Tea House View

The last time I visited Himeji Kokoen, I didn't have a chance to visit the tea house and regretted not trying it. After I had a light, yet filling lunch at the garden restaurant, I walked around for a bit before ducking inside the tea house. For 500 yen, you get a cup of matcha and a wagashi while enjoying another beautiful view of the garden. Just sitting down, sipping my tea and nibbling on the wagashi while looking out gave me such a feeling of contentment. I always look forward to drinking the hot, thick and frothy matcha while eating the sweet wagashi that looks more like a work of art than food to eat. The Japanese take their seasons very seriously (and I mean SERIOUSLY) so the wagashi that is served is handmade to reflect the current season. If anyone knows of a wagashi store, please let me know in the comments below! :)

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Himeji Castle: The White Heron

A couple of weekends ago, I finally made it back to Himeji Castle!! The first time I went to Himeji, the castle was still being renovated, so I opted to go to the garden which is located right next to the castle. The renovation had been an ongoing project for quite a few years until March 2015 when the castle was re-opened to the public. I avoided going there for the first two months like the plague because of the hordes and seas of people that would undoubtedly be visiting. I haven't been to many Japanese castles, but Himeji definitely stands out as the top :) It comprises of eighty-three buildings and is also known as the Shirasaji-jo, or "White Heron Castle" because its white exterior and buildings resemble a heron taking flight. Unlike other castles, it has never been destroyed from wars, earthquakes or fires and thus still stands in its original form! 

The castle opens at 9:00, so I got there around 8:20 only to find myself standing in an already growing line! I was lucky enough to be part of the first group that was let in. They had to regulate the number of visitors allowed to enter because so many people were lining up. It was a rather hot day as well and I can't imagine how miserable it must have been to be standing in line during the afternoon! The fee to enter is 1,000 yen and with hundreds and hundreds of people and tour groups waiting patiently to enter, I think the castle made quite a bit of money to help cover the extensive renovation. I hope you all enjoy the pictures!

Just before 9:00 and the line had gone past the park area..

View from the second floor :)

The stairs were actually really steep so if you have bad knees, definitely take it slow. And don't wear a short skirt unless you don't mind everyone behind you getting a peek. Shorts or pants all the way! :)

The line of people who got past the ticket gate and were waiting to get INTO the castle!

And the line to buy tickets...

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

Pink Flower Carpet: Fuji Shibazakura Matsuri

It all started one day when I was browsing through Pinterest and saw a picture of thousands of pink flowers with Mt. Fuji in the back. When I found out that it was in Japan, I immediately wanted to go if I ever got the chance. After doing some research, I learned that it was from the Fuji Shibazakura Matsuri, usually held between mid April until early June around the Fuji Five Lakes area. During this time, thousands of shibazakura of several varieties bloom, covering the ground with their pink, purple and white petals. This type of flower is also known as moss phlox and in addition to resembling sakura, it is also a creeper plant, covering large areas as if were a pink lawn thus the meaning behind its name is "lawn cherry" (shibazakura). 

The best time to go to the festival is during the first couple of weeks during May. However, going during Golden Week is suicidal because of the sheer number of people that travel during that time. Since I was in Tokyo visiting my aunt, we decided to go on a Monday the week after Golden Week when it (hopefully) wouldn't be as crowded. There are highway buses that depart from multiple stations in Tokyo, but don't get tickets for the large stations such as Shibuya and Shinjuku. Those buses were packed as they came in. The bus ride from Tama Plaza to Kawaguchiko Station was empty-- there was only one other passenger other than the two of us and the driver! However, the bus ride from Kawaguchiko Station to the festival site was a lot longer. The thirty-minute ride tripled into an hour and a half! This was largely due to the fact that the road leading to the site only had one lane going in each direction. Add a dozen or so tour buses and other cars and you'll find yourself in a lovely traffic jam. It was definitely worth it though because my aunt and I were both blown away by the pink, purple and white carpet of flowers that covered the area with Mt. Fuji in the back :) Having a cool, sunny day didn't hurt either. This was definitely one of my top ten highlights while living in Japan! I hope you're all ready for lots of pictures of Mt. Fuji :)

Two Mt. Fujis!!! :)

There was a raised platform for people to get panoramic views of the entire area.

There w

From the top of the platform ^^

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