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Rise & Shrine: Japan 2.0

November 1st

We left Calgary for a flight to Okinawa, connecting through Vancouver and Taipei. Unfortunately, upon arriving in Taipei, we discovered that our flight had been canceled due to the typhoon affecting both Taipei and Okinawa. This left us with 12 hours to spend in Taipei Airport, where we spent a lot of time sitting on a couch outside of Starbucks.

We found a good vegetarian restaurant for lunch and later spent some time in the Taipei Airport Library. Finally, we boarded our flight to Naha. It was a short flight, and we landed in the evening to very hot and humid weather. After checking into our hotel, we went in search of different flavors of Hi-Chew.

Chris wanted to find the specialties of each island in Japan. We were able to find a few of them, including pineapple flavored Hi-Chew made with the juice of Okinawa pineapples, and shikuwasa, which is similar to their version of lime, as well as mango flavored Hi-Chew made with the juice of Okinawa mangoes. November 2nd

We made our way from our hotel to the ferry terminal. After some confusion about where to find the ferry, we finally boarded the Zamami ferry and found a couple of seats on the upper deck. A few people went outside to stand as we departed from the port, and we joined them. However, we quickly returned inside once we reached the open seas, where the waves were splashing up and spraying everyone.

During the ferry ride, we watched the Japanese coastline and enjoyed some nice scenery out the windows. First, we made a brief stop at Aka Island before arriving in Zamami. Once in Zamami, we headed to our hotel, Yenns Marina, where we checked in and met a cat named Joy. We decided to spend two nights here, even though it risked us potentially missing our flight to Kumamoto.

After settling in, we grabbed bikes and rode to Furuzamami Beach, where we found a nice shady spot in front of some rocks and relaxed for a bit. There were quite a few people snorkeling in the water, with a lifeguard keeping a close eye on them to ensure they stayed within the swimming area. After lounging on the beach for a while, we decided to go snorkeling ourselves.

We were pleasantly surprised by how close the coral was to shore and how many fish there were. There was a steep drop-off as soon as you entered the water, revealing a large coral reef teeming with fish. We saw some parrotfish, brightly colored fish, and others that swam very close to us.

After snorkeling, we returned to Jenn's Marina to relax for a bit before dinner. We opened our Awamori, a special liquor made in Okinawa. While it can be enjoyed straight, we thought it would pair better with something else. We headed out to find somewhere to eat for dinner but discovered that almost every restaurant was closed due to the holiday weekend on this Saturday night.

We did manage to make a reservation at one restaurant for the next night. In the meantime, we visited a grocery store and bought spaghetti along with Japanese pasta sauce to prepare our own dinner. We also picked up some shikuwasa juice to enjoy with our Awamori. Once back in our kitchen, we cooked the pasta and took our dinner out to the terrace where Joy joined us. As we ate our spaghetti, we were pleasantly surprised by how good it tasted alongside the Awamori and shikuwasa juice.

November 3rd

We woke up early and headed to Ama Beach in search of turtles while snorkeling. There were quite a few people already in the water, but there didnít seem to be any excitement about turtle sightings. We sat on the beach and enjoyed our bento boxes for breakfast.

Since there was no turtle action, we decided to continue exploring and visit some observatories on the islands. We rode our bikes up to the first observatory, which offered great views overlooking Zamami Island and Aka Island across from us. We sat there for a while watching boats and swimmers around the uninhabited island.

There were many signs about whale watching; unfortunately, we were there at the wrong time of year to see any whales. Next, we made our way to a higher viewpoint but werenít as impressed as we had been at the first one. After this, we decided to continue biking around the island to see various viewpoints. The roads were quiet with almost no traffic, allowing us to enjoy many scenic views along the way. We returned to Jenn's Marina to restock on supplies before heading back to Furuzamami Beach again. Once at the beach, we jumped into the water for another snorkeling session.

Although it was rougher and wavier that day with slightly reduced visibility, we snorkeled out to explore parts of the reef that we hadnít seen before. At one spot, there were tons of little fish swimming around us; it felt like being in an aquarium.

Back on the beach, we relaxed with drinks of Awamori. For dinner that evening, we went to Santa Restaurant where we ordered several dishes to share; Chris enjoyed a beer made with shikuwasa fruit from Okinawa.

November 4th

Woke up early again for another snorkeling trip at Ama Beach in hopes of seeing sea turtles. We borrowed electric bikes and pedaled over to find a spot on the beach. After putting on our snorkeling gear and getting into the water, visibility turned out be excellent today.

We spotted one large parrotfish while snorkeling further out but unfortunately didnít find any turtles this time either. However, we did see several colorful fish before returning back to Jenn's Marina. After checking out of our hotel, we headed to the ferry terminal where we found some shade under a tree and ate our bento boxes.

We boarded the ferry and secured seats on the top floor for nice views during what turned out to be a much smoother ride back to Naha than our trip over to Zamami. And then headed to the airport for our flight to Kumamoto.

Once we landed in Kumamoto, we followed instructions on where to meet our car rental representative. After waiting for a bit for him to arrive, he drove us to pick up our rental car. With his limited English and Google Translate assistance, we managed through the car rental process.

Once in the car, he directed us out of the parking lot using a glowing red baton. We drove towards Aso but unfortunately didnít arrive before dark as hoped. Upon checking into Marriott Hotel in Aso, which had nice rooms, we went for dinner at Coffee East.

I ordered an egg sandwich while Chris tried a local specialty: rice with butter and egg served in a heated clay bowl that you stir together until cooked; it also came with chicken, soup and salad along with some assorted vegetables. He ordered what he thought was beer but discovered it was sake instead.

After dinner, we visited a convenience store called Lawson's to stock up on snacks for the next couple of days.

November 5th

We woke up early and set off for a hike around the Mount Aso Loop. We drove up a steep road to the park, arrived at the parking lot, and began our hike in a counterclockwise direction. The views of the volcano and the steam rising from the vents were stunning.

We ascended a steep rocky slope, and at the top, we could look down into the crater and see a greenish, milky lake along with a second crater. The scenery reminded us of the Tongariro Crossing in New Zealand, but with far fewer people. Throughout this part of the hike, there was a constant noise of helicopters flying overhead due to sightseeing tours ramping up. We weren't sure how much of the volcano they could see because of all the vapor rising from it.

Continuing around the loop, we encountered a rope that we had to cross, which turned out to be in an area where we probably shouldn't have been, as there was a lot of maintenance work going on. This section of the trail seemed more like a maintenance road, and we were the only hikers there.

After our hike, we took a scenic drive and stopped at the Aso Milk Factory, where we bought some cheese and crackers and took a stroll through their rose garden. We then spent quite some time in a grocery store stocking up on supplies for the next couple of days. At checkout, it was fortunate that we had cash since they only accepted cash payments.

Next, we headed into Aso town and went to Popeye's Pizza for an early dinner or late lunch. Afterward, we treated ourselves to ice cream with unique flavors including sweet potato, black sesame, and brown rice.

We returned to the Marriott where we relaxed in our room and watched a Japanese movie called "Shall We Dance."

November 6th

We started another early day by driving to Takachiho Gorge. We had booked a rowboat for a 30-minute slot; however, on our way there, we received an update that all rowboats were canceled for the day due to high water levels.

Instead of rowing, we decided to head to Kunimigaoka to experience the sea of clouds phenomenon. Unfortunately, when we arrived, there were no clouds in sightójust clear skies. Afterward, we made our way into Takachiho Gorge where we found parking and walked down into the gorge.

We enjoyed a short hike along the gorge, taking in views of nice blue water, limestone rock formations, and several waterfalls cascading down the cliffs into the gorge. After exploring Takachiho town, we stopped for lunch at Cafe Market. I ordered an egg sandwich while Chris had ginger pork curry with rice.

Following lunch, we headed to Kirakawa Onsen where we walked around town and sampled some snacks. We tried Japanese steamed buns filled with dessert-like fillings that had cute bear stamps on them. We also came across a popular cake shop known for its cream puffs; Chris enjoyed one while standing outside as itís not polite in Japan to eat on the go.

After exploring Kirakawa Onsen, we headed to our Airbnb which featured our own private onsenóa small tub in the back filled with fresh hot spring water. Chris overflowed quite a bit when he got in!

We enjoyed gin and tonics made with Japanese gin before preparing spaghetti for dinner.

November 7th

We set off on another scenic drive through a mountain pass, heading to the Kokonoe Yume Suspension Bridge, Japan's highest suspension bridge. After paying the entrance fee, we walked across the bridge, which was very long and offered stunning views down into the canyon, across the valley, and at two large waterfalls cascading down the cliffs. The foliage was just beginning to change for fall.

After taking some photos from the bridge, we walked down to one of the waterfalls for a closer view. From there, we continued our scenic drive and headed to Mount Yufu for a short hike. Although it was meant to be brief, it felt quite long due to the steepness of the trail. Chris was not impressed with the effort-to-reward ratio, as it was very steep the entire way with limited views. Once we emerged from the trees, we could see some views across the valley; however, as we ascended further, we entered the clouds. By the time we reached the top, it was completely fogged in, and we couldn't see anything.

We sat down for a quick lunch, but Chris was eager to move on because he wanted to reach our next stop before it closed. We made our way to Nebuchataki Falls Park and arrived just before closing time. After paying our entrance fee, we walked down to the waterfalls and found that we had the place all to ourselves. The waterfall reminded me of something out of a Disney movie because it looked almost too perfect. We even had the opportunity to walk behind the falls.

Later that day, after visiting the waterfalls, we stopped at a convenience store to pick up a few items. The selection was somewhat limited; however, we were primarily there because they had a cat. Sure enough, we spotted the cat first in the parking lot, and it wanted to come into the store. Chris opened the door for it, and it came in to get some treats from the owner before finding a perch atop a drink machine.

We returned to our Airbnb for an onsen experience and made spaghetti for dinner again and relaxed in the onsen.

November 8

We got in the car and started driving toward Kagoshima. The route included a toll road that initially caused us some confusion. As soon as we turned onto the toll road, our GPS began speaking in Japanese, leaving us unsure of what it was saying. At the toll booth, we took a ticket after someone tried to communicate with us over a speaker in Japanese; again, we had no idea what they were saying.

On the toll road, we encountered numerous tunnels, including some that were 5 or 6 kilometers long. We reached our toll exit and paid without any issues. From there, we headed up to Ebino Plateau to hike the Mt Karakuni loop. We started off counterclockwise around the loop; however, much of it felt boring as it passed through dense trees. We made a slight detour to check out a crater lake which was decent.

Continuing on our hike involved climbing many steps that seemed never-endingóit was quite a workout for our legs! Eventually, we emerged from the trees and enjoyed some nice views of the volcanic landscape around us with Mount Sakurajima visible near Kagoshima in the background. We could also see down into the lake that we had just hiked past. After reaching the top of our hike, we made our way back down a steep rocky slope. Even though the hike was less than seven kilometers long, it still took us four hours; we weren't sure if it was due to being out of practice or if it was simply a challenging hike.

Once back in the car, we continued on to Kagoshima where parking at our accommodation required navigating a complicated system entirely in Japanese. It turned out not to be overly complicated ó we just needed to back into a stall and take a ticket that ultimately wasn't necessary anyway. We checked into our accommodation at Gracias Apartments and then headed out for dinner at a local brewery.

The beers were good but quite expensive costing as much as our main courses! We tried mango beer, pumpkin beer, and burdock beer while sitting at the counter in this small brewery. Unfortunately, there was an annoying guy beside me who kept clearing his throat and making weird noises every ten seconds.

After leaving the brewery still feeling somewhat hungry, I considered finding another place to eat but ultimately decided against it and returned to our apartment instead.

November 9

For breakfast, we visited Sumomo Bakery which had an excellent selection of pastries. We picked up several items and sat in front of the shop while enjoying them along with our free coffee. Chris chose a pizza bun while I had an egg salad sandwich.

After breakfast, we wandered around Tenmonkan shopping district where we checked out a busy department store but didn't find anything particularly interesting. Next, we caught a tourist bus to Senganen Gardens.

We strolled through these gardens which included access to a traditional prince's residence where Chris had to duck under low ceilings! While I thought these gardens were okay overall, I actually preferred those back home in Lethbridge.

After catching another bus back towards central Kagoshima, we stopped for lunch at a noodle restaurant where Chris ordered black pork soba noodles while I opted for shrimp tempura noodles served cold with several components including sauce served separately along with creamy white substance and some wasabi meant for mixing together.

The restaurant had an authentic Japanese atmosphere with mostly single men eating at counters; notably, we were among very few tourists there.

We then rushed over to catch a ferry across to Sakurajima volcano. Once on the other side, we made our way toward an onsen foot bath where you could soak your feet while enjoying views of Sakurajima volcano.

We had read about local cats that might visit while you soaked your feet; however since weather wasn't great during our visit only one cat appeared briefly before retreating back indoors as soon as possible! We arrived just before closing time and managed only quick foot soaks before staff began draining pools as they prepared for closing.

Back in Kagoshima later that evening brought us dinner at La Quinua Peruvian and Mexican restaurant. Chris ordered the three drink special with appetizer (but actually only got 2 of them).

Dinner consisted of burritos which were different than expected; unfortunately luck wasn't on our side again as yet another loud patron nearby continued making strange yawning noises throughout dinner!

Afterwards we stopped at Liquor Mountain liquor store looking specifically for Wilkinson's gin ó a favorite of ours ó and luckily found it priced around 800 yen (about eight Canadian dollars).

The liquor store was located in an area bustling with nightlife; several young women stood outside trying enticingly draw men into their respective clubs or restaurants.

November 10

We returned to the same bakery for breakfast, arriving right when they opened. They hadnít quite finished stocking all their products yet, but I tried a few different items, including a Japanese version of "egg in a frame," which was very tasty.

After breakfast, we headed to Ibusuki for the sand bath. Our host had advised us to arrive early to avoid the crowds. Upon checking in at the sand bath facility, we were given a robe and a towel. After changing into our robes and putting on flip-flops, we walked down to the sand bath area where we were directed to a spot in the sand to lie down. Attendants then came along with shovels to bury us in the warm sand. It was an interesting sensation; lying there felt almost like the sand was pulsing around me. We stayed buried for about 20 minutes, which was longer than the recommended 10 minutes, but it didnít feel too hot.

After enjoying the onsen experience, we made our way to the tip of the peninsula for good views of Mount Kaimondake in the distance. We had hoped to see some cats there, but once again, we had no luck. Parking required buying a drink or something from a local store. There was some confusion about which store it was, but once we figured it out, we bought some onsen cider.

We then continued on to our lunch restaurant, which specialized in flowing noodles. After some more confusion about what to order, we placed our order at the counter.

The ordering system involved finding a table with a number on it, giving one ticket to someone for our food and another ticket to another person for our drinks. It was an interesting system to navigate in Japanese! When ordering beer, they had an automatic dispenser that took a chilled mug from the fridge and tilted it to pour the beer at the correct angle before returning upright to finish pouring with just the right amount of froth on top.

Our noodles arrived, and we placed them in the flowing water on our table. The noodles spun around while we caught them and added them to our bowls with sauce, chives, and wasabi. They were quite tasty!

After lunch, we continued on to Lake Ikeda where we enjoyed ice cream and matcha lattes from a modern cafÈ overlooking the lake. The large viewing platform allowed us to walk up onto the roof where we read about the creature said to inhabit the lake, Japan's version of the Loch Ness monster.

We made our way back to Kagoshima amidst heavy traffic as many people were returning from their day at the spa in Ibusuki. Once again, it started raining as we went out for dinner. Initially, we tried to visit a sushi restaurant but found it quite busy; we had to take a number and were told to return in about an hour.

Chris wanted ramen, so he stood in line at his preferred ramen restaurant for a couple of minutes before deciding he wasnít hungry enough and left in search of more flavors of Hi-Chew candy. We found a couple of new flavors at Don Quixote, including some unique fruit varieties and peach flavors.

We returned to the sushi restaurant and realized we had just missed our number; however, they seated us anyway. The restaurant had an interesting concept where you could either order sushi or take items off a conveyor belt that circulated around the restaurant. We wrote down our orders and passed them to the chef; items came out as they were ready.

At this restaurant, you kept track of your plates throughout your meal and added them up at the end for your bill. Chris ordered two servings of chicken karaage and enjoyed watching a robot that circulated around picking up extra dishes. Additionally, you could make your own matcha tea at your table by spooning matcha powder into your cup and using a hot water dispenser located in front of you.

At the end of our meal, staff came around with a wand that waved over our plates to total our bill. Our meal included sushi, two orders of chicken karaage, and a beer for a total of 2500 yen. When we left the restaurant, it was raining heavily again, so we hurried back to our apartment as quickly as possible.

November 11

We departed Kagoshima early in the morning to return our rental car to Kumamoto. We took the toll road and this time counted the number of tunnels we drove through, 25 in total. We had figured out the toll system by this point and paid our $30 dollar toll, making it smoothly to Guts Car Rental.

The rental representative drove us back to the airport, and we took a bus to the train station. We boarded the Shinkansen to Fukuyama and then took a short local train ride to Onomichi. After checking into Hotel Yutori, a nice little apartment, we went in search of dinner.

Chris wanted ramen, but I couldn't eat it because it was all pork. We had planned to have separate dinners. I found a restaurant that looked promising, and they told us to come back in an hour. We went to look for ramen, but the first place was completely empty so looked unappealing.

With time to spare, we visited a grocery store to stock up on supplies for the next few days. When we returned to the original restaurant, they informed us they were closed due to running out of ingredients. We then decided to go for pizza.

We enjoyed good pizza at Tranquillo, where we tried the Onomichi lemon beer which was very tasty and a lemon hot sauce.

November 12

We woke up early to catch the ferry to Setoda. We boarded the 7 AM ferry and arrived at 8 AM. First, we bought some lemon cakes, as Setoda was known for lemon production. We went to Soil, where we had reserved bicycles, but couldn't start our rental until 9 AM.

We had breakfast while waiting. I enjoyed a traditional Japanese breakfast of rice soup with fish and accompaniments, while Chris had lime muffins since he couldn't eat the standard breakfast. We then got set up with our bicycles. The staff member spoke perfect English but seemed less knowledgeable about cycling.

We headed towards Sunset Beach, took some photos, and then stopped at Lemon Valley. Chris was excited because his bicycle's color matched his sunglasses in a lemony orange shade. We rode across all the bridges, trying to conserve battery power for the return trip. Chris loved his bike, while I found mine less powerful on uphill sections.

The bike paths were surprisingly quiet. We made it to the last bridge towards Imabari, paused to take in the views, and then turned back. At this point, we had already cycled about 35 kilometers. We decided to take a circular route around the island's edge and stopped for lunch at a nice Japanese park with a beautiful garden.

Continuing our island exploration, we headed towards a brewery. When we reached the turn to the brewery, we had already cycled about 70 kilometers. I was feeling nearly done, but Chris was keen to reach the brewery, which was only another four or five kilometers away.

Those final kilometers proved challenging. We got slightly lost, navigating through narrow village streets before getting back on route, and faced a steep climb to the brewery. By the time we arrived at Omashima Brewery, we were exhausted. We were the only customers and sat on tatami mats, enjoying a quick beer and some edamame.

The return trip was much faster, mostly downhill. We returned our bikes and caught our ferry backóa bright yellow vessel that looked like it had seen better days. The ferry was almost at full capacity.

Back in Onomichi, we went straight to dinner at Chichan, a small Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki restaurant. One lady cooked behind the counter in a very tight space. When we arrived, the restaurant was full, so we waited to the side. A lady from Tokyo helped us translate the menu, and the atmosphere was quite lively with chatty customers conversing in Japanese.

We eventually got seats at the counter and watched our pancakes being cooked right in front of us on the grill. You could portion off what you wanted to eat while the rest continued cooking, staying sizzling hot. The food was quite tasty.

November 13

We woke up early again and set off on a temple walk to explore Cat Alley in Onomichi. We made our way through the streets of Onomichi, ascending the steep hill behind the train station. Along the way, we encountered several temples tucked away on confusing back streets and eventually reached an area with a few friendly cats.

As we climbed some steep stairs, we made friends with a little gray cat that sat on my lap for a while. Continuing our ascent, we arrived at an observation tower that offered impressive views over the sea and the town of Onomichi. The tower appeared quite new, complete with an elevator that took us up to the viewing platform.

After taking in the sights, we headed back down to explore Cat Alley, a narrow alleyway adorned with rocks painted with cats and various cat artworks on the walls and fences. We stumbled upon a small art gallery where the owner invited us in to visit her cats. Inside, we found a few black and white cats that were quite curious about Chris's shoes and eager to play.

We admired the art, chatted with the gallery owner, and enjoyed spending time with the cats. Afterward, we returned to grab our luggage. I settled down by the water while Chris went off in search of ramen. He arrived early at his chosen ramen shop and got in line as the fifth customer; it was fortunate since only seven people could fit inside.

Once inside, he had to make his decision quickly. Thankfully, he had done his research online beforehand. The shop was run by a single chef who took orders down the counter and prepared food swiftly. Chris ordered cha-shu ramen, which he found delicious.

After finishing his meal, he made his way back to where I was sitting with our luggage. We then visited a dessert shop that served Japanese puddings in small jars decorated with cats. We enjoyed our puddings and kept the jars as souvenirs.

Next, we headed to the train station where we purchased tickets for Okayama. We boarded the train and traveled to Okayama. Upon arrival, we made our way to our Airbnb, which was quite nice and featured a pool table, a projection television screen, and a PlayStation.

After playing a game of pool, we decided to head out for dinner at Alibaba for Turkish food, which turned out to be quite tasty. I enjoyed a variety of appetizers while Chris had a kebab platter. After dinner, we returned to our Airbnb and started watching "Memoirs of Geisha" on TV.

November 14

We woke up early again and visited Korakuen Gardens. It was quite busy in the morning as we wandered through the gardens. While it was less Zen-like than I had expected, it was still beautiful with a large pond and several water features among the trees. The garden is reputedly one of Japan's top three gardens.

Our next stop was Okayama Castle. We walked up to the castle, which was impressive from the outside. After entering, we took an elevator to the top floor and quickly made our way through the exhibits inside; however, most were in Japanese and not particularly engaging since they did not reflect the original structure of the castle.

At the bottom level, there was an interactive feature where I could pretend to be a samurai and have my photo taken in a cartoon style. By noon, we had completed all our planned activities in Okayama. We sat for a bit debating what to do next before deciding just to go for lunch and check out a shopping mall.

We spent some time trying to find a place for lunch, exploring several restaurants before attempting to locate one within the train station, though we never actually found it! Eventually, we settled on one of our earlier choices that served yakisobaóone of Okayama's local specialties. I ordered vegetarian yakisoba while Chris opted for something with thick noodles that translated oddly to "hormonal noodles" in English; he enjoyed it nonetheless.

After lunch, we explored Aon Mall focusing on cat-related stores. We checked out a home goods store that had some cat-themed items and walked past a cat cafÈ along with a couple of pet stores.

We stocked up on spaghetti sauce for dinner and I bought some microwave popcorn for our movie night later. Returning to our Airbnb, we played pool and enjoyed some time on PlayStation while watching highlights from the Sumo tournament on TV; by now, we were starting to recognize some of the wrestlers.

For dinner, we prepared spaghetti while continuing our viewing of "Memoirs of Geisha."

November 15th

We had another early departure, planning to catch the Shinkansen to Himeji to see the famous castle. The train ride was quick, only about 20 minutes. We bought our tickets and rushed to catch the train.

In our haste, we accidentally boarded a train that did not stop at Himeji. We realized this when we passed Himeji and the next stop was Kobe. After getting off in Kobe, we figured out how to find another train back to Himeji.

Once we arrived at Himeji, we stored our luggage in a locker and made our way to the castle. Walking through the castle gate, I headed directly to the main keep to stay ahead of the crowds. We climbed all six floors of the keep, which featured a traditional interior unlike Okayama Castle, even though Himeji Castle had been dismantled and rebuilt.

Himeji Castle is considered one of the best castles in Japan. Upon entering, we had to remove our shoes and carry them in a plastic bag all the way to the top floor. The views from the top were stunning, showcasing the surrounding area and the beautiful fall colors below.

After exploring the top floor, we made our way back down and continued to explore the castle grounds. We walked along the West Bailey and then headed to the castle gardens. The first pond we encountered was filled with large koi fish, and I snapped a photo of Chris as he walked across a bridge over them.

The gardens were peaceful, but just as we were enjoying them, it began to sprinkle rain. We admired the lovely trees and shrubs before heading out for lunch at Lab Bakery. Chris ordered a bacon cheeseburger while I opted for a veggie burger that turned out to be just some avocado on a bun.

After lunch, we returned to the train station and tried to figure out how to get to Kyoto. We encountered a slight issue because we had left our luggage in the Shinkansen area where we decided not to take that train to Kyoto. Fortunately, the staff at the gate kindly allowed us through without a ticket so we could retrieve our bags.

With our luggage in tow, we took the train to Kyoto. Upon arrival at Kyoto Station, which was quite busy, we took the subway to our hotel, Hotel Material. After checking in, we decided to enjoy a traditional tea experience in Kyoto. We found a charming little tea house located in a garden.

When we entered, we discovered that we were the only guests there; it was a pop-up event hosted by a British tea company that had taken over the tea shop. Chris ordered matcha with banana bread while I chose an Sencha tea. Everything was quite good but also rather expensive.

Chris's banana bread was particularly well-presented, accompanied by some bean paste, cream, and a fresh fig. After enjoying our tea, we ventured back out into the rain and sought out ramen for dinner at a place that offered vegan ramen for me and pork ramen with gyoza for Chris.

Following dinner, we decided to check out a couple of temples. Our first stop was Tofuku-ji Temple, known for its interactive experiences. Upon arrival, we were able to create our own little Zen gardens using sand boxes, rakes, and rocks.

Next, we transcribed some Japanese scripture for good luck by tracing characters onto paper with calligraphy pens. In another room, we made wishes while performing a bowing routine and touching a Buddha statueóhoping our wishes would come true.

Included with our ticket was entry to Kodai-ji Temple, which featured an impressive entryway up beautifully lit stairs shaded by trees. As we entered the temple grounds, soft music played in the background while lights illuminated our path.

We made our way into the main temple building where we sat and watched a captivating light show reflected on the walls and sand in front of us. After enjoying this spectacle several times, we continued exploring the temple grounds.

The atmosphere felt almost cinematic as music played softly in the background while walking among ancient trees. We wandered through beautifully lit gardens and a bamboo grove adorned with various lights; it felt like stepping into another world as Chris remarked that he felt like he was in Shambhala.

November 16

We had another early morning as we aimed to beat the crowds at Kyoto's temples. We walked towards the Philosopher's Path, passing a few temples at the start. Once we found the pathway, we headed north to Ginkaku-ji, also known as the Silver Pavilion.

Our goal was to arrive by opening time at 8:30 AM to avoid the crowds. When we got there, it turned out we had indeed beaten the other tourists and the bus groups. However, we hadnít accounted for a large group of Japanese schoolchildren on field trips that day. We arrived to find approximately 200 children wearing yellow hats ahead of us in line.

When the temple opened, the children rushed in like a mob. We decided to hang back and let them go ahead rather than trying to push through. This turned out to be a wise choice since Ginkaku-ji is quite small, and rushing through would have made us miss its beauty. We appreciated the meticulous raking in the Zen garden and admired the large sand pile known as the Moon Viewing Platform, which was quite impressive.

As we explored further, we learned that Ginkaku-ji was never actually covered in silver; one theory suggests that they may have run out of money for that feature. The temple grounds offered lovely views with beautiful autumn colors. By the end of our visit, we were surprised at how quickly we had completed our tour and wondered if we had missed anythingóbut it turned out we hadnít.

After leaving Ginkaku-ji, we took a bus across Kyoto to the Monkey Park. Upon arrival, we paid our entry fee and hiked up some steep hills to where the monkeys lived. The park was lively with many monkeys of all agesóadults, children, and babies, entertaining us with their antics, particularly some juvenile monkeys that were playfully wrestling in a field. Park staff monitored the monkeys closely, chasing them away if they got too close to people or ventured near children's play areas.

After enjoying our time at the Monkey Park, we made our way back down and crossed a bridge bustling with tourists. We then headed towards the Bamboo Grove; however, the most direct route was congested with people searching for lunch. Instead, we took a slight shortcut through some back streets and found a bakery where we picked up some delicious buns for lunch, mine was salmon and potato while Chris chose a jalapeÒo and bacon bun.

Continuing on, we reached the Bamboo Grove but again found ourselves amidst a crowd of tourists snapping selfies and photographs among the towering bamboo stalks. We tried to navigate through a small gap in the crowd to enjoy the forest experience, but it wasn't quite as peaceful as I had hoped due to all the people.

After exploring the Bamboo Grove, we made our way to the train station with plans to visit Kinkaku-ji, or the Golden Pavilion. We learned that our train tickets didnít cover this destination, so we opted to take a bus instead.

Upon arriving at Kinkaku-ji, we encountered even larger crowds. After paying our entry fee, we were ushered inside among throngs of other tourists, Chris counted about 40 people per minute passing by him! We stood back for a moment while waiting for a gap in traffic to catch a glimpse of the Golden Pavilion. When an opening finally appeared, we snapped several photos of the stunning temple glistening in gold against its reflective pond.

We continued walking up the hill past Kinkaku-ji in search of better views but found it challenging to stop due to the crowd surrounding us. Eventually, we took a break at a tea room where we enjoyed matcha tea and a small sweet treat while overlooking colorful trees outside. Surprisingly, despite how busy Kinkaku-ji was, there were few patrons enjoying tea at that moment.

After finishing our tea, we decided on one more stop: Ryoan-ji Temple, known for its famous Zen garden. We made our way up to this temple and entered its rock garden where we sat quietly enjoying its tranquility. An interesting aspect of this garden is that it features 15 rocks arranged such that only 14 are visible from any vantage point, an intriguing puzzle!

After appreciating Ryoan-ji's beauty, we explored inside where paintings of dragons adorned several rooms. Once done with our visit there, we returned to catch a bus back home.

Onboard the bus, I found an empty seat only for it to fill up rapidly with tourists two stops later as hordes piled onto it! We faced an hour-long ride back across town to our hotel; thankfully, I secured my seat before it became crowded.

Upon returning home tired and hungry after a quick shower and refreshment, we set out for dinner. The restaurant we initially wanted was full so we quickly decided on Suana place just a block away from where we were standing. Once seated at the bar, I appreciated their efficient ordering system which allowed us to submit our orders via phone. We enjoyed some good food and drinks - probably one of our favourite meals of the trip.

November 17

Went to Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine, famous for its 10,000 Tori gates.

Walked up, went through as many gates as we could handle.

Took the train to Nara. Made our way down the street packed with tourists to Nara park.

Bought some cookies to feed the deer with. Took some photos, walked through the park.

Bought a Japanese cooking knife from Kikuichi cutlery. Debated over which one to buy. Went with a 17 cm one with a nice wood handle.

The store owner engraved our name in Japanese. It turned out to only be 3 characters, and kind of regretted not giving something longer to engrave.

Sat for a bit on the bench near a large hill / mountain (Mt Wakakusa). We decided to climb the hill and take in the view of Nara.

Walked back towards Nara park and had some udon noodles near the orange bridge at Mizuya Chaya.

Walked to Yoshikien Garden. Unlike the other gardens we visited, this one wasn't busy.

Walked back to Nara station. Saw a woman walking with an owl on her shoulder along the way.

Took the train back to Kyoto. Went Trattoria Macedonia Yuki for dinner. Pretty interesting restaurant. Run by a single man who lived in Italy for a while and who had large photos of all his dishes, and only seemed to acccept a maximum 4-8 customers per night. He had lived in Vancouver a long time ago and asked us lots of questions about our lives in Canada, and gave us some music and movie recommendations.

November 18

Woke up at 5:30 AM to try and beat the crowds to the streets of Gion. Managed to see a few streets by ourselves, albeit in the dark.

Walked to Kiyomizu Temple. We weren't the first, as the sunrise photographers were already there.

This temple was famous for its large wooden platform and sacred waterfall.

Walked around on this chilly morning, past a few more temples that weren't open yet.

Back to our hotel to warm up and rest. Went for lunch at Usagi No Ippo and had a style of food called Obanzai. It had a rabbit theme, but the food was vegetarian. This style of food requires that most of the ingredients come from in season vegetables in Kyoto.

Went for chocolate at Kyoto Nama Chocolat. We sat on tatami mats and had 2 courses of chocolate and matcha which were both delicious.

The owner had a son who lived in Whistler and liked Danielle Smith. She was very passionate about a certain temple in the area and drew us a map with pen and chalk. We walked near there on the way back and saw a temple cat.

Walked to Nijo Castle in the light rain. Pretty busy considering the weather. There were some decent illuminations on the sides of the castle wall and trees. But we liked the temple illumination better.

Went for dinner somewhere downtown that we can't remember the name of. There wasn't much on the menu that either of us could eat, and it was definitely a different menu from the dinner at Sauna.

Tuesday November 19

Took the train to Osaka and checked into our hotel, The Bridge. The room was the smallest of our trip, but the hotel had a lot of great amenities: massage chairs, free beer, free hard alcohol, free ice cream, and free ramen that we didn't get a chance to try.

Walked by the Owl Cafe and looked at the owls in the window. Debated whether or not to support owls in a cafe, but while wandering the streets of Osaka, we happened upon a mini-pig cafe. We felt better about supporting pigs so we made a reservation.

Walked by some cat shops and bought a few cat related items.

Came back for our mini-pig appointment at Mi Pig. The pigs were fairly entertaining, and loved to huddle together on our laps. Sometimes up to 5 of them at a time.

We walked through the busy pedestrian mall. Along the way we spotted something that looked delicious being made in the window. It looked like mini-omlettes. Unlike us, we didn't read anything about it beforehand and took the gamble on trying them out. After we ordered an extra large portion each (another mistake), I Googled to see what we had just ordered. It turned out to be deep fried octopus. Luckily they had some interesting flavours.

Walked around some more. Tried to find some more interesting shops but it didn't really pan out.

Came back to the room. Went to the Conrad to try and go for a drink at the top. But we were told there would be a cover charge (even though we arrived before the time indicated the cover charge started) so we decided not to.

We took in some of the views from the lobby and decided to go to the top of SwissHotel (Sky 36) instead.

Along the way we stopped at the statue of Ship's Cat which was actually pretty cool and had a field of illuminated lights around it.

We had a cocktail at Sky 36 and took in the night view of Osaka.

Went to Gyozah for some gyoza. Mine were pretty good, although the bottom was very crispy.

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