Osaka Castle | Osaka, Japan

One of the most iconic places in Japan is Osaka Castle. Construction began in 1583 and the entire site covers around 61,000 square feet. Osaka Castle is an important symbol for the Kansai region of Japan and it played a major role in the unification of Japan in the 16th century also known as the Samurai era.

Markus and I decided to go to Osaka Castle on one of the hottest days of our trip. We tried to go really early to avoid the heat and tourists. We were unfortunately not successful with either. It was so hot that I was constantly seeking shade and fanning myself. The area around the castle is really beautiful and everything looks much larger in person. Markus mentioned that it reminded him of the old Akira Kurosawa films. When we arrived, there were heaps of school trips and small groups of students were running around approaching tourists. One small group came up to us and we quickly realized they were interviewing people in English. I wish I took photos or had video of the experience because it was such a lovely reminder our time in Korea. After the kids conducted their short interview, Markus and I sat in the shade on the south side of the castle and enjoyed the atmosphere.

One Piece Tower | Tokyo, Japan

One of the places in Tokyo that Markus and I were most excited to visit was One Piece Tower. As most of you know, Markus and I love anime and watch a plethora of shows. Back in 2012, when we still lived in Korea, Markus introduced me to One Piece. I was instantly hooked and watched hundreds of episodes in a month or so. I got the best experience with One Piece because I didn’t have to wait for new episodes every week. It was great! If you can’t tell, my favorite characters are Tony Tony Chopper and Portgas D. Ace. It’s pretty obvious why those two are my favorite characters. Chopper is probably the cutest character on the show and Ace is the hottest.

One Piece Tower is found on the first, third, fourth and fifth floors of the iconic Tokyo Tower, which was frequently featured on Sailor Moon. So visiting was like experiencing two of my favorite animes at the same tie. Even though it’s not exactly an amusement park, there is tons to do, even if you aren’t a kid. There are attractions on every floor that focus on specific characters from the anime. We really enjoyed Brooke’s Haunted Mansion and the live action show that I will be posting about later. Markus and I spent way too much time at One Piece Tower, but it was so much fun and I honestly would go back if we were in Tokyo. It’s not very often that you get to be immersed in your favorite anime!

Joyeux Noël 2019 | Hozenji Temple | Osaka, Japan

Every year, Markus and I travel somewhere and take a photo that will ultimately be our holiday card. This year, we traveled to Japan and I wanted to get a photo of us in front of Mt. Fuji. Usually, Markus and I just set up a tripod and take the photo ourselves, but this year, I didn’t want to risk it. Unfortunately that didn’t work out, but I’ll post more about that later. As a backup, I booked a photography session in Osaka with Manu Akamatsu and thank goodness I did. Markus and I had a great time with Manu and he took so many great photos of us, which I will post more of later.

It was hard to pick one photo, but we loved everything about this photo at Hozenji Temple. This temple can be found in the heart of Namba and is not too far from the popular Dotonbori area. The small temple dates back to 1637 and was actually a bit larger than it is today. Manu told us that people usually make a wish at the moss covered statue, Mizukake-Fudo, and then splash water on it. Apparently a woman did this 80 years ago and her wish came true. Markus and I both made wishes, so lets see if it comes true in 2020!

Happy holidays my dear readers. I hope you have a Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year!