My ten days in Japan (Day 5 morning)

We took JR train to Tennoji station to change to Yamatoji line, this train brought us to JR Nara Station. The journey from Tennoji station to JR Nara station was about 30min. Throughout the journey, I was completed knocked out, guess I was too tired from yesterday trip to Miyajima and Hiroshima.


Luckily, I woke up just 2 stations ahead of Nara station, I could not imagine what would happen if we were to miss the station. Anyway, my friends who were with me were exhausted too. They were sleeping, and I had to wake them up before we alighted at Nara station.

The first thing I noticed in Nara was the buildings, the buildings have their own unique looks and they are different from other part of Japan.




From the Nara Station, we walked for 20min before we reached our first stop; a Three-story pagoda at Sanjodori Street.

Just a stone's throw away from Three-story pagoda is the Kofukuji-Temple. Before you enter the temple, this is the place for you to clean yourself.

Kofukuji-Temple.

Nara is famous for deers, you can see alot of deers roaming around in Nara. Strangely, the deers here in Nara seemed to be well-behaved than those deers I saw in Miyajima.

In Nara, you can purchase 150Yen deer biscults to feed those deers! And the interesting thing is I saw deers bowing at people, as if like they know how to ask for food, very interesting sighting!

After Kofukuji-Temple, we walked for another 15min to Todaiji Temple. Todaiji Temple is well known for its Big Buddha.

The history of Todaiji Temple is dated to 752. But unfortunately, the temple was destroyed by fire twice. The present temple is a rebuilt temple and was completed in 1709.
This main gate is known as Great South Gate! Good facing I suppose.

Todaiji Temple. What do you think of the exterior?

What do you think of the building exterior?

It costs 500 yen per person to enter to the temple. The Big Buddha inside the temple. Is huge!

My ten days in Japan (Day 4)

I used to have this incomplete feeling when I walked past any travel agency, the Japan poster with the huge red shrine in the sea, look like a Japan trademark to me. So everytime when I saw that Red Shrine poster, I would tell myself that one of these days, I would pay a visit to that red shrine.

Finally, after so many years.... Now, I have the chance to see that Red Shrine in Miyajima, an island from Hiroshima. The ferry from Hiroshima to Miyajima is just only a ten minute ferry ride.

The huge red shrine during low tide. You can walk and touch the red huge beams.

In view of H1N1 virus outbreak, I took extra precaution by wearing a mask.


This photo was taken during high tide, the red shrine looks like submerged in the sea.

More than ten years ago, when I first visited Japan, I already had the intention to visit Hiroshima. But due to my tight schedule, I could not make it. And the sad thing is, my subsequent visits to Japan also did not permitted me to have the chance to visit Hiroshima.

However this time, I purposely planned my itinerary in such a way that I would have the chance to visit Hiroshima. Finally, I have my wish come true.

Visited the Hiroshima A-Dome building, I was quite sad after knowing that the effect of the A-bomb that would bring so much harm to people. Really hope that there will be no more wars in this earth, hope that everybody can make peace.

My ten days in Japan (Day 3)

This is my first time going to Arima - onsen (Hot spring), I have been to Hot spring in Hakone and Kodaira City but not Arima. I was rather excited about this trip as I saw from the website that this place has many beautiful places which I could take photos.

We were rather lucky, there was a promotion going on, the promotion fare costs 3,500 Yen per person for a round-way coach fare including admission fee to the hot spring in Arima.

The journery from Osaka Bus station to Arima is about 60min.

My guess for this green object was a pump during the olden day.

There are few ways of going up to Arima, you can take train or even rope way (Cable-car).

Map of Arima.

Foot massage in hot spring. Unfortunately, we could not get the chance to try it, as it was closed.

The famous landmark in Arima, the Red Post-box.

The Arima River.

Hotspring in Arima.

Hotspring entrance.

My ten days in Japan (Day 2)

Woke up rather early, guess I did not get used to bed. Went to my room window, took a shot outside the window, the sky was cloudy.
























Our itinerary for the day was to shop till we dropped!

The famous shopping area in Osaka - Hommachi, Shinsabashi and Namba.

The lunch that was worth waiting for. Hungry for food..... Just could not wait for lunch time. Think I was addicted to raw food and tempura already.

My ten days in Japan (Day 1)

After flying for 7 hours from Singapore to Tokyo-Narita airport, we had to do a transfer from Narita (Tokyo- International airport) to Hameda (Tokyo-Domestic Airport), we took the Airport Limousine to catch our connecting flight to Osaka - Itami airport. The journey from Narita to Hameda was about 75 min and it costs us 3,000 Yen per person.

The Hameda airport used to be the international airport for Tokyo before it was took over by Narita airport. Presently, Hameda airport only handles domestic flights. Anyway, I had good experience with the nice and beautiful ground crews, they were very helpful. Thus, we could easily find our way to catch our connecting flight to Itami. Domo arigato gozaimasu!

Finding our way to our hotel in Osaka city.

Our first lunch in Japan at Yi Feng Tang 一风堂, I used to have my meals here when I was in Osaka. I remember the ramen was very nice, so this time I did not want to miss my chance of having good ramen again. Well, the ramen standard have not changed, the taste is still as good as the one which I used to have. If you have the chance, you should try the ramen in this store. Oishii desu ne!

After lunch, we had a brief shopping before I went to meet my friend at JR Osaka Station.

Shopping and dinner at Umeda

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