You can never run out of Japan, and yes, it's not my first time here but our family chose to go here again since we got better at following the train's schedule and a few places we knew about, but didn't get to visit last time.
We landed at Osaka and arrived in our Airbnb at Osaka-Shi. The hunger chase after an 8 hour flight so we went to this small food-bar, 3 minutes from our place and nothing's better than having chicken and beer as the rain started to pour. It was 6 degrees.
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| In front of our Airbnb |
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| Our Neighborhood |
Day 2: Nara Park (23/12/19)
A place where more than 1000 deer become a symbol of the city, living their best life, having their tummy full as they all lay down having sun kissed.
It was my first time here and the deer I fed bowed down, which means their way of saying thank you. Crowded since it's the holiday and we didn't get to come inside the Buddhist Temple complex.
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| The first entry; where we bought the deer crackers and a few souvenirs. |
Then we were chasing sunset all the way to Kita-ku! Went all the way up to the top of Umeda Sky Building, the elevator took us to the 35th floor which scared me for a bit because all sides of the lift were see-through windows. And turned out it wasn't the end of it, we went to this see-through escalator tube that took us to the 39th floor. To the very top, we walked around the observatory deck which was pretty windy at the time but the view was worth it.
Day 3: Hiroshima (24/12/19)
My country got included during World War II because we were ruled by the Japanese for a while but today I got to see everything from their perspective.The first atomic bomb was dropped in the city of Hiroshima on the 6th of August, 1945 at 8.15 am. It wiped out 90% of the city and immediately killed 80.000 people, which thousands more died days later because of the radiation. Our first visit was the A-Bomb Dome. It was the only building that remains the same after the bombing because most of the citizen felt it should be preserved as a memorial.
Then we went inside the Peace Memorial Museum, which gave me the horror to enter the day of August 6th, 1945. The room shows pictures before and after the A-bombing, shots of the explosions, people's whose skin got burned, and the loss of their loved ones.
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| "Their hair was scorched and frizzy. Their whole body was badly burnt. Blisters had burst and sheets of burnt skin hung from them like rags. It was hell." |
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| The suffering from their burns, deaths in pain and agony through art. |
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| "No more Hiroshimas" |
Day 4: Hokkaido (25/12/19)
Passed Tokyo for our shinkansen transit to Hokkaido. Took more than 6 hours which made us arrived at night. It was snowing real hard so by the time we checked in our hotel room.
My aunt took my sister and I to our first onsen to feel relaxed. The best part was going out to the outdoor baths because it was snowing and it felt like a movie.
Day 5: Morning Market (26/12/19)
Morning strolls at Nakadori where the streets are full of outdoor market and seafood stores! They sell all fresh seafoods especially crabs and squids.
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| 'TOMOE-DON' |
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| Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse |
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| The Giant Start Shape |
Day 6: To Tokyo (27/12/2019)
3 hours to and headed to our Airbnb near Tokyo Skytree. We rested the whole night after our late supper because tomorrow we're heading for more snow! Gotta enjoy the cold while we're here.
Day 7: Gala Yuzawa (28/12/2019)
Lost track of time when we're in the shinkansen so we had to transit and rode the bus all the way to the resort. Time flew faster, sunset's chasing so instead of going snowboarding we decided to rode the gondola to see the snow from a higher top. It felt like entering a polar bear's cave or something. It's the coldest I've ever felt in snow and it was minus 7 degrees.
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| bts my hand was swollen hard after this. |
Day 8: Yokohama (29/12/2019)
You'll always learn something through Japan, and today we learnt how the legendary Momofuku Ando invest the world's first cup noodle ever!
Arrived at the CUP NOODLE MUSEUM, the first section was a room of transparent cubes filled with noodle package from all around the world since 1958 until now. The second one brought us into this small theater with the shape of cup noodle where we were given headphones to hear the story as it was filming on screen. The last one was short stories of the invention and the growth of a new industry in animations.
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| 25th of August, 1958; The Birth of the World's First Instant Noodles "Chikin Ramen" |
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| One thing we all learned for sure, everything's possible when you never give up! Thanks for changing the world, Mr. Noodle! |
Day 9: Shibuya to Shop. Til. Drop (30/12/2019)
Aka shopping day aka souvenirs day! First stop was to take a picture of the famous Hatchiko! The crowd was already crazy, then the souvenirs hunt begin, from Uniqlo, to Muji, to Supermarket for keychains, postcards, kitkats and milkteas. From one shopping centre to another, it gets prettier cos' everything lights up.
Day 10: Back to the Start. New Year. (31/12/2019)
Woke up late on this last day to gain up all the energy we're gonna spend for the whole day till the clock strikes 12. Took shots in front of the Tokyo SkyTree before we head up to the train for light-shopping in Shinjuku. Had our lunch at a Turkish Restaurant with a view of the buildings. Strolled around for another souvenirs and went back to our Airbnb to take a 2-hour-rest. Woke up at 10.45 p.m and took the last train that head to Shibuya!
The waiting felt long and still can't believe the year's about to end. 2019 was the year I went out of my comfort zone, where I cut all of my toxic friends and realized that loneliness is better than pain. 2019 was very good to me, I was so focused on being with the people who appreciate with my existence, wasted my time wisely and so many that I cherished. The year felt like a healing process like I never gonna get a breakdown again. 2020 could be better or worse, but either way, it'll pass.
Until next time, Japan.
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