FROM MIYAJIMA TO OSAKA

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Day 9: MIYAJIMA - OSAKA

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Today we get up a little later, not only to finish enjoying our ryokan in Miyajima, Ryoso Kawaguchi, but we also thought that it would dawn at 8, like these previous days, but as soon as we wake up we see that we have been wrong and already at 7.30 in the morning the street light invades the room, but that does not It upsets the plans a lot, since we know that we still have a few hours before setting out from Miyajima to Osaka.
So it's time to get going smoothly and start visiting Miyajima, during the morning, before we go to Osaka, which will be today's next destination.

We have the ticket with a reserved seat from Hiroshima to Shin Osaka at 11.50 a.m., which enters the JRP for 14 days. Going through Hiroshima on the way from Miyajima to Osaka is inevitable.
Since Miyajima We have to catch the ferry again, arrive at Miyajimabushi station and from there, return to Hiroshima by train. In short, to go to Osaka, we have to retrace the path we did yesterday in the opposite direction. This is what you want to do this itinerary and want to go from Miyajima to Osaka.

Itinerary from Miyajima to Osaka through Hiroshima

We leave our ryokan in Miyajima shortly before 8 in the morning and we started our visit even with all the stores closed.

Streets of Miyajima

Now that there is no one down the street, we decide that it is the best time to start making the visits and we leave breakfast for later and first of all we approach the area of the Itsukushima Shrine to take a first look at this time in the morning.

Entering Itsukushima Shrine

Views of Miyajima before starting to ascend to Daisho-in ...

"Things" that can be seen in Miyajima ...

Itsukushima Shrine

After this little stop and still without breakfast, we decided to get a coffee machine to warm up and we started the ascent to Daisho-in with a very clear sky that makes us continue with the smile on our face ...

You have to charge a warm coffee on your way to Daisho-in from Itsukushima Shrine

Road to Daisho-in from Itsukushima Shrine

Miyajima It is one of those places where loneliness is a very precious asset and right now, we can only thank the "not paying attention" to all the people who told us that it was not worth paying a night here, being Ryokan prices of the most expensive on the route.

Itsukushima Shrine from the road that leads to Daisho-in

Having decided to stay here, yesterday we could enjoy an incredible sunset and today in the morning we can do all the visits without the burden of the people who arrive here from 10 or 11 in the morning.
We can certainly do nothing but recommend, if you can, stay in Miyajima.

Arriving in Daisho-in

Details of the houses we found on the way to Daisho-in

After about 10 minutes we arrived at the gates of Daisho-in and as soon as we turn to contemplate the landscape that we have at our feet, we notice that some snowflakes have just begun to fall ... It is snowing in Miyajima!!

Entrance to Daisho-in

Daisho-in It is right at the entrance of the ascent to Mt. Misen, remembered that we are very clear that we will do when we return to Japan, something that we also have very clear that we will do someday.

Daisho-in

Daisho-in It was one of the visits that were strongly recommended in the ryokan in Miyajima And we have to say it's awesome.
It was one of those visits that we had as “optional” and that if it did not become at the insistence of the owner of the ryokan, we could have missed it.

Daisho-in details

After being here, we can do nothing but recommend it 100%.
Just see the photos ...

Daisho-in

The colorful and bright Daisho-in, to the south of the city, you can visit on the way to Mount Minsen, something that, as we discussed earlier, we want to do the next time we come to Japan.

Details in Daisho-in

Daisho-in it is a temple of the Shingon sect, which has a bit of everything: statues, tents, fountains, railings ...

Details in Daisho-in

We can even find a very interesting brochure at the entrance, with explanations in English of everything we can find in the temple.

Interior of a cave in Daisho-in

In Daisho-in We feel that special and serene atmosphere that we have felt several times since we arrived at Japan.

Daisho-in

Miyajima It is much more than the tori we see as soon as we arrive with the ferry. Yes it is true that it is one of the Japan's most famous images and that there are many people who only visit the Itsukushima Shrine and the picture is taken in front of the famous tori, but we can assure that Miyajima It is much more than that and although we dedicate a good part of the day to that visit, getting lost in the rest of the temples that dot this place is, without a doubt, an experience that will never be forgotten.
Miyajima It is a place that conveys peace, especially at the moment when you move away from the most touristy streets.
After enjoying for more than an hour of Daisho-in, we go down to him Itsukushima Shrine and as we see that there are not many people yet to take advantage of a good photo session from all possible angles and visit again with more peace of mind ...

Itsukushima Shrine coming down from Daisho-in

The famous “floating” torii, gate of a Shinto shrine, of Itsukushima Shrine It is one of the most photographed tourist attractions of Japan and is considered one of the three best views of Japan.

“Floating” Torii of Itsukushima Shrine

Itsukushima Shrine

Time is on us and it's a shame because we would stay here for another day, but the things we want to know prevent us from doing it.

Posing before the “floating” Torii of Itsukushima Shrine

Another reason to be very clear that we will return to Japan.

“Floating” Torii of Itsukushima Shrine

From the Itsukushima Shrine We go to the shopping street, which is already more lively and buy something for breakfast in a very good leaf-shaped cookie store, for 80 yen each and then stop at a cafeteria where we have another coffee and a couple of cakes for 1500 yen.

Cookies in the streets of Miyajima

More practical information to prepare your trip to Tokyo
- 10 essential places to visit in Tokyo
- 50 things to see and do in Tokyo
- The 5 best tours and excursions in Tokyo
- 10 essential places to see in Japan
- The best tips for traveling to Japan
- The best travel insurance for Japan
- Where to eat in Tokyo: Recommended restaurants
- Book here your JRP of 7.14 or 21 days with shipping included

Breakfast before leaving Miyajima to Osaka

And how could it be otherwise, we take advantage of the stores are open to buy some gifts before going to pick up our backpacks to say goodbye to Miyajima.

Streets of Miyajima

We go back to the streets that take us to the ferry station and on time as always, we leave at 10.40 a.m. Our local train leaves for Hiroshima by platform number 3.

Miyajima from the Ferry

Miyajima Ferry

Interior of the Ferry to Miyajima

It seems a lie, but here in JapanWhen it comes to transport, everything is square to the second, since for a single minute you can lose a train and have to “waste” a time that sometimes we don't have.

Curious shop in Miyajima

Train from Miyajima to Hiroshima on the way from Miyajima to Osaka

We arrive at 11.39 a.m. in Hiroshima, by platform 5 and it is necessary to travel the path to the shinkansen tracks, which leaves by platform 22, where at 11.59 a.m. shinkansen from Hiroshima to Osaka, the site that will welcome us today.
The journey in the shinkansen from Hiroshima to Osaka We do it while looking out the window, as we have been doing so far, excited about the new destination that awaits us today.
We arrive at Shin Osaka Station where after several laps, since this station is much larger than the ones we have been so far, we will take the subway to Namba which is where we have our hotel in Osaka.

Newcomers to Osaka

Upon arriving in Osaka, we remember Flapone's recommendation of Japoneando, to eat at the Umeda Sky Building, in a restaurant called Blue Bird, so we change our mind and before we go to our hotel in Osaka, the New Osaka Hotel Shinsaibashi, and being lunchtime, we take the JR that will take us to the Osaka Station and so from there we can walk to the Blue Bird.
And said and done. Guiding us with our GPS, we arrive at the Hanshin Umeda building, which is just in front of the Yodabashi Umeda and we go up to the 15F floor, where just after leaving the elevator we find the Blue Bird.
We are very lucky to find a free table in front of the windows, so we can only enjoy two pasta menus with luxurious views.

Blue Bird in Osaka

We thought the price would be much higher, counting the place it is and the food they give, but at noon they have menus for 1000 yen that are great.
This is life!
One of the things that catch our attention is how you can keep this silence with so many people. It is very clear that in Spain this does not happen by far. Imagine: restaurant with capacity for 150 people. Would there be silence? 100% no. 😉
To who Japan Even children don't cry. You see them in public spaces, without making any noise. Sentaditos, with an education that borders on the unusual.
We just ate after 3 in the afternoon and decided that it is time to go to know the area of Umeda in Osaka.
So we are walking to Sky Umeda which is 750 meters from the Blue Bird and so we lower the food a little and we know this area of Osaka.

Sky Umeda in the distance

Sky Umeda

We arrive at Sky Umeda through the underground passage from the Osaka and we have to recognize that here we begin to notice the differences of the rest of Japan We have known so far.
Before going up to the viewpoint of Sky Umeda we go to the underground floor of the building to see the "Japanese street" that they talk about in the guides.

"Japanese Street" of Sky Umeda

Under the towers of Sky Umeda We found Takimi-koji Alley, which is a recreation of an old shopping street of the Showa era, full of restaurants.
After a while watching restaurants we go up to the third floor, where is the elevator that will take us to the Floating Garden of Sky Umeda.
The experience of climbing up these escalators is one of the attractions of the Sky Umeda And something you can't miss if you're in the area!

Escalators from Sky Umeda

Osaka from the escalators of the Sky Umeda

From here we go back up in the elevator to the viewpoint of the Sky Umeda, where the ticket office is, on the 39th floor and we pay 700 yen per person at the entrance.

Elevator to the Sky Umeda Floating Garden

Arriving at the Sky Umeda Floating Garden

The Sky Umeda it rises northeast of the station Osaka and it is the most remarkable architectural element of the city.
Its version of the towers looks like a version of the Parisian Arc de Triomphe, in a futuristic version.
The Sky Umeda It has two viewpoints, one on the roof, outdoors and one inside, on the lower floor.

Inside viewpoint of the Sky Umeda

We had a good time enjoying wonderful views of Osaka, which remind us, again, why we like it so much Japan.

Views of Osaka from the Sky Umeda

Enjoying the views from the Sky Umeda

Reflecting on the Sky Umeda

When we look at the time it is after 4 in the afternoon, so we decided to return to the Osaka Station, to take the subway that takes us to Namba and go to our hotel in Osaka, which is next to the station.
The idea is to take the JR Loop Line, but after 30 minutes circling up and down among hundreds of people, we decided to go on the normal subway that we have located, ours being line 1 and pay 230 yen per person 😉
And now it comes when we don't know what ticket to take in the vending machine!
Luckily there is a man giving information, he sees us more than lost and helps us get them out.
There has been a time that with so many people and coming from Japan more traditional, as is Kyoto, we have felt a bit overwhelmed.
Luckily we only carry backpacks and suitcases have gone from Kyoto to Tokyo, if not everything had been even more overwhelming.
And with this half feeling overwhelmed by so many people, we ride the subway and in 3 stops we arrive at Shinsaibashi, which is right where the hotel in Osakanear Namba and the famous area Dotombori.
We leave the station and it's almost night! In Osaka You enter a train or subway station in winter and leave in summer verano

Our hotel in Osaka

We arrive at the New Osaka Hotel Shinsaibashi in 3 minutes and after checking in and resting 10 minutes in the room, we return to the streets of OsakaWhere, just after leaving the hotel, we are surrounded by luxury shops and Christmas lights.

Luxury and Christmas in Osaka

Christmas in Osaka

First we go to the Organic Building, in the Minami area, which is two blocks from our hotel and the truth is that it does not have much interest once we have seen it, so we go back on our steps until we reach the Kita shopping street Shopping Arcade full of lights and shops to say enough.
After several laps, surrounded by people and shops, we go to the area of Dotombori.
The Organic Building of Osaka It is a capricious structure covered with giant pots, hence its name.

Organic Building in Osaka

In Japan It is already a time of sales, so the streets are full of people and the atmosphere is very lively.
The truth that once established, we can say that the burden we felt a while ago, when we arrived, gave way to a feeling of wanting to know everything and enjoy the environment as much as we can.
In Osaka is where we become more aware that in Japan there is an underworld under buildings and another over them. In all buildings there are underground floors with shops, bars, restaurants ... and higher floors with hundreds of shops.
From here we cannot en route to the famous bridge Ebishu-bashi in Osaka, passing through Dotombori-gawa and the Dotombori Commercial Gallery.

Dotombori Gawa Osaka

What we eat Dotombori Gawa Osaka

After an hour getting lost by Dotombori-gawa and the Dotombori Commercial Gallery, we arrive at Ebishu-bashi bridge with the typical image that we have all ever seen of Dotombori.

Ebishu-bashi bridge in Dotombori

We are like little children with new shoes ... we don't stop looking from one place to another, pointing everything out and taking pictures.

Views from the Ebishu-bashi Bridge in Dotombori

Ebishu-bashi bridge in Dotombori

Now it's time to see some of the things we had pointed out as "typical" of Osaka, such as the Don Quijote store, which is like one of “everything to 100” where after entering and taking a couple of turns, we get a little overwhelmed by the amount of people there are.

Don Quijote in Dotombori

At the exit, we take the opportunity to queue and buy for 500 yen the famous octopus balls in one of the most famous places in Dotombori.

Octopus Balls in Dotombori

Mmm ... great !! We just charged energy with the snack of the day!

Loading energies in Dotombori

Dotombori

We are still in the area of Dotombori, one of the essential places to see in Osaka, in the famous street of restaurants and bars and we see the famous crab doll, octopus, puffer fish ...

An octopus in Dotombori

A crab in Dotombori

And a puffer fish in Dotombori

A piece of sushi !! Dotombori

Sushi Zanmei, an entire institution of Sushi. Dotombori

In this same street, we find another of the famous alleys in the area of Dotombori, which is the Hozen-ji Yokocho, a tiny alley full of traditional restaurants and bars.

Hozen-ji Yokocho in Dotombori

Typical shops in the Dotombori area

We are still in the area of Dotombori and we arrive at a temple in the middle of the bustle, where they are in full celebration.

Hozen-ji in Dotombori

So we have no better excuse than this, to stop for a while and enjoy what we have found.

Hozen-ji is a tiny temple in the area of Dotombori, hidden in a small alley. This temple stands around a statue of mold-covered Fudo-myoo, which is the favorite of those who work in the water trade, who stop before it before working to pour water ...

Hozen-ji in Dotombori

At this time of the afternoon it has risen quite cold in Osaka, so we keep walking to warm up and go to Doguyasuji Shopping Street, famous for being the street where they sell the plastic dishes we find in the shop windows of the restaurants.

Shop in Doguyasuji Shopping

When we arrive they are starting to close the shops, so we only have time to see a few and make a couple of purchases of orders we had.

Details of a store in Doguyasuji Shopping

It's after 9 p.m., so we go to Chibo Dotombori, an entire institution of okonomiyaki in Osaka.
We ordered 2 okonomiyaki, one beer plus water for 3150 yen.

Having dinner at Chibo Dotombori

Spectacular not only the local, but also the attention and of course the food.

Okonomiyaki in Chibo Dotombori

How we are enjoying Japanese cuisine!
It's already after 10 p.m. and having a morning that shows up early tomorrow, we decided it's time to go to the hotel in Osaka to rest.
Of course, before going through one of the most acclaimed streets of the city, where we intuit that the party in Osaka It lasts until the wee hours of the morning.

Dotombori streets

On the way we meet hundreds of girls who enter the premises dressed in their best clothes.
In less than 20 minutes we are in our room at the New Osaka Hotel Shinsaibashi, taking stock of everything we have experienced today, which has been very much !!