Japan
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Travel journal Kyoto (Japan) #1: Sakura, Cherry blossoms
Seeing cherry blossoms has always been my dream. Every year, we remember that we have to go there one day. And finally, that day has finally arrived! As early as January, when we still didn’t know what we were going to do the next day, I put pressure on JB to book a hotel in Kyoto on March 29th and 30th, because the January forecast predicted the “full bloom” (the fact that all the flowers would be open) around those dates. And the forecast was absolutely correct. But unfortunately, as of January, the accommodations were already well booked, for both nights we will have to sleep in two different guesthouses…
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Mochi: the Japanese cake that kills (but is delicious)
A Japanese speciality that I first discovered in Thailand, mochi is a preparation based on sticky rice which, once kneaded, takes the shape of a dumpling.This same preparation is the basis for the famous Chinese coconut beads that I knew and appreciated for much longer.The toppings can vary but the mochi I like the most is topped with a strawberry, sometimes coated with chocolate.The preparation of the mochi can be very impressive, judge for yourself through these two videos taken in Nara in front of the famous Nakatanidou.Mochi is also known to be a killer cake! Japanese people eat an average of 1kg each per year, mainly during the New…
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Travel Diary Osaka (Japan) #3: Osaka Castle, cherry blossoms, Namba Walk, Bic Camera, SK-II
Read Travel Diary #1 here, #2 here Ohayô gozaimasu! (hello in Japanese), here I am to tell you the continuation of my trip in Japan If you only knew how hard it is for me to remember Japanese sentences! If you learned to say konichiwa from the movie Taxi, you should know that it is only used in the afternoon :'( And Japanese people seem to prefer to say Ohayô gozaimasu! even in the afternoon So, when someone says hello to me, I get stuck, smiling blissfully, processing “damn, what do we say after ohayô already? kadasui? gounamas? think think think think!!!” and the person in front has already had…
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Test & review of the Spa World Onsen in Osaka (Japan)
To find out how a session in an Onsen takes place, it’s this way. Spa World is the Disney Land of Onsen, it is unbelievable! Imagine an 8-story building dedicated to wellness On the 1st floor you have the reception. On the 3rd floor you can eat and drink. On the 4th floor you have spas with a European atmosphere (Rome, Greece, Atlantis, Capri, Spain, Mediterranean Sea and Finland) On the 6th floor a gym and spas with an Asian atmosphere (Japanese, “Islam”, Persian, Bali) On the 8th floor you have a swimming pool. Massage rooms, solariums, rest areas, … everywhere Difficult to make an inventory of all the services…
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Test & review of the Tennen Onsen Naniwa Hot Spring in Osaka (Japan)
To find out how a session in an Onsen takes place, it’s this way.Located north of Osaka, on the 8th floor of a commercial building.You have to take off your shoes before entering (so plan 2 pieces of 100 yens for two lockers: one for shoes at the entrance and one for your clothes afterwards).You can buy your tickets through the ticket machine (800 yen for the entrance, 150 yen for the small towel). The directions are in English.The first time we hadn’t seen the machine, it is quite possible to buy the tickets directly at the counter.It is also possible to buy all the necessary hygiene items.The Tennen Onsen…
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Travel Diary Osaka (Japan) #2: our first onsen, Dotonbori and Shinsaibashisuji Shopping Street
If you haven’t done so, read our first Osaka travel diary here Hardly our suitcases scattered in the Airbnb, we are already outside, too eager to discover Japan, which we are visiting for the first time Part 1: Travel Diary Part 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Diary Dobontori As we are cold, our first goal is to find a Uniqlo, where I am sure to find comfortable and warm pajamas. Of course, we’ll end up at Uniqlo last, being too busy looking left to right Our first stop is the local supermarket. We discover with excitement bentos, sashimis and sushi to take away – for a very affordable price…
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Travel Diary Osaka (Japan) #1: flight hours and our Airbnb
I am so excited to present this series of travel diaries to Japan. We are going to put online numbered travel diaries throughout our stay in Japan. The idea is to share our discoveries with you as we go along, because there is so much to tell about Japan that the usual three articles per destination aren’t enough So we chose to spend a month and a half in Japan, including a month in Osaka (and surroundings) and two weeks in Tokyo (and surroundings) Part 1: Travel Diary Part 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Diary Da Nang => Osaka After a month in Hoi An and 2 days in…
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Onsen and Sentō: the guide to public baths in Japan
Having loved the experience of thermal baths in Budapest, I was eager to discover the Onsen in Japan I had the opportunity to get a taste of it by testing an Onsen in Hanoi, Vietnam, but the day after our arrival in Osaka, we went to a first real Japanese Onsen The experience is great and we will surely test several of them during our stay 🙂 In the first part of this article we will describe how a session in an Onsen takes place. In the second part, we will talk more specifically about those we have tested Obviously you won’t find many pictures in this article, this will…
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SIM card with prepaid 4G data in Japan: how much does it cost? Where to buy it?
Buy a SIM card before you leave SIM cards in Japan are expensive and the purchase / activation process is quite complex (see all indications below). A cheaper and simpler alternative is to buy a SIM card in France, before leaving. With this offer for example(Amazon link) you get 6 GB of data valid for 15 days at the rate of 24 € which is much more interesting than what you will find on site. At the end of the 15 days, the SIM card can be recharged. Where to buy a prepaid SIM card at Osaka (Kansai) airport? After passing through immigration and collecting your luggage, locate the area…
