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Trip Japan Honshu Spring Season

This is visual trip journal with selective pick travel photography I taken along the trip. This is the second trip for me to Japan with wife, first trip is to Hokkaido in winter season.

Below is Indiana Jones like travel map, easy to explain where am I travel for the trip, high level in single map. Hope it serves a purpose for those who will undertake similar trip or look for travel inspiration.

It typical 7 days 5 nights region trip, and since want to write in brief, so divide into three sections below, Kansai, Chubu, and Kanto. Hope your enjoy selective pick travel photography I taken along the trip, along with the travel journal below.

Kansai Region 関西地方

The trip started from Wakaya prefecture 和歌山県 visit Yuasa soy sauce 湯浅醤油 making old town, now still produce soy sauce, visit the factory and see and hear how the soy sauce being making. This once upon a time important product, as time changes, machinery mass production making it very hard for traditional house to keep their old manner for soy sauce compete with low cost soy sauce, but the premium market who are willing to buy premium soy sauce remain.  I very impress for a local wooden craft dragon sculpture saw while in the store. Then follow with visit to Kuroshio Market 黑潮市場, a typical seafood market, but feature a live show operate by fisherman cutting giant salmon fish. A place for tasting fresh seafood snack and continue for seafood lunch.

Double Dragon 双龙 | Yuasa 湯浅

Craftmanship pride 職人的自豪 | Kuroshio Market 黑潮市場

In the afternoon after lunch, journey toward Osaka prefecture 大阪府, first visit to Osaka Castle Park 大阪城公園 where here is place not just for old iconic Japanese castle landmark, but place for enjoying the sakura, cherry blossom. But we come slightly earlier, it just began, but from the walk, a lot of local, and the weather is just right for the park walk, it spring season. Go up the Osaka castle observation deck and visit and saw the internal museum exhibitions. The unique golden dragon fish on the castle roof replicate outside and original inside for display is impressive. In the garden park below, a lot of local, from high school students take graduation photo, to street artist perform the trick and attract people's attention.

Osaka Castle 大阪城

Osaka Castle Golden Shachihoko 大阪城金鯱

Street Artist 街头艺人 | Osaka Castle Park 大阪城公園

Graduation 卒業 | Osaka Castle Park 大阪城公園

School Girls 女子校生 | Osaka Castle Park 大阪城公園

Sumo Wrestler 相扑手 | Osaka Castle Park 大阪城公園

Interesting contrast 有趣的对比 | Osaka 大阪

Shinsaibashi Shopping District 心斎橋商店街 is full of people, I like the street full of restaurants make giant display, from dragon (actually a Raman store), to others eye catching pop (point of promotion) advertisement. Taste the famous blowfish in Japanese restaurant who had the license and skill to treat this poison fish that need special care.

Shinsaibashi Shopping District 心斎橋商店街

Female at Shinsaibashi 在心斎橋的女人们

Night stay at Shin Osaka area. At night go out for supper. Had a good time for the elder operate local izakaya 居酒屋 (informal Japanese pub). Next day after hotel breakfast, continue the journey.

Sashimi taste in Izakaya 居酒屋品尝的生鱼片 | Shin Osaka 新大阪

Breakfast Moment 早餐时刻 | Shin Osaka 新大阪

Today will visit two ancient city. Start from Nara Prefecture 奈良県, after walk thru the deer park, visit Todai-ji Temple 東大寺, follow with the nearby shinto shrine, Himuro Shrine 氷室神社, Sakura Cherry Blossom is beautiful, can feel the season is beginning, we are really come in the right timing.

Nara Park Deer Encounter 奈良公园遇到的鹿

Nara Tōdai-ji Temple 奈良 東大寺

Smile 微笑 | Nara Todaiji 奈良県 東大寺

Himuro Shrine 氷室神社

Himuro Shrine 氷室神社

With Tour Guide 与导游合影 | Himuro Shrine 氷室神社

Next stop Kyoto Prefecture 京都府, stop at Nishijin Textile Center 西陣織会館, for traditional Kimono fashion show, it enjoyable saw Japanese female in traditional Japanese dress for the catwalk. I bought my Yukata over here, follow with the lunch. After that visit to Kiyomizu-dera Temple 清水寺. Dress in traditional Japanese dress will not found it look strange in this old street district. Kiyomizu-dera main attraction is the stage, you need to walk to the opposite hill to view back. Night stay at Gifu 岐阜市.

Kyoto Nishijin Textile Center 京都 西陣織会館

Girls in Kimono 和服的女孩 | Kyoto Kiyomizu-dera 京都清水寺

The Stage of Kiyomizu 清水舞台

Red Pagoda 赤い塔 | Kiyomizu-Dera 清水寺

Kyoto Sanneizaka (Sannenzaka) 京都 産寧坂(三年坂)

Chubu Region 中部地方

From Gifu along the highway can see scenic mountain while toward Shirakawago 白川郷. Observation deck at the high hill provide impressive bird view for this UNESCO world heritage village. Follow with the walk inside the village, then take the lunch, before journey to Takayama. Come here for visit Takayama Jinya 高山陣屋, former governance office and Sanmachi Suji 三町筋, Edo-period streets lined with traditional merchant houses, restaurants, shops and breweries. Tonight stay at Isawa Onsen 石和温泉, of Yamanashi Prefecture 山梨県. Tonight saw the night sakura, and the next morning, another round of Sakura Cherry Blossom session, just in front of the Onsen Ryokan.

Gifu Gujo Mountain Scene 岐阜郡 山の風景

Gifu Shirakawa-go 岐阜県 白川郷合掌造り集落

Gifu Shirakawa-go 岐阜県 白川郷合掌造り集落

Gifu Takayama Jinya 岐阜県 高山陣屋

Hanami Isawa Onsen, Yamanashi 山梨県 花見 石和温泉

Hanami Isawa Onsen, Yamanashi 山梨県 花見 石和温泉

Visit Mount Fuji, but due to the weather no so good, can only go up to 2020m, level 4. Level 5 is blocked. Next stop is Shiraito Falls 富士宮 白糸の滝, unique, wide waterfall in the scenic. We make lunch stop at NEOPASA駿河湾沼津. After lunch, we visit Fujiheiwa Park 富士平和公園, the park with lots of unique lion sculpture from various countries. After that go for Gotemba Premium Outlets. Saw lot of kid in waiting their parents for shopping. Overnight at Hakone onsen (hot spring) resort.

Mount Fuji, Shizuoka 静岡県 富士山

Air of Mount Fuji 富士山の空気

Shiraito Falls 富士宮市 白糸の滝

Fujiheiwa Park 富士平和公園 | Gotemba 御殿场

Gotemba Premium Outlets

Arrived in Tokyo, first stop Asakusa Kannon Temple/Sensoji 浅草寺. Served as Tokyo iconic landmark, beside the color red Tokyo Tower, it features a giant Japanese lantern and with the kanji word of thunder gate "雷門". Follow visit to Ueno-Onshi Park 上野恩賜公園, now it is the right season for sakura cherry blossom. Saw a lot of local occupied the floor with mat, open party and enjoy the scenic moment. Pass by Imperial Palace 皇居 while to coach drive slowly, while we go Ginza 銀座 shopping district. Follow with VenusFort, shopping complex at Odaiba, feature Toyota city showcase and continue shopping inside the mall. The night ended at Aqua City Odaiba for dinner and saw the replica Liberty Statue, with famous rainbow bridge and Tokyo Tower as the backdrop. Over night stay at Shin Osaka. Next day after breakfast, go to Haneda International Airport, transit from Hong Kong International Airport back to Kuala Lumpur.

Asakusa Kannon Temple/Sensoji 浅草寺

Asakusa Kannon Temple/Sensoji 浅草寺

Asakusa Kannon Temple/Sensoji 浅草寺

Hanami 花見 | Tokyo Ueno-Onshi Park 東京 上野恩賜公園

Okachimachi Street Promotion 御徒町 街头推广 | Tokyo Ueno 東京 上野

Akihabara 秋葉原 | Tokyo 東京

VenusFort Roman Fountain 罗马喷泉 | Odaiba, Tokyo Bay お台場 東京湾

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