce, abundant, flooded until the edge of our dish, that's what makes this dish perfecto.  Pizza also good, the base was really thin and crispy.  However, the bread was lack of flavour, they should put more topping as the bread is quite thick and especially mine got not much condensed milk in it so only the hard french baguette that I could taste.

Yodobashi Camera Building
590-2 Higashi Shiokoji-cho, Karasuma-dori, Shiokoji sagaru, Shimogyo-ku
Yodobashi dining is located on the 6th floor


Stay tuned for the next blog still in Japan:
Day 14: Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kyoto

Day 14: Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kyoto

Previously:
Day 13: Italian Restaurant at Yodobashi Dining, Kyoto

This shrine is one of the very famous shrine in Japan.  Fushimi Inari can be reached by JR train and it is only two stops away from Kyoto station.  This place is very famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates and that trails lead into the wooded forest of the sacred Mount Inari.  Although this place is always open for public but best time visit just after dawn until late afternoon as this place will get very dark especially if you want to complete the mountain trails as well.




Yakisoba bread from convenient store. It was yummm... 



Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kyoto

Fushimi Inari Shrine is located just outside JR Inari Station

It is always open and free admission

Stay tuned for the next blog still in Japan:

Day 14: Uji