Japan Part 1

Ebimisami: 22.03.2019

Wow, where to begin? I'm truly amazed by Japan! This country captivated me from the very beginning. It is full of aesthetics, with so much attention to detail, beautiful places, landscapes, the most polite people, and also many very crazy things 😉. I am fascinated by how strongly you can feel the extremes between tradition and modernity.

I'm sure that I enjoyed my first days in Japan so much because I was lucky enough to spend time with wonderful people.

Arriving in Osaka, Taka warmly welcomed me on the first evening. Taka lives here, studies English, works as a cook, and I met him in Taiwan during a guided tour. We had so much fun together with his friends during the three days in Osaka, and as a "local," he could show me the best places and restaurants.

We awakened my childhood memories when we played Mario Kart in one of Osaka's many arcades! My gaming heart was racing 🙈😁. We took photos in this crazy photo booth with Nana, where you get big eyes and perfect skin and look like you're 10. Apparently, that's the beauty ideal here.

These covered streets with arcades (Pachinko), restaurants, bright lights, music, anime stuff, and thousands of cosmetic stores were something completely new and funny for me when I arrived here. Overall, Osaka is more of a business metropolis. Without Taka, I probably wouldn't have found it so cool.

Together with Nana, we visited Japan's oldest temple, the Shitennoji Temple (593 AD), which has been mostly reconstructed due to destruction during the war.

Then we took a leisurely walk to Osaka Castle. A castle built by ruler Hideyoshi in the 16th century, which offers a beautiful view from the top. The museum showed a lot about the battles of the samurai and warfare at that time.

My first hostel experience in Japan was also something special! I have only experienced such a high standard of hygiene and aesthetic furnishings in Japan so far! The toilet and bath were cleaned every 10 minutes, as is customary in the country. Street shoes are taboo indoors, and there are separate slippers for the toilet so as not to "dirty" the others. And the best thing of all: the heated toilet seats!!! I need something like that at home! 😊 I haven't dared to press the other twenty buttons on the high-tech toilets with purely Japanese labels yet. 😂 Like I said: modern meets tradition. High-tech toilets on one side and traditional-style furnishings with Tatami mats and a fireplace on the other side...

Shitennoji Temple
Shitennoji Temple
Shitennoji Temple
Shitennoji Temple
Nana, Taka, and I in front of Osaka Castle
Nana, Taka, and I in front of Osaka Castle
Yeah! Mario Kart.
Yeah! Mario Kart.
Taka won. but only by 1 second! 😝
Taka won. but only by 1 second! 😝
Crazy Japanese photo booth 🤣
Crazy Japanese photo booth 🤣
The "Times Square" of Osaka in the Dotonbori district with the famous Glico Man, who has been running tirelessly here since the 1970s, thanks to caramel candies. A promotion for the Glico brand (e.g. Mikado chocolate sticks) is the trademark here.
The "Times Square" of Osaka in the Dotonbori district with the famous Glico Man, who has been running tirelessly here since the 1970s, thanks to caramel candies. A promotion for the Glico brand (e.g. Mikado chocolate sticks) is the trademark here.
An exception from my vegetarian life for really good sushi 🍣 it was worth it!
An exception from my vegetarian life for really good sushi 🍣 it was worth it!
The Billiken, a symbol of Osaka. A character invented by an American in 1908 and considered a good luck charm.
The Billiken, a symbol of Osaka. A character invented by an American in 1908 and considered a good luck charm.
Shinsekai district
Shinsekai district
Plastic food displays instead of menus.
Plastic food displays instead of menus.
Traditional marbles game in an arcade.
Traditional marbles game in an arcade.
Osaka hostel.
Osaka hostel.


Unfortunately, the time with Taka and co. was already over, and after our farewell, I took the Shinkansen train to Nara, which I visited with the lovely Lucia from Slovenia.

Nara was Japan's first capital in the 8th century AD and can be explored in one day due to its manageable size.

There, I immersed myself in the ancient world of Shinto shrines, garden landscapes, and temples. And the phenomenon in Japan is that every time you think: okay, it can't get any more beautiful... but then you discover a new temple and are amazed again! Every corner, every angle offers something new to admire.

Nara is also known for its tame deer that (unfortunately) are fed too much by tourists and have to serve for countless selfies..

Nevertheless, they have fit wonderfully into the moss-covered landscape.

The Todaiji-Ji was particularly beautiful, the largest wooden building in the world, which houses the largest bronze Buddha statue.

Unfortunately, we were quite cold and it was raining, but that didn't dampen the atmosphere in the parks.

The cherry blossoms can already be seen in some places. Many plum blossoms bloom earlier. 🌸🌸🌸

Deer in Nara
Deer in Nara
A temizuya: It is customary to ritually cleanse hands and mouth before entering a temple or shrine
A temizuya: It is customary to ritually cleanse hands and mouth before entering a temple or shrine
Temple in Nara
Temple in Nara
Todaiji-Ji
Todaiji-Ji
Ancient moss-covered lanterns and deer
Ancient moss-covered lanterns and deer

Next, I continued my journey with my now much too heavy backpack 🎒 to:

Kyoto.

Here, I didn't want to leave anymore.

Actually, I wasn't feeling so well after my arrival in Kyoto, I had a headache and was homesick... But then (fortunately) two Americans approached me in a café and lifted me out of my state with their positive and sympathetic attitude. We got along exceptionally well, so we spent the next 4 days together in Kyoto. Everything with Torrey and Nick was so uncomplicated, relaxed, and very, very fun; in contrast to some other people you meet while traveling...

The karaoke night was especially fun 😊!

Among other things, we visited the Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine, for which we got up very early to avoid the crowds. And it was worth it a thousand times! The shrine was definitely one of my favorites. And the peace and atmosphere while climbing the hill and walking through the thousands of orange-red "torii" gates were very meditative.

Kyoto had so many beautiful temples and shrines to offer, each with its own atmosphere. Many see Kyoto as the true heart of Japan because it was the capital and seat of the imperial residence from 794 to 1868.

We deliberately avoided the touristy places and discovered the more hidden but no less interesting spots.

The traditional Japanese tea ceremony we experienced together was particularly beautiful, as well as Arashiyama with the bamboo forest and the monkey trail and the dreamlike Zen temple Kennin-Ji (founded in 1202). 

After only 4 days in Kyoto, Torrey and Nick really grew on me, and saying goodbye was the hardest so far with all the travel companions. But that's what it's like when you're traveling. Sometimes it's easier, sometimes it's harder to say goodbye...

Shrine in Arashiyama
Shrine in Arashiyama
Bamboo forest. Beautiful atmosphere despite or maybe because of the rain.
Bamboo forest. Beautiful atmosphere despite or maybe because of the rain.
Torii of the Fushimi Inari Shrine
Torii of the Fushimi Inari Shrine
Torrey, Nick, and I at the Fushimi Inari Shrine
Torrey, Nick, and I at the Fushimi Inari Shrine
The Guardians
The Guardians
Foxes, the guardians of the shrines and rice harvest
Foxes, the guardians of the shrines and rice harvest
The smallest milk jugs I
The smallest milk jugs I've ever seen.
Torrey in front of the Gion-in Temple
Torrey in front of the Gion-in Temple
Gion-in Temple
Gion-in Temple
Tea ceremony at Teahouse En in the Gion district (Geisha district)
Tea ceremony at Teahouse En in the Gion district (Geisha district)
Matcha tea
Matcha tea
Monkeys in Arashiyama
Monkeys in Arashiyama
Me on the Monkey Trail
Me on the Monkey Trail
Enjoyment!
Enjoyment!
I could have spent hours watching the monkeys.
I could have spent hours watching the monkeys.
Arashiyama
Arashiyama
The "fiacres" of Japan, operated by people with sporting spirit and very animal-friendly 😉
The "fiacres" of Japan, operated by people with sporting spirit and very animal-friendly 😉
Kegonji Temple
Kegonji Temple
Garden of Kegonji Temple
Garden of Kegonji Temple

Old Geisha district
Old Geisha district
People dressed up as "Geishas" who aren
People dressed up as "Geishas" who aren't really geishas
The beautiful Zen temple Kennin-Ji
The beautiful Zen temple Kennin-Ji
A couple having a photoshoot at the Zen temple Kennin-Ji
A couple having a photoshoot at the Zen temple Kennin-Ji
Perfection
Perfection
So elegant!
So elegant!
In the Zen temple Kennin-Ji
In the Zen temple Kennin-Ji
Unusual ramen restaurant. Like a voting booth where your food is secretly pushed in like in prison, without seeing the waiter
Unusual ramen restaurant. Like a voting booth where your food is secretly pushed in like in prison, without seeing the waiter's face 😂
Torrey at the ramen restaurant
Torrey at the ramen restaurant
Karaoke night
Karaoke night
Karaoke night
Karaoke night
Nick rapping😀
Nick rapping😀

Kanazawa

Kanazawa is a smaller city in the northern central region of Japan, known for well-preserved Edo-era districts, traditional craftsmanship, one of Japan's most beautiful garden landscapes, and the samurai district. Oh, and everything related to gold, as over 90% of Japan's gold leaf is produced here. You could even buy ice cream with gold leaf and face masks made of gold leaf 🤦‍♀️. 

It was so peaceful and quiet here, with few tourists in total, and there were lovingly maintained gardens inviting you to take a stroll. 

Kanazawa 21st century contemporary arts museum
Kanazawa 21st century contemporary arts museum
Art Museum
Art Museum
Oyama Jinja Shrine Kanazawa
Oyama Jinja Shrine Kanazawa
Craft shops in Kanazawa
Craft shops in Kanazawa
Ice cream with gold leaf
Ice cream with gold leaf
Samurai armor
Samurai armor
Garden in an old samurai house
Garden in an old samurai house
These vending machines are everywhere. You can also buy hot drinks from them in the cold. So ingenious.
These vending machines are everywhere. You can also buy hot drinks from them in the cold. So ingenious.
Old trees in the Kenroku-en Garden are meticulously nurtured and supported.
Old trees in the Kenroku-en Garden are meticulously nurtured and supported.
Geisha District Kanazawa
Geisha District Kanazawa
In an old traditional geisha house (museum)
In an old traditional geisha house (museum)



Japan Part 2 is coming! 🖖

Thanks to all who actually read my blogs. It's actually quite a lot of work 😉. 

Eyano (4)

Marina
Es freut mich voll, dass Japan dir wirklich so viel bietet wie erhofft und dass es dir nun auch wieder besser geht als in China! Wünsche dir noch eine gute Reise und freue mich, wenn du dann zu meinem Geburtstag wieder da bist. Bussis

Claudia
Deine Blogs machen mir eine Riesenfreude! Du schreibst so lebendig und doch informativ, man begleitet Dich richtig aif der Reise... Ich bin sehr froh, dass Du immer wieder so besonders nette Reisegefährten findest, ist doch eine interessante Erfahrung, die man nur machen kann, wenn man alleine unterwegs ist.... viel Spass noch und danke für Deine Mühe mit dem Blog. Bussi

Poldi
Liebe Rosi! Es sind ganz tolle Fotos, die du schießt, und mit deinen Erzählungen dazu, bekommt man super Eindrücke von deiner Reise! Schön, dass es dir gut geht und du so viel erlebst. Liebe grüße aus Kleinneusiedl ☺ 🤗🤗

Torrey
So glad I got to experience these amazing moments with you! Even though I can’t read most of it the pictures look great 😅