OSAKA-KYOTO Travel Journal
View from Osaka Castle [Fuji Film Disposable Camera]
This was actually my second visit and it felt as if it's my first. Today's post is on Osaka and Kyoto. I didn't get to explore the whole attractions of both cities since I only got 3 days to visit. Three days isn't enough (of course). I recommend you guys to explore both cities and (hopefully) other cities in the Kansai region in a period of 6-14 days. It wouldn't cover the whole attraction but it's worth it.
June isn't a good time to visit Japan since the rainy season starts in that very month. It might be sunny the whole day but raining cats and dogs on the next day. Check the weather forecast a week before your trip so your itinerary won't get ruin. The summer heat isn't as hot as in August but still, it's hot enough to melt your ice creams in just a few minutes. I didn't catch on any rains during my visit to Osaka and Kyoto, but the heat was insane.
Osaka Castle, pardon my mom's head [Fuji Film Disposable Camera]
First things first, Osaka. There were quite many differences between Osaka and Tokyo. When I arrived at the Shin Osaka Station and headed down using the elevator, people were standing on the right side instead of the left side. The left side was used for people in hurry. It's different from Tokyo where people stands on the left instead of the right. Another thing I found different was on the way they speak. Most Osaka people use Kansai accent. I used to watch anime and I can actually notice the difference between the Kansai accent to the usual Japanese accent. They are much "louder" than the usual Japanese accent but I like it.
Osaka is famous for its foods. You can find lots of delicious foods here. You can either go to Tsutenkaku or Dotonbori to hunt for meals and street foods. Dotonbori also has lots of shops and is very famous for its bridges. Shinsaibashi is located very near to Dotonbori. Its a shopping district with lots of stores along the way. They have both small and big brands stores.
Dotonbori [Fuji Film Disposable Camera]
I spent only a day in Kyoto. Kyoto is located near Osaka. You can take the Shinkansen train for only 15 minutes from Shin Osaka station. JR Pass really comes in handy since I traveled to many different cities. It costs around 3 million in Rupiah, which is around 200 in USD, for a duration of 7 days. You can use this pass to all JR lines access, including Shinkansen. Buy your JR Pass before you headed to Japan. You can either buy it online or directly from travel agents.
The first place I went to is Fushimi Inari. Take the train of the Nara line and get down at Inari station. You will only need to take less than ten minutes to arrive since it's only 2 stations from the main station.
Fushimi Inari Taisha is one of the most visited shrines in Kyoto. It's famous for its torii path, which was all donations from Japanese businesses. It's super hard to take a picture without anyone around. One tip that might work is going to the shrine in the morning, around 8 AM, to prevent crowds. Besides the torii, you will find a lot of foxes, aka kitsunes, figures around the shrine. Fox is said to be the messenger of Inari, one of the deities in the Shinto beliefs.
Kitsune shaped wish boards [Fuji Film Disposable Camera]
Pardon my face [Edited by VSCO]
I also manage to go to Gion. Gion is a street in Kyoto, famous for geisha district. The streets looked very traditional, most of its buildings are made of woods. There are plenty of stores, from handmade souvenirs to food. There are lots of famous traditional restaurants specialized in sushi and also kaiseki ryori. The cost of food in Gion are mostly pricey, not a recommended choice for backpackers, but the sushis are worth to try.
You can also walk around using kimono or yukata. Yukata is a summer kimono. Since it was summer back then, I chose to wear yukata. There are several kimono rentals around the streets. The price started from around 2,500 Yen. You can choose whatever colors you want for your kimono or yukata, then they'll give choices for the obi, based on the color of the yukata you have chosen. They provide sandals and small bags for you to carry. They can also do your hairdo as an addition. I got mine for 5,000 Yen in total. It covers everything, from the yukata to the hairdressing.
Gion, pardon my face [Fuji Film Disposable Camera]
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