Nabana no Sato: Illumination and Loneliness

Dusk at Nabana no Sato, Mie

In spring, Japan's covered in flowers. In summer, fireworks are exploding everywhere. In autumn, bursts of oranges and magentas are all over the place. In winter, romantic tiny lights illuminate various places.

Winter's over in most part of Japan but one of the grandest illuminations in the country lasts until March 31st. It's the illumination in Nabana no Sato. Nabana no Sato is a big flower garden.  I've been wanting to see this illumination in my previous winters here but for one reason or another, I didn't. I resolved that whatever happens, I'll see this illumination this year- even if I go alone. I tried inviting some people but they couldn't be bothered to go all the way there. (I do really need friends!)

Guest Post: 48 Hours in Osaka- What Not to Miss

This is a guest post from Caroline Secure Thoughts. She is originally from the US but is a long term expat and avid traveler. She has lived in various locations around the globe including spending a year teaching in Japan in 2014 which she loved. Caroline made sure to see as much of Japan as possible and also used it as a base to explore Asia further. 

Although she currently has a day job, writing about her international experiences is her passion and she travels as much as time and budget will allow. Her ultimate goal is to travel full time and see more of the world. 

Osaka Castle

As the third-largest city in Japan, Osaka is not a city that you can really see in a mere 48 hours—and once you get that first taste of the city, you will quickly find yourself planning a return trip! The city may be large, but it’s relatively easy to navigate, especially since it is one of the first cities in Japan to offer free WiFi at a citywide level—if you find yourself a bit lost, just connect to the Internet and you’ll be able to figure it out! (Note that you may want to set up a VPN to protect your personal information first, though.)

With only 48 hours in the city, you’ll likely want to pick a couple themes that you’re interested in and see the best things in those categories, or pick a mixture of activities from each category. Here are the not-to-be-missed highlights:

Historical Sights

It’s important to note that many of the Osaka’s historical buildings were destroyed during World War II, but their modern reconstructions are faithful to the original designs. Osaka Castle is one of the city’s best-known sights, for good reason. Although a reconstruction of the original structure and lacking in some of the romantic charm of castles outside the city—such as Himeji—it is still an impressive building which is especially picturesque during the cherry blossom season.

Inside the castle is a museum with many interesting artifacts, but if you’re especially interested in history, you may be better off visiting the nearby Osaka Museum of History, which has a far more comprehensive selection of exhibits.

Religious Sights

One great historical and religious site to visit is Sumiyoshi Shrine. This is one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan, and not only does it have some lovely traditional architecture, but it also sits in a tranquil park which can be a great place to escape the bustle of the city. You may also want to check out the Buddhist Shitennōji Temple, which originally dates back to the 6^th century. Unfortunately, most of the current buildings post-date World War II, but you’ll definitely still get a feel for the place.

With the Kids

If you’re travelling with kids, they may not be totally interested in history museums or temples—but in that case, head to Kaiyukan Aquarium. This is one of the largest public aquariums in the world, and your kids will be thrilled to see fish, rays, sharks, and other aquatic species from all over the world. For a more cultural activity, try the National Bunraku Theatre, which holds traditional Bunraku puppet shows in the afternoons.

See the City from Above

There are two fantastic places from which you can see the city spread out beneath you. Your first option is to head to the gardens at the top of the nearly 60-story Umeda Sky Tower. Your second option would be to take a spin around the Ferris Wheel in the Hep Five department store, which will lift you to a height of 347 ft. Either provides a spectacular photo opportunity—and they’re both especially magical at sunset, when you can watch the lights coming on around the city!

Ferris Wheel in Hep Five, Osaka

Get Out

Of course, if you find Osaka isn’t your thing, you have a couple options for side trips—try heading to nearby Kyoto for a glimpse at a more traditional, less urban lifestyle. There, you’ll have plenty of options for sightseeing. Or see Himeji Castle, which is often considered by tourists to be a more spectacular castle than Osaka’s. Of course, any side trip will require time in transit, so you’ll have to decide what you really want to do.

Regardless of your interests, you should have no trouble finding plenty of things to do in Osaka during your time there. Prepare to be dazzled by this interesting city, while still getting a feel for its traditional and less-glitzy roots. After your first 48 hours there, you will absolutely be excited to return in the near future! 

For more of Caroline's adventures, check out her other article: 

A Beginner's Guide to Living Outside USA

Costco in Japan

credit: http://tokyodesu.com/

I visited a friend last week. She lives in Chiba, less than an hour away from Tokyo.

There are lots of things to see in Chiba. Disneyland and Disney Sea are there. (The name Tokyo Disneyland is wrong technically.)

There's Chiba Tower, Lighthouse and the Tokyo Bay Aqua Line.

If we wanted to see more shrines and temples, Nihon-ji Hokekyo-ji, Tanjo-ji, Manman-ji, Awa Shrine and Chiba-dera are just all around Chiba.

Had we felt really genki (genki means active), we could have hiked Mt. Tomi, Mt. Atago or Mt. Nokogiri.

If we wanted a leisurely cultural day, we could have visited Kawamura Museum of Art, Nambo Paradise Botanical Garden, Museum of Science and Industry or Suigo Sawara Aquatic Botanical Garden.

There are really a lot of possible places to visit in Chiba. But, my friend and I didn't go to any of those places. Instead, we went to a very foreign place- COSTCO!