Kansai Story Part 4 - 関西の話 4 (Feb' 09)

22 FEB 2009 - OSAKA, RINKKU TOWN PREMIUM OUTLET


Its shopping Day AGAIN! This is one of the popular factory outlet in Osaka which target at premium brands and products.


Just 2 stations away from the Kansai Airport which is most ideal to drop over if you are coming from the Airport, just arrived at Kansai.


We were damn sway, we went to Rinkku town first day when arrived at Kansai but unfortunately the factory outlet was closed due to duno what...... we still seat hours for morning kopi thinking since the outlet may open from 11am only :( So this day we made a trip there again.



At last RINGKKU TOWN PREMIUM OUTLET!
FERRIS WHEEL IS ALMOST EVERYWHERE IN JAPAN.
.
But since its all very low buildings here, it is very windy here

Look at how big they all and the nos of brands there. I always like to visit their beams there (Its like their Club 21).

.
The more premium brands not commonly seen in other outlets but here are like Armani, Loewe, Regal shoe bar, D&G, Bally, Lanvin, Dunhill, Hugo Boss, Ferragamo, Anteprima, BCBG, Juicy Coulture, Kate Spade alot more and even body shop, triumph, wacoal etc are seen here...

The eating area are separated into another building

Look similar ah but its different building, see the ferris wheel backgd...

HUNGRY LIAO.... ate at their so called food court so a variety can be ordered by all.

NIce ah even in a the food court... tako balls are everywhere seen in Osaka. big and juicy..

Cant decide so share them......the mentai ko spag is surprisingly good.... curry rice so so...

.
Went washroom and spotted this vending machine... haha so convenient the baby's needy items like pampers and feeding bottles and even variety of choices for ladies ......wat else when bad days hit u :p Ladies hor.

All sorta vending machines ahaha.....well its getting common to me too so handy esp in cold days when you need warm drinks. But our weird director friend enjoyed cold drinks even in winter...

.

But this one even with a small lcd tv is my first time spotting.
Ice cream in winter, anyone???

After the shopping.....tired tired but happy.....so head back. Again gotta check the Xpress line, after counting i think there are 5-6 types of train which head to same place....just that which is fastest.

BACK TO OSAKA, SHINSAIBASHI.

.

TODAY WE ARE HAVING MY FAVE OKONOMIYA....! YEAH so happy!!!

The osaka style one. But my fave is still the Hiroshima style! The differences is having the soba in it.

With beer.....wow yum!

.
BACK HOME...

It is time for mask OYASUMI....gotta look pretty the next day ;p cos all japanese gals are so well groom every minute :p

.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

.

Kansai Story Part 3 - 関西の話 3 (Feb' 09)

21 FEB 2009 - KYOTO 京都

ALL READY FOR KYOTO....after a long while.

Got up earlier to make the trip happen and not so rush.... Kyoto is slightly further from Osaka, takes abt 30 minutes on train provided we din get lose on the wrong train.

Kyoto is colder than Osaka thus gotta equipped myself with thicker or more cloth to take cover from the cold.

.

I think cos Kyoto been a preserved region for its long heritage thus there is not as many high rise or taller building in compared to Osaka or Kobe thus wind comes stronger too.

.

Do you know Kyoto was once Japan's capital too? But for short while i cant rem much cos i was not a die hard fan of Japan history. Anyway I understand from our director friend who stays Kyoto that majority of the space used to be the imperial palace but it has been torn down portion by portion to release those parts to become public streets as time pass.

A standard thing that we will always do when we alight at a stop in a different region - CHECK the scheduled time so that we would know which realistic time to catch when we want to head back to Osaka.

.

There are so many types of trains from limted express, express, normal etc, which basically depend on which and hw many stops they will stop. Personally i prefer limited express or express la! faster, comfortable!

.

The Kyoto bound train is so nice! So you sure can recongise if you change to the right train to head to Kyoto!

The wind really feel colder.............. :( temples / shrines are almost everywhere in kyoto.

Fill stomach before we head further..... to our desination.

A very so so only dish along the way to our shrine.

Journey continues....

.

At last we reached Kiyomizu tera - 清水寺, considered one of the most popular and oldest temples in Kyoto. This temple complex, with a spectacular location overlooking the city is a deservedly popular attraction in the city, approached by either of two tourist-filled souvenir-shop-lined streets, Kiyomizu-zaka or Chawan-zaka.

.

Admission ¥300. Open daily, 6am-6pm.

.

Highlights of the temple includes the main hall's wooden veranda, supported by hundreds of pillars and offering incredible views over the city.

.

It gotta be super crowded during spring time.......lucky winter is ok

The wish board......i even saw wishes in german and tamil ...............! How can i dont write myself one then :p

You gotta wash your hands of the certain wish stated on the cup according to your hope.

Below are pretty common stuff available in Japanese temples / shrines.

Above is the bottom view of the pillars supporting the main hall.....seems scary. (tats where i stand earlier..)

Finally we are out of the tera. Walking along the narrow street filled with souvenir shops.

This stretch is also preserved portion in kyoto, remaining all the old buidlings as it was thus it is very ancient japanese feel here.

.

Very nice to pic the jappy feel ....

.

Btw, the bun is nt nice for your info. very thick skin covering stingy serving of meat filling and also not nice, half way i threw away :p

Walking towards the station....pretty far abt 10-15 minutes away from the tera area.

So we took the train to Go-jo as recommended by the director fren, he claimed it is his 'hometown' so must visit and he close eyes also can walk ;p

.

Here we are GO-JO kiyomizu street

Kyoto is really filled with older stuff.............but very cosy feel. unlike the typical city.

Saw the honda civic taxi...

While some singaporean struggle to buy a new honda civic in sg

After walking here and there, we decided to head back to Osaka since the day is coming to an end.

BACK TO OSAKA - OUR HOME AT SHINSAIBASHI :P

I was getting somethings for magix and i spotted this shop and owners dogs!

.

He is so cute, so light, so small!!! CUTE! i cant help but forced him to take pic with me ahhaa... I heard his name is Ku-chan!

After messing with Ku-chan.....its time to fill our stomach!

.

Randomly picked a place along shinsaibashi here for BBQ restaurant....so craving during winter :) Very worth to eat there too

.

Oh ya i ate alot of rice during winter! More filling la. Ppl who knows me will know i hate rice and related things :p

.

BACK TO HOTEL!

I still bot supper! hahhaa they said i must try this BBQ crab snack cos it smell really good! & they use those big hokkaido crab?

.

And the hand made mochi i bot in Kyoto......i really like this. Kyoto is really a place with heritage and skill!

U saw how messy behind? and if u also spotted the side table packed with shoppings!

Its time for little housekeeping myself before i scared the House keep lady the next day.

.

Hotel room in Japan is so tiny...no place no place!

(TO BE CONTINUED......)