After the spectacular wedding, Ed, Cheri, and I embarked on the second week of our trip. We were winging it!
We checked out of our Kyoto hotel and walked to the Kyoto Station. We stashed our heavy luggage in lockers there, pretty reasonably.
We headed for a temple we had visited before, on our last trip to Japan. We took the subway, and at the station (Higashiyama) we ate curry before heading to a garden we had missed on our last trip. It was quite lovely.
We made our way back toward the Kyoto Station, shopped a bit, then picked up our luggage. Cheri went on her own to purchase an antique kimono.
It was a bit more difficult to get to the Airport Limo Bus than we had anticipated, especially with “tons” of luggage, but we eventually navigated our way through the massive station, finding elevators and passages.
Because of our luggage we chose to ride the bus to Osaka, KIX airport. Then we took a taxi for a couple of miles to our next hotel in Izumisano.
We had no plans for the next 7 days, but we felt we should stay in Japan instead of jetting to other countries.
The first day we walked around Izumisano, got oriented, and visited an old house that was over 200 years old. It was a little museum of household items of the past, linked to soy sauce production. We enjoyed talking with the curator, an elderly man who clearly loved his work.
We chose to visit Osaka Castle on Thursday. This was the day we climbed 30 flights of stairs between subways and battlements, hills with stairs and the castle itself. No kidding. Ed’s watch recorded it.
I was amazed at the history. I have little knowledge of Asian history, but I’m learning. The summer battle of Osaka, 1615, was a terrible event.
War is awful.
The climb to the top of the castle was worth it. Quite the view! I am not a fan of heights, but I just make myself do things I am fearful of.
On this note, I am somewhat claustrophobic, and our hotel made me feel this somewhat. Things are so compact in Japan! Our window looked out on another building literally a couple of feet away. It was frosted, so you could not see out unless you opened it, and it only opened up about five inches. We were on the fourth floor, and the room was pretty closed in. It was clean and well appointed, I cannot complain. I’m just used to open spaces.
I gained weight with my surgery recovery (little activity for four months) and I will say that being overweight in Japan is not easy.
On Friday we went back to Kyoto for the day. We walked the Philosopher’s Walk, saw the Silver Pavilion and its garden, had coffee at a little shop on the canal, visited Nanzenjin temple again, briefly, and had lunch at restaurant we liked on our first visit to Kyoto in 2023.
I like revisiting places. It makes me feel familiar and homey.
We took two different train companies to Kyoto, there and back, so we saw different sights both ways. Riding the trains was always interesting for me. I preferred the “local” trains, although much slower, one can see so much more, plus get oriented.
Saturday Ed and Cherie hiked up a mountain near Izumisano. There was a restaurant at the top of the mountain. They sent me photos and texts throughout the day, so I wasn’t worried about them.
That was a day when an American boy was lost in the mountains around Kyoto. We didn’t know about it until later, but we certainly shared the timing. Ed and Cherie stayed on the path, but there was some confusion at one point on their hike. Google Maps had something off. Ed took pictures and sent the correction in. That is his way.
Sunday we took the train to church. The Bible Church, which has a pastor who is friends with one of our friends at Grace Community Fellowship (they both went to the Master’s Seminary in California together), was very welcoming! We loved singing the hymns we know. I hummed along. The sermon was interpreted by an American man who has lived and settled there for 25 years.
After church we ate a type of vegetable pancake, which is very Japanese, at a little place not far from the Izumisano train station. We got sorbet, then went to the beach. Ed swam in the ocean. Osaka Bay. Cheri and I enjoyed the sun on the sand. It was a delightful day.
On the next day we went downtown Osaka to shop at a famous shopping street. It is very, very long, covered like an arcade, and there are hundreds of shops lining the sides. There is a fair-like atmosphere, and we walked the entire thing, twice, back and forth. I am glad we saw this, as it gave us a feel for local life and shopping.
Tuesday, the full day in Japan, we took the train to Wakayama and visited the castle there. There were few tourists, as this is south of Izumisano, away from Kyoto, and it was raining.
The humidity in that region of Japan, in June, is something to remark on! I felt we were in a sauna! I’m sure my skin and my body were benefited from the climate! We were constantly drenched in moisture. Air-conditioned trains are so nice!
I highly recommend visiting the castles of Japan. It is just interesting to see items from the shogun era, imagine the life of such lords, and see the sights of these historical times. Wakayama had some great armor on display. The views were absolutely stunning.
The typhoon began its appearance as we visited the castle there.
Wednesday morning we took the train to the KIX airport, just a couple of stops from Izumisano, where our hotel was right by the station. Despite much luggage we were able to maneuver everything to the correct check-in facility with Korean Air.
After a brief lay-over in Seoul, Korea, (briefer than anticipated due to a delayed flight —the typhoon changed our plans somewhat!) we got on our 12 hour flight for Minneapolis.
And so was our trip to Japan.
Hope you enjoyed the report!
I wonder if I will ever return to Japan. I loved it, but there are so many places in the world to see.
Ed says his next trip to Japan will involve more hikes. He and Cheri really enjoyed their hike up the mountain.
I loved everything. God is SO GOOD!