I came home yesterday from Osaka. I went to many places of Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe for 4 days with my friends. Also, we ate a lot of traditional foods.
On the first day, we got up early morning, and took the first train at 6:05. After about 2 hours, we changed trains from limited express to Shinkansen at Hakata station. We arrived at Shin-Osaka station, the first thing we did was to eat okonomiyaki!! We ordered 3, it was so delicious, so we finished eating all soon. Having had enough time by 3:00, we walked around near the station. There are high buildings there, it was fun for me to just watch. We left the station at 2:30, reached Universal Studio Japan.
Halloween parade will have been held in the bay. Therefore, so many people had made a long line front of entrance when we arrived. We entered USJ, looked forward to attractions. It took a few times to find the first attraction. I wanted to take "Hollywood Dream the Ride." However, two of four dread taking it, so I can't ride. I have taken the attraction before, I can't forget it. We can select one of 6 songs we ride it, and enjoy the attraction with listening music. If you go there, please try it. We enjoyed 5 attractions the day, but I still wanted to ride "Hollywood Dream the Ride." We went back to Osaka station by train, headed for a hotel. The hotel was near Esaka station. Having arrived at the hotel, we were so tired.
On the second day, we went to Kobe. I made plans of the day, but I had a lot of troubles in the place that I go first time. At first, I headed for a building, Mediterrasse. We strolled through the streets, and found it at last. Its aspect was so cute, beautiful and colorful, I thought that it's like a building of Europe, also had a chic mood. Nest, we went to Nankin-machi which is known as China town.
We went to there to have delicious foods, for example, nikuman(baozi) and Chinese noodle and so on. A great many people ate some foods with standing at the square of Nankin-machi. Especially, a long line front of Shoroki(祥老記) is well-known, baozi of Shoroki is delicious. In fact, we tried it. I want to eat again someday. We ate shark fin Chinese noodle for lunch. I like Chinese foods very much, so those made me happy. Also, there were many cute Chinese sundry goods there. We bought those as gifts for my friends. An eco-bag which is printed a face of a panda was my favorite, so I brought it for my sister. Then, we walked around Sannomiya and Motomachi; I found boots and, liked it. However, the shop had just one size, S. The boots was too small for my foot. I gave up to buying it. Kobe is well-known as production of shoes, so I wanted to get nice shoes. After enjoyed shopping in Kobe, we went to back to Shin-Osaka station.
On the third day, we went to Arashiyama in Kyoto. It was cloudy, I felt cool air. However, three friends were very excited. They wanted to go to especially Kyoto. At first, we were surprised at a great many tourists. Fall is the best season to see colored leaves. We went for it, too, but leaves haven’t yet changed colors too much. Still I was impressed with the beauty of the view and temples. Our purpose in Arashiyama was seeing Tenryuji(天龍寺).
It's the world heritage site; lots of tourists visit there every year. After seeing Tenryuji, we went to eat soba. We found many restaurant, but had decided to eat at Yoshimura. Yoshimura is a soba restaurant of long standing, it was expensive for us. However, soba was so delicious. In addition, we could see a beautiful view with eating soba. We saw a great many tourists crossing Togetsukyo(渡月橋) from the window. Then, we went to see the garden of Tenryoji after enjoying lunch. The garden was very very large, so it took about a half hour to walk around there. Next, we headed for a place that I was looking forward to before. I wanted to walk at Chikurinno-michi(竹林の道). I have seen it on TV and guide books of Kyoto. Also, a lot of locations of video dramas and films are take place there. We walked through the alley in great agitation. The bamboos were so beautiful and brick. Having found a nice teahouse after that, we entered it. I wanted to have a break under a big red umbrella.
It was one of things that I wanted to do. I ate zenzai at the teahouse. After tea time, we went to buy souvenirs. One of friends, Shiori bought some cloth wrappers. It is called furoshiki in Japan. There were so many kind of pattern on furoshiki. Its have good designs, it took times to make decision which she buy. Using furoshiki as a bag becomes popular in Kyoto. The pattern of black cats and flowers was my favorite, but I didn't buy. Instead of it, I bought a bag for my grandma. After shopping, we went back the hotel. We will have visited in Kiyomizudera(清水寺) on next day.
On the last day of trip, we went to Kyoto again. The purpose of the day was to see Kiyomizudera. The temple is also the world heritage site. I've been there when I was a junior high school student. We didn't go through Ninenzaka(二寧坂) and Sannenzaka(三年坂) then. I was looking forward to go there. The day, we walked hard. At first, the distance to Kitomizudera from Kawaramachi station was so far, I said again and again "we've not already arrived at Kiyomizu～." Therefore, my friends also said "you'll see the temple soon." I was grad when I find Kiyomizudera. The stage of Kiyomizu was so great, I was impressed it. We could see Kyoto, it was a nice view. Also, many people took pictures there, so I was asked to take it from other visitor. We had other visitor taken pictures. We went to Otowano-taki(音羽の滝) after that.
Do you know that?? There are 3 waterfalls; people said "they grant wishes." From the right of the photograph sequentially, waterfall of the right is said “It grants wishes of studies.” The middle is love, and the left is longevity. I didn't know which is which, choose randomly. I drank water from waterfall of studies accomplishment. I do my best to study!! We returned on the road that we came, we went to Ninenzaka again. Having found a lot of gift shops there, we stopped to walk, and looked for something good. We had to take Shinkansen at 5 p.m. Therefore, we didn't have enough time. At last, we visited Yojiya(ようじや). The oil removing paper that is sold in the shop is well known. I bought many goods there, we left Kyoto for Kumamoto.
My best sentiment of the trip is "I enjoyed Kansai enough." This time, I think that I became a travel-lover, so I want to take trip again, some day. I'll go to the distance more next time.
Regret and reflection are souvenirs.
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