For this visit to Japan in February 2024 we spent 3 weeks in Kyoto with day trips to Nara and Hiroshima, then 1 week in Osaka, We flew Malaysia Airlines flying direct from Adelaide to Kuala Lumpur & then to Kansai airport in Osaka. From Kansai airport we travelled to Kyoto on the Haruka Express, which runs direct from the JR station in Kansai airport to Kyoto Station. We stayed at the Rihga Gran hotel, which is a nice hotel quite close to Kyoto Station. As of March 2023 Fully vaccinated travellers from most countries can enter visa free and register their trip and details with the visit japan website, which then gives QR codes to show on arrival for health, immigration and customs checks on arrival https://services.digital.go.jp/en/vis… Go to the website, and instructions are quite clear. The yen to $AUD rate is quite good at the moment and one can eat reasonably cheaply there. We used the Suica IC card for travel in the cities as we already had them from our previous trip, although many IC cards can be used in most cities in Japan, with ICOCA being the main one in use in the Osaka/Kyoto region. IC cards are a prepaid rechargeable chip card that allows use of most forms of public transport (metro, trains, buses, monorail and taxis) in Japan. It can also be used to pay for goods in many vending machines and many stores like 7/11, Lawson’s, Family Mart etc. Many YouTube videos are available on the use of these. We also purchased a data only Japanese sim card. This is a lot cheaper than using your own provider’s international data packs. They are freely available at international arrival airports in Japan or you can get them mailed to you at home. Google Maps is a great app to download as it works brilliantly in Japan, it will even give you transport details down to the detail of train or bus timetable and which platform to use. It even shows which car on the train to use for quick exit. Google Translate is also really useful for helping ask questions etc., and using the camera setting helps read signs, labels etc. really good for shopping, eating and such where English can be rare. Many restaurants do however have English menus either on display or offered when you enter.
Hello Kitty – Japan 2024 – Kyoto & Rihga Gran Hotel
Samurai and Ninja Museum + Nishiki Market + Imperial Palace
Kyoto Samurai and Ninja Museum (3000 – 6000 yen depending on experience)
The Samurai and Ninja Museum, which located right next to the Nishiki Food Market is an interesting stop, if quite small and a bit amateurish. The museum showcases samurai armours, weapons, ninja outfits and many artifacts.
Nishiki Market is a narrow, five block long shopping street lined by more than one hundred shops and restaurants. Known as “Kyoto’s Kitchen”, this lively retail market specializes in all things food related, like fresh seafood, produce, knives and cookware, and is a great place to find seasonal foods and Kyoto specialties, such as Japanese sweets, pickles, dried seafood and sushi. Can be very crowded.
The Kyoto Imperial Palace used to be the residence of Japan’s Imperial Family until 1868, when the emperor and capital were moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. It is located in the spacious Kyoto Imperial Park (Kyōto Gyoen), an attractive park in the centre of the city that also encompasses the Sento Imperial Palace, which served retired emperors, and a few other attractions.
Formerly only accessible on guided tours, the palace grounds can now be entered and explored without joining a tour and without any prior arrangements (although tours in English are still available). Visitors can see the palace buildings and gardens but note that none of the buildings can be entered. Entry is free.
Kyomizu-dera Temple, Nijo Castle, Gingakuji and Philosophers walk
Kiyomizudera “Pure Water Temple”) is one of the most celebrated temples of Japan. It was founded in 780 on the site of the Otowa Waterfall in the wooded hills east of Kyoto, and derives its name from the fall’s pure waters. In 1994, the temple was added to the list of UNESCO world heritage sites.
Kiyomizudera is best known for its wooden stage that juts out from its main hall, 13 meters above the hillside. The stage affords nice views of the numerous cherry and maple trees below as well as of the city of Kyoto in the distance.
Kiyomizudera can be reached from Kyoto Station by bus number 100 or 206 (15 minutes, 230 yen). Get off at Gojo-zaka or Kiyomizu-michi bus stop, from where it is a ten minute uphill walk to the temple. Alternatively, Kiyomizudera is about a 20 minute walk from Kiyomizu-Gojo Station along the Keihan Railway Line.
Nijo Castle (800 yen; plus an additional 500 yen to enter the Ninomaru Palace) was built in 1603 as the Kyoto residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo Period (1603-1867). His grandson Iemitsu 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 castle was designated a UNESCO world heritage site in 1994.
Nijo Castle can be divided into three areas: the Honmaru (main circle of defense), the Ninomaru (secondary circle of defense) and some gardens around them. The entire castle grounds and the Honmaru are surrounded by stone walls and moats.
visitors to Nijo Castle enter the castle grounds through a large gate in the east. English audio guides are available for rent at a kiosk just inside the gate. Venturing further into the castle will bring you to the Chinese-style Karamon Gate, the entrance to the Ninomaru (secondary circle of defense), where the castle’s main attraction, the Ninomaru Palace is located.
The entrance of Nijo Castle is a few steps from Nijojo-mae Station on the Tozai Subway Line.
From Kyoto Station, take the Karasuma Subway Line to Karasuma-Oike Station and transfer to the Tozai Line to Nijojo-mae Station. The whole trip takes about 15 minutes and costs 260 yen. Alternatively, the castle can be reached from Kyoto Station by Kyoto City Bus numbers 9, 50 or 101 (15-20 minutes, 230 yen one way) or from Shijo-Kawaramachi by Kyoto City Bus number 12 (15 minutes, 230 yen one way).
Gingakuji officially named Jishō-ji, is a Zen temple in the Sakyo ward of Kyoto, Japan. It is one of the constructions that represent the Higashiyama Culture of the Muromachi period. Today, Ginkakuji consists of the Silver Pavilion, half a dozen other temple buildings, a beautiful moss garden and a unique dry sand garden. It is enjoyed by walking along a circular route around its grounds, from which the gardens and buildings can be viewed. Despite its name, the Silver Pavilion was never covered in silver. Instead, it is believed that the name arose as a nickname more than a century after the building’s construction to contrast it with the Golden Pavilion. Alternatively, it is explained that moon light reflecting on the building’s dark exterior (which used to be covered in black lacquer) gave it a silvery appearance.
The pavilion is one of only two buildings on the grounds of Ginkakuji which have survived intact the many fires and earthquakes of the past centuries, although it has been undergoing periodical renovation works to keep it well preserved.
Ginkakuji can be accessed by direct bus number 5, 17 or 100 from Kyoto Station in about 35-40 minutes and for 230 yen one way. Alternatively, you can reach Ginkakuji by foot along the Philosopher’s Path from Nanzenji in about 30-45 minutes.
Philosophers walk is a pleasant stone path through the northern part of Kyoto’s Higashiyama district. The path follows a canal which is lined by hundreds of cherry trees. Usually in early April these trees explode with color, making this one of the city’s most popular hanami (cherry blossom viewing) spots.
Approximately two kilometers long, the path begins around Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion) and ends in the neighborhood of Nanzenji. The path got its name due to Nishida Kitaro, one of Japan’s most famous philosophers, who was said to practice meditation while walking this route on his daily commute to Kyoto University.
Fushimi Inari Shrine
The shrine is famous for the 10,000 vermilion torii gates that form tunnels snaking around 233m (765ft) Mt. Inari.
Fushimi Inari pilgrimage circuit
The entire trail is a 5km round trip which takes around 2-3 hours. Whilst some parts are quite steep, the steps are good
One of Kyoto’s most iconic sites is the ancient shrine of Fushimi Inari-Taisha at the southern end of the city. It’s the most revered of thousands of shrines around Japan dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. Foxes are thought to be Inari’s messengers, which explains the many fox statues scattered across the shrine grounds.
Most tourists walk through the first 100m (330ft) of tunnels, take their Instagram shots, then turn around and head to the surrounding souvenir shops before making their way to the next sightseeing spot. However, the best way to get the full Fushimi Inari experience is, like we did, to hike the whole way around the peak to soak up the atmosphere of the trails that straddle the mountain.
The route begins behind the shrine’s main buildings and winds up the wooded slopes of sacred Mt. Inari. There are miniature shrines, shops and eateries dotted along the trail.
Hiroshima – nothing more to say
Hiroshima a modern city on Japan’s Honshu Island, was largely destroyed by the first atomic bomb ever used in war, during World War II. Most of Hiroshima was destroyed, and by the end of the year between 90,000 and 166,000 had died as a result of the blast and its effects. Today, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park commemorates the 1945 event. In the park are the ruins of Genbaku Dome, one of the few buildings that was left standing near ground zero. Other prominent sites we visited include Shukkei-en, a formal Japanese garden, and Hiroshima Castle, a fortress surrounded by a moat and a park
Kyoto walks to Higashi Hongan-ji, Shosei-en Garden, Southern Higashiyama foothills – Shoren-in Temple, Chion-in Temple, Marayuma-Koen Park,
Higashi Honganji, or “Eastern Temple of the First Vow”. From the north central exit of Kyoto Station head north on Karasuma Street. You will pass both Kyoto Tower and the Yodobashi department store on your left before you see Higashi Honganji Temple on the north side of Shichijo Street. It is easily recognizable by the large sign on its outer walls on which thought provoking words are written in multiple languages: “Now, Life is living you”.
It is one of two head temples of the Jodo Shinshu sect of Pure Land Buddhism, the most popular form of Buddhism in Japan. The other head temple is Nishi Honganji, the western temple, which true to its name is located a few blocks to the west of this one. This Pure Land sect was founded by a monk named Shinran (1173–1263), who simplified Buddhist thought to one essential teaching: all you need to do is repeat the words “namu amida butsu” or “Praise to Amida Buddha”.
Entrance is free
The Shosei-en Garden
Shosei-en is a truly delightful garden just 12 minutes walk from Kyoto Station, directly to the East of Higashi Hongganji. Hidden behind large walls, and with an entrance tucked away on a side street, this beautiful garden is very easy to miss. However, beyond those walls are spacious park-like grounds, which include traditional villas, teahouses, and a large pond dotted with islands and bridges. Once inside its tranquil grounds you could easily forget that you are in the midst of one of Kyoto’s more built up urban areas. If you are in the area, then this charming haven of traditional beauty is definitely worth a visit. Another advantage of this location is that Shosei-en is not as well-known as some of Kyoto’s more famous gardens, so it doesn’t get as crowded with tourists.
Entrance fee 500 yen
Shorenin Temple
Shorenin is a temple of the Tendai sect of Japanese Buddhism located at the foot of Kyoto’s Higashiyama mountains. It is one of the city’s monzeki temples, which are temples whose head priests were traditionally members of the imperial family. A winding route takes visitors through Shorenin’s various temple buildings and gardens.
Entrance Fee 500 yen. Major renovation works are underway until 2025, but it is still open.
Chionin Temple
Chionin is the head temple of the Jodo sect of Japanese Buddhism, which has millions of followers and is one of the most popular Buddhist sects in Japan. The temple has spacious grounds and large buildings and the massive Sanmon Gate entrance.
The Sanmon Gate, Chionin’s main entrance gate, is located alongside the road between Maruyama Park and Shorenin Temple. Standing 24 meters tall and 50 meters wide, it is the largest wooden temple gate in Japan and dates back to the early 1600s. The gate’s balcony is not open to the public. Behind the gate a wide set of stairs leads to the main temple grounds (there is also a winding path for those wishing to avoid the stairs).
Entrance is free.
Marayuma-Koen Park
Maruyama Park is the oldest park in Kyoto. It is a very popular park especially in cherry blossom season. It lies next to Yasaka-jinja Shrine, at the base of Kyoto’s eastern mountains, and covers an area of 86000 square meters. It contains stroll gardens, rest houses, small orchards, Japanese restaurants, and more.
Entrance is free.
Gion is Kyoto’s most famous geisha district, located around Shijo Avenue between Yasaka Shrine in the east and the Kamo River in the west. It is filled with shops, restaurants and ochaya (teahouses), where geiko (Kyoto dialect for geisha) and maiko (geiko apprentices) entertain.
Gion attracts tourists with its high concentration of traditional wooden machiya merchant houses. Due to the fact that property taxes were formerly based upon street frontage, the houses were built with narrow facades only five to six meters wide, but extend up to twenty meters in from the street.
Due to poor tourist behaviour, back in 2019 signs were put up banning photography in many of the private alleys, warning of fines of up to 10,000 yen. Unfortunately bad behaviour and overcrowding has not improved and many of these small alleys from 2024 are completely banned for non locals, with a 10,000 yen fine for entering.
Yasui Konpira-gu Shrine in Gion, Kyoto is known for its power stone said to end bad relationships or initiate good ones as well as an annual comb festival. It is a quirky shrine in the Gion geisha and entertainment district of downtown Kyoto.
Yasui Konpira-gu has become especially popular among young Japanese women who flock to the shrine to perform a ritual of crawling through a hole in a large ema-shaped stone, known as the enkiri or enmusubi stone.
The ritual is performed to pray for breaking off bad relationships and initiating good ones. Supplicants write down their wishes on a white, paper amulet (katashiro), crawl through the hole in the stone, then back through again before pinning their amulet on the megalith along with the thousands of others covering it.
Zenkyoan Temple is dedicated to Sho Kannon Bodhisattva, and it is said to bring good luck and victory, so many people have visited since the belief of warlords in the Sengoku period. A little over 100 years after Kenninji was founded, Marishiten came to Japan at the invitation of Hojo Takatoki with a statue of Marishisonten carved from the Chinese Yuan Dynasty by Daikan Seisetsucho. Here, he follows the boars as his family and sits on top of the seven boars. Marisitendo(Boar shrine) Marisiten is a goddess of flame who sits on 7 boars. That’s why many boars are enshrined here. This temple is famous of giving good luck and victory.
Kyoto Hills – trips to Ohara (North East hills of Kyoto) and Otsu (East of Kyoto on Lake Biwa)
Ohara is a rural town nestled in the mountains of northern Kyoto, about one hour from Kyoto Station, but still technically located within Kyoto’s city limits. Ohara is best known for Sanzenin Temple and particularly popular in mid November during the autumn leaf season.
Sanzenin Temple is located part way up the forested mountains in the east of Ohara. The path from the town to the temple is lined with numerous small shops. One of the local specialties on sale are aisu kyuri, cucumbers pickled in seaweed-flavoured ice water and served on a stick. We also bought some very tasty home made miso.
From Kyoto Station, the fastest way to reach Ohara, which we did, is to take the Karasuma Subway Line to its terminal station Kokusaikaikan (20 minutes, 290 yen) and then Kyoto Bus number 19 to Ohara (20 minutes, 400 yen, every 20 minutes). Alternatively, Kyoto Bus number 17 provides a direct connection from Kyoto Station to Ohara (60 minutes, 630 yen, every 30 minutes) via Shijo-Kawaramachi (45 minutes, 590 yen).
Otsu – a town to the East of Kyoto is the main port of Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan. It is the capital city of Shiga Prefecture, and it briefly served as the capital of Japan during the Asuka period.
This large Heian Era temple in the foothills of the mountains between Kyoto and Shiga has beautiful views over Otsu City to Lake Biwa. Its formal name is Onjo-ji, but it is usually called Miidera, which means the temple of three wells. There is a building containing the scrolls of the entire Buddhist scriptures and a legendary bell.
Otsu is less than a 30 minute train ride from Kyoto station on the Tokaido-Sanyo Line.
Bamboo, Monkeys and Kimonos.
Arashiyama is a pleasant, touristy district in the western outskirts of Kyoto. The area has been a popular destination since the Heian Period (794-1185), when nobles would enjoy its natural setting. Arashiyama is particularly popular during the cherry blossom and fall colour seasons.
The Togetsukyo Bridge is Arashiyama’s well known, central landmark. Many small shops, restaurants and other attractions are found nearby, including Tenryuji Temple, Arashiyama’s famous bamboo groves and pleasure boats that are available for rent on the river.
Bamboo Groves
The paths that cut through the bamboo groves make for a nice walk. The groves are particularly attractive when there is a light wind and the tall bamboo stalks sway gently back and forth. The bamboo has been used to manufacture various products, such as baskets, cups, boxes and mats at local workshops for centuries.
Kimono Forest is a collection of gorgeous cylinder-shaped pillars framing the lane way to Randen tram station on Kyoto’s Keifuku Arashiyama line, which was installed as part of the renovation in 2013. It is called a “forest” since the pillars are clustered like a forest and the kimono is displayed on each of the pillars. The Kimono Forest consists of pieces of textile displays dyed in the traditional Kyo-yuzen style. Each of the 2 meter high pillars are covered with acrylic fiber. There are about 600 of them all installed all over the station grounds. The Kyo-yuzen textile used for this exhibition was created by Kamedatomi, a long standing textile factory whose history dates back to Taisho period. These days they also produce aloha shirts with bright kimono inspired patterns.
Monkey Park Iwatayama
The entrance to the monkey park can be found just south of the Togetsukyo Bridge. The park is located in the Arashiyama mountains, and it takes about a ten minute hike to reach the area where dozens of monkeys roam freely. There are also nice views down onto the city.
Hours: 9:00 to 16:00
Closed: Days with heavy rain or snow
Admission: 600 yen
Penguins, Pagodas, Deer and Gold – Kyoto Aquarium, 5 Storey Pagoda, Nara, and Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion)
Kyoto Aquarium – an aquarium in Umekoji Park that is home to twelve different themed areas exhibiting a variety of aquatic creatures that includes river-living Japanese giant salamanders in its “Rivers of Kyoto” exhibit.
Entrance fee : 2400 yen
5 Storey Pagoda – Toji Temple, literally “East Temple”, was founded at the beginning of the Heian Period just after the capital was moved to Kyoto in the late 700s. The large temple, together with its now defunct sister temple Saiji (“West Temple”), flanked the south entrance to the city and served as the capital’s guardian temples. Toji Temple is one of Kyoto’s many UNESCO world heritage sites. Toji’s five storied pagoda, which was originally erected by Kobo Daishi in 826. It stands 57 meters tall, making it the tallest wooden pagoda in Japan, and has become a symbol of both the temple and Kyoto as it can be seen from many places across the city. The ground floor of the pagoda is occasionally opened to the public and houses four smaller Buddha statues.
Nara – Japan’s first permanent capital was established in Nara. Prior to that, the capital was moved to a new location whenever a new emperor ascended to the throne.
However, as the influence and political ambitions of the city’s powerful Buddhist monasteries grew to become a serious threat to the government, the capital was moved away from Nara to Nagaoka in 784 and a few years later to Kyoto, then to Tokyo in 1869.
Nara is located less than one hour by train from Kyoto and Osaka. Due to its historical importance, the city remains full of cultural treasures, including some of Japan’s oldest and largest temples. It is also famous for the deer which freely roam in Nara park.
Kofukuji temple was established in Nara at the same time as the capital in 710. At the height of Fujiwara power, the temple consisted of over 150 buildings. The temple features several buildings of great historic value, including a five-storied pagoda and a three-storied pagoda. At 50 meters, the five-storied pagoda is Japan’s second tallest wooden pagoda, just seven meters shorter than the five-storied pagoda at Kyoto’s Toji Temple. Kofukuji’s pagoda is both a landmark and symbol of Nara. It was first built in 730, and was most recently rebuilt in 1426.
Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) is a Zen temple in northern Kyoto whose top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf. Formally known as Rokuonji, the temple was the retirement villa of the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, and according to his will it became a Zen temple of the Rinzai sect after his death in 1408. Kinkakuji was the inspiration for the similarly named Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion), built by Yoshimitsu’s grandson, Ashikaga Yoshimasa, on the other side of the city a few decades later.
Kyoto Botanical Gardens – mostly flowers
Founded in 1924, Kyoto Botanical Gardens is the oldest and most comprehensive public botanical garden in Japan. With seasonal plants and various conservatories, the Gardens is ever-changing and can be enjoyed all year round. More than 450 cherry blossom trees bloom beautifully in spring and leaves of deciduous trees such as maple color exquisitely in autumn. At other times of the year, lush greenery and a wide variety of trees and flowers can be enjoyed. Kyoto Botanical Gardens is a living museum of plants that offers opportunities for both education and relaxation.
Trains and Travel – Railway museum, trip to Osaka & Hotel S-Presso Central Osaka
Kyoto railway museum is approx. 1km West of Kyoto station, past the Western end of Umekoji Park
The Kyoto Railway Museum was opened in 2016 by JR West on the former site of the Umekoji Train and Locomotive Museum, about a twenty minute walk west of Kyoto Station. It is one of Japan’s three great railway museums.
The museum exhibits over 50 retired trains, from steam locomotives to more recent electric trains and shinkansen. Visitors can also walk underneath and observe the inner workings of a retired freight locomotive.
The museum displays railway uniforms, tools and an abundance of other appurtenances from past eras and boasts one of Japan’s largest dioramas with miniature trains. There are also a variety of interactive exhibitions where visitors can perform the duties of a train conductor or drive a train simulator. The museum’s restaurant is on the second floor directly below an observation deck. Both offer nice views of the passing trains along the JR Kyoto Line and Tokaido Shinkansen.
Travel to Osaka
We took the JR rapid service from Kyoto to Umeda Station in Osaka (560 yen for a 30 minute ride), then transferred to the Midosuji Line to get to Namba Station, a short walk from our new hotel.
Hotel S-Presso Central
An apartment hotel close to Namba and Daikokuchu stations. Need to have a smart phone and a photo of your passport on it to check in (all done by QR code) at reception, which is not manned a lot of the time. Breakfast included is OK and free coffee & soft drink all day is a nice touch.
Noise & entertainment in Osaka – Dotonbori and Universal Studios
Dōtonbori – a district in Osaka, Japan. Known as one of Osaka’s principal tourist and nightlife areas, the main area runs along the Dōtonbori canal from Dōtonboribashi Bridge to Nipponbashi Bridge in the Namba district of the city’s Chūō ward. Osaka’s hotspot for tourists and revellers alike, Dotonbori is filled with towering neon signs, clubs, bars, and restaurants serving up local specialties.
The unofficial mascot of Dotonbori is the Glico Man, a large neon sign featuring a man running on a blue racetrack positioned directly above the Dotonbori bridge. The billboard was first erected in 1935 as an advertisement for Glico, the Japanese food company that produces Pocky and Pretz. It is a popular photo spot for tourists and locals alike.
Universal Studios – probably a must see, at least once. We booked via Klook before we came to ensure tickets, as it often sells out days before. It is extremely crowded and tickets, fast passes, food and souvenirs etc are expensive as in all theme parks, but it is an experience not to be missed. The park’s entrance gate is located a five minute walk from Universal City Station on the JR Yumesaki Line (also referred to as JR Sakurajima Line). It is about a 15 minute trip from Osaka station.
From Ancient to Modern – Osaka Castle, Osaka Museum of History, Shinsekai District & Namba Parks
From the ancient Osaka Castle to ancient in the modern Osaka Museum of History, then a pictorial meander around Shinsekai & Namba Parks
Osaka Castle is arguably Osaka’s most prominent landmark. This five-story castle is one of the most visually spectacular in the country, with a history that dates back almost 450 years.
Osaka Castle is surrounded by five different train stations, but the best access is via either Morinomiya or Osakajokoen Station. Coming from either station affords visitors a unique pathway towards the castle through the gardens.
Admission is 600 yen.
Osaka Museum of History – opened in 2003 in a tall building next to NHK Osaka and just across the street from Osaka Castle. The building offers excellent views of the castle from its top floors.
The museum exhibits are visually oriented with several large models. They chronicle the city’s history, beginning in ancient times when Osaka served as Japan’s first capital and site of the Naniwa Palace and ending with exhibits on the city’s bustling shopping arcades of the early Showa Period.
The museum’s collection is set up on the upper floors of the building while the lower floors are occupied by a restaurant, shop and spacious lobby. Museum visitors first take the elevator to the top floor and then follow the exhibition route down.
It is located across from the southwest corner of Osaka Castle Park. The closest station is Tanimachi Yonchome Station on the Tanimachi and Chuo subway lines, a five minute walk from the museum. The closest JR station is Morinomiya Station on the JR Osaka Loop Line, a 20-30 minute walk from the museum.
Admission is 600 yen.
Shinsekai (meaning New World) is an old neighbourhood located next to south Osaka City’s downtown “Minami” area. The neighbourhood was created in the early 1900’s with New York (specifically, Coney Island) as a model for its southern half and Paris for its northern half. Tsutenkaku Tower (which is the area’s focal point) was constructed in 1912 after Paris’ Eiffel Tower. Although it was scrapped during WWII, the tower was reconstructed soon afterwards in 1956. Shinsekai used to be considered one of Osaka’s seediest, most ‘dangerous’ neighbourhoods – though ‘dangerous’ by Japanese standards generally pales in comparison to other similar neighbourhoods in cities around the world. At the beginning of the 20th century the neighbourhood flourished as a local tourist attraction showcasing the city’s modern image. After World War II, the area served to entertain the labourers who were rebuilding Osaka. Shinsekai’s status as a dangerous area owes much to criminal activity that flourished in the decades before the 1990s. It is reputedly an area housing a lot of homeless and the neighbourhood is also home to a large presence of prostitutes and a concentration of Osaka’s cross-dressing community. Increased tourism to Shinsekai in recent years has caused no small amount of gentrification in this area. As a result, it’s far less seedy and gritty than it used to be, and you’ll see plenty of non-locals in the area. We felt quite safe there, as we have everywhere in Japan.
Namba Parks is a massive shopping complex in the Minami area of Osaka, close to the apartment we were staying in. It has a unique architectural structure with the aim of bringing some natural greenery into Osaka’s concrete jungle. The building is composed of a series of rising terraces with rooftop gardens at each level. The garden is planted with flowers, shrubs, and trees, and you can walk down through its leafy terraces from the 9th floor all the way down to the ground floor level. The natural birdsong, a trickling stream, and plenty of benches help to create a pleasant environment in which to take a break from shopping. The gardens are also illuminated at night.
Up Close & Personal – Osaka Aquarium
Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan was the largest aquarium in the world when built, and is now about 7th largest.
You start at the top on the 8th floor, and wind down and around the large centre tank to the bottom. It is a wonderful aquarium.
At Kaiyukan there are over 15 large tanks, each recreating a specific region of the Pacific Rim, taking visitors on a virtual tour of the Pacific Ocean. The tanks include, “Japan Forest,” which recreates a sunlit, beautiful Japanese forest; the icy, snow-clad “Antarctica;” and the centerpiece of the aquarium, “Pacific Ocean,” a 9 m deep, 34 m long tank containing 5,400 tons of water, serving as the home of whale sharks, the largest fish species in the world.
Cost is currently 2700 yen. It is located at Osakako Station on the Chuo Subway Line.
Heading Home – Nankai Rapiit & Hotel Nikko Kansai Airport
Heading Home – Nankai Rapiit from Namba (Osaka) to Kansai Airport (Osaka) & Hotel Nikko Kansai Airport
From Namba station we caught the retro looking Nankai Rapiit to Kansai airport and give a quick hotel room tour before heading home to Adelaide via Kuala Lumpur on Malaysian Airlines.