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| Hanami - Japanese Sakura Celebration |
On the afternoon of April 9th we arrived at Birmingham (BHX) ready for our first leg of the journey, to arrive at Dubai (DXB) airport early hours the next day. After flying on a lovely brand new Boeing 777 via Emirates we felt refreshed and ready to find our way onto our next flight from Dubai to Osaka (Kansai).
We finally arrived in Osaka after our second, more lengthy flight on the evening of April 10th. We were lucky enough to check into our Presedential Towers Suite at the Rihga Royal Hotel, where we had our own cocktail lounge and private check-in area. Our room was very comfortable and the view was exceptional... It's not everyday you get to be treated to such an amazing room/service. We had the pleasure of this room for two nights, and they were beyond appreciated to help us both acclimatise to the different time zones. We were extremely lucky to catch the full-bloom stage of cherry blossom season, which we were so worried about missing out on after travelling so far to see.
Our next stop on our adventure was Kyoto, where we stayed in the Kyoto Mystays in Shijo for three nights. The room was a lot more basic than our Osaka hotel room, but it was conveniently located in the centre with easy access to all of the sights we had planned to visit. Whilst staying in Kyoto we visited the Kiyomuzu Temple, Yasaka Shrine Gion, Eikendo Temple, Ginkakuji (Silver Pavillion) and the famous Philosopher's Path.
One of my favourite places in Kyoto was the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, the views from the hillside were like no other, all the colours of the trees and plants were something out of a fairytale. We also took a trip on the Torokko Romantic Train which allowed us to get a better view darting through the mountains and countryside surroundings to awe at such natural beauty. Another great place to visit was the Golden Pavillion, a stunning example of one of the many beautiful architectural structures throughout Japan.
After an action-packed first five days in Japan, we got to jump on to the world's fastest train (200mph top speed), the Shinkansen bullet train travelling from Kyoto to Tokyo. The Shinkansen allowed us to travel 284 miles in just 140 minutes. The journey was very smooth (after a slight hiccup of getting on the wrong train at first..) and we used the time to back-up our photographs and discuss plans for the next segment of our adventure.
Once we had arrived in Tokyo, we checked in to the conveniently located Hilton Tokyo in Shinjuku where we would stay for four nights. The bright lights of Tokyo City was quite the sight after being surrounded by so much nature and a different kind of hustle and bustle previously. Nobody seems to do lights, colour and craziness quite like the outstanding Tokyo. Anyone that gets the chance to go to Tokyo mustn't pass up the chance to visit Hachiko Square - the famous junction seen in many movies for its complex busyness and hundreds if not thousands of pedestrians crossing it at any one time. It's simply mind blowing.
We also got the chance to visit the Tokyo Skytree, standing at 634m tall, it is currently the tallest structure in Japan and second tallest in the world after the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. It was a slightly hazy day which obscured some of the views from the tower, but it was still amazing to see right across the city and to the mountains where Mount Fuji lies.
My favourite part of Tokyo was Harajuku and surrounding areas for shopping, Shibuya, Shinjuku and the Animé district of Akihabara. Seeing the fashion in Harajuku and all of the cosplay was something else. All the colours, neons and loud clothing, all so crazy but it looked like a cartoon world - so distinctive! My favourite store was one called "Kiddyland" similar to a Disney Store but on several floors with characters such as Hello Kitty and Snoopy etc... We spent a fair while in here buying souvenirs and gifts for people! We heard about the famous Robot Restaurant which many celebrities have visited, and we knew we had to go experience the show. One evening we visited the restaurant and I even got picked from the audience to get in the boxing ring with a robot (and won of course - video on YouTube!).
We also made a point of visiting the famous Tsukji Market (fish market) to see where all the deliciously fresh sushi across the city came from. The market was huge, and so busy, nothing like your little fruit, meat and veg markets in the UK!
Our final Japanese instalment was back in Osaka at the Rihga Royal, but in a less extravagant room than our first stay. We were there for another three nights, where we visited Osaka Castle, Namba Area, took a day trip to Nara to visit the wild deer and the world's oldest wooden temple - Horyuji as well as an adrenaline filled trip to Universal Studios.
Horyuji was incredible, for such an old, wooden building to still be standing with such intricate design is inspiring. The original temple was said to have been built by hand in 607 AD. The five-storey pagodas are simply breathtaking and the Buddha statues within are so detailed to such a degree that you realise how long building such an overwhelming structure must have taken without our modern technologies. Truly inspiring and well worth the walk-around!!
Universal Studios was our excuse to act like big kids for the entire day, riding scary Japanese roller coasters, meeting famous childhood characters, eating a host of great food as well as enjoying a park dedicated to so many amazing Universal creations. My favourite areas were the Jurassic Park zone, Jaws Zone, Harry Potter World and of course Hello Kitty Land! Each area so colourful, and a great depiction of the movie/show they represented. I'm a wuss when it comes to roller coasters so I was very proud I was able to go on the biggest and scariest ride there (Hollywood Dream) without crying! It's worth you looking up on YouTube, it's definitely scarier than any ride I had been on in the UK, but the adrenaline rush afterwards was totally worth it!
On our final day we ensured we were able to rent traditional kimonos so that we could get some alluring photographs for our scrapbook that we complete fatter each of our travelling adventures. I had always wanted to know what it felt like to have traditional geisha gear on and to wander the picturesque streets of Japan really soaking up the atmosphere. For this. We travelled back to Kyoto for the day, and I was really pleased with the results.
Japan is an amazing country, with a beautiful culture, wonderful food and awe-inspiring sights. I would recommend visiting to anyone, especially during the bewitching Sakura season. I experienced so many new things, made so many new memories and most of all I enjoyed every last second of it. I look forward to our next adventure.
Until next time; xoxo
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