Our Trip to Japan - Part 2

Hello dear friends. In one of my previous posts, I shared some memories and impressions from my trip to Japan. In today's post, I'd like to talk about the places we visited after Nikko city.

Our next stop was the bamboo forests. One of the main attractions of the city is the bamboo forest in the Arashiyama district. Planted in the 14th century, it consists of hundreds of trees forming pathways through the forest. Bamboo grows quite rapidly, so most trees are over 40 meters tall. When the wind blows, the bamboo stalks collide, creating a natural music; the Japanese call it music that soothes the soul.

I can say that the best time to wander around and take photos without crowds is early in the morning. Make sure to plan to spend half a day there because next to the bamboo forest is the Tenryuji Temple, which I also recommend visiting.

Among the temples in Tokyo, our favorite was the Daigoji Temple. Firstly, this place is truly beautiful in the autumn. Secondly, being much further from the center, there aren't as many tourists; mostly photographers. I'm not sure if it makes sense to visit this place in summer or spring, but in autumn, it's incredibly beautiful. There are around 2000 temples and shrines in Kyoto. Of course, you won't have time to visit all of them, but the ones we visited are definitely recommended.

After Kyoto, we arrived in Osaka with a 45-minute train ride, Japan's third most populous city. Osaka has been Japan's largest port and commercial capital throughout history. There are many interesting places here, but we only had one day planned in Osaka according to our schedule. So, we visited Osaka Castle and the Dotonbori district first.

After wandering around a bit, we arrived at the center of Osaka, the Dotonbori district. There were thousands of people, neon lights everywhere, loud music, advertisements, street performers. Everything was complete chaos, but still wonderful. However, I don't think it's a good place for children.

After Osaka, we traveled to Nara, one of Japan's oldest cities, even the ancient capital. There are large and famous temple complexes here, but everyone comes here not just for the temples but to talk to the local residents. Deer in Nara are considered sacred animals; they are the main attraction of the city and mostly live in and around Nara Park.

It's better to come to Nara's deer park in the mornings because after lunch, the deer get full and their energy depletes, they rest and sleep; some may still be hungry, but most rest. They're used to people, they approach and ask for food. Of course, you can feed them, but only with special croquettes sold in the park; these deer have even learned to bow as thanks for food.

We tried Mochi, a traditional Japanese sweet, in Nara and even watched the pounding process. It was very delicious, just a bit sticky.

Since we stayed near the park, we could see the deer roaming from our room window.

Friends, thank you for reading all the way to the end, and I want to say that our trip to Japan was successful and happy. Initially, my family wanted to visit Japan, and I had a more neutral view of this country, but after this trip, I realized that I want to go again.

Japan is generally a country of contrasts. On one hand, there's the immense and crazy city like Tokyo with its skyscrapers, noisy streets, and advanced technology, on the other hand, there's the serene beauty of nature like Mount Fuji, temples, and parks, and almost everywhere you feel comfortable and peaceful; you see and feel that the country and each inhabitant respect, value, and love themselves.

Another thing I liked was Japanese cuisine, and to be honest, I didn't know much about it, and I probably thought it was similar to Chinese cuisine. However, the food culture and cuisine are completely different, and the dishes are both very delicious and very healthy.

I hope we can manage to visit this country again, and of course, I hope you're lucky enough to see and visit Japan too.