Kyoto Osaka 2024 Spring

Today's plan, depart from Kyoto and head toward Osaka.

Before we checked out, a quick walk around the temple next to the hotel.

It is the Nishi Hongan-ji Temple (西本願寺). Apparently, Nishi means west, as verse to Higashi - East. We've visited the other one. Somehow when we stepped in, the two look very similar. We thought we visited the same place twice!

"Nishi Honganji (西本願寺) and Higashi Honganji (東本願寺) are two large temples in the center of Kyoto. As headquarters of the two factions of the Jodo-Shin Sect (True Pure Land Sect),..." according to Wiki.

True Pure Land Sect -> 淨土宗. Different sect from the one we visited yesterday, Tenryuji 天龍寺.

Hotel shuttle to Kyoto Station, then train to Osaka Station, 42km away, took 38 min. Not bad!

After settling down, we paid a visit to the Osaka Castle (大阪城). Although the weather is poor, raining and cold, we had good spirit.

Osaka Castle

豐臣秀吉

Also in the park is the statue of Toyotomi Hideyoshi (豐臣秀吉).

After the tour in Keihan City Mall and light lunch of conveyor belt sushi 迴轉壽司, I came to know that this was invented here in 1958 by Yoshiaki Shiraishi after he visited an Asahi brewery.

Our stay is nex to the famous Dotonbori (道頓堀). A nice walk around the area, having snacks and sampling of variety of food, esp. the Wagyu beef stick. It's time to call it a day.

Tomorrow's plan is the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan. The aquarium is famous for the great whale sharks. One can imagine to host that big creatures it must be a hugh tank.