Blogs from Osaka, Japan, Asia - page 3

Osaka was the first port we docked at after leaving Tokyo. A lovely sunny day greeted us as we set off to the Shitennoji temple. As I was wandering around the paintings reflecting the life of Buddha I thought they looked familiar but then we have been in a lot of Buddhist temples. Within the complex there is a tall pagoda which one could climb to the top after taking off your shoes. We realized we had done this before so did not climb it again as I recall the view wasn't that brilliant. Indeed Osaka is not a pretty place. Japan is so full of people that high rises and apartments predominate. We sat for a while on a bench next to an elderly gentleman who took out two small bottles from his bag and ... read more

I've had some pretty interesting trips before, like the time I had to jump start a helicopter just prior to going up in said helicopter - which made for some interesting thought processes however, I digress. Frankly, there is no better argument for the existence of God than Him absolutely toying with your flight plans in a way that can only be explained by divine intervention. The plan was to catch a daytime flight to Japan so we could arrive early, settle in and get our bearings. All good in theory! First there was the late arrival of the connecting flight. Not by much, a 45 minute delay. this actually gave us a little extra time to make it from the domestic terminal to the international terminal so it appeared to be a blessing in disguise ... read more

08.04.2018 Today was our return journey to Mumbai. Our flight was Malaysian Airlines. Osaka to Malaysia and Malaysia to Mumbai. The bus dropped us at Osaka Airport. We did shopping. Shopping was of Kit Kat various flavors and Sake. Then at Malaysia we took Malaysian chocolates. We returned home around 10 o'clock in night. Thus enjoyed the tour of Japan.... read more

06.04.2018 Kyoto - Nara - Osaka Today we were to leave hotel at Kyoto and go to Osaka via Nara. First was visit to Nijo Castle. Then Todaiji Temple and the Nara Deer Park them arrive in Osaka. Nijo Castle ( Nijōjō) was built in 1603 as the Kyoto residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo Period (1603-1867). His grandson completed the castle's palace buildings 23 years later and further expanded the castle by adding a five story castle keep. After the Tokugawa Shogunate fell in 1867, Nijo Castle was used as an imperial palace for a while before being donated to the city and opened up to the public as a historic site. Its palace buildings are arguably the best surviving examples of castle palace architecture of Japan's feudal era, and the ... read more

After a long flight we found ourselves walking through a very quiet, well lit, excellently signed tunnel to our beautiful hotel in Kansai International airport. While Narita airport in Tokyo was not particularly impressive, Osaka's certainly did not disappoint! Having only been in Japan for only 24 hours, we are constantly amazed at the technology and efficiencies. Going to the loo has taken on a whole new perspective as we get used to all the 'extras' provided. Even though finding the flush button can be a little time consuming, the heated seats are well and truly worth the incovenience, let alone all the other features designed to give you the cleanist clacker possible! Imagine my amazement to also discover that trains not only arrive, but they do so on time and are so clean and quiet. ... read more