15 March, Sunday (SG - Japan, Osaka)

Long flight. When I booked, it only stated transfer in Hong Kong. But in actual fact, it also stopped over at Taiwan. But as always, I reminded myself to think that there's God's will in every thing that happens so that I will stop grumbling. Indeed it must be because I didn't sleep much the night before, with the longer flight, I got to rest so that I would be fully recharged for the trip. Yes I'm looking forward for the trip! Hadn't done much reading up but left it till I'm fully recharged. Talked to an auntie from Taiwan. I must admit that I wasn't very comfortable with her auntie's behaviour initially. But later she asked me for help to fill in the immigration form and despite the little help that I could offer, God actually used her to offer me direction from her son-in-law who's a Japanese. Even though he couldn't really offer much help in the end, it actually didn't help me feel more settled down. Well, had to admit that I was a bit nervous coz unlike Australia or New Zealand, not all Japanese speaks English! At it's already night time!

With the new found confidence from God, I managed to ask around for direction and took a JR to Shin Imamiya Station. But "trust" the map downloaded from the net, it didn't give the correct direction! Luckily God sent angels to guide me. Even the people that I asked offer little help! Yes I found the Taiyo Hotel after about 15 min search. Thank God. Nearby was a old food street but most store were close by then. Only the "Ma2 Que1" shops were open. They are the majong place for the old people to pass time. Bath was shared and public. What a "Nihonko" experience! Luckily there are different time slot for male and female. Small but clean room. Thank God.

16 March, Monday (Osaka)

The sleep was good. Hadn't have such good sleep since beginning of the year. Okay no mention of work. This's a retreat. Only God and me. Though this is not the correct way. But I always feel closer to God when I'm away on a trip.

Still ealy so I head down the old food street, Jan Jan Yokocho St, for some soba with tempura. Nice obasang. Wanted to head for Shitennoji Temple but didn't check the map and end up at a nearer, Isshinji Temple, thinking it's the one. It's suppose to be famous for "Okotsubutsu" - a statue of Buddha made from remains. Gosh. Walked back to Shin Sekai and caught a glimpse of Tsutenkanu Tower. Checked the map and nope, it's still far from Namba. Subway then.

Got a better map at the information counter at Namba station. Aimed to cover a distance of 3 stations. Start the race! First stop, Shin Kabukiza Theatre. What a historical building in a modern city! There was a crowd waiting for a show to start. No more ticket or I would love to join them! Mostly uncles and aunties though. Haha.

Next stop Takashimaya. Not for shopping but for food tasting at the basement! Nothing interesting though. Bought a thousand layer cake in a ring form and a big mochi to tried. Satisfied. Continue the walk to this place called Namba Parks. Why got "s"? Well coz there are 9 levels of small gardens! And all these gardens are created against each level of a shopping mall. You can access the next garden by climbing up the stairs or from within the building. Really nice garden each. Wait! Is that cherry blossom! Thought it's not the season yet? A closer look and guess what? It's the "cousin", cherry plum! White in colour and it looks really beautiful! Just bloomed! Oh thank God for such a wonderful gift! Thought I will never get to come in the cherry blossom seasons, which estimates to start beginning April this year. Was very impressed with the architecture as well. Structured in such a way that the natural light could enter.

Lunch was a fusion of chinese mince pork noodle and japanese pork stock ramen. Love it!

Walked through Ebisubashi-suji Shopping Street. It's more like a market street. Sells intersting seafood. Check out the pic!

No idea what street I walked to next but just followed the six sense. Checked the map later to found out that I had walked into Kuromon Ichiba Market, where aunties can buy their pots and pans. It's like an angel guiding me, suddenly I just felt like turning left and I ended up in front of my next destination, the National Bunraku Theatre. Too bad no show on but I found out more about Bunraku from an information kiosk. Though audience can see the main puppeteer controlling the >1m tall puppet, it was said that eventually they would somehow just focus on the puppet. There's actually a few more man-in-black helping to manipulate the puppet.

Next destination - Hozenji-Yokocho Alley. But big and loud sign boards distracted me and I ended up in Dotonbori (it's wrongly indicated on the map! Thank God!) Ate 2 tako held between 2 rice biscuits and this fish-shape mocha steam cake. Both stores with long queues! And it's really good! Yes had a filling lunch but how can I not try after flying all the way here! Indeed the tako here is very different. Crispy outside and very moist inside. Singapore's version is too cook yet not crispy. Also manage to catch glimpse of the crab shop and the Glico running man. Next turn onto this Shinsaibashi-suji shopping street. Read somewhere that it's 600 m long but impossible! Along the road parallel to it already has 3 big shopping mall and they are less than 1/4 of the length! Wanted to walk till the end but halfway gave up. Coz I already walked a distance of 3 subway stations! I still have to turn back which is equivalent to another station! On way back checked out Americamura. Disappointment. The Korea street is even worse. Back to Dotonburi area to find Hozenji Yokocho Alley again. This time round not only did I find the lane, I also found the Hozenji temple and Kamigata Ukiyoe Museum which has wood block print featuring kabuki actors. Sounds like some amazing race! Yap indeed it's an amazing race with God. So many amazing things had happen! And I believe there will be more to come!

How can I leave this place without a good dinner at Dotonburi? Crab feast or fugu meal? Okay choosed the less common one in Singapore. Fugu meal! And I'm thankful that this restaurant I went in actually have a set on 6 dishes all made with fugu! Sashimi fugu, fugu sushi, fugu soup, half cooked fugu, fried fugu and self-cooked fugu. It really taste quite different and good! Even the usual radish with the sashimi is fugu skin! Luckily I tried. Worth burning my pocket with ¥3000 for such good meal!

How can I say that God don't loves me or don't know me well? Look at all the food that He fed me with! None was planned! Did think of trying but never had the time to check out the place to eat. For all the delicious food, I give thanks to God once again and wish that the Lord is physically here eating with me.

17 March, Tuesday (Osaka-Kyoto)

Sleep was great for the night. Grab a quick bite and hop onto the subway to Osaka station to transfer to a JR to Kyoto. Thank God that I manage to hop onto a special speed train instead of the normal one and it only took me about half hour. Yes at the same price! The man at information counter at Kyoto station was really helpful. Gave me a lot of useful map and recommended the places I should visit. But he just couldn't really tell me where exactly my hotel is. Just the general direction. So once again, I know I had to depend on angels to guide me. Indeed I actually just walked past my hotel across the road when suddenly I dunno why just turned my head to look back and I saw the hotel! It is not facing the main road at all! Thank you angels!

Quickly did some final planning and off I went to board the bus to my first check point - Ginkaku-ji. It was build by Shógun Ashikaga Yoshimasa in 1482 as a villa for genteel retreat. It belongs to the Shókoku-ji sect of the Rinzai school of Zen. Ginkaku-ji translates as Silver Pavilion and has one of Kyoto's most beautiful garden. Can't wait to see! But first I had a simple lunch of soba in soup with bean curd skin and soba tofu. Love it! And up I hopped onto a bus that I believed would bring me to the right place. Nervous coz that was my first bus trip in Japan and I hope I got off at the right stop! But indeed God help us through the people around us. I gave up my single seat to an old lady and went to the back to sit with a young lady. And God helped me through her! Her name is Maki and she used to study in Brisbane. So we had a really good chat along the way. She happened to have Indonesian friend over for a visit and she just sent them off after bringing them around the past few days. So she could offer me a lot of suggestions on where to go and how to go. There's simply God's grace in this! She even told me if I'm lucky I might even have a chance to take photo with a maiko at one of the temple. Best of all she alighted at the same stop as me and she could give me direction to Ginkaku-ji. Gave her my email and hope we could keep in touch. Maybe one day she come Singapore I could bring her around! Maki explained to me why there isn't as many subway line in Kyoto as Osaka. Because there's a lot of treasures from ancient times buried in the ground. Hence, to preserve these historical treasures, the governor here does not allow more digging of ground for subway except for 2 main lines. As a result, most of the places of interest have to be accessible by bus. Also there is a different between temples and shrines here. Temples belong to Buddhism while shrines, differentiated by the red gate, belongs to Japanese Gods. A pity Christianity is not very popular here. Our dear members in Japan, Gambadeh!

The walk up to Ginkaku-ji was quite a long one. If not because of Maki's direction and the crowd, I would never know if I'm on the right track. Pity the roof top was under reconstruction but the garden is indeed a beautiful sight. Noticed how the Japanese paid attention to little details. Even the pebbles are sweep to create some design. It's just like how God has took care of all my travelling trips. Every little detail is well taken care off. Surely I will have opportunity to testify few events in this trip too. In fact, it is not just through this trip but in my daily life too. I thank God that I didn't meet with any accidents in my daily travel. I thank God for giving me food that are safe to eat everyday. I thank God for blessing me in every little small ways in my daily life.

Next was a walk down the Path of Philosophy. Known to be a serene and scenic path especially during Sakura season. Autumn time will be a good view too. What! What was that tree with white flowers! Oh my God! It's cherry blossoms! Not the "cousin" cherry plum but cherry blossoms! The season was estimated to start in 1 April but I got to see now! Really thank God for this blessings for I would probably not get to see the flower as long as I'm a teacher in Singapore! The walk was about an hour long and I did a lot of reflection along the way. God has loved me so much in so many ways. He has always been trying to communicate with me and bringing many moments of happiness to me. But in return, I must admit that I have not love him enough. I can feel that He is always looking over me with a smile. Hence I must make a more conscious effort to be smiling at all time for God is smiling at me. He's always ready to forgive me and I must be able to do so to other people around me too.

Next stop was Nanzenji Temple. It is one of the Five Great Zen Temples of Kyoto. As the headquarters of the Nanzenji branch of the Rinzai school of Zen, it is also one of the most important Zen temples in the world. Another cherry blossom tree! Gosh. I really feel like being on a romantic date with God. Every few stop and He's showering me with flowers and more flowers! And no one can give as big a bouquet as Him for it's the whole tree! So sweet!

By then, my feet were already aching. Walking on pebbled ground for almost 2 hours in my heeled boots is no joke! Must I must persevere on! Gosh would I be able to finish the rest of the journey. It's already 4 pm and most of the temple will close by 5 pm! Nevertheless I just keep walking. Third stop Heian-jingu Shrine built in 1895. It has a really big and grand red shrine gate. The architecture of these Japanese shrines really impressed me. How they used blocks of wood to interlock to create a beautiful and sturdy structure. Well, we should interlock our life with God too. Build a strong faith with God in our everyday life.

Okay my tired legs would not be fast enough to bring me to the next two temples before they closed. Hop onto the cab and the driver was really nice to stop over at the first temple, Chion-in Temple for me to take some photo shots. As the head temple of the Jodo (Pure Land) sect of Buddhism, Chion-in (or Chionin) in Kyoto is one of the most important sacred sites in Japan. Old yet well preserved. Think there would be some lantern light up celebration at this temple but thought I should just move on. Asked for Yasaka Pagoda coz remembered Maki told me there's bloomed sakura tree there. But later found out the cab driver dropped me at Yasaka-jinja Shrine instead. Actually I was the one who made the mistake. Yes Maki mention Yasaka but she referred to the shrine and nope there was no sakura but the place that Maki also mentioned that I could took photo with a Maiko if I were lucky. And indeed I was! Only the first 100 got to do so! Then I just followed the crowd and end up in a street with litted lanterns lining both sides of the road. Found ou later that there was this lantern festival going on just this week. What blessing I had! I simply followed the lanterns, passing by few other temples like Chorakuji and the famous Kodaiji Temple. God continued to shower me with cherry blossom and plum trees now and then along the way. How romantic! Wanted to cover Kiyomizudera Temple and Gion street but guess I could only do so the next day since the sun already set. Just immersed myself into the festive mood and followed the lanterns down streets of old shop houses, trying some local delicacy here and there for my dinner. And before I knew, I was actually at the entrance of Kiyomizudera Temple! And it was magnificient! After trees and trees of flowers, now enormous candle light feast! This must be the most romantic night our for me with God! This place is not usually open at night. Only during special occasion. Yes it's my special night with God. What a surprise! Totally not planned for! And the visual feast ended with a beautiful garden. Oh how I wish I can continue to enjoy the romance forever! Okay I must work hard to secure a place in God's Kingdom.

18 March, Wednesday (Kyoto)

Checking out the scene outside my window upon rising. Saw a pagoda not too far away. Read up and realised that was Toji Temple. Not the one beside the hotel which actually guided me to Kyoto Plaza Hotel. Blessing the disguise then! Had this warm soya bread coated with soya powder and casterd powder. Tasted really good. Like warmly baked you tiao without oil and coated with soya bean milk in powder form. Always love soya product. Thank God.

Today's plan is to check out the area beyond the city of Kyoto. Another really nice old man at the information counter gave me direction between all the destination with his limited english. And they are all volunteers! May God bless them!

First stop - Tofukuji Temple at the south. Its Sammon gate is the oldest and largest Zen temple gate in Japan and is destinated as a national treasure. Basically as the name was given it has 3 main door leading to the temple. And I also received grace at this stop to learn a new way to use the camera. To take a picture against the sun and yet a bright shot and getting reference exposure from a nearby spot. Not sure about the term for this though. So I must also give glory to God through all the photos I take!

Next was Fushimi Inari Taisya Shrine. It is famous for it's consecutive shrine gates line along the path. A rather impressive sight!

Back to Kyoto Station, well known for it's architecture, to hop onto a west bound train to Arashimaya. Another angel-guided 15 min walk to Tenryuji Temple. It was a palace converted into a temple at the behest of Ashikaga Takauji, who wished to use the temple to hold a memorial service for Emperor Go-daigo. A local Ojisang told me it is even more beautiful during Autumn. Next to it is the serene Bamboo walk. And another unbelievable adventure started here. With no detailed map of the area, I just follow the path. I only know that I could catch a bus outside Tenryuji Temple to my next destination. But I ended at one of the exits of Bamboo Walk which is facing a field. I couldn't walk back for it would mean I have to pay to re-enter Tenryuji Temple. I could only simply depend on God and pray. And after an half hour walk, I actually ended up at some bus stop which had exactly the bus I needed to take! It was actually 2 stops away from my initial planned one. Indeed rather than walk back to your old life, why not just let God lead you? For He, who's Almighty will surely bless you when you walked with Him. I took it like the Lord bringing me out for an walk and just followed Him, praising and talking to Him along the way. But another worry popped up in my mind. It's already 3 plus and the next 2 temples close at 430 and 530 respectively. Would I be in time? As the bible says," Leave your worries to God." Since it's really not within my control, I could only pray and leave it to God. I managed to reach the first temple, Ryoanji Temple. Read somewhere that it is famous for its beautiful Zen rock landscape garden. Well it's just a roughly 15 m by 5 m big plot of land with a few rock in it. Indeed it looks a nice painting against the washed wall but for anyone who has seen Wol Myung Dong, this is nothing. Some cherry blossom and plum trees to compensate the disappointment. When I reached the next stop, Kinkakuji Temple, I realised why the timing was as such. It was perfect just like yesterday. My own plan was to cover Kyoto Imperial Palace and Nijo Castle as well before sunset but God had better plan for me. Kinkakuji Temple is also known as the Golden Pavilion. When I reached there, it was almost sun set time. The pavilion was facing the sun at that time, allowing it to glitter even more! How can it be mere coincidence again? Indeed God is also the best travel planner. But first must remember to pray to register with Him!

19 March, Thursday (Kyoto-Osaka)

To be updated

20 March, Friday (Osaka-Nara-Osaka)

To be updated

21 March, Sat (Osaka)

To be updated

22 March, Sun (Osaka - SG)

To be updated