Lively Osaka

December 8, 2024February 5, 2025 by elainevitikainen ♥ 3 Comments

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!

Photos by Ari Vitikainen at https://www.arivitikainen.com

Kinosaki Onsen

December 4, 2024December 12, 2024 by elainevitikainen ♥ 1 Comment

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.

Photos by Ari Vitikainen at https://www.arivitikainen.com

Back in Kyoto

December 3, 2024December 31, 2024 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

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!

Check out the reels of the day here, here, here and here

After 4 nights in Kyoto, we were off to an Onsen experience in Kinosaki Onsen!

Photos by Ari Vitikainen at https://www.arivitikainen.com

Finally in Kanazawa

November 29, 2024December 12, 2024 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

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!

Photos by Ari Vitikainen at https://www.arivitikainen.com

Autumn in Nara

November 25, 2024December 12, 2024 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

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.

Photos by Ari Vitikainen at https://www.arivitikainen.com

Lost in Seoul

April 10, 2024August 8, 2024 by elainevitikainen ♥ 1 Comment

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!

Last Day in Fukuoka

April 6, 2024November 11, 2024 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

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.

All photos from my Kyushu posts are by Ari Vitikainen at https://www.arivitikainen.com

Uminonakamichi Seaside Park

April 4, 2024April 14, 2024 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Nemophila and Cherry Blossoms is such a perfect combination! And this was exactly why I wanted to visit Uminonakamichi Seaside Park. Uminonakamichi Seaside Park is a huge park. It measures almost four kilometers from end to end. So renting a bicycle is highly recommended if you are intending to cover the entire park. But since we were just hoping to see the Nemophila and Cherry Blossoms in one spot, we only visited the Flower Hill which is a good walking distance from the Uminonakamichi pier. Flower Hill was designed to be an open – air flower art museum. Once we entered the park, we were greeted by the vast amount of Cherry Blossoms. It was so breathtaking!

We took the last ferry of the day back to Hakata Pier and I really recommend taking the ferry instead of the train or bus as it was so much faster and convenient. For dinner, we tried a small Ramen shop near our hotel in Tenjin. It was something that I’ve never tasted before. It was delicious!

Beautiful Kurokawa Onsen

April 3, 2024April 30, 2024 by elainevitikainen ♥ 4 Comments

If I have all the time and money in the world, I would have stayed longer in Kurokawa Onsen. I can easily say that it was the highlight of the trip and the cost of the ryokan didn’t matter anymore. It was amazing!

We took the bus from Yufuin to Kurokawa Onsen. Our host picked us up from the bus stop which was very convenient, although, the ryokan was also accessible by foot. We were welcomed with homemade Mochis and roasted Matcha tea in a beautiful setting. Our room was so spacious with all the amenities provided for. There were many different Onsens to choose from, including private ones. There was even a standing onsen that we got to try. The outdoor separate onsen was so beautiful. I tried the female one an hour before check-out and I had it all to myself. And the dinner and breakfast were great. It was a 10 out of 10 experience! Check out the reels here and here. I absolutely recommend spending time in Kurokawa Onsen. So beautiful and relaxing. And if there is only one thing you can do in Kyushu, it must be this experience! The town was also very pretty! Look out for the boiled eggs cooked in the hot spring.

Loving Yufuin

April 1, 2024April 15, 2024 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I know that many people were disappointed because it is not easy to get tickets to the popular Yufuin No Mori train. It happened to me too. Although I know that the tickets will be available a month in advance, I was a bit confused because it is a leap year! And since this train ride was the highlight of this Yufuin trip, we decided to stay only one night in Yufuin instead of the initial plan of two nights because tickets were already sold out on the day that we were supposed to go. So yet, another change of plan. I have to mention now that it is always a good idea to book accommodation that has free cancellation.

So what makes this Yufuin No Mori train special? Well, the Yufuin No Mori train has been in operation for 35 years. It’s a beautiful emerald train and its interior is really pretty. It was like going back in time… The train also has its own merchandise and a special 35th anniversary stamp. Don’t miss out on those!

Our ryokan was a few minutes walk from the station and surprisingly, the Cherry Blossom road was just across from it. It was absolutely gorgeous. The day was so sunny with clear blue skies. It was amazing! You can check the reel here as I was sat under the Cherry Blossom.

The ryokan was pretty too and I’m still wondering what made the beddings of the futon so soft… We were also able to enjoy the private Onsen.

Check out the reel of the day here where we explored the Yufuin Floral Village, the cute owls and Kinrin Lake. We also visited the Yufuin Station Showa Museum which was a lot of fun!