We’re in Japan! Almost four years have passed since I made my first trip here with P and we’re as happy and grateful as we were the last time that we managed to get here. Same idiotic grins plastered on our faces as we sat on the train out of Kansai International Airport and to Osaka, our base for the trip. (While the two high school boys–who I was already casting in a J-drama in my head–in front of us probably thought, “Bunch of weirdos.” But then we’re in Japan, weird is likely very relative.)
We got to our hotel at almost 10:30 pm (will write about how to go to Osaka from KIX in another post) and by then we just wanted to have dinner, walk a bit in the shopping street where our hotel was located, and get some sleep.
Yesterday, was our first chance to really explore and we went to Osaka Castle, in spite of the pouring rain. All those hours I’ve spent glued to my chair the past few days have now been replaced with hours of walking. I love it…my feet and legs, not so much.
Osaka Castle, which seemed most picturesque with the cherry blossoms in bloom in the foreground (as how Osaka postcards show it), looked drab and gray like the skies at the time. The castle is the city’s most iconic landmark but as I found out from a travel guide, it’s just a replica of the one built in 1853–but not a faithful replica. It has been destroyed and rebuilt several times through centuries, you can’t really fault Japan’s third biggest city from building a more enduring version.
Walking to Osaka-jo from the bridge nearest (and when I say nearest, I mean a 15-minute walk from) the Osakajokoen Station on the JR Loop Line.
It just kept pouring even after the hour-long exploration within the walls of the castle
The nearby Plum Grove in the castle grounds provided the day’s bright spot! Who cares about a downpour and muddy grounds when you’ve got some pathways lined with pretty pink blooms? We’re not going to reach the blooming of the cherry trees this time around, but the plum blooms, which are some of the first blossoms to open to signify the start of spring, were just as lovely.
I’ll post more about our trip around Kansai when we get back, but here are a few photos of the blooming plum trees to start off the weekend with something nice and pretty.
Up close to some beautiful plum blossoms
How to get to Osaka Castle: From the JR Loop Line, get down Osakajokoen Station.
slouching somewhere 
Ooh, nice to see you caught the trees beginning to bloom! Lovely! 🙂
Yeah, super lucky! Didn’t realize the plum blossoms would be just as pretty 🙂
One of my dream destinations. Ang ganda ng cherry blossoms! Someday…… ^^
If you dream it, you can make it happen jayexiomo! Especially now since there are budget flights 😛
The plum blooms (and the path between them) are so pretty!
Cecile! You’re back in WordPress…and blogging again.
I love dispatches like this where the writer is still wherever she is writing about (I hope am making sense). I’m picturing you and P just wandering about, big goofy grins on your faces and just happily playing tourists. Keep ’em posts coming! 🙂
Hey Terrie, yes you made sense, hehe. Unfortunately, haven’t had time to blog anymore while here. I would be so exhausted at the end of the day from all the walking, I would just post a few photos in IG and doze off. I told P that our next vacation–weekend lang of doing nothing just to recuperate but it’s been FUN! More posts when I get back to Manila na 🙂 Hope you’re doing well there in SG!
Great photos! Even in the rain those plum tree lined paths look lovely.
great pix. I love to see the cherry blossoms someday 🙂
Thanks watchamahkulit! Hope you do get to see the blossoms, they’re really pretty
hope so, when is the best time to see them? I went Korea 2 years ago, I think around April that time , but they had late spring so I wasn’t able to see it 😦
In parts of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, cherry blossom forecasts usually estimate the opening on the last week of March, with the best viewing during the first week of April. A friend recently went to Tokyo last week and she still saw cherry blossoms in bloom 🙂
OMG! Cherry blossoms!!! ❤ Sooo lucky!
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