My Trip to Kansai District, Japan

ABOUT MY RECENT TRIP TO KANSAI DISTRICT, JAPAN – PART 1

((Foreword: A group of 11 senior citizens, including myself, ventured out on a self-organised trip - i.e. without involvement of any travel agency – from November 5 to 12, 2012 to Kansai. Thanks to three seasoned travellers among us pals, namely Raymond Ho, Jack Lee and Lee Min Tet who volunteered to be the itinerary planners and joint “guides”, I have archived an encompassing account of the trip in the form of short notes and snapshots. In case you may want to consider Kansai as the next holiday destination, you may find my account useful.

What I witnessed and experienced could be categorised in three aspects: (1) sightseeing (2) food (3) lifestyles & cultural traits.

For now, I am sharing only on my sightseeing phenomena. The other two categories will be shared in the next sequential episode as Part 2. So, here comes Part 1: Sightseeing.))

I wish to lay out my account by way of short descriptive points plus photographs with captions on the places that my group visited. Please note that my sharing now is only reflective of places recorded in my camera; there were many places of interest in Kansai which we could not accommodate in our itinerary due to time constraint.

Preliminary Information:

·         *We flew by AirAsiaX. Most of us booked the flight to and fro Osaka (the main city in Kansai) almost one year ago at RM505 (offer rate).

·         *Stayed in Weekly Mansion Osaka at Otomae. Made reservation via the web. Rate: US$53 per night, inclusive of tax, on twin-sharing. This is an apartment hotel, with the necessary facilities, including pantry, kitchen utensils, stove and microwave oven. Free wifi access only at the hotel lobby. Next to the lobby is the laundry machine room - auto-charge service at reasonable rate.

·         *We commuted by train and lots of walking from day 1 upon arrival at Osaka Airport till our departure day.

·         Our places of visit were pre-selected by research via the web by Raymond, Jack and Min Tet. And all in all, I only spent the equivalent of around RM2,600 for air-fare, lodging, food, sightseeing, plus some local foodstuffs (for home) incurred in my eight days in Kansai. Really worth the money spent!


      DAY 1: OSAKA AT NIGHT:

Reflections..........in the midst of Osaka City. Snapshot was taken during a stroll after dinner.)

DAY 2: KYOTO GYOEN NATIONAL GARDEN & YASAKA PAGODA:

                           ( Greenery began to turn colourful in the first week of November)

                                               (Environment of peace and freshness)

                                                                     ( Nice view )

                                                            (Two picturesque scenes)

                                                  (The street up to Yasaka Pagoda)

(The Hollies would have changed their hit song from "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" to "They Ain't Heavy, They're My Customers............pulling up on the sloppy street to the Yasaka Pagoda)

DAY 3: IKOMASANJYO (HIGHLAND THEME PARK), NARA & KOBE PORT

                                                         (Cute looking cable car)

 (Visitors could get a good view of the city below while going uphill in the cable car)

(The rollercoaster in the theme park. The park caters for fun. It is an ideal venue for family day outings, especially families with young children)

(Nara is a suburban township ideal for leisure visit by strolling around. No bustling vehicles, very     clean, lots of souvenirs and foodstuffs for selection)

(This shop makes fresh soft candy balls that stick and linger in taste buds............it entails quite a bit of might and physical activity in the preparation)

                    (Nara Deer Park.......friendly deers greet visitors. The park is very clean)

                                            (One of the serene lake views in the deer park)

                         (Kobe as the city of lights at night.........snapshot taken from Kobe Port)

(The musical fountain at the courtyard of Notre Dame building, hich is situated just beside Kobe Port. A rhapsody.......climax water display when the music became intense)

                                     (Indeed, buildings glitter at night as viewed from the port)

DAY 4: ORIMA-ONSEN & HAKUTSURU SAKE BREWING MUSEUM IN KOBE

                                         (Setting of a hill resort as one enters Orima-Onsen)

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                                  (Colourful foliage surrounding the hill resort in November)

                    (Even this shop-house was spiked up by colourful foliage on it and around it)

                       (Public sulphur-saturated hot spring to sooth tired feet........free of charge)

                               (The brewery cum museum - producing a popular brand of sake)

                                          (Part of the traditional processes for brewing sake)

                                             Cheers!.......sampling some varieties of sake)

                               (The traditional and best way for drinking sake.......from a bowl)

DAY 5: WAKAYAMA MARINA PARK:

                                (Varieties of raw seafood sold at the seafood market in the park)

                                (Preparing to slice a Salmon fish for the meat to be eaten raw)

                                                 (Scenery........looking out to the sea)

(Wakayama has entertainment for children too........."let's shake hands to be friends")

DAY 6: OSAKA CASTLE PARK:

                                          (View of the fortress and castle from a distance)

                                                (Pleasing sight.......surrounding the castle)

 (This is the castle, built in the 17th century and rebuilt in 1931. It now serves as a museum)

                            (Views of the city from the observatory at the top level of the castle)

 (Replicas of the shachi, the legendary dolphin-shaped fish, and fusetora, the crouching tiger)

DAY 7: OSAKA AQUARIUM KANYUKAN:

                      (Some of the graceful marine species not seen back home in Malaysia)

Watch out for Part 2 of my sharing on Kansai - highlights on food, lifestyles and cultural traits, which shall be posted.............very soon.


                                                          



                 



    

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