Escaping to... Japan!

Age : 29 Posts : 3640

Awwwwwwwwww, it's great to see you having such an amazing time, Soph! :3
I'z so jelly... <3

Age : 31 Posts : 1836

~Fox~ wrote:

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I laughed at this. They look like their dancing.

Age : 31 Posts : 8965

Ulkira wrote:

~Fox~ wrote:

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I laughed at this. They look like their dancing.

UNDER THE SEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! COOKIE!

Subject: Re: Escaping to... Japan! Fri 13 Apr 2012, 12:30 am

Sophie, it's so lovely to read this everyday!

You give an amazing play-by-play overview of your trip so we all feel like in some way we're coming along too. <3

I hope that Sleep Pattern gets better!

Age : 35 Posts : 1113

Aww, you guys. Really love that everyone is keeping up with this - social interaction is a bit thin on the ground here (not their fault - I can't really converse in Japanese) so I'm happy to find you lot following my adventure. So thank you all, very much.

No post last night, but that was because I was SOOOOO tired. About six hours of walking yesterday, at least four hours of that was tough hill climbing. Will be posting updates this evening, with lots and lots of Sakura-based photos and stuffz.

Quote :: I hope that Sleep Pattern gets better!

Becky, you'll be pleased to hear I think I've cracked it! Slept from 9.30pm to 5.30am last night, which is pretty darn good. Am tasting lots of Japanese whisky TEEHEE

today (I am a secret bartender, after all) so I'm sure I'll sleep well tonight, too.

Age : 35 Posts : 1113

I've got two days to catch up here, so I'll start with the 12th. Took a long (ish) train ride to Yoshinyama, in the Nara region. This is the place to do cherry blossom viewing and enjoy 'hanami'. On arrival, I opted not to take the buses that run up and down Mt. Yoshino and walk it instead. Pretty heroic, eh? TEEHEE

It took me three hours of steep, uphill walking to reach the top (although I stopped for photos and to browse stalls a fair bit). There were also plenty of temples and shrines en route to distract me. Eventually though, I got there and the view was incredible. Oddly, the sakura were in full bloom at the base of the mountain but hadn't even opened yet at the top - altitude, maybe? Anyway, the view was amazing, if a little less pink than I had expected. Chatted with a friendly local (aged 71, had walked up to the top too... either I'm out of shape or they're really fit over here) and headed back down, picking up sakura Shochu, sakura jam, sakura soba noodles, sakura ice-cream, sakura mochi and kusa mochi. Wallet a little lighter, I braved my first Japanese restaurant and enjoyed... Kitsune Udon! Almost fell asleep on the train back, but managed to reach my hotel first, in the end.

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Yesterday (13th) I headed off to Yamazaki and to the Yamazaki Whisky Distillery. Quite apart from being in an amazing location (the town itself was nothing special, but when you arrive at the distillery, it's nestled at the foot of a mountain, with sakura and bamboo and really pretty surroundings in general), the whole experience was fascinating. I arrived, was given an English audio guide, and just about caught the hourly tour group. The first and most memorable thing about distilleries is often the wonderful smells, particularly with whisky production. It was malty, almost banana-like at times, and then deep, wooden and musty at others. We even came across a barrel that was from 1924 - and was still aging whisky inside! At the end of the tour, we were given free tastings and I enjoyed a 'mizuwari' (Yamazaki 10yr, stirred over ice with a drop of water), a whisky & soda (Hakushu 10yr, over ice with soda) and a straight Yamazaki 12yr. A couple of Japanese gentlemen very kindly joined me with 'kampai' (cheers) and offered me a few snacks, as well as pressing me to get that third drink. I chatted (in English) to both the lady who had served drinks and the young man who'd conducted the tour - both had impeccable command of English. After spending waaaay too much in the shop, I browsed their "whisky library" (A-MAZING) before heading out to Shinsaibashi & Dotonbori. Here, the predicted rain caught up with me, but most of the area was covered so it wasn't too bad. I arrived a little too early to catch the best of the 'electric' heart of Osaka, but the lights and statues were brilliant. It's mad, completely mad, and great fun. Another restaurant, this time choosing 'Okonomiyaki', the Japanese answer to an omlette (but hardly like one at all). Home then, to ponder what to do in the forecast heavy rain the next day.

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Toodles for now!

~Soph.

Subject: Re: Escaping to... Japan! Sat 14 Apr 2012, 3:20 am

Sophie. I swear.

The next time you're going on vacation, I am coming with you. ♥

Age : 35 Posts : 1113

Quote :: Sophie. I swear.

The next time you're going on vacation, I am coming with you.

That is all.

Age : 31 Posts : 716

Sooo many photos, and they're all sooo breathtaking. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with us! .o.

Age : 29 Posts : 3145

D: No foxes still. No Sophies either xD But those are some beautiful pictures, I must say. Really want to go to Japan right now Razz

Age : 31 Posts : 8965

I'm as jelly as this.

Escaping to... Japan! - Page 2 Jelly

Which is actually jelly. COOKIE!

Age : 29 Posts : 1585

Seriously. I am jealous as hell after all those shots! Escaping to... Japan! - Page 2 287405

Hope you continue on having a m-magnificent time in J-Japan...

Age : 35 Posts : 1113

Fifth day! Not as much to tell here, and fewer photos to document it all. Anyhoo, I set off to the Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum - it sounded like a bit of a giggle. Once I'd found it (took a while), I soon realised that nothing in the actual museum was in English or had any sort of English guide. Not that I expected it (it's their country after all), but it made things interesting! After stopping at each exhibit and looking pensieve so everyone thought that I could read Japanese, I joined the queue to make my own Pot Noodle. A long wait, feeling quite uncomfortable as the only adult there for themselves and not their 5yr old kids, but it was really good. I was quite proud of the cartoon dog I whipped up in a few minutes to decorate my pot (thinking it was a clever joke on the Japanese, i.e. Pot Poodle) but when I got to the line to add the ingredients, I saw all the other children's looking awesome. Sad

They sure can draw in Japan! After leaving the museum, I headed off to do some shopping, get money out and find a Mandarake (manga store). Absolute fail on counts one and three - I window-shopped only and I couldn't find the Mandarake to save my little life. So not as productive a day as I'd hoped, even though the shopping centre had plenty to see. NB: It was also quite scary, being so big and easy to get lost in.

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Oh, and I also found this:

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Today's update coming soon!

~Soph.

Age : 29 Posts : 3640

So... cool... I am seriously saving up money and getting to Japan ASAP

Age : 35 Posts : 1113

Do it. But do try to go with people. It's the only thing I wish I could have sorted, but my friends are so unreliable... *sigh* But if you can't, Japan is actually a pretty darn good country to do alone, even with the language barrier.

Day six, and possibly the best day yet! I went to Nara City this time (somewhere, Adam just -gasmed). It was AMAZING. I've got a lot to tell, so I'll give you the short version of events. Arrived, walked through the city (very pretty, plenty of shrines, a little lake with terrapins in, lots of homes with delightful gardens and lots of wandering deer) and went straight to Kofukiji shrine and the nearby pagoda. Onwards, to the stunning Isuien gardens. One of the most peaceful, heartbreakingly beautiful places I have seen. A short walk took me to the Nandaimon gate and it's lifelike wooden statues. Back up the path and ahead to Todai-ji temple, the world's largest wooden building. A staggering piece of architecture, every bit as handsome as it was daunting. Inside, the 'daibutsu' (giant buddha) watched with a stern eye as I explored the temple's inner areas. Eventually tearing myself away, I passed the Sorin (a golden spire the once topped the nearby pagoda) and reached a viewpoint at Nigatsudo shrine. Back down into Nara city, I grabbed some rice dish (seemed like chicken, chicken skin, mandarin, egg, rice, scallions, ginger) and a drink before returning to the garden to view it's nextdoor neighbour - Yoshiki. And last but not least, I headed for the train home.

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It was really tough to trim these down to thirty-something photos... I took over three hundred in total! A great end to my stay in Osaka, but Kyoto awaits tomorrow. Escaping to... Japan! - Page 2 287405

~Soph.

Age : 29 Posts : 3145

And now we know why Naras are so awesome. ^_^

CUZ THEY HAVE MANSIONS AND CITIES BUILD AFTER THEM!!!!! O.O HOOZA. hooza.

Age : 31 Posts : 716

Sooo many beautiful things. ;w;

Age : 35 Posts : 1113

Well, nothing to report today. Travelling to Kyoto only took about two hours total, but I was knackered when I arrived - lots of heavy bag-carrying and such. Anyhoo, just as I was about to head off to the a nearby temple, the rain came down. So a quick shop and back to the hotel to rest. Just keeping y'all up to date. Razz

Age : 32 Posts : 47

Have fun

Age : 29 Posts : 3145

D: Need to take pics of yourself Sophie. And foxes! Lol. Oh and you should definitely get your hold on Original Manga or whatevers: anime-stuffs, you know? So you can make us even more jelly.

Age : 35 Posts : 1113

Right-o, lots to catch up on! Took a 'break day' on Monday, familiarized myself with the new neighbourhood etc. Tuesday, however, was much more exciting. Up early and out to Gion, the most famous Geisha district. And no, sadly I didn't spot one. But I'm gonna try to go back, so here's hoping. Wandered around, marvelled at the wooden buildings and charm of the place before stopping at a patisserie for elevenses. I made sure they had Japanese influences in the pastries, otherwise I might as well have gone to France for them! I took my yummy parcel off to the nearby Murayama park & adjoining Yasaka shrine. With the sun shining, beautiful surroundings and tasty treats, I probably could've stayed for a lot longer than I did. Instead, I retraced my steps and continued on to Nishiki market. One long road/cobbled path, filled with shop fronts and stalls. I tried some dried, fermented squid/cuttlefish (not sure, but didn't like that too much), a load of different pickled veggies (very yum) and a variety of green teas. With half the day left still, I left Gion and took a quick train to visit the Fushimi Inari Taisha and it's 'endless gates'. This place was a-mazing. Super atmospheric and attention-grabbing. The walk turned into a two hour hike (thanks, in no small part, to Japanese signposting), but it took me right to the top of the mountain and back down again - during which I came across more kitsune statues and torii gates than I could possibly count. Tired, I retreated to the station but stopped for a duck & soba ramen. Omnomnom.

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Today was another sunny day, which I planned to make the most of by first visiting Arashiyama & Sagano. I wasn't sure what to do with my afternoon, but as it turned out, I spent my whole day at the above (and could easily have stayed longer). Upon arrival, I madea quick foray into the Tenryu-ji Temple but beat a hatsy retreat when I realised it would cost to go inside the buildings. I promised myself I'd visit if my daily budget allowed later on. Anyway, I headed straight off to the bamboo groves. Again, really atmospheric and (with the exception of a few schoolkids & one frustrated cameraman) very quiet. Though far from a large forest of bamboo, the path cuts right through the middle so you feel totally lost amongst the towering plants. From there, I made a beeline for the bridge on the map (I'll explain later) but was distracted by some pretty-looking gardens. It turned out these were the gardens for the temple I'd seen earlier. I gave up on worrying about money (it turned out fine) and paid to trawl the colours, sounds and smells of the zen garden. Much of the blossom - not just cherry - was out, which made it all the more pleasing to the eye. Not to mention the huge but still pond. Some time later, I wandered through past the shops and was once agan waylaid for lunch. But what a bargain - miso soup (with kombu, tofu and kamaboku), steamed rice, pickled vegetables, shredded greens, panko-breaded pork cutlet, noodles and a dipping sauce (soy, sugar, vinegar and ginger, from what I could tell) - all for 800 yen (£6 // $8.50). Finally, I made it to the bridge and had my breath taken away by the view. There's not much I can say about it, so look below (right after the food). Then on to the monkey park, which is more like a path through natural monkey habitat, so you would have to dodge them if they were sat in the middle of the route! At the top, I found a feeding station and a beautiful vista. I arrived just before 'feeding time' and so about fifty odd primates went nuts all around us tourists - great fun. Tired as I was, it was straight home after that.

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~Soph out.

Age : 35 Posts : 1113

It's late here, so I'll be brief. Kinkaku-ji temple in the morning, which was only a 30 minute walk from the hotel. A pretty amazing sight actually, being covered in gold and wotnot. Glad I'd saved this for a sunny day, so the light brought the best out of it. From there, on to a nearby temple (Ryoan-ji) for garden strolls and exploring inside the temple (inc. taking shoes off first). Another walk took me to Daitoku-ji temple, which seemed to be a collection of smaller temples (most of which were closed, but I still got to see a few). Incidentally, it is also the birthplace of the Japanese tea ceremony. A lot of walking, so I took a rest at the hotel with lunch, then went for a short walk by the local river. A quiet day really, but it began to rain pretty bad after that, which put everything on hold.

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And that weather continues into the next day. Late start, but headed off to Katsura Imperial Villa with high hopes. Which were dashed when I found it closed. Phooey. To brighten things up, I sought out a Japanese patisserie (with macaroons such as bamboo charcoal, sansho button and black sesame) but that was closed too. Double phooey. A huuuuuuge lunch got me going again and I paid Kiyomizu-dera a visit - which was a great decision. It was busier than I had expected, but lots to investigate and a cracking view over Kyoto. Stopping for some Japanese sweets on the way back, I retired to the hotel to plan a super duper catch-up day tomorrow.

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Sorry it's a little bland this entry, but it's been an odd couple of days. Anyhoo, speak soon!

~Soph.

Age : 35 Posts : 1113

Technically, I'm back! But it's taken until today for me to sleep off the hours I lost in flight. I've still got a few photies to put up and show you all, but I will get to RPing soon(ish).

Toodles!

~Soph.

Age : 35 Posts : 1113

The much overdue final entry...

Day 12: Ginkaku-ji temple in the morning. The sibling of the golden Kinkaku-ji and known as the 'silver' temple, it wasn't actually coated in silver. Very pretty regardless, with some great views, attractive gardens and an interesting sand sculpture/pile. From there, I took a walk down the Philosopher's Path (a canal-side footpath, flora & fauna overhanging) and stopped en route for some black sesame ice-cream and dango. Delicious. On to Nanazen-ji temple complex, which was a big collection of various temples and shrines. My feet were pretty tired after almost two weeks of fairly constant walking, so this was a brief visit. I headed back to the Nishiki area near Gion and found the ramen joint the guide books had raved about. Apparently there's one of these in NY, but the Kyoto branch was it's true home. I couldn't argue - it was fantastic.

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Day 13 & 14: I didn't have much time left to explore Japan, as I was travelling between hotels and trying to slowly organize my bags to fly back. But between the transport kerfuffle (I got lazy and made my first - and only - train mistake and ended up a good distance from my intended destination), I managed to visit the Kyoto Manga Museum, pick up some souvenirs, grab some more Japanese food and chill out in a ryokan. The manga museum was great, with shelves and shelves (like, hundreds of thousands) of manga volumes that were free to read. Some interesting exhibitions too, especially about the history of manga. I wasn't supposed to take photos in these areas, but didn't realise until too late. Oops! I also managed to hit a top bar, where the bartender not only used to work in one of my favourite London bars, but worked with the guy who gave me a few days training recently! Small world, top drinks. Anyhoo. The ryokan was lovely, but I did feel that to get the proper Japanese ryokan experience, it would cost a lot more than I paid. Oh, and the day of the flight went very smoothly. No problems with transfers, customs, seats... no crying babies either! Massively tired when I got back though. All in all? A great holiday. USA, New Zealand, Vietnam, Venice/Florence & Mexico next... Razz

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~Fox out (you can lock this topic now).