Adventures in Nara

It's an overcast morning and the weather reports are showing rain showers, but we're not going to let anything get in the way of our visit to Nara today.  After a brief stop at Lawson to grab some sandwiches and an interesting strawberry swirl bun we take the City Subway to Tennoji Station.  We end up wandering around for a while trying to identify the correct platform for trains heading to Nara, and once on the platform we find that all of the signs announcing the impending departures are in kanji. I approach a friendly lady who helps me identify the train we need, and it’s not long before the train pulls into the station and we’re on our way!

The view is ever changing as we do a loop around half of the city centre before heading out into the countryside.  We pass towns, villages and farms, before we reach our destination.  Just outside the train station is a large supermarket – I have dreams of finding lots of cute Japanese snacks and an endless supply of Grape Fanta, so we make plans to pop in before we take the train back to Osaka.

We start our Nara adventure with a visit to the Tourist Information Centre.  A sweet lady provides us with a small mountain of maps, leaflets and pamphlets and explains the easiest route to take to see the big Buddha, whilst taking in a range of other sites.  We walk down Sakura Dori and enjoy peeking in the window of the souvenir shops.  My mum purchases some adorable porcelain owls sat on a branch, and the shop keeper wraps them carefully in pages from the local newspaper.

The shopping street is surprisingly long and it’s a humid day so we’re all a bit hot and sticky by the time we reach the five storied pagoda.  It’s a beautiful wooden structure which suits the surrounding landscape perfectly.

Whilst wandering through Nara-koen we look for somewhere to perch so we can enjoy our picnic Lawson lunch.  The deer roam freely in the park, and I’m not comfortable with a deer trying to steal my sandwich so we continue on to look for somewhere a little quieter (with less deer!).  Eventually we do come across some benches on the roadside where we can eat our sandwiches without too much hassle from the locals!  My Lawson strawberry swirl bun is a surprise hit and it comes with the added bonus of a tasty creamy filling.

There are several cute shops on the direct approach to Tōdai-ji Temple selling all sorts of souvenirs including key chains, mobile phone straps, stickers, pens, notepads, plush toys and tabi socks all endorsed with various kawaii interpretations of the Nara deer!  Of course no selection of merchandise would be complete without Hello Kitty in a variety of deer outfits ^_^  I resist for the moment, as I can’t wait to see the big Buddha!

The deer gently guide us along as we pass through Nandai-mon which is the giant gate at the start of the temple precinct.  

We purchase our tickets and make our way to Tōdai-ji Temple and the Great Buddha Hall which is known as Daibutsuden.  The building itself is breathtaking; so large and with intricate wood panelling.  It seems amazing that this version of the Hall was built in the 18^th century. 

Upon entering the Hall we are immediately met by the giant figure of the Buddha and a strange air of peace descends over us.  We make our way quietly through the building viewing the Buddha from various angles.  We also enjoy looking at the other giant deities on display.

Just behind the large Buddha is a wooden column with a small hole carved through the base.  Enlightenment is reportedly promised to anyone who can squeeze through this hole, which is apparently the same size as one of the Buddha’s nostrils).  We look on as one man squeezes through with a little help (lots of pushing and pulling) from his friends.  Next up is a slightly broader gent, who despite the best efforts of his friends and family cannot be contorted to fit through the gap!  The whole event is made even more entertaining as the group have bought along a mammoth 80’s style camcorder to record every moment!  I can only imagine the laughter at family get-togethers for years to come ^_^

I buy a couple of souvenirs from within the Buddha Hall and stop at a counter to get a fortune scroll, known as O-mikuji.  Thankfully fortunes are available in English, and mine confirms that now is a good time for me to travel and seek adventure.  How apt!

As we exit the Daibutsuden we find that the heavens have opened and we get to experience at first hand the power of Japanese rain showers.  We put on our wet weather gear and make a dash for the quirky shops we saw on the approach to the temple precinct.  In the shelter of the souvenir stalls we make a few choice selections – a variety of deer adorned socks was inevitable really!!!

We had intended to walk back into the heart of Nara, but this will take in excess of an hour and in this weather we would be soaked to the skin.  We spy an approaching bus, and jump on so that we can be whisked back to Nara station.  The bus journey is a little confusing as we have no idea where we are actually heading.  I’d made the assumption that all buses must terminate at the station, and we are all relieved when we see the familiar supermarket come into view.  The supermarket does not contain as many treasures as I’d hoped.  There’s no sign of Grape Fanta, but I do find a selection of Japanese sweets and we take the opportunity to stock up on a selection of fruit. 

We board the next available train bound for Osaka as we have plans to explore the iconic Dotonbori this evening.  It’s still pouring when we arrive, and as my parents take shelter in a covered shopping arcade I make a dash to the bridge to take a photo of the famous Glico running man.  I had hoped to sample some Takoyaki this evening, but it’s too wet to be eating street food so we take shelter in a local branch of McDonalds.  The ordering system is far more organised than in the UK, and they even have the added bonus of Grape Fanta! Hurrah!

After we’ve eaten we head out into Shinsaibashi-suji shopping arcade where our first destination is the Disney Store.  This turns out to be a high end store when compared to the UK equivalent, with a selection of fancy jewellery and expensive handbags.  I do find a few items which are more suited to my budget including a tiny Eeyore plush and some adorable character tape.  We also make a visit to the Sanrio Store where I buy more socks (who can resist an offer of three pairs for ¥1050?) and a plush Hello Kitty dressed as a crab…  Our last stop of the evening is in Uniqlo where I find a selection of Sanrio branded tops and some adorable polka dot trousers.  No single item costs me more than ¥1490 so I feel I’ve found some real bargains.

Awesome Osaka

We arrive into Osaka and I’m brimming with excitement!  My dad is thrilled to find a shop dedicated to all things Shinkansen at the bottom of the escalator which leads to the heart of the station.  We have a quick browse and decide to hold off making any purchases for the moment – we might find something even cooler yet!

The hotel we are staying at provides a free shuttle bus from the station to the hotel from Sakurabashi.  We look for any signs which might indicate where the bus departs from, but it’s all a little overwhelming.  I spot a policeman who looks friendly and approachable and I ask him where Sakurabashi is in Japanese.  He looks a little puzzled as he tries to explain that Sakurabashi is near Osaka Station and we are at Shin Osaka…he says sorry many times in English which is very sweet, but it's my mistake!  Thanks to the helpful policeman we realise we need to take a tube or train to Osaka Station so I ask the man at the information counter which is the easiest way and he gives us a platform number.  We head down to the platform, but now all of the departure information is in Kanji which I can’t read!  I ask a lady on the platform if the next train is for Osaka and she says it is and gestures for us to board!  I thank her and we’re finally heading in the right direction…it’s only taken us half an hour to figure out where we need to go!

 

We’re in a spin on arrival at Osaka Station; not surprising really as it’s the fourth busiest station in the world!  It takes us an age to get off the platform and into the heart of the station.  There’s just so many platforms, escalators and people!  We need to find the tourist information booth to buy our Osaka Unlimited Pass, but this proves to be a real challenge.  I have to ask a string of people before we finally find the booth.  A lady explains all of the attractions we can use the pass for and how we also get unlimited travel on a range of local transport.  I can’t wait to start exploring tomorrow!

It’s early evening now so we decide to find something for dinner.  During my research I read a great deal about Tokyu Hands, and discovered that the Osaka Station branch includes a café called Shake Hands so it’s my optimum dinner choice.  We find the cafe located on the 12^th floor of Daimaru Depāto within the Tokyu Hands area of the store.  There’s a selection of adorable plastic models showing the different meals on offer which include a Pasta Set or Pizza Toast.  We make our selections and I enjoy a meal of Grilled Burrito with Ham and Cheese and a Melon Soda.  I’ve read many tales of Melon Soda and I’m not disappointed!  It’s neon green, very sweet and now a new found favourite!

With full tummies we take the opportunity to browse Tokyu Hands and I soon find myself with a basket full of cute.  I buy a beautiful Mickey kokeshi doll, but unfortunately they’ve sold out of Minnie!  I hope I can find one during our travels.  I also buy Daruma doll, a selection of stickers and some Rilakkuma stationery.  We’re starting to feel a little sleepy now so we make our way to our hotel on the free shuttle bus, which is also a little tricky to find…

I feel a little anxious as we check-in as our baggage should be ready and waiting.  There was no need to worry though, because as soon as we give our name the receptionist confirms that they received our luggage earlier and it will be bought up to our room shortly.  How efficient!  I make a few Skype calls to family back home so they know we have arrived safely and we have a relatively early night.

We’re up early the next day as we have a full day ahead of us!  I’m delighted to find a branch of Lawson on the doorstep of our hotel.  I’ve heard so many positive stories about the chain from Ebony’s blog at Hello Sandwich and Marceline’s blog at Asking for Trouble.  We buy some drinks, and I’m excited to see that there’s a Rilakkuma promotion going on where if your buy anything from a selection of baked goods, desserts and sandwiches you receive stickers which you can use to redeem for free gifts including a Rilakkuma bag and plate.  We’ll definitely be returning here for snacks!

We take the subway to Osakako and our first destination is the Tempozan Ferris Wheel which we can enjoy for free with our pass.  It’s early in the morning and there is no queue so we board quickly.  We enjoy a leisurely ride, and there is an excellent view of the bay area with the heart of the city in the distance. 

 

While we’ve been on the ferris wheel a huge queue has formed for entry to the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan.  When we get to the ticket counter we discover that we no longer qualify for discounted entry to the aquarium with our pass.  It’s a little disappointing but we don’t let it get us down.  It proves quite tricky to get a good view of many of the aquatic animals as it's so busy.  We do see a baby emperor penguin who is incredibly fluffy and cute, even if he is pretty smelly!  There are also some entertaining octopi...

There are stamps to collect along the way and I’ve bought a notebook with me especially!   I’m very happy to find a stamp which depicts Yu-Chan the whale shark who is the pride of the aquarium.  We watch in awe as she glides gracefully around and she seems to have a close friend in the large ray who is often by her side.

 

The highlight of the aquarium for me is the swarm of Spider Crabs which are creepy and thrilling in equal measure!  They sway slowly from side to side and their sheer size makes me feel as though we’re on an alien planet.  They’re quite simply mesmerising!

We make time for a trip around the (not so little) gift shop and I come away with a selection of whale shark items including an adorable plush toy which squeaks and a rice paddle.

We take the Captain Line, which is operated by an all female crew, from the Tempozan Harbour area to Universal Studios Japan.  Unfortunately we don’t have time to visit the theme park, but we make a beeline for Universal City Walk and the Takoyaki Museum located on the fourth floor.  I buy endless items dedicated to the Osaka speciality of takoyaki including socks, decorative tape, a purse and a happy plush takoyaki.

Feeling hungry we enjoy lunch at Bubba Gump’s; a family favourite holiday restaurant choice.  It’s funny to find all of our usual favourites on the menu, and there are surprisingly few dishes which are Japanese exclusives.  

We board the Universal themed train and head back to the heart of the city so that we can visit Osaka Castle. Osaka Castle is located in a large park, and as it's a Sunday afternoon there are a variety of rock bands performing. There are also food stalls and groups of teenagers hanging out and having fun which helps to create a lively atmosphere.  Although the castle looks close it proves to be quite a trek, and we make it to the entrance just twenty minutes before it is due to close.  We join the queue for the lift and head up to the observation platform on the top floor.  There's just time to take a few quick snaps of the view, stamp my book with the two commemorative stamps and view one of the exhibitions before the castle closes for the day.

Back on the train we head to Umeda so that we can take a ride on the HEP Five Ferris wheel.  The night view is lovely with lots of bright lights twinkling and we can just make out Osaka Castle in the far distance.  Not wanting a big meal for dinner we head back to Shake Hands within Tokyu Hands where we enjoy a portion of apple pie and a stack of banana chocolate pancakes.  Delicious!

There's time left to browse all three floors of Tokyu Hands tonight and I end up with a basket full of goodies.  Highlights include a set of panda cookie cutters, a cutter for making panda shaped sandwiches, a piggy steamer and even more stationery and stickers!  With my appetite for shopping sated we return to our hotel to get some rest.

A day in Nagoya

We’re up early for our first full day in Japan.  Not far from our Tokyo hotel is a Family Mart and I’m excited to see what snacks and drinks I can find.  I choose a packet of mixed sandwiches, a box of strawberry Pocky, a banana and a bottle of Fanta Grape to keep me going during our bullet train ride.  We take the JR Yamanote line to Tokyo Station and figure out which gate we need to access the shinkansen platforms.  We have a little time before our train departs so I explore the mini branch of Kinokuniya within the station.  I’ve visited a Kinokuniya book store before on a trip to New York, and I’m surprised to find that the Tokyo Station branch specialises in food.  I spot an adorable bun in the shape of a panda and figure out from the wrapper that it’s full of chocolate cream.  Perfect!

 

We make our way to the platform and wait for the shinkansen to arrive and whisk us off to Nagoya.  From my research I found that the bullet train is due to pass by Fuji-san, and if the weather is good he will be visible out of the window on the right hand side of the train when heading from Tokyo.  Unfortunately all of the window seats were booked up when making our seat reservations, but I have at least managed to secure a seat on the correct side of the train.  I really hope I can catch a glimpse of Fuji-san! 

The bullet train pulls smoothly out of the station and it feels like we’re gliding along.  We pass through the densely packed heart of Tokyo, and then through Yokohama before the landscape merges into fields and countryside.  There seems to be a high proportion of factories and heavy industry scattered throughout the area.  My heart skips a beat as I spot a glimpse of a white peak off in the distance – could it be Fuji-san?!?  As we zip along the businessman sat next to me keeps peeping out of the window while tapping away on his laptop.  The mountain peak starts to grow and he closes down his laptop and joins me in gazing out of the window.  The weather is glorious and we get such a clear view of Fuji-san.  The businessman gets up and indicates for me to swap seats with him as we pass directly past Fuji-san.  It’s such a lovely gesture and I thank him profusely by repeating “Arigatou gozaimasu!”  I manage to snap some amazing pictures and I feel so lucky to have been able to see the icon of Japan so clearly!

Lunchtime is now approaching so I take the opportunity to enjoy my conbini lunch as we zip along.  The sandwiches are so soft and tasty, and the panda bun is truly delicious!  Just two hours after departing Tokyo we arrive in Nagoya and we’re all a little sad to leave the bullet train.

Our plans in Nagoya include a visit to the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology and Nagoya Castle.  I’m also desperate to find an adorable Pyorin pudding which I’ve read about and are a Nagoya speciality!  Our first mission is to find a locker to store our little case, but as we walk around the main concourse of the station we find that all of the lockers are taken…oh dear!  We do however walk past the home of the Pyorin, Café Gentiane Leger, and I’m so excited to see rows of little chick puddings lined up in the window!  For anyone looking for the café it’s on the right as you exit the shinkansen ticket gates.  I don’t want to buy a pudding yet, for fear of it getting ruined as we explore Nagoya, but I promise myself that we’ll return before we reboard the shinkansen later.

To explore Nagoya we need to buy a Donichi Eco Kippu which will give us one days unlimited travel and discounts at many attractions and shops.  These special tickets are only available on weekends from the subway ticket office.  After getting lost and wandering around for over half an hour we spot the ticket office and I manage to secure us three tickets.  We also find hundreds of empty lockers and manage to stow our mini suitcase.  Finally with our tickets in hand we take the subway to the Toyota Museum.  It’s a straight forward journey, and we emerge into a suburb of Nagoya.  After a short walk we arrive at the museum which provides a fascinating insight into the history of Toyota.  Half of the museum is dedicated to weaving and looms and the other half is devoted to cars.  It’s interesting to see how the weaving industry has progressed from a labour intensive operation to state of the art machines which can convert digital images into elaborate woven panels in minutes.  All of the displays have extensive Japanese and English explanations, and we’re even given some live demonstrations of different machines by the guides within the museum.  

 

The car pavilion is equally fascinating and many of the attractions are interactive with demonstrations of how key components operate.  There’s some huge industrial machinery which we viewed above, and below factory floor level, and some state of the art car manufacturing robots.  My dad particularly enjoys looking at the range of Toyota cars from the past century, but my personal highlight is the trumpet playing robot!

In the gift shop I manage to buy a mini plush of Hachy ハッチー who is the mascot for Nagoya’s transportation department.  Hachy is based on the kinshachi which adorn the top of Nagoya castles. 

On our way back to the subway station we pass an adorable house which is clearly a tribute to Moominhouse!

We hop on the subway and head to Nagoya-jo, which is an exquisite castle in the heart of the city.  We have to make a quick tour of the grounds as we lost so much time when we were wandering around the station earlier.  A friendly man who works at the castle greets us in English and points us in the direction of the main castle buildings.  We’re disappointed that we don’t have sufficient time to allow us to enter the castle, but we snap some photos before heading back on the subway to Nagoya Station.  On the subway a local lady asks in Japanese where we are visiting from, and if we are enjoying Nagoya.  I respond as best I can, and say that we’d love to return to Nagoya again – there’s so much to see.

Ume Blossom in the grounds of Nagoya-jo

It’s not long now until our shinkansen to Osaka is due to arrive, and there’s just time to grab our case out of the locker and head to Café Gentiane Leger to secure ourselves some Pyorins.  The lady at the counter carefully selects us three of the little chick cakes and wraps them in cardboard nests, before placing them in an elaborate box with ice packs and some mini spoons.  We just have time to grab a drink from the café in the shinkansen waiting room, and my dad spots a bottle of water in the shape of a bullet train which he must have!  We board the train with all of our purchases and sit back and enjoy the view whilst we eat our puddings.  The Pyorin is delicious, and turns out to be most similar to a crème caramel which is dusted with sponge to give the chicks a fluffy outer layer.  Each Pyorin has chocolate drop eyes and a beak and wings made from a delicate white chocolate.  It just seems such a shame to eat them when they’re so beautiful.

Next stop Osaka!