MurkTravels

Nagoya 2019 - Japan

one stop

22/03/2019 - 23/03/2019 55 °F
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light show

We didn't spend much time in Nagoya. Got in late one night and left early the next morning, but there was one reason we went. South of town, there's Nabana No Sato. For a couple months each year, this is a cherry blossom and festival Christmas lights extravaganza. We saw, by far, the most and biggest showing of cherry blossoms in the gardens of the site. There was also so many lights. It included sections of long tunnels of lights, tree covered lights, water shows, and a whole set of lights that was set to music and had moving images covering historic parts of Japan. It had a big section shaped like Mt Fuji. Very entertaining.

Japan Trip
Tokyo
Kyoto and Hakone
Nagoya
Osaka

Light Show Videos

Nabana No Sato Mt Fuji
Nabana No Sato Light Walk Tunnel

Trip Map

Pictures

Murk Travels - Japan album
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Posted by MurkTravels 03:07 Archived in Japan Tagged japan asia murktravels 2019 Comments (0)

Osaka 2019 - Japan

sumo-tastic

20/03/2019 - 22/03/2019 70 °F
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party town

One immediate difference from Kyoto, is that Osaka is a party town. It's a gritty town (in terms of overall spotlessly clean Japan), where bars and lounges and shopping is open late, there's sketchy alleyways, and a buzzing energy to the city alive with people looking for their version of a great night.

not so classic Japan

We stayed in the Shinsaibashi and Dotonbori neighborhood where nearly every building had one if not all five floors containing a small bar (4-12 person), mostly with people singling karaoke and drinking heavily. We checked out the Amerikana area with shops selling vintage american style 80's wear, with some local Japanese stores mixed in. There was also a modern zoo and entertainment center near the developing Tennoji metro stop. We wandered some local markets that looked like a permanent garage sale spot, and saw the worlds largest ferris wheel ride. There was a lot in Osaka that was nothing like the sites we can to accept as normal Japan in Tokyo and Kyoto.

still classic Japan

We did also see some more typical Japanese items. There was the Shitennoji temple and pagoda, the Osaka park with it's blooming cherry trees, the Osaka castle, and delicious fresh fish and noodle restaurants (and one where we tried Kobe beef). And perhaps the most traditional Japanese event, was the national sumo tournament we got to witness.

There were 30+ match-ups that we saw throughout the full day tournament. It was one out of 15 days that the tournament lasts to determine the best of the best. There are several levels of skill that the wrestlers progress through and the talent got better and better later into the day. Each match up lasted about 5 minutes. Most of that was a warm up ceremony. It consisted of an official yelling out some commands that instructed the wrestlers of the stages of stretching, throwing lucky salt powder, going into several trial stances, and then the final actual battle. It was a furious and brutal flash of pushing, slapping, throwing, grunting. And yet it was balanced with such nimbleness and agility. There was also incredible sportsmanship with no anger at losing and no gloating at winning. Each match started and ended with bows and the contestants peacefully walking into and out of the platform. Quite an experience.

Recommend:

sumo tournament
Dotonbori nightlife and river walk
America village
Shitennoji

Japan Trip
Tokyo
Kyoto and Hakone
Nagoya
Osaka