Sakura in Osaka ( Part 2 ) Osaka Castle

I’ve heard many things of Osaka from huge shopping centers, endless restaurants -- Osaka is a great all around place where you can indulge in eating and down right spending! Since this was my first trip to Osaka, I was excited just to walk around the downtown area and see what the daylight and night time would be like.  The cherry blossoms, known in Japan as sakura, are usually only in full bloom for around one week. After the period of full bloom the small, round shaped flowers start to flutter gracefully from their trees and the blossoms are said to be the most beautiful in this final stage as the white and pink petals gently float to the ground.

After breakfast the group met at the lobby and we began to strategize our plans for today. We were going to go to the Osaka Castle. In the past, I used to plan all my trips in detail. I gave that up. I came to Japan with only one specific objective, the see the cherry blossom. This was where our navigation skills were put to test. My cousin, Corito was the designated navigator and researcher of the group. She asked for a map at the lobby and we studied which train to take and what exit to go. Luz, acted as our accountant of the group. I was the assistant navigator and photographer of the group. Jojo and Nita helped in reading the subway stops. Before we left, I said we should always allot an hour in travel time just in case we get lost on the way. 

Our first stop - The Osaka Castle

The Osaka Castle was originally built by Hideyoshi Toyotomi (1583 - 1615) and it underwent several reconstructions over the period of centuries and the last major restoration was completed in 1995 - 1997. The castle grounds boast 4300 cherry tress where you can enjoy the charming cherry blossoms with castle tower in the background. It is one of the most famous landmarks in Osaka.

We wandered through the park and up toward the castle, passing through a handsome gate on the way. We decided not to go to the castle anymore and spent the whole morning at the park.

It was a lovely day to visit the castle as the air was cool and although the sun was not out, the flowers of the hundreds of cherry blossoms were all out in full bloom to greet all the visitors.  

I even saw a couple having their bridal photo in the park.

What a wonderful place to stroll around, enjoy a friendly park atmosphere, and see one of Osaka's top tourist sights.If you want to see cherry blossom in full bloom, this is the place to be. The Osaka castle looked beautiful and prominent to be located in the middle of Osaka City with lush greenery and water surroundings. Osaka Castle is excellent for cherry blossom viewing. A historical site that a tourist must go and visit. Be prepared for a long walk when you plan to visit this place.

We went to have a bento lunch at a nearby restaurant near the subway station before going back to Namba district.  Here was what we had:

Sayonara !!

Sakura in Osaka ( day 1 )

In Japan, cherry blossoms are more than just a mark of a new season. They are a part of the national identity as Mt. Fuji, but to really understand the connection that the Japanese have to these blossoms requires seeing it in person in Japan. Seeing cherry blossom in Japan was my on my bucket list for a long time. Spring is when Japan's famous cherry blossom ( also known as sakura ) trees burst forth into bloom. Depending on the weather, the starting date and length of the blossoms varies year to year.  In most major cities in Japan, like Osaka, the cherry blossom season typically takes place around the end of March and beginning of April. The cherry blossom has a great deal of symbolic significance to the Japanese people, and has historically been an important symbol of nationalism. Although the blossoms are representative of the feminine, on a deeper level they can be seen to stand for the fleeting nature of life.

I’ve wanted to see the cherry blossoms for as long as I can remember, and I have to admit that seeing them in real life exceeded all my expectations. Today was going to be the start of my adventure to Osaka to see them in full bloom not from pictures I see from magazines but in real time. I left on a adventure trip with my cousin and three other women for Osaka. This was our first time to visit Osaka. Although we did not have enough time to see all the sites in Osaka ( we only had 3 full days )-- we had to list down our priorities on what to do when we got to Osaka. 

We arrived in Osaka late afternoon. The weather was chilly and it was a long walk from the terminal to the Nankai train station. Our first step was to find our hotel and work out how to get there from the station. There are two lines that connect the airport to Osaka, the JR Line and the Nankai Line. Individual ticket price from the airport to Osaka for the JR line is 1100yen and the Nankai line ( local  )  is 890yen. This was our first introduction to the Japanese ticket machines. They all have an English button to help you, but it was still bewildering at first. First lesson of the day, never be afraid to talk to total strangers for directions. I realized that most of the Japanese we asked directions from were very helpful to us -- they even accompanied us to where we should ride etc. If you are a bit hesitant to do so - you can approach one of the guards by the turnstile and ask for directions or you can also get help from the Japanese Tourist Information staff who speak a little English and will go to any trouble to make sure you know exactly where you are going. 

The ride was smooth and fast. It took an hour from the airport to the Namba station. With our luggages and hand carry in tow, we had to figure out what exit we should use. As we reached the street level, a Japanese girl seeing that we were lost, approached us and to our surprise -- talked to us in Filipino. We gave her the name of our hotel and she asked a cab driver for directions. We tried to ask the driver to take us in his cab to the hotel but he refused since he told us it was only a 10 minute walk from where we were. It took us more than 20 minutes trying to find the hotel. 

I was pleasantly surprised with how central our hotel, HOTEL MONTEREY GRASMERE OSAKA was, and found it reasonable for the price. After checking in at our hotel, we decided to go and have a quick meal before retiring for the evening. We went down to the subway station ( we discovered one subway entrance which was outside our hotel ). At the end of the escalator was a grocery where we bought our take out food and decided we will start our adventure tomorrow.. So join me as I take you around Japan, with photos of some of the most incredible places I’ve ever been to encourage, inspire and share this amazing place with you all.

Kumbawa everyone!