Japan Diary Part 2: Kyoto+Nara+Kobe

I have received so many questions in accordance with my last post about Osaka on where I stayed. For the trip to Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and Kobe, we were based in Osaka, which means that we had to take JR trains to anywhere we wanted to go. But do not worry, the Japan Railway goes so fast and easy to figure. It took us just at most around one hour to the surrounding cities.

Our Stop 2 is: Kyoto

*It is said that if you build as many as Torii (on the right), you are doing a good thing and that is the path you can bring yourself from mundane to sacred . (Torri means Bird Abode in Japanese )

Kyoto is just not any average city you would rate in your dream list. It is something jump out of the ordinary. If there are some cities would make me stay, Kyoto would be one of them. No matter is the natural taste of its Kaiseki-ryori (ryori means cuisine in Japanese language), or the whisper between people in those traditional Japanese teahouse, Kyoto brought me another experience of life, where busy can be harmonised with quite, where modern can be harmonised with ancient.

If you ever come, make sure you book yourself with your bestie in a Kaiseki-ryori, and enjoy the Zen it brings to you. Kikunoi is one of the best/most famous Michelin-Stared restaurants (with 3 stars). Private room was prepared for two of us with a traditional garden view. One waitress was assigned specifically to our room just to ensure the highest quality of its service. I have no other word to describe our experience but EXCELLENT. My tip here is to book at least two months ahead (reservation page is here, we booked dining experience with head office, choose the one suits your trip), and communicate well with the host on what you do not eat. For example, Aileen and I are both Buddhism, so we try to eat as less meat as we could. Then, we can request maybe the proportion in using the meat for our meal. Definitely let them know all the food you do not eat, because you will never know.

Stop 3: Nara

As a writer who really wanted to reveal truth about travelling. I decided to give some REAL talk about your most wanted known fact: Nara Deer Park

I might seemed in a good relationship with my new friends: nara deers, and they are really cute. But do remember they are quiet aggressive, and rude most of the time even they do know how to bow. I was holding the biscuits and tried my best to get a photo when feeding them. Once you have one piece of food in your hand, all the deers would come to your way and give you no way to run until they empty the food. If you holding a bag of biscuits and waited just one more second to take it out, the deers would chew your coat/even your handbag (Yes, my Chloe drew handbag was the target) until you buy them food. And most importantly, they rush into your with an unexpected strength. So get prepared.

Stop 4: Kobe

I will have to say the city of Kobe is a well mix of Japanese culture with foreign culture. As a high-mover who embrace multi-culture, and considering myself a global citizen, I could feel it the moment I pop off the train to Kobe. The clean skyline and serenity just reminds of city of Brisbane. See, that is the reason I love travelling. You will always find the same among diversity and that is it.