Japan Trip 2015: Day 2 in Osaka (Osaka Castle, Shinsaibashi, Amerikamura, Dotombori)

Osaka Castle, former villa of shogun Hideyoshi Toyotomi

My second day in Japan kicked off by walking from the apartment to Shinsaibashi Station, which is just a slow 5 minutes walk away. I know it sounds dreary, but there's lot in store for today!

Shinsaibashi Station

That's because the first itinerary of the day is to visit Osaka Castle! We're getting off at at the Morinomiya Station, on the Nagahori Line, so do take note if you want to get here by subway too :)

Destination: Morinomiya Station for Osaka Castle

It's a beautiful and clear day out that Monday morning (apparently Kuala Lumpur was really hazy during that time frame) and we just couldn't get enough of the cool and fresh air until we came to a halt.

Clear and blue skies at Osaka Castle Park

Right up in front of us was this huge flight of stairs! Well, in Japan, you'll have to do as the Japanese do. Start that engine and rev up!

Dense forest in Osaka Castle park

After a short walk through some dense forest, we came to a open area where we walked further till we reached a moat which surrounds the castle grounds.

Moat that surrounds Osaka Castle

After another bout of walking, we saw something from afar. Ahoy! The beautiful Osaka Castle is spotted!

Osaka Castle from afar

We walked heading towards the castle (notice I'm gonna say this often in this post) and came to a open area where there is a food store cum souvenir booth is located opposite the entrance to the castle.

Food store just opposite Osaka Castle entrance

Matcha and chocolate ice cream at 350 yen

I had a matcha and chocolate soft serve ice-cream here (350 yen, approximately RM12.50) and my travel buddies took the opportunity to rest their legs too. 

Osaka Castle entrance

Food trucks in the open area just in front of Osaka Castle

After that, we walked past the entrance till we came to another open area where the atmosphere was like a carnival. Food trucks and souvenir shops galore!

The Osaka Castle was just in front of us here and we couldn't wait to enter it. But before we did, we had to pay 600 yen (approximately RM21) for the admission fee. At this point, I decided to treat 100yen as equivalent to RM1. Otherwise I won't be able to part with all the yen I have brought with me! :P

Osaka Castle admission ticket at 600 yen

After the ticket counter, we proceeded to an area where we had a choice to queue to take a lift straight to the 8th floor observatory (super long queue, no way I'm gonna wait) OR take the stairs up (no queue AT ALL). Why oh why??? The obvious answer is to take the stairs up 8 floors since we were pressed for time... but don't say I didn't warn you!

After 3 floors, breathless, panting and with throbbing legs (I'm so unfit I tell you) we had to take a breather by going around the floor while looking at the exhibits. At least there was something to do while catching our breaths. But I digress, because I couldn't think straight already. For future climbers, please do take a rest every floor. You will thank me for sure :D

After countless steps, and floors (I think I lost count, my legs were like jelly) and also thinking how did the shogun Hideyoshi Toyotomi ever lived there without any lifts, I managed to reach the 8th floor. I practically held the banister like an 80 year old when I reached the top. Probably that's why the other Japanese tourists were looking at me funny :/

Osaka city view from 8th floor observatory

I couldn't wait to open the doors to the observatory outside, and the cool wind that whipped my face was a huge welcome after the stuffy staircase!

Osaka city view from 8th floor observatory

The observatory allows visitors to see Osaka city from 4 different angles, and I guess that's the view that greets the shogun every morning as he wakes up. Beautiful views of the city from all angles. Suddenly climbing 8 floors up seemed so worthwhile!

Osaka city view from 8th floor observatory

We got a bit lost trying to find our way out, so we headed towards the nearest subway station, Osaka Business Park, after much asking for directions from old ladies manning some food stall (note to self: find some young chap for directions next time!).

Crossing the river to Osaka Business Park

Along the way, we met a nice lady walking her son back from pre-school, and gestured to us to follow her to the station. Although she did not enter the station, we appreciated the effort and time she took to guide us on her way elsewhere. The Japanese hospitality knows no bounds!

Udon for dinner at Yoshinoya. Yup, that's a Pablo cheesecake in the background all right!

Next, we headed back to Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade for a closer look (you know what I mean) at the shops. It's madness here I tell you! After shopping and dinner at Yoshinoya, we walked across the street to Amerikamura, which is the American town in Osaka. 

Evil pumpkin at Big Step Mall, Amerikamura

Once you enter the area, suddenly the shops and atmosphere feels so 'American'. Even shopkeepers here are able to speak good English, though they are mainly of African descent. 

Starbucks in Amerikamura all ready for Halloween

Thanks to some kind soul, we were directed to Dotomburi since we wanted to get a night shot of the famous Glico Man signboard at the Ebisu bridge.

The famous Glico Man signboard at night

The nightlife around the Glico Man signboard is exceptional! Millions of signboards lighted up in all directions, you wouldn't know where to look first. 

Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade view at night from Ebisu bridge

Kani Doraku restaurant in Dotombori

Puffer fish (fugu) restaurant in Dotombori

Takoyaki restaurant in Dotombori

All I got to say is you should soak up that moment, take some awesome pictures (with the Glico Man of course!) and don't forget to stroll around the whole area with your heads up! The memory will last you a lifetime as it had for me.

That's all for Day 2 and do stay tuned for my upcoming posts!

Day 1 in Shinsaibashi, Kuromon Market, Namba Walk and Namba Parks Mall.

Day 3 in Kyoto Station, Kinkaku-ji Temple, Tenryu-ji Temple, Seiryo-ji Temple, Arashiyama Bamboo Groove.


The author is living her dreams. Osaka is a food paradise, but what does Kyoto has in store? Geishas... perhaps?

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Japan Trip 2015: Day 1 in Osaka (Shinsaibashi, Kuromon Market, Namba Walk, Namba Parks Mall)

Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade in the morning

I'm finally in Japan! (Well, I'm actually back home, but my mind was left back in Japan, so who cares...) It's been a long time since buying my air flight tickets from AirAsia 14 months ahead, so there was plenty of time for research and cash stashing before the currency plummeted badly.

So, I landed in Kansai Airport in Osaka on Oct 3, 2015 and my great Airbnb host, Kevin, picked me up and my travel buddies (we travelled in a group of five) at midnight from the airport to his apartment in Shinsaibashi. We paid around RM150 per night per pax for a great stay in his apartment located in the heart of Shinsaibashi shopping arcade. Two thumbs up! If you are interested to rent his apartment, check out the link here.

Onigiri from Family Mart

Had this onigiri bought from the nearby Family Mart for breakfast. Oh, did I mention that there were THREE Family Mart stores near to our rented apartment? Breakfast and snacks are super convenient with Japanese kombinis.

Buns, cakes, and ham for breakfast. All from Family Mart!

For the course of our stay, we relied on 7-Eleven, Family Mart, Lawson, and Mini Stop for all our breakfasts and quick snacks.

Fresh milk and Lipton milk tea with Halloween packaging

Before I move on to the rest of the trip, let me praise Lipton for having a great range of teas in Japan! Coming from a tea lover, I thought I would suffer as I did in South Korea, but I guess not :D 

I love their line of Halloween packaging across the board for all their products. I probably visited at the right time since Halloween seems to be quite fun among Japanese!

River near Shinsaibashi

The sun rises around 5am in Osaka, and I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the clock on the first morning. 6am and here I am thinking it's 8am! I'm not usually a morning person and I was quite bothered to be up so early. I had breakfast and got ready in super slow motion. 

The weather that morning was cool, around 15 degrees. Nice weather to be out and about, I'd say! Osaka people seemed laid back and since it was a Sunday morning, the city was still waking up at 8am when were started our first day in the city. The river we passed by was so still... I guess nobody's up yet?

Kuromon Market

First stop was Kuromon Market, where all the ladies (and tourists) go crazy sampling pickles, fried food, sweets, and whatnots... almost everything edible on sale seemed to ready to be sampled, except the famous Kobe beef of course!

Kobe beef at Kuromon Market

Some of the goods on sale looks pretty delicious. Come here on an empty stomach if you want to try them all!

Croquettes at Kuromon Market

There are also some sweet treats for sale, for those not into savoury stuff or heavy meals. These strawberry mochi were yummy, not too sweet. Sorry, but I'll just have to treat you to a photo of the mochi. For the real thing, make sure to stop by Kuromon Market! :)

Strawberry mochi at Kuromon Market

Here comes another picture of the galore of sweets found in Kuromon Market!

Sweet goodies for kids and all the young-at-heart grown-ups!

I know I've just been spamming food pictures ever since I started on Kuromon Market, but bear with me because I'm gonna show you my buckwheat ramen from a little shop in the market. 

I had a great bowl of ramen under 300yen (that's a steal, considering it's around RM10) and I had the experience of ordering it through a vending machine! Sorry no picture of the process though, got too excited and forgot about it :p

Buckwheat ramen with a huge helping of kombu on the side!

After brunch, my travel buddies and I took a walk to Namba Walk. Over there we had some little surprises in store for us...

Malaysian flag spotted in Osaka!

We spotted a banner with the Malaysian flag in the shopping arcade! What are the odds of seeing our country's flag in Japan? I think Malaysia is calling us home already... I guess not since it's only Day One!

Bicycle parking

Along the way, I saw some bicycle parking. I have never seen a nation so taken into the cycling activity, since we Malaysians are practically in our cars all the time. But be warned when walking, because some cyclists just seem not to brake at all!

Vending machine drinks all at 100 yen!

At first when I passed by these vending machines, I didn't understand what is the hype all about over 100 yen (approximately RM3.50) drinks. I came to find out most drink costs around 130 yen to 200 yen in the kombinis and vending machines, so I guess it's something to shout about... we poor Malaysians resort to drinking plain water only :(

Menu banner outside a small restaurant

Time to hunt for lunch! Everything starts looking good, and every banner warrants some scrutiny. Too many restaurants to choose from, each one looks better than the last!

Ebi curry for lunch

Finally we settled down in a cafe off the shopping arcade. Upon entering, we realised the cigarette smoke smell was strong but only came to realise it was a smoking cafe after sitting down. Too bad, we didn't dare to leave but opted to order and eat our food fast for a quick escape! The ebi curry was surprisingly good, and the young waitress was quite fluent in English as well. Would have given two thumbs up if not for the smoking factor!

Star Wars merchandise in Bic Camera

After lunch, we made a stop in Bic Camera and we found lots of good stuff in there. 

Figurines at Bic Camera

From electronics to gadgets to model car kits, and even Star Wars merchandise, you name it, they've got it. Definitely stop here if you are into tech stuff or toys! :)

Namba Parks Mall

Soon, we made our way to Namba Parks Mall for some departmental shopping. The mall's architecture is simply stunning, (no box-like structures) which makes it different from standard Japanese architecture. Check out their Sky Garden though! Don't want to put pictures here to spoil all the fun. 

Prices here are a bit high though, so we did some window shopping and had dinner at one of the restaurants upstairs in their food court area. Later, we headed home via subway after a long day of walking just because we couldn't take it anymore. Salute all the Japanese for being able to do this day in, day out!

Read on for updates on my epic trip to Japan!

Day 2 in Osaka Castle, Shinsaibashi, Amerikamura and Dotombori.

Day 3 in Kyoto Station, Kinkaku-ji Temple, Tenryu-ji Temple, Seiryo-ji Temple, Arashiyama Bamboo Groove.


The author is extremely happy to be in Japan! So much so she's been having a sweet binge buying any sweet goodies she lays her eyes on... here goes her diet!

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Cameron Highlands: A Cool & Green Escape From KL City's Heat

Time for another update! This time, my family and I decided to revisit a popular haunt of ours for holidays, Cameron Highlands. The last time I came here was 5 years back, and boy, the place has changed a lot since my last visit.

This trip was absolutely different from the rest. Usually we stayed at apartments, but we decided to book at Century Pines Resort instead. The stay was comfortable, clean and quiet. I'd love to come back again, definitely! While on this trip, we also tried not to travel during peak times as the traffic snarl up and down the mountain can be terrible. A short 10 minute ride can easily take up to 30 minutes or more!

Since my last trip here, a few new attractions have sprung up, and one of the better ones is Cameron Lavender. To get here, take a drive heading towards to Boh's Sungai Palas Plantation from Brinchang and from there it's another 5 minutes drive.

While the entry fee may be a little steep (RM6 for adults, RM4 for children), rest assured there are many attractions worthy of photo opportunities in this attraction. I for one, thought it was an extremely worthy price to pay for the upkeep of the place. Don't forget to stop for a picture with this cute Beetle!

And when you're at it, make sure to try the Hokkaido Lavender ice cream flavour (imported from Japan)! Priced at RM5.90, there are many other flavours to choose from, such as strawberry, chocolate etc. but do make sure to try the lavender flavoured one! You won't regret it!

I saw some plants that looked so much like the lavender, but have a lighter green shade, as if it's been bleached. After doing some research, turns out the plant is a relative of the common lavender, also known as the Spanish Lavender. You'll never know what you'll learn by going on a trip!

I initially wanted to check out the Rose Centre attraction at Kea Farm, but since it was near closing time, it wasn't worth it. Judging from the leaflet though, there are many attractions in this centre as well. Do check it out if you happen to be at Kea Farm. I did manage to get a shot of this repainted jeep which was recently decommisioned in Cameron Highlands at Rose Centre though. Gone were the days where these jeeps ply the mountain routes daily for deliveries, as they were now replaced by the white Toyota Hilux.

Last but not least, the highlight of my trip was the short hike from Century Pines Resort to Parit Falls. To get to the waterfall, take a small slip route from the side of the resort (there is a orange signboard that says Parit Waterfall 400m) and walk through a dense jungle before coming to a opening where the entrance to the park where a recreational spot is located. Near the entrance a view of the waterfall is visible. Take a short walk and you'll see the waterfall. The walk takes about 30 to 40 minutes, and it's great to feel the cool air on your skin and breathe in the fresh unpolluted air.

This trip is a nature-filled one that made me see Cameron Highlands in a new light, from the tourist attraction it has evolved to be over the years. I will definitely come again in a few years time, and hopefully gain new happy memories.

Ever the traveller, the author is preparing for her trip to Japan in a few months. Stay tuned for updates on my coming trip to Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo!

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