Tag Archives: Osaka
Saying goodbye: Snapshots of the ordinary
Last day. We decided to make the most of our last day in Osaka by exploring neighbourhoods. We didn’t want to spend time at tourist attractions. We wanted the slice of life, Osaka-style. So where did we go? To the … Continue reading
Last night in Japan
Question: What makes great food taste even better? Ans: Knowing you got a great bargain! Thanks to the sharp drop in visitors and tourist dollars, restaurants were pulling out all the stops in attracting customers and one way to do … Continue reading
Chasing the sakura
By this time, we’d been chasing the elusive sakura for almost 15 days. So far, while we’d seen some here and there, I still had not had my fantasy of walking beneath an archway of sakura fulfilled. It’s always been … Continue reading
Yoshino – a love story
This is the stuff of blockbuster sword-fighting flicks – epic battles, betrayal, loyalty, brotherhood and tragic romance – all set in the sylvan setting of Yoshino and its famous cherry trees.
Squeezing through Buddha’s nostrils
There is a pillar in the great hall at Todaiji in Nara with a small hole at its base. It is believed to be the size of the Daibutsu’s (Big Buddha’s) nostril. Anyone who manages to squeeze through that is … Continue reading
First day in Japan
We pasted my badly-drawn map of Honshu on the wall, showing the kids exactly where we will be and when, did last-minute packing, set up the Skype, called the cab and said goodbye. It was more painless than I thought.
>Day 11 Koyasan and Osaka
> It was dark when I woke up, stumbling over sleeping bodies on the futon to shiver while getting dressed. While staying in a temple, it was only polite and respectful to try to participate in some form of temple … Continue reading
>Day 5 21 Nov 2007 Kyoto, Osaka
>Up at 5.30am this morning, marshalled sleepy kids up and out the door by 6am. We had a shinkansen to Kyoto to catch at 7.06am. And Tokyo trains are notorious for being ruthlessly punctual. Be there not a minute before … Continue reading
Big On Trips 