Osaka, New Year, Tokyo…
Hi there, I hope you are well! I had a fantastic week. I was most of the week in Osaka, exploring its neighborhoods. Visiting as well, different coffee shops and definitely my favorite is Lilo Coffee Roasters this time. Osaka is an incredibly vibrant city and there is a feeling of old and new at the same time. People is really friendly and there is so much to see and do. This time I believe was my fifth time there, so I focus on discovering but going also to a bit slower pace, without the rush of going from place to place. So I enjoyed in a different way this beautiful and vibrant place.
I really enjoyed as well staying with my Japanese family, communicating through mostly Google translate we made a very different connection. This time Aki was not there because she has a lot of work in Germany, so for the first time I was alone with her family. We spent a lovely and very different new year’s eve. I really enjoyed eating traditional Japanese dinner on that day. Japan gives much more importance to the end of the year than to Christmas. I felt the vibes of those first days of January, although most of things are open, many shops and places are completely closed and also there is so many people visiting sacred shrines to give thanks and pray for a new year.
I had the time to go to Kyoto and visit some temples and shrines that I have not visited on my previews visits. I also visit new coffees places and tried fabolous coffee, and went also for long walks and visit again Nikishi market and ate lots of street food. It was packed with people, because so many tourists but also many Japanese people preparing to receive the new year. So the markets get so full!
Few days ago I had also the chance to go with the family to Nabana no Sato and had the opportunity to see an incredible illumination at their flower park. You must google for images, it is really beautiful and is packed with people. The whole spectacle is really beautiful and the atmosphere over there is really amazing and we all had a great time. We also went Bowling and it was so much fun.
Yesterday, I came to Tokyo and it was an adventure because all the trains at this time of year are almost fully booked and I was lucky to get a ticket on a fast train that it took a bit longer but it was ok. I was just happy I was able to get to Tokyo. I never saw the stations so full. After new years celebrations, a lot of people is moving in Japan and returning to their jobs so on 4th of January and being weekend, it was all so crowded.
Being back in Tokyo I have already a list of the places I want to re visit and new places I want to see. I have plan also for one day where I will go for a day trip. I have some ideas and locations I want to visit but I will decide spontaneously on the day. I love this city.
This trip to Japan feels very different from other trips to this amazing land. I am for the first time alone in Japan and visiting cities for the 5th or 6th time so I can take in all in a more slowly and deeper sense. I am looking forward to my last week here in Japan, a land that is so dear to me already for many reasons. At the same time I feel a bit sad I must leave soon. I feel I really need to live here for some time at some point in my life.
I keep my daily reading, morning pages and exercise routine. It is more challenging being on a trip but I keep it up.
I hope you are well, take care and see you next week.
