Everyone you tell you will visit Osaka and Kyoto will tell you 1- they have been there already and 2- they loved the food and 3- have met friendly people.

The truth is, that is exactly what happened.

We arrived with Peach airlines (Japans first low cost airline) from Taipei at the Osaka Kansai airport. The airport is located off the Honshu shore and designed by an Italian architect Renzo Piano. We chose  the rapit train from the airport directly to Namba station. The train looks futuristic and has a retro style interior and within approximately 40 Min you go from a harbor area to the buzzling city of Osaka.

Welcome to Peach aviation!

 

View along the way!

Inside the rapit train

For a moment you will feel lost at Namba station. The station seems to be a city within a city, but easily we found the signs to our hotel: the Swissotel Nankai Osaka. From the rooms you can enjoy an amazing view over the city of Osaka with a taste of Switzerland!

The Swissotel is very convenient and you can reach all main attractions by foot!

The Dotonbori, which seems to be the heart of Osaka with cafes, theatres, shops and restaurants.

        

A must try is definitely the Takoyaki: a ball-shaped snack made of a wheat flour-based batter filled with octopus (tako), tempura scraps (tenkasu) and green onion. Enjoy the lights of Osaka at night.

A hungry camper.

After all the snacking we decided to have dinner at the Matsuzakagyu, where the meat is of the highest quality and the side-dishes complement the main perfectly. Very yummy and leaves some space for some more snacks on the way back to the hotel…

In bed you can already look forward to the breakfast at the Swissotel! You will have an amazing view and tasty breakfast including japanese and international choices along with an English version of the Japanese Times, which keeps you updated of the happenings around Japan and the world. In our edition we learned that a bunch of people died on New Years Eve eating mochis by choking.

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Our second day we took the train to Kyoto. Kyoto is known for its many shrines and temples. According to Tripadvisor and many tourists before us the Fushimi Inari Shrine is one of the most beautiful shrines. Take a look yourself:

 

Check out the Vine Loop

https://www.vineclient.com/v/akzKKcIkXzb

    

The shrine sits at the base of a mountain also named Inari and has trails up the mountain to smaller shrines. Since early Japan, Inari was seen as the patron of business, and merchants and manufacturers have traditionally worshipped Inari. Each of the torii at Fushimi Inari Taisha is donated by a Japanese business. In fact you can see a lot of Japanese business people walking up the trail.

You can even find a cat cafe just outside the Inari Shrine

 

Kyotos most famous neighbourhood is called Gion. The district was built to accommodate the needs of travelers and visitors to the shrine. It eventually evolved to become one of the most exclusive and well-known geisha districts in all of Japan. We even spotted Geishas. Can you spot them?

    

In case you like it cosy, you will be able to find capsule hotels in Japan.

     

                                

Back in Osaka we visited some street markets. Look how fresh everything looks.

       If you dare you can try this fugu restaurant.

 

On our last day in Osaka- the food capital of Japan and some say even of the world- we treated ourselves with lunch at the three Michelin star restaurant Fujiya 1935. Chef Tetsuya Fujiwara will surely not disappoint you. He spent some time in Italy and Spain and you will see him in the open kitchen and even serving some plates. Amazing food and decorations. Plates, tastes and food build a symbioses, which is hard to find anywhere else.  No wonder you have to book way in advance.

Entrance

Appetizer: Gnocchi in a quale soup

 Radish with Wasabi cream

Black Soy Beans bread with bubbles and White Shrimp Biscotto

  Groupes, tomate, shimonitanegi leek,

   Linguine, blue crab, soy beans

   Liquor from the chef’s mom

With full bellies we walked to the Osaka castle. It is one of the most important landmarks of Japan, played a major role in the unification of Japan in the 16th century and was even featured in the amazing race…

          

Last night with dinner from Takashimaya

 

Bye bye Japan, see you soon with warmer weather!