Japan – Day 16: Osaka, Tokyo

We were woken up at 6.30am for the 7am breakfast (yes, the ryokan includes breakfast). They quickly store the bed back to the closet, and set up our breakfast. By a few minutes past 7, the breakfast is ready It’s a Japanese style breakfast, and it’s a big breakfast (at least for us).

Japan – Day 15: Lake Biwa, Dotonburi

Today we go back to Osaka. Arriving at Osaka, we decided to visit Biwa-ko (Lake Biwa), which is the largest lake in Japan. So we left our luggage in the locker at Osaka station before heading to Otsu (the town at the edge of Lake Biwa). Lucky they have huge locker, so we can put both our suitcases and my backpack in. The locker costs JPY 600 until midnight (it asks for more JPY 600 after midnight).

Japan – Day 14: Mt. Aso

Today we are going to Mount Aso. Mt. Aso has a huge caldera on the top (about 20km in diameter). The caldera itself contains 5 peaks, namely Neko, Taka, Naka, Eboshi, and Kishima. Of the 5, only 1 is still active, which is Neko. Within this calder, is the town of Aso.

To reach Mt. Aso, we have to go to Kumamoto first, from there, transfer to another train going to the town of Aso, then take the bus to reach the Naka peak (the one with the active volcano).

Japan – Day 13: Beppu, Hello Kitty Land (Harmonyland)

Today, we took a train for a day-trip to Beppu, a city on Kyushu island that is very well-known for its onsen (hot spring bath) and jigoku (or hells, which is the hot spring/mud not for bathing).

We took a train called Sonic, and the seat is quite funny, the head rest is shaped like Mickey Mouse’s ear

Japan – Day 12: Nagasaki

Today we went to Nagasaki, which is the second city in Japan (and the last, thankfully) that was bombed by US with another atomic bomb. It wasn’t a good day though, it has been raining since morning. That is why we decided to go to Nagasaki instead of Beppu.

The trip itself (from Fukuoka to Nagasaki) takes about 2 hours using the train. After we arrived at Nagasaki, we took the street car to the Nagasaki Peace Park. Yes, there are street cars as well in Nagasaki, just like in Hiroshima. Makes me wonder, is this a coincidence?

Japan – Day 11: Fukuoka/Hakata

Today we went to Fukuoka (also called Hakata). We used the Shinkansen bullet train again. I got a better picture of the train

Japan – Day 10: Hiroshima, Miyajima

Today we leave Osaka, and head to Hiroshima. As most of you would already know, Hiroshima is one of the city in Japan where the US dropped an atomic bomb during World War II.

We took the Shinkansen again. The trip takes about 1 1/2 hours from Osaka to Hiroshima. Here are 2 pictures of the inside of the shinkansen.

Japan – Day 9: Himeji Castle, Minami & Dotonburi (Osaka)

Today we are going to Himeji to see the castle, one of the castle in Japan where people says “if you can only see 1 castle in Japan, this is the castle to go to”.

So we started pretty early in the morning. We went to the train station, and waited on the platform bound to Himeji. While we are waiting, we spot a special train going to Universal Studios (this is Osaka’s answer to Tokyo’s Disneyland).

Japan – Day 8: Osaka, Kobe

In half an hour, we arrived in Osaka. We then check in to our hotel (actually we just leave the baggage there because check-in is not until 3pm), then went to see the Umeda Sky Building, which has a floating garden on top. The building itself is a view on its own, with 2 towers side by side, and connected at the top by the so called floating garden (we still don’t know why they are called garden, as we don’t see any garden on top).

Japan – Day 7: Nara

Today, we took a day trip to Nara. Again, this area is bustling with temples and shrines.

Let’s start with the first temple. The first temple we see is Gango-ji, which is listed as one of the UNESCO World’s Heritage. It has a number of stone Buddhas.