We took a bus then ferry to go to the island then another bus to reach the main area of Nokonoshima. Note that the ferry runs every 30 minutes only.
MARCH 15, 2020
Every breakfast in our Airbnb felt like a feast… and as someone who does not eat breakfast, I always end up feeling super full after eating our breakfast.
Before leaving the house, Hisako-obaasan gave me a plastic mat and snacks for our Nokonoshima trip. Such a super sweet person as well as her husband! They made us feel like we were their grandkids.
We took a bus then ferry to go to the island then another bus to reach the main area of NOKONOSHIMA. Note that the ferry runs every 30 minutes only so better get the schedule first from any tourist info center to be able to plan this trip properly.
We paid for ¥1,200 entrance fee per person to get inside the park. And while there were no sakura trees blooming yet, there were a lot of flower types already in full bloom.
After a long walk, we finally reached the area which I only saw in pictures before.
The rapeseed flowers were in full bloom and there was a pathway you can enter to be closer to the flowers.
Once satisfied with the pictures, we set the plastic mat and munched on the snacks provided by Hisako-obaasan. What a wonderful picnic especially with good weather that day!
We had lunch already in Hakata station where we tried HAKATA ISSOU. C still prefers Shin Shin because she found Hakata Issou’s broth to be nice at the beginning but too salty towards the end.
We spent the rest of the afternoon shopping for clothes and souvenirs then went back to our Airbnb to rest.
We availed the “Sorrento, Positano, and Amalfi Tour” from Viator, which costs around €80+ per person. Our first destination was Sorrento, which is the home of limoncello.
APRIL 15, 2019
We availed the “Sorrento, Positano, and Amalfi Tour” from Viator, which costs around €80+ per person. Our first destination was Sorrento, which is the home of limoncello. We first visited SORRENTAGRI which sold limoncello in various alcohol volume %. I was not a fan of both 20% and 32% but then again I don’t drink alcohol.
After buying small bottles of limoncello and cooking aids, we headed to the city center of SORRENTO and we were given free time to explore the city on our own.
My sister and I went to the famous DAVIDE IL GELATO and I got a 2-flavor cup: limone (lemon) and nocciola (hazelnut). Good thing I got the nocciola to neutralize the sourness from the limone.
We walked around some more before going back to the parking lot to reconvene with the rest of the group…
Second stop was POSITANO where we had a great view of the ocean and houses built in the cliffside village.
We had our lunch at RISTORANTE LA CALAJANARA where we had a simple 3-course lunch, part of the tour package. My sister and I were seated with a fellow tourist from Sweden, and we exchanged lots of stories about traveling and our home countries.
Last stop of the tour will be continued in the next post. 😊
Quite an early start for my Day 6 in Japan to be able to explore Mount Gozaisho in the morning. I was so excited to reach the summit but at the same time, a bit scared on how cold that morning will be. Problems of a tropical country citizen. Haha!
Quite an early start for my Day 6 in Japan
to be able to explore MOUNT GOZAISHO
in the morning. I was so excited to reach the summit but at the same time, a
bit scared on how cold that morning will be. Problems of a tropical country
citizen. Haha!
NOVEMBER 26, 2018
From Kintetsu-Nagoya Station, I rode a
train to Kintetsu-Yokkaichi Station then from there, transferred to a train
that would take me to Yunoyama-Onsen Station. If I had more time during this
autumn trip, I would have stayed overnight in the place to try the onsen in the
area. Anyway, as soon as I got off the train, I already felt that the
temperature was colder than in the city. When the bus going to GOZAISHO ROPEWAY STATION arrived, I
noticed two other old women who were in their hiking gear. I wondered if they
were going to climb Mount Gozaisho without the help of a cable car…
When we reached the ropeway station, I
immediately took a picture of the bus schedule going back to the train station
so that I can time my activities in the mountain area. Near the ticket area,
there was a board showing the temperature at the base vs the summit – it was
12C at the base then 4C at the summit. I was praying that I could endure the
cold up there.
The cable car ride to the summit did not bore me because of the autumn scenery surrounding the mountains.
I was so excited with the scenery that I even walked from one side of the cable car to the other to take in all the sights that Gozaisho has to offer.
The whole ride to the summit lasted 15 minutes and it was good that they did not force people to group together when ascending the mountain. Leaving these few more pictures from the cable car ride. Next post will be about the experience at Mount Gozaisho. 😉
Last stop for Day 3 was Korankei, which is considered as one of the best autumn spots in Chubu region. The place is very famous for momiji matsuri (autumn leaves viewing), and it is estimated to have about 4,000 maple trees of 11 types. Also, autumn night illumination is held every year from 5PM to 9PM wherein performances are held and lots of food stalls are set up.
Last stop for Day 3 was KORANKEI,
which is considered as one of the best autumn spots in Chubu region. The place
is very famous for momiji matsuri
(autumn leaves viewing), and it is estimated to have about 4,000 maple trees of
11 types. Also, autumn night illumination is held every year from 5PM to 9PM
wherein performances are held and lots of food stalls are set up.
NOVEMBER 23, 2018
The ride from Obara Fureai Park to Korankei took almost an
hour. We took a different route (but only realized this when I left Korankei) –
our van was the only vehicle on the road and we passed by mountains and lots of
tall trees… to the point that I felt like we were going to a high place similar
to Baguio or Sagada. LOL.
We arrived at Korankei at almost 5PM but the sun was almost
gone by then! These were the only shots I got from Tomoebashi Bridge, which captured the scenery with the little bit
of natural light left:
I walked along the pathway near Tomoe River then saw an uphill road to my left. A lot of locals were going up so I decided to follow… another mini hike for this day! It was quite a struggle for me because of my loafers’ slippery sole but I managed to reach the top.
There wasn’t much of a view because most of the surroundings were too dark to see already. The spotlights helped though in seeing the varying colors of the trees around us.
Overexposed – probably the worst picture I have in this trip haha!
After going back to the main road of Korankei, I noticed
hundreds of lit candles along Tomoe River. I wanted to go there but there was a
sign that only people who bought wishing candles can do so… what else to do but
buy one, right?
There was a sign in kanji but I somehow understood that there was a photo contest for the wishing candles bought that was why the locals were busy finding the best angle. Some were trying to form a word or shape as a form of creativity.
View of Taigetsukyo Bridge from the riverside
I went around the area and once done with exploring, it was back to the main road of maple trees.
Too crowded, yikes!
I wasn’t able to visit anymore other famous spots in
Korankei such as Kojakuji Temple and the Koranbashi Suspension Bridge. ☹
It was already dark and the crowd was nauseating for me. I managed to find a
big area with lots of food stalls but all of them had long lines and all dining
tables were full. I decided to just go back to Taigetsukyo Bridge and cross it.
There were food stalls as well in this other side of Korankei and I fell in line in one shop because of the momiji-shaped food they were selling. I got the custard filled one because that one sounded delicious… true enough, it was good! I liked the sprinkled salt on top which contrasted the sweetness.
I walked while eating the momiji sweet – tabearuki (食べ歩き, eating while walking) is an acceptable behavior during festivals like this. I eventually found myself in another area with lots of food stalls. I saw takoyaki, yakisoba, candied fruits, okonomiyaki, omurice, and so much more food! How I wish that I could eat so much food during this time but my stomach wasn’t feeling well so I was only able to eat a set of 6-piece takoyaki. 😦
Interesting how they put the mayo inside each takoyaki
Almost done cooking!
After dinner, I went to the bus stop for Toyotashi Station
as the destination. It was only during this ride when I was able to confirm
that we took a different route earlier that day. The bus arrived late at the
train station because of the heavy traffic in Korankei.
Even if it was a very, very tiring third day, no regrets because the sceneries I saw were mesmerizing. Autumn in Japan is definitely a must!
While planning the Kansai Region trip last year, I read that this temple is at its best during spring and autumn so my expectations were high… and it did not disappoint! Even at the parking area, people were already having their pictures taken.
I bought the ticket for both main hall and garden (¥800) entrance passes, with the temple being my first order of business. No shoes allowed, by the way!
The last stop in my revisit to Arashiyama
was TENRYU-JI (UNESCO Heritage Site).
NOVEMBER 22, 2018
While planning the Kansai Region trip last year, I read that this temple is at its best during spring and autumn so my expectations were high… and it did not disappoint! Even at the parking area, people were already having their pictures taken.
I bought the ticket for both main hall and
garden (¥800) entrance passes, with the temple being my first order of business.
No shoes allowed, by the way!
I liked the area where they have a large
sitting hall and you can just admire the view of the pond and autumn trees. It
was just so beautiful plus having that sense of inner peace while looking at
the surroundings. I guess no surprise why Tenryu-ji is regarded as one of the
best Zen temples in Kyoto.
I spent some time there before exploring the rest of temple buildings.
Once finished, I returned to the ticket booth to wear my shoes and then headed to the next area. Tenryuji’s garden was created by Muso Soseki, a famous Zen Buddhist Monk who was also the first head priest of this temple.
During my 2017 visit, I thought that I already saw the whole garden so I was shocked to learn that there was a huge area that I didn’t get to see last time. I also didn’t know that there was an exit from there that would lead straight into the bamboo grove… So how did I not know these things? I remembered that at that time, we were in a hurry to catch the Sagano Torokko Train so our visit was cut short.
Anyway, pardon for having lots of photos after this because I just found everything really beautiful, especially because I was surrounded by a mix of colors (red, orange, and yellow). It was just so surreal!
I hope you enjoyed a bit of a tour in Tenryu-ji’s famous garden during the peak of autumn. ❤
Not sure if my face says it but I am one very happy kid!
Good thing the rain stopped after finishing breakfast so I got to enjoy the view at Togetsukyo Bridge.
While it was a gloomy weather, that didn’t stop me from feeling happy because of the autumn colors. During my 2017 visit, the trees were either green or bare since it was still early spring.
NOVEMBER 22, 2018
After exploring Sagano Bamboo Grove, I wanted to eat breakfast and I remembered that there was a Lawson near the intersection to Togetsukyo Bridge… and my memory didn’t fail me, yay!
What else to buy for breakfast but this pair – tuna mayo onigiri and hot tea. This is my go-to breakfast in Japan, to the point that some friends find it weird that I can eat tuna mayo onigiri everyday.
I wanted to eat by the Katsura River but it was drizzling. Good thing the rain stopped after finishing breakfast so walking to TOGETSUKYO BRIDGE was not a challenge…
Close up shot of trees in autumn colors
The weather was still gloomy but that didn’t stop me from feeling happy because of the autumn colors I could see. During my 2017 visit, the trees were either green or bare since it was still early spring (read it here).
Here is Togetsukyo bridge with the view
from the opposite side (without the nice landscape scenery):
Back to the nicer view in this area:
I read before that there are river/boat
tour being offered here. I wanted to try it but the thought of being splashed
by water – even if just a tiny bit – on a very cold day already made me shiver.
Haha!
Just on my second day in Japan but autumn already captured my heart. It made me understand why a lot of people love this season. ❤
It’s the continuation of the Kimi no Na wa seichi junrei (聖地巡礼 – anime pilgrimage) in Gifu Prefecture – but this time in the town of Hida-Furukawa.
Just in the area of HIDA-FURUKAWA STATION, I was already able to capture 3 shots similar to Kimi no Na wa frames!
It’s the continuation of the Kimi no Na wa seichi junrei (聖地巡礼 – anime pilgrimage) in Gifu Prefecture – but this time in the town of Hida-Furukawa.
NOVEMBER 21, 2018
Touchdown Hida-Furukawa Station!
Just in the area of HIDA-FURUKAWA STATION, I was already able to capture 3 shots similar to Kimi no Na wa frames:
No train was passing by at the time though…
Then from the train station, it was a 5-minute walk to HIDA CITY LIBRARY. I showed an image of the Kimi no Na wa poster to one of the librarians and she gave me an ID pass. Picture taking was not allowed and complete silence must be observed. Not surprising though that the area for Kimi no Na wa fan dedication was already gone during this visit as it has been 2 years already since it premiered.
Look who I met in the library again!
Next stop was SAKURA BUSSANKAN/GIFT SHOP where they sell various Kimi no Na wa souvenirs such as the container similar to kuchikamizake and Taki’s bracelet. They also offer a 30-minute kumihimo braiding lesson so that you can craft your own bracelet. Fee ranges from ¥500 to ¥1,500, depending on the type of bracelet. I wanted to try it but I was too shy to ask. 😦
Kuchikamizake (but cleanly processed and prepared!)
My happy face after going around Hida-Furukawa
Since there was nothing to do anymore and there was still more than 2 hours before the train back to Nagoya, I decided to go to one of the recommended GOHEI MOCHI places in the tourist map. Gohei mochi is a sticky white rice cake coated in miso sauce and has this grilled/smoky taste. It is a featured snack in Kimi no Na wa as seen in this frame with Taki, Tsukasa, and Okudera:
Apparently, gohei mochi is a popular snack in the region because I saw lots of stalls offering this in the other areas I visited in Chubu region. Didn’t enjoy this so much though… After an hour, it was time to go to KETA WAKAMIYA SHRINE, the last stop in this Kimi no Na wa seichi junrei. It was about a 30-minute walk and I didn’t see any mode of public transpo in the area.
These kids were walking in the same direction and I got surprised when they turned around to say “konnichiwa!”. So kawaii!
Finally reached the shrine!
Still had about an hour left before the train arrives so it was a deliberately slow walk to take in all the sights of this small town before I leave.
Good thing there was a waiting area in the train station because by the time I got there, the temperature was already 5C. There were also vendo machines which had hot tea so I was saved.
Back in Nagoya Station, dinner was supposed to be in a mazesoba restaurant because they had gyoza but the line was still long even if it was already past 9PM. Settled for this restaurant which serves oyakodon, one of the famous Nagoya-meshi. I got this set which had oyakodon + soup + kushikatsu with miso sauce. I also ordered my favorite Japan alcoholic drink – chu-hi. I chose the yuzu flavor since I hadn’t tried it yet.
Everything was yummy and the serving size for oyakodon was
big that I had to force myself to finish it. I am not sure if I understood it
correctly that the restaurant uses Nagoya cochin for their chicken dishes – a
premium chicken breed which has a flavorful meat than the usual.
Before heading back to the hotel, we passed by Club Sega and I saw one of the UFO machines containing Nyanko-sensei pillows (from Natsume Yuujinchou). Ugh, if only I had good skills or at least a really good luck.
NYANKO-SENSEI!
Anyway, that’s it for Gifu prefecture and the Kimi no Na wa pilgrimage. Kyoto adventure will be up next!
T and I availed the Economy Tour, which costs Php 999 and already includes the following: boat ride, tour proper, packed lunch, and snacks. Aside from this good deal, what convinced us to book this tour is their assurance that their group is authorized by LGU Mariveles and Bataan Tourism as well as being featured in travel pages and TV shows. Click here to find their page dedicated for the FIVE FINGERS TOUR.
NOVEMBER 16, 2017
We started our 2nd day in Bataan early because we joined a group tour for Five Fingers. Our Airbnb host offers breakfast for a certain fee and we availed that since we were not sure if there was any food establishment near the meet-up point for the tour.
From our Airbnb, we took a jeep bound for Mariveles since no bus was passing by. Upon arriving at the port, we met with the tour guides from Bataan Weather Page (BWP). They were responsive to our messages, especially when we got lost trying to find the meet-up location.
T and I availed the Economy Tour, which costs Php 999 and already includes the following: boat ride, tour proper, packed lunch, and snacks. Aside from this good deal, what convinced us to book this tour is their assurance that their group is authorized by LGU Mariveles and Bataan Tourism as well as being featured in travel pages and TV shows. Click here to find their page dedicated for the FIVE FINGERS TOUR.
I wasn’t paying attention to the names of each spot we visited but I’ll mention the various activities we did during the tour.
Our first stop was where we would do trekking. The guides told us that it would only be a “pabebe trek” but most of us concluded that it was not. We were lucky that it was a sunny day so we didn’t have to worry about muddy paths or accidentally slipping up while climbing or going down.
Still, despite having a bit of difficulty, the scenery at the top was worth every sweat!
After this, we hopped to different areas around Five Fingers where one of the highlights was cliff diving. The first cliff diving spot had a height of 25 feet while the second one was about 40 feet.
Snorkeling was an activity mentioned in their page but we didn’t visit any place to do this. Quite a bummer because T and I brought our own snorkelling gear. 😦 We went to a spot though with lots of sea urchin and rocky places for pictures so that compensated it na?
Our last stop during this tour was a beach with fine sand. We were the only people there so we had the place to ourselves. BWP provided us free lunch so none in the group had to cook anymore, yay! After lunch, we spent another hour swimming in this area… we even found a starfish!
We went home around 3PM and spent the remaining hours in our Airbnb, relaxing and chatting with our hosts. I’ll be sharing more details on our Airbnb hosts and their place in the next post!
T and I went to DAMBANA NG KAGITINGAN (Shrine of Valor), a historical shrine built on Mount Samat to honor the Filipinos and Americans who fought during World War II.
Before seeing the iconic 92-meter cross, we encountered the colonnade which houses sculptures made by National Artist Napoleon Abueva and stained glass murals designed by Cenon Rivera.
NOVEMBER 15, 2017
Because of the ASEAN holidays back in Nov 2017, T and I spontaneously thought of going out of town for the long weekend. She suggested Bataan and since I haven’t been there, I agreed to go there.
From Cubao, we rode an air-conditioned Genesis bus bound for Mariveles. We overestimated our travel time and reached the area of our Airbnb at 5AM. There were no street lights and we hopped off the bus at the wrong drop off… Good thing we were already near the Airbnb and I was able to contact the host before our phone’s signal turned to nil.
After catching some sleep, T and I went to DAMBANA NG KAGITINGAN (Shrine of Valor), a historical shrine built on Mount Samat to honor the Filipinos and Americans who fought during World War II.
Before seeing the iconic 92-meter cross, we encountered the colonnade which houses sculptures made by National Artist Napoleon Abueva and stained glass murals designed by Cenon Rivera.
Near the colonnade is the entrance to the underground museum, where war memorabilia are displayed – weaponry, uniforms, photos from the war, path of the Death March, and miniature display of mountains and their use during the war.
Our final stop was the cross but to get there, we had to climb hundreds of steps that zigzagged the area.
Upon reaching the cross, I was in awe of how huge it was. The sculptures found at the base of the cross were also works of Abueva.
The staff said that we would have a better panoramic view of Bataan if we go to the viewing gallery inside the cross. Unfortunately, during our visit, the elevator was under maintenance so we didn’t get to see it.
Still, there are other spots around the area where you can get a scenic view of Bataan. Our tricycle driver showed us one location and it was just breath-taking.
Next location we visited was Las Casas – stay tuned for the next post under Bataan 2017 trip.
After braving the strong wind, we finally saw the famous MEOTO IWA (“Wedded Rocks”). It is said that the larger rock represents the husband while the smaller one is the wife, and this couple is actually a representation of Izanagi and Izanami, the gods who created Japan.
It may not look as majestic as the ones in photos seen online, but they say that the best time to go here is during high tide and sunrise – get to see the sun rising between the two rocks.
Continuation of our Ise-Shima adventure!
After lunch in Ebiya, we went back to the Ujiyamada Station to go to Meoto Iwa. When we arrived at the Futamino-Ura Station, we could really feel the rural life. There was no machine for us to insert our ticket as we headed towards the exit. Instead, there was an old man who checked our ticket. After exiting the station, there was no vehicle even on the main road. It was a good thing there was a local who we could ask for directions going to Meoto Iwa. He only spoke Japanese but his directions using his hands (even including Y gesture to signal the fork road) were very clear.
Different types of Yakult
Can we have this in PH please???
We walked for about 20 minutes before we finally arrived by the seaside. I was expecting to enjoy the scenery but the wind was really strong… strong enough to pull up my hoodie!
We went inside Futamiokitama Shrine, which is generously decorated with frogs of different sizes.
Ema with Meoto Iwa design
After braving the strong wind, we finally saw the famous MEOTO IWA (“Wedded Rocks”). It is said that the larger rock represents the husband while the smaller one is the wife, and this couple is actually a representation of Izanagi and Izanami, the gods who created Japan.
It may not look as majestic as the ones in photos seen online, but they say that the best time to go here is during high tide and sunrise – get to see the sun rising between the two rocks. These rocks, connected by Shimenawa rope (Shinto sacred rope), are also considered as a symbol of marriage.
If you are into drainspotting, do not miss the manhole cover in this area which showcases Meoto Iwa.
Drainspotting: sunrise at Meoto Iwa
Only saw this map when we were headed back — shows the route from train station to Meoto Iwa
When we got back in Ujiyamada Station, we had to purchase tickets back to Osaka. We did not purchase this beforehand since we were not sure what time we will finish our adventure in Ise-Shima. We somehow regretted it because ticket price per person was around 2,000 or 3,000+ yen. We also made a mistake of boarding the wrong train (1 minute earlier than ours!!) so we had to pay an extra fee.
The train is called Premium Express Shimakaze. It definitely looked and felt premium than the train we rode in the morning – reclining chair, automated window blinds… We even got a boarding certificate to commemorate our ride.
Lesson learned: Japanese trains arrive on the dot unless they announce otherwise. Who would have thought that that train which arrived 1 minute earlier is indeed different from the one we should have boarded. Oh well.
For our last dinner during this trip, we decided to go to HONKE SHIBATO, a restaurant famous for its eel dishes. The restaurant is 300+ years old so their quality is definitely something to be trusted. If you are on a budget, definitely skip this place then. We both got the Osaka Mamushi, which costs ¥2,730 per order. It was my first time to eat eel and their unagi definitely did not disappoint.
Even the cover looks premium!
Close up shot of that delicious unagi!
The staff was really nice and they even offered to take our picture outside the shop. 🙂
Anne Goes to Places 