Kawanishi Kawanishi Teachers Goodbye Lunch I was fortunate enough to work with so many good teachers in Japan. These guys from the Kawanishi area (near Osaka) were awesome and it was sad to say goodbye.
Hyogo Minato Ya & Seaside Dinner with the Funabikis Before leaving Japan we went on a quick trip back to Ako to see old friends for one last time. We'll be back!
Osaka Kitahama Retro Cafe (北浜レトロ) A pre-war Glasgow style building houses a cafe serving up high tea overlooking the rose garden on Nakanoshima island and the Tosahori River.
Osaka Minō Kōen (箕面公園) Walk A forest valley on the outskirts of Osaka leading up to a beautiful waterfall.
Hyogo Akashi Kaikyo Bridge (明石海峡大橋) The Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, also known as the Pearl Bridge, is a world-renowned suspension bridge that spans the Akashi Strait in Japan. With its record-breaking length and stunning design, it serves as a symbol of human ingenuity and resilience.
Osaka Truck Furniture & Bird Coffee Cafe Osaka A vintage-style, Osaka-made furniture store called Truck Furniture by designers Tokuhiko Kise and Hiromi Karatsu sits beside Bird Coffee Cafe serving delicious croque madames.
Osaka Sun Child (サン•チャイルド) March 11, 2012 marked the one year anniversary of the Tohoku Earthquake and became the opening date for the statue ‘Sun Child’ or ‘Taiyo no Ko’ in Japanese.
Osaka Shiba Ryotaro Memorial Museum (司馬遼太郎記念館) Architect Tadao Ando designed a museum dedicated to Shiba Ryotaro, a post WW2 author known for his novels based on historical events.
Kobe Oji Zoo, Kobe (神戸市立王子動物園) A zoo in Kobe with all the big ticket animals including a giant panda, a red panda, sloths, and a polar bear.
Mie Forty-Eight Waterfalls of Akame (赤目四十八滝) Walk An unexpectedly amazing walk starting from Akameguchi Station in Mie, through a salamander museum, along a river through a valley and into a forest.
Kyoto Tadao Ando Designed Oyamazaki Museum An entrepreneur's Tudor style home from the 1920s received an addition in 1995 by architect Tadao Ando for the Oyamazaki Museum.
Osaka Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan (海遊館) & Osaka Culturarium at Tempozan (大阪文化館・天保山) The Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan (海遊館), designed by Peter Chermayeff and the Culturarium (大阪文化館・天保山) by Tadao Ando sit beside each other overlooking the bay; a short stroll from Osakako station.
Osaka Empty City Streets, Osaka (大阪市) Central Osaka is a maze of concrete and overhead expressways. At night cars speed past metres away from apartment and office buildings.
Hyogo Taiyo Park (太陽公園), Himeji (姫路) Replicas of Neuschwanstein Castle, The Great Wall, Terra Cotta Warriors and The Arc de Triomphe fill this strange theme park near Himeji City.
Hyogo Namaze To Takedao Abandoned Fukuchiyama Railway Line Walk The hike starts 10mins walk from Namaze Station in Nishinomiya along the Muko river and takes you through an old tunnel and over a rail bridge; ending at Takedao Station.
Osaka Banpaku Kinen Koen (万博記念公園) Osaka (大阪) Osaka hosted the World Expo in 1970 and constructed a vast site now called Expo '70 Commemorative Park or Banpaku Kinen Koen.
Kyoto Miho Museum, Shiga (滋賀県) A museum design inspired by an ethereal utopia in writings from ancient China. The owner's strong belief in beauty, peace and joy through art is achieved in this mountain top masterpiece by architect I.M. Pei.
Osaka Before The Osaka Yodogawa (大阪市淀川) Fireworks Festival Every year, thousands of people sit at the banks of the Yodo River to watch a large fireworks festival.
Osaka D & Department Project Osaka (大阪) A design store with the motto 'Long Life Design' with many locations throughout Japan.
Osaka Osaka Bicycles (大阪自転車) Japan's love of bicycles is evident throughout the country and Osaka is no exception. Areas such as America-Mura and Horie show off thousands of unique bicycles parked on the streets.
Hyogo Arima Onsen Cable Car A mountainous town known for its hot springs accessible via cable car over Mount Rokko. This is the cable car ride.
Japan Arashiyama Kyoto (嵐山) A mountainous area north west of Kyoto City famous for it's beautiful river, monkeys and bamboo forest.
Osaka Osaka Chuo (大阪中) Osaka's Chuo area has streets lined with trendy cafes and shop scattered amongst architectural gems.
