I figured out that Osaka has two faces and that really depends on what you choose to see. It was alright to go to Dotonbori, Shinsekai, Namba and Umeda. But I would really be disappointed if I didn’t get to visit Katsuo-ji Temple and most especially, Mino-o Park. For me, Mino-o Park was the highlight of the Osaka trip. It was a beautiful and easy 2 hours hike that should not be missed. Also don’t forget to try the crunchy Maple leaf “Momiji” tempura and some hot Taiyaki along the way.
Our last day in Osaka was spent at the Osaka Castle Park. There were many areas with beautiful Autumn foliage. It was also there that I found my second Cherry Blossom. The first one was at Kyoto Botanical Garden. Now, I believe that Sakura can also be found in Autumn! There was a chill in the air as the wind was constantly blowing. Leaves were falling in large quantities from the trees which made me wonder if the Autumn in Japan was coming to an end and how we have enjoyed every minute of it!
I’m thankful for the nature, great food and lovely people. Thankful for stationeries, convenience stores, safety and even clean toilets everywhere. Will I return to Japan again for the 6th time? I hope so for I conclude that again Japan didn’t fail me during this holiday. It was a wonderful holiday that was worth every minute and money spent! Please check out the Osaka reels here, here, here and here. You can find my travel journal here.
We took the Northern route back to Helsinki, being my second time to fly over the North Pole. My first time was from Seoul last year. Bye, Japan and see you again soon!
After 4 nights in Kyoto, we took the taxi to the station to buy train tickets to our next destination – Kinosaki Onsen. We took a taxi because you can’t take big luggage on the bus in Kyoto and for this trip, we didn’t reserve tickets beforehand knowing that we can easily buy them at the station. But it’s a good idea to search a bit for the timetable so that you know more or less when you should be at the station. For this trip, I really wanted to include an Onsen experience, although, I know that nothing will beat our time in Kurokawa Onsen in April. I was thinking to go either to Kinosaki Onsen or Arima Onsen and in the end, decided that Kinosaki Onsen looks more pretty. We bought the train tickets from the machine then went to the Ekiben shop on the second floor to get an Ekiben and finally, I found the Hello Kitty bento. Although it was not on the shelf, I figured that they had it because it was early and they were just unpacking the boxes. So I asked the kind lady for it and she opened the box to get one for me. The child in me was extremely happy! You can find the reel here.
The train ride took 2 hours and 24 minutes. It was very fast yet very smooth as one could expect in a Japanese train. So we arrived in no time in the charming town of Kinosaki Onsen and the first thing we did was to buy our tickets for the next day to Osaka. There was a free shuttle bus outside the station that takes visitors to their ryokan. Our ryokan was very close to the ropeway so we decided to take the cable car up after check -in and enjoyed the view of the town and its surroundings.
Unless you are planning to check out the temples, there was not much to do up there so we took the next cable car down to cook our own Onsen Tamago which I definitely recommend. We had a short walk around town then it was time for us to enjoy our private onsen at our ryokan. After the relaxing onsen, it was dinnertime where we were served with Sukiyaki and Matsuba crabs which were large crabs that Kinosaki is known for.
After dinner, we were ready to experience our first Kinosaki public onsen. Dressed in Yukuta and carrying a basket with our towels, we went to Goshino – Yu, an onsen which was built in the likeness of Kyoto’s Imperial Palace. It has a waterfall and surrounded by beautiful Japanese maple trees. It was a good choice since we were only planning to go to two public onsens out of the six. It was so refreshing and a cold milk was important to finish off the onsen mission of the day!
After breakfast the next day, we went to the onsen closest to our ryokan which was my second onsen choice – Kono – Yu. It has an outdoor onsen and I enjoyed every moment of peace and quiet as there was no one else in the onsen.
Then it was time to check out of our ryokan and explored the town a bit for coffee and souvenirs before taking the train to Osaka! Check out the reel of the day here.
The last time I was in Kyoto was in 2018. But we had to go back because every time I searched for the best Autumn places in Japan, Kyoto was on top of the list. It was not just because of the Autumn colours, but it has something to do with the old architectures blending well with the Autumn foliage. And this was perfectly true! Autumn colours can be everywhere but not as dramatic as the Autumn in Kyoto. When we arrived in Kyoto, it was the peak of Autumn so we were able to enjoy it everywhere we went.
But Kyoto is a bit problematic for me. It was so crowded. The buses were too crowded. I didn’t like it that way and I don’t remember it this crowded when we were there in 2018. It made me tired and not want to go back to Japan again until we spent our last day at Kyoto Botanical Garden. It was so beautiful and so peaceful. We had all the beauty, space and time that it made me want to return to Japan again! And if you like stamps, you must try the layered stamp rally at the Garden. We also enjoyed a rustic breakfast on the way to the Garden at a very interesting, rugged Cafe Bar that had a Brazilian theme. The breakfast set of cheese toast, boiled egg and Brazilian coffee was only 300 Yen (1,88 EUR). The coffee was really good and the owners were really kind and very friendly. They showed us photos from trips in Brazil in the early 80’s. Such a fun encounter!
Anyway, just for your information. If you want to see the Bamboo Forest, be kind to yourself and go to Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. Don’t kid yourself and go to Sagano Bamboo Forest instead because it is not the same. Don’t believe that Social Media hype about Sagano!
When we visited Takayama last year, I thought it would be great to go all the way to Kanazawa. But we didn’t do it because of lack of time. So I was happy that we finally get to stay in Kanazawa during this holiday. We took the local train from Nara to Kyoto then from Kyoto, we changed train at Tsugura station before reaching Kanazawa. We happily boarded the train with our self heating Ekiben! Such a fun experience!
The rain was on and off in Kanazawa when we were there but that didn’t stop us from exploring the city. Carrying our umbrellas with us, we were ready to see what the city had to offer. It was also said that there are three perfect gardens in Japan so it was a delight to visit one of them in Kanazawa. Kenrokuen Garden was the most beautiful garden I’ve ever seen in my entire life! They said that this garden is beautiful in every season but Autumn made it magical with its abundant, vibrant, explosive colours that covered every corner of the garden.
It was also fascinating to learn about the Samurai culture, to visit a Samurai house and to walk in the old Samurai town. It was like going back in time and I’m happy to be able to experience it. You can find the reel of the day here, here and here.
I’m so thankful for a wonderful three nights in Kanazawa. Then it was time to board the Shinkansen to Kyoto!
It didn’t take much thinking to figure out where to go for our next holiday. We just immediately decided that it will be good to go to Japan for the second time this year and enjoy the Autumn season. But little did I know that I will love it so much. Autumn in Japan was so beautiful and breathtaking. I didn’t imagine the intensity of the colours and the heartwarming feeling to see Ginkgo trees for the first time. It was a long flight and the plane tickets were not always the cheapest but it was so worth it!
We landed in Kansai Airport after almost 13 hours flight from Helsinki. This time we decided to skip Tokyo and take the Kansai route. Nara was our first Kansai destination. After picking up our pre-rented pocket wifi, buying IC cards and withdrawing some cash, we boarded the Nara Kotsu Airport limousine bus which took us directly to Nara. I know that many visit Nara on a day trip but I wanted to experience Nara more than just a day trip. So we stayed in Nara for three nights at the Nara Visitor Centre and Inn which was a good choice because of its central location, spacious room and there were cultural activities happening at the centre all the time.
For our first morning, we decided to start our day at 6:00 in the morning and I was so happy that we did. We had the most peaceful, most beautiful morning walk surrounded by wandering deers. At that moment, I immediately knew that we were at the right place, at the right time. It was so breathtaking! We just wandered around, passing by the Wakayama Jinja Shrine, took photos by the Sagi-ike pond, spent time at Todaiji Temple grounds while meeting more and more deers along the way. It was wonderful to explore Nara by foot and just went where the path led us. The next day, we explored the old town and went to Naramachi Nigiwai-no-Ie, a traditional townhouse built in 1917. It was very fascinating! We also visited the beautiful three acres Isuien Garden. In Nara, there were many places to enjoy good food and although we didn’t witness the Mochi pounding, we were able to get freshly made ones. They were the best Mochis I’ve ever had! Back at the Nara Visitor Centre and Inn, I learned how to make a deer origami. They also wrote our names in Japanese kanji and gifted us with chopsticks. I also got stickers and stamps for my travel journal.
I did fell in love with Nara and its cultural charm and nature. I love its small town feel and relaxed atmosphere. I was happy that I spent more than just a day trip in Nara! Check out the reel of the day here and here. After three nights in Nara, it was time to take the Shinkansen to Kanazawa.
Autumn came a bit late this year and surprisingly warm. But there were many cloudy days that made me felt a bit disappointed of the Autumn leaves on the ground. They just look so dead to me! The days are getting shorter and shorter too… But over the weekends, the sun shone beautifully and there was nothing else to do but to enjoy the Autumn colours before they disappear. Autumn in Helsinki is so pretty and something not to be missed!
To be honest, it’s not easy anymore to choose a country to visit in Europe. Especially that it is very hot during the summer. But we ended up in Slovenia which is my 51st country. Slovenia was fun as we enjoyed an epic drive covering four countries.
After renting a car at the airport, we drove to the south then to the east of Ljubljana. We enjoyed the beautiful mountain views and the long, winding and narrow roads crossing all the way to Austria before we reached our hotel in Lesce. It was a peaceful and homely feel kind of hotel from where Lake Bled is located some 2 kilometres away. So Lake Bled was the destination for the next day.
Lake Bled is really pretty and it was worth a visit even in this cloudy day. But there were lots of people and somehow, the peaceful vibe that I was hoping to get by watching this beautiful lake was a bit disturbed by the number of people swimming in the lake. But it was summer and swimming is what summer is for.
However, Lake Bohinj is even more prettier and we had the best meal facing the lake and the tall mountains. So beautiful!
The plan for the next day was to visit Mangrt. Mangrt is a mountain in the Julian Alps located in the border between Italy and Slovenia. It has an elevation of 2,679 metres. Check out the reel here. But to reach Mangrt from our hotel, we had to pass by Italy. It was such a scenic drive! It was also lovely to discover the city of Tarvisio where we enjoyed coffee, gelato and some authentic Italian food. The Calzone was the best ever. Italian food gained my trust again! Check out the reel here.
We moved to another hotel in search for more lakes and mountains. This time, we stayed near Lake Jasna. Lake Jasna is two interconnected artificial lakes with a pretty background of the mountains. We also went to Lago di Raibl in Italy to enjoy the amazing view of the emerald lake and the mountains.
The next day, we left the lakes and the mountains in search for the sea. We drove south, mostly in the Italian side and found a small city called Palmanova. We also drove through Trieste before reaching Ankaran in Slovenia where we had the most lovely accommodation in all this trip. It was in a villa facing the Adriatic Sea. Surprisingly, we had the best room in the entire villa. It was the only room with a balcony and a living room. It was huge that I really had to reconfirm the room rate at the reception. The receptionist said to me, ‘Madam, I gave you the best room’. And so it was an upgrade! Check out the reel here. We enjoyed a delicious meal of seafood, wine and Lava cake at the villa before enjoying a beautiful sunset by the beach.
During the next day, we enjoyed the seaside. We had a refreshing swim in Kanegra in Croatia, visited Koper in Slovenia then drove to Chiampore in Italy before heading back to the villa. We were in three countries in one day! We also drove to Piran in Slovenia and enjoyed the beautiful Rovinj in Croatia. It was such an experience to be able to visit different countries in this holiday.
Then it was time to leave our beautiful villa in Ankaran and head back to Ljubljana for the last 2 nights of our holiday. On the way, we passed by Predjama Castle. Predjama Castle is a castle built within a cave. You can find the reel here. We arrived in Ljubljana, enjoyed a walk in the city centre and watched the beautiful sunset view in Ljubljana Castle.
For our last day, we can’t resist not to drive to the Italian border city of Gorizia. It was an hour drive but it was so worth it. I love the small Italian cities with its charm and authentic Italian food. This was the perfect way to end our holiday!
For our last two days in Seoul, we didn’t have any concrete plan. We just walked aimlessly hoping to find something new and interesting. This day, we walked towards Insadong and found a very aesthetically pleasing cafe that served amazing sandwiches. Then we found a pretty traditional tea house and tried 팥빙수 (Bingsu) with Jujube tea. The shop lady said, we were sat at a very famous place where a scene from Guardian, a very popular South Korean television series, was filmed. For the K-Drama fans out there, apparently, I was sat where Kim Go-eun was sat as shown in Episode 11. The Korean Traditional Ice cream was really good though!
However for the evening, it was decided that we will spend our last evening in Seoul by the Banpo Bridge, something that we’ve missed last time because we ended up in Hanggang Bridge. It was so pretty and lively! Watch the reel here.
We continued walking aimlessly the next day before heading to the airport for our 21:40 flight to Helsinki. We passed by familiar places but also found new ones. We saw many office people walking back to their offices after lunch carrying iced americano. We saw many restaurants where the locals go, passed by lots and lots of interesting cafes, a supermarket selling strawberries and muscat grapes, an empty Gyeonghuigung Palace that was free to enter, Cherry blossoms turning into leaves…. Seems like we’ve experienced the first bloom, full bloom and the falling petals during this trip.
We ate spicy noodles at a local restaurant then had our last Bingsu at a Traditional Tea House with Citrus Tea. It was the end of this holiday and time to say goodbye to Seoul. You can watch the reel here.
Lastly for the ever repeating tips:
Good walking shoes are important. I don’t have to say more! Carry cash! You will not regret it as some places only take cash. TMoney is a must-have when using public transport! (IC Card in Japan) Make use of Naver Map or Google Map for route and transportation schedule. Having a pocket Wifi with us all the time was very good. I highly recommend it and it was not costly at all! Buy your flight tickets early as prices tend to spike up. Book accommodation that has free cancellation. At least, I did many cancellations in this trip.
I felt like coming back to South Korea made me do what I missed doing last year. I must also say that I’m not planning to go back to South Korea anytime soon, except if a miracle happens, like being able to go to a Kpop concert. I’m always thankful to South Korea for its great music, good food, efficient and affordable public transport, kind and helpful people, cleanliness, for making me feel safe and for allowing me to use the little Korean that I know. But Japan is still in my list. I would not mind going to Gunma (again), to visit Kanazawa and to take the train to Fukui. I would go back to relax at an Onsen and look for Eki stamps. Hopefully, this will come true! And here is my travel journal. And the very last reel is about food, the very essence as to why I travel!
After a few wonderful days in the Kyushu region of Japan, we flew back to Seoul. This time we stayed in Ikseondong. It was fun to see familiar places from last year. However, I felt that there were many more people. I guess the restrictions last year made the place less crowded. The Cherry Blossom has also arrived in Seoul. So the next day, we took the train to Wonmisan Mountain to see the Azaleas with the Cherry Blossom in the background. We didn’t just go to Azalea Hill but we climbed the summit of Wonmisan Mountain. It was a great, unexpected challenge but we did it! The Azaleas were breathtaking. It’s hard to imagine how the Azalea Hill actually looks like unless you are physically there. It was a vast ocean of pink and purple. So pretty! Check out the reel here.
For the evening, we had to visit the N Seoul Tower again. It was so foggy last year so we wanted to go again on a sunny day with the Cherry Blossom adorning the Namsan Park. After too much climbing in Wonmisan Mountain, we decided to take the cable car going up to the Tower. But somehow we managed to enter the climbing path! And in the end, we decided to walk down anyway. We reached a total of 15,70 km walk for the day. We were tired yet happy! Check out the reel here.
We were also in luck that we were able to eat at Myeongdong Kyoja, something that we missed the last time we were in Seoul. Myeongdong Kyoja is a Michelin star, family-owned restaurant since 1966. We were the last customers of the day. The Kalguksu was very good!
It was our last day in Fukuoka and I was feeling sad about it. The morning was spent at Yusentai Park which was built in 1754. However, it was just in March 1998 that it became a designated tourist spot in Fukuoka. It was an absolute serenity. At the Ohiroma Hall, we enjoyed Macha green tea with Japanese dried confectionery. They also gifted us with origamis. The garden was well maintained and beautiful. You can check out the reel here.
Then it was time for the finale of this trip and it was to return to Maizuru Park where it all started. We didn’t experience the full bloom when we arrived in Fukuoka a week ago. We also wanted to see the Cherry Blossom illuminated. This was a first for me and I’m glad I didn’t miss it. It was an amazing experience. Here is a reel of our final day in Fukuoka. I also have to mention that our last dinner was at an Izakaya. We were treated by a Japanese friend and we had lots of fun and laughter.
I must say I love Kyushu! We could have left to South Korea earlier but changed our plan to stay longer. I tell you that the Sakura in Japan is in the next level. If someone would tell me that they are all the same, sorry I won’t believe you. Many thanks, Japan. You are always amazing! Now off to Seoul for a few days…
And finally, one last tip – stamp collecting! Check this out if you want to know what I mean.
The things I've seen. The places I've been. 