It was already nighttime when we arrived in our hotel in Osaka, just in time to catch the glorious spectacle unraveled by the Dotonbori area. Located in the heart of Osaka, (and about 10-15 minutes walk from our lodging place), is a busy area where bright neon lights which included the famous Glico Man Sign, extremely extravagant signage and vast selection of food bars and restaurants lined the Dotonborigawa River. For me, it was a Las Vegas strip in Asia. 

I wish I took a lot more photos but I was just so excited to explore the Dotonbori area, I ended up just taking it all in and forgetting to document the way I should be. I recommend that you avail the Tombori river cruise to have a better view of the Dotonbori area. This mini cruise last for 20 minutes for the price of Y900 for Adults (13 yrs old and up) and Y400 for children (6-12 yrs old). But for those who have an Osaka Amazing Pass, this Tombori river cruise is for free.  

Of course, this also gave me a better view of the very famous Glico Man Sign that was originally installed in 1935. This billboard for a confectionery company Glico is one of the area’s most prominent feature that you’ll see a lot of people taking a picture of it. Which we didn’t want to miss as well. Look at me, trying and failing to copy the iconic athlete in the Glico Man Sign. 


I highly recommend that you see this place at night for an eye thrilling experience! I swear you won't regret it! 

I've always dreamed of going to Japan (check out my Bucketlist) and it finally came true last November 10, 2018, just in time to witness the leaves turn into fall colors. 

If you want to feel the autumn atmosphere, hunting for momiji is really a must. Although, hunting for momiji won't really be that hard since it is autumn in Japan and most tourist spots will have them. You can easily fall in love with this season since it gives out a serene kind of feeling for anyone that experiences autumn. Because of such beauty, autumn in Japan easily topped my best travel destination list.

Everything felt majestic. I must say that there were times when I felt like I was just dreaming because of how perfect each view was. My eyes definitely had a feast on how warm the color of the environment was, despite the temperature dropping down and my mind was definitely happy because of the peaceful ambiance. I could easily envision myself just sitting in a non-crowded park which is lined with momiji while reading a book or just feeding pigeons (which we did) whenever I take a break from my writing. Yes, I’ve envisioned myself experiencing autumn in Japan annually! Yeap! Just like that! And to think we've only stayed for a week.

I don’t know how to put it in a non-cheesy way but experiencing the autumn in Japan made me feel like I was reborn and I couldn't be more grateful to God for blessing me with this experience. Autumn showed me that the process of letting go is necessary to give way for something better, such as the falling leaves, and that process can be done in such a beautiful manner. It was definitely so much more than I've ever dreamed of and this time, I can say that dreams really do come true! 



P.S. I'll be sharing our budget and itinerary with some of my personal thoughts with regards to my Japan experience very soon! Please be patient! ;)