Ice cream Preview

Because I've been waiting to do an ice cream post for the longest time, one will be coming up soon! :)

Cosmo Flower Field: A Garden of Tranquility

Happy Monday everyone!


Whenever I catch the train home from work, I always see a flower garden whiz past and was curious to see how I could get there for the longest time. During one of my runs, I was lucky enough to run past the area  where the garden was and ended up going there later that weekend. Enjoy! :)

There were a lot of people heading towards the stadium so I decided to check it out..

And found out that there was a track meet going on! I haven't been to one since high school so it was very nostalgic to watch the various events for a little while before making my way to the flower field

There were quite a few students that were warming up around the area and others who were relaxing after their event had finished. Despite this, it was an extremely peaceful place.

A rainbow of flowers!! :)

It was a perfect day for some quality family-time ^^

For some reason, this area seemed like it could have come straight out of a Studio Ghibli movie ^^ 

Thank you so much for reading! :) I hope you all have a wonderful week! 

Hanami Season: Kema-Sakuranomiya Park and Osaka Castle

While the sakura were in peak season, I took the opportunity to explore some hanami spots that are known for their sakura. The first on my list was Kema-Sakuranomiya Park which is known for having over a thousand sakura trees lining the park. Walking along the river and snapping pictures of the pretty pink flowers while enjoying the crisp morning air was an excellent way to start my day :)

Some people will sleep in the park to reserve a good spot O.o

After soaking up the morning air, I headed over to Osaka Castle and many people were already on the grounds, but that didn't stop the crowds from coming in :)

While everyone was admiring the sakura, these two cuties were captivated by the pigeon :)

The bushes were wrapped with these gorgeous flower lights that were to be lit as nighttime came. I can only imagine how pretty it must have looked!

Thank you so much for reading! I definitely can't wait to explore new places next spring ^^ Any suggestions for me to check out? I hope you all have a wonderful week! 

Minatogawakoen Handicraft Market: Amazing Talent in One Place

Happy Monday everyone! :)

On the fourth Saturday of every month, there is a handicraft market at Minatogawakoen and I'm looking forward to going there again this week! Before I do, I just wanted to share pictures with you all of some of the things that people make and sell there :) The things that they make and the amount of time that they pour into it never ceases to amaze me! These handicraft and flea markets are excellent places to find omiyage and other trinkets that you know aren't sold everywhere else. Knowing that they are all handmade with care from a few people makes it that much more special to me ^^

Definitely might buy these if they're there again this week! :) 

So.cute. I just might buy these as omiyage :)

Your dog/cat will be one happy pet knowing that they're eating out of a unique dish! :)

And pizza in the back of a truck. You know, in case you get hungry :)

Strawberry jam, sweet potato jam, milk tea jam, you name it, they had it :)

One of my purchases! Specifically made for washi tape and I love how my washi tapes look on it! ^^

Thank you so much for reading :) If any of you are in the area, the market is only a two minute walk from the train station so don't miss it! ^^ 

Olu Olu: A taste of Hawaii in Kobe :)

Happy springtime everyone! :)

My friend and I went out to grab some dinner awhile ago at Olu Olu- a restaurant tucked away in Sannomiya that serves up local food from Hawaii and while it's not like home, I still thought it was really good ^^  The owner, Masa, is very friendly and speaks some English so it was nice to chat with him from time to time.

Hope you're all enjoying the lovely spring weather! Thank you so much for reading :) 

Kaiseki Ryori: An Entirely Different Eating Experience

During my trip in Kyoto with my teachers, I was able to not only experience eating yudofu, but kaiseki ryori as well! Kaiseki is a traditional Japanese dinner that consists of multiple courses- all of which are artistically arranged to enhance both the appearance and taste. There is a delicate balance between the texture, color, appearance and taste of the food as well as the order that it is served. The dishes are also carefully chosen to compliment the theme, season or food. And did I mention that only the freshest of ingredients are used? That said, kaiseki is not a cheap dinner, but it is well worth it :)

Had to take a picture of the first course :) along with my trusty oolong tea :D

From left to right: Ikura (salmon roe), very thinly sliced cucumber, sashimi, ebi and ika (squid)

Our salad course. I don't eat red meat soo..I'm pretty sure that's steak?

With this dish, we took the cube of butter and melted it on the pan in front of us before cooking the meat in it :) 

Yellow leaf: bunashimeji mushrooms and yuba tofu (I think). Green flower cup: medley of sauteed vegetables with sakura-shaped kamaboko on top. Blue dish: tempura! White and red dish: I can't really remember what it is, so if anyone knows please tell me! :) Green cup: If I remember correctly, it was yudofu, but I'm not sure :(

Soba!! :) 

Chawan-mushi and it was sooo yummy~

Does anyone know the name of the food with the carrot piece on top of it? I can never remember its name 

:[ 

They lit a candle underneath the pot and after the rice cooked for about 20 minutes (or the fire went out), we were able to take off the lid and ta-da! Rice with shiitake mushrooms and carrots. I'm not a rice person, but this was too yummy to not eat the whole thing :) 

Another shot of the next course

Can't have dinner without some good tsukemono ^^

It wasn't my usual tub of ice cream, but the blueberry yogurt, yellow cake and pineapple were so very delicious and a wonderful way to end the meal!

Hopefully this wasn't my first and last time eating kaiseki in Japan! Thank you so much for reading :)