A quest to see the world and to get more out of life
Next up on our itinerary was to travel from Kanazawa to Takayama. Two segments were involved: a bullet train to Toyama and a scenic train from Toyama to Takayama. Though it was not my first time riding the shinkansen, this was the Hokuriku line, a departure from the now-familiar Sanyo shinkansen. Some trains had reserved…
Following our visit to Kenrokuen, we decided to drop by Higashi Chaya, Kanazawa’s answer to Kyoto’s Gion. It was still relatively early for our journey to Takayama, so we opted to spend more time exploring this less popular city. Higashi Chaya welcomed us with a light downpour. But, like the other tourists, we braved the…
It was drizzling by the time we were ready to leave Omicho Market, but no weather misfortune could deter us from heading to Kanazawa’s claim to fame: Kenrokuen. Touted as one of the country’s top three most beautiful gardens, it was quite impossible to pass up on this attraction. Our June visit, which was the…
Early the following morning, it was time to embark on another journey in Japan. My initial goal was to see the village of Shirakawa-go, but a day trip from Kyoto was out of the question. The travel time was just too much. Hence, it was decided to extend this portion to a two-day affair by…
The sashimi slices we indulged in Kuromon Ichiba weren’t enough to tide us over until dinner, so we had to grab a more filling meal before moving on our Osaka itinerary. One station away from market was the district of Dotonbori, and around this area was a famous restaurant serving okonomiyaki, the savory pancake distinctly…
Though we were to visit several markets over the course of our trip, I was admittedly more excited to visit Osaka’s own. The city is known as a gastronomic hotspot, and its Kuromon Market is its kitchen. The great reviews were plenty, and so were the crowds heading to this now touristy destination. I would have…
Barely an hour from Kyoto, Himeji was an easy day trip from the historic capital. The city’s pride, Himeji Castle, had a commandeering presence even from the train that passengers were attracted to take photos even from their seats. On this day we were destined to explore the castle’s interior, an opportunity we didn’t get…
Shortly after our exploration of Nishiki Market, we were back on the bus to get to our next destination. Ginkaku-ji, or Silver Pavilion, stood in the shadow of Kinkaku-ji when it comes to popularity, yet this temple had a charm of its own. Of the Japanese places of worship, it got the top spot as…
Kyoto’s Shijo Street may not exactly be the first image that comes to mind when talking about this Japanese city. This modern hub is filled with sprawling commercial establishments, and consequently plagued by traffic jams and a multitude of pedestrians. This was an area of Kyoto that did not exactly thrill me, but running parallel…
The steps leading to Kiyomizu-dera were almost devoid of crowds, a far cry from the sea of people standing there a few years back. Indeed, it paid to get to these places at a relatively early hour. No plum or cherry blossoms could be seen this time around. Instead, a sense of tranquility surrounded the…