Osaka

Before my trip I was super excited to see Osaka, I thought it would be like kind of more traditional side of Japan. How wrong I was. Not only that, but because it was directly after Tokyo it was hard to live up to. I mean... if people saw the sight of me before my flight to Osaka, they probably wondered why a girl was tearing up by herself. I mean, I'm not cold hearted all the damn time.

First stop, food. Cica - an arts and sweets cafe that is mainly breakfast foods like pancake and french toast. I mean, not the cheapest meal, and not the most Japanese.... but you know when you're so hungry you're so hungry you're belly is acidic, that was me! No regrets though, it turned out it was a special kind of cafe.

One that customises your breakfast dish. They asked you what you want to be drawn on, even your face or your favourite celebrity. I opted for a giraffe, how unoriginal. This will remain the cutest french toast dish I have or will ever eat, until I meet an artist who wants to prepare a breakfast like this for me....

Onwards to Osaka Castle, who knew it would be such a long walk, in the blazing sun and humidity. I was dying. Remind me how people wear jeans in this weather out in Asia. My butt was probably showing sweat stains it was so hot.

Little back story to these little statues. These two were stolen by the Japanese from the Chinese during the war. If you're from China or Japan this war was a big deal and was less than a century ago. For reconciliation reasons of the two countries China donated these to Japan and subsequently Osaka, and to this day they remain here. (I found that interesting, maybe I'm just an old soul)

Osaka Castle! You have no idea how relieved I was to finally be here, a little bit of me died walking up towards this place for sure.

I was asked to join this photo, one of the very awkward moments of my day. If you haven't noticed already, the guy in the right is struggling to squat..

Osaka's famous dish: Takoyaki. I hate to admit it but actually I didn't love it all that much. Saying that in 3 days I still had it twice. I'm such a fat b****. It was more intriguing watching them make it than eating it, but a must try for Osaka. The second thing is okonomiyaki which is very nice, but SALT OVERLOAD.

I'd been searching for this for hours. I mean hours I spent just walking endlessly, trying to find Wifi, trying to speak English to a guy who clearly was trying to be polite and had no clue, but I got there!

Most expensive dessert I will ever eat, matcha shaved ice with mochi and red bean topping. Delicious, but again I'm a fat b****, and it cost me more than 1,500 yen. My heart breaks knowing I didn't finish it all.

On one of my final days I took a mini trip to Kobe, purely for the Kobe beef. I mean Kobe beef is famous and award winning, I wasn't NOT going to try if I was so close. To my surprise Kobe is a little seaside town and it is one of the cutest places, I definitely enjoyed the fact you could walk from one side of Kobe to the other in around 2 hours. I did exactly that, and know for a fact that sweat was dripping from every crevice. This little cafe I stopped by in the morning was a Jamaican themed burger place, and can I tell you they have the friendliest workers and owners! I sat outside on the bench unsure of where I was going and the worker came outside and just initiated conversation. If you've met Japanese people, you know this is a rare occurrence! So I decide to head in and have a coffee to start my day, and he lets his owner know that I was visiting and she gave me the best tips and places to go, she is THE coolest woman I've met.

One of the places she recommended was to the most famous Kobe beef place in Kobe. Wakkoqu. I didn't capture any pictures on my camera, and this photo is empty, but that is exactly how I felt after the meal. It was pleasant, but the price was EVEN MORE PLEASANT (sarcasm). It cost me a mind blowing 10,800 yen and the slice of beef was the size of my fist. Besides that I can now say I've had Kobe beef.

Osaka and Kobe overall was a pleasant surprise, people here are so friendly and I manage to make some good friends, and I mean I got to eat all that good food so I'm not complaining. That was the end of my Japan trip... how heartbreaking it was to leave, but onwards!

Tokyo

I will try and hide my love for Tokyo, because it will be overwhelming. Let's start with HOLY SMOKES. Again, I still believe the people in a city and/or country will either make or break a place for me. Tokyo was a little bit of everything. If I left my heart anywhere this trip, it is most definitely Tokyo. My words will not do this place any justice. Although, I do have to confess on the first day I was having difficulty feeling the amazement I felt whilst walking around New York, it just took a little longer to realise.

Tokyo Tower, in every city in Asia there is a place to see the sights. This is one of those, needless to say I avoided this due to the queues, the price and having the opportunity to see Tokyo from a height.

When walking around Tokyo, you will always stumble across something. This evening I stumbled across a radio station just in the middle of a shopping centre. I mean I probably stayed for around 20 mins just attempting to figure out what was so funny, needless to say I probably looked like I understood with my supposedly ambiguous asian look, but I HAD NO IDEA.

Likewise, I just stumbled across this again. I did a lot of walking in Tokyo, just endless, sometimes mindless walking. Tokyo weather is the perfect weather.

Shibuya a place where I finally found myself in awe. Just endless people, shops and sideboards. This was a little intense but it was refreshing to be in a sea of people and just feel so small again (that same feeling I had in New York). This area has everything, coffee shops, restaurants and the notorious love hotel street.

Shinjuku another place full of memories. So many mini streets full of food, bars and lots and lots of business men. Interesting to walk by during the evening, luckily I was surrounded by male friends every time I was in this area. I mean after all, it is the red light district area, area for gays and again bars.

Sushi, what people go to Japan for. What I expected to go to Japan for. Actually I wasn't all that amazed, it was mediocre. I only had one EXTREMELY enjoyable evening of sushi, but that wasn't until Osaka.

Harajuku, the hipster area of Tokyo. Totally filled with tourists and young girls. It was interesting...

One of my favourite spots in Tokyo! Meji shrine. This stole the show for me. I enjoy having long walks in nature like this, especially since I'd spent the last week completely engulfed in tall buildings and people everywhere. It was refreshing with the decorations of the past located on the journey to the shrine.

I mean, this is probably a tourist trap and/or a place for the romantics of Japan, but this tree full of placards of people's wishes and thanks made Meji Shrine all the more special for me. Call me sentimental, a sap, soppy but I love reading other people's wishes, dreams and thanks. It puts you in the moment and allows you to think of your own, it was refreshing.

One of my favourite quotes from the tree. Sorry David, whoever you are, wherever you may be haha. "Life is short, make every day worth it. Not for yourself, but for others. Don't be afraid to love, it's the only force of attraction which can be felt anywhere in the universe. Make the world a better place." I most definitely wrote my own, and I even may have taken a photo, but that will all be kept a deep dark secret.

Asakusa, a place filled with memories with different people too. These temples were all in one location, again filled with tourists and stalls full of trinkets and food. It's a nice little area, with more of a historical feel.

Akihibara, the place of games and electronics. I did not expect to be confronted by so many stores, so many arcades and so much noise. I have a feeling it is the most popular spot for maid cafes too...... I mean every corner there was a GIRL, I repeat GIRL, not woman, in a costume. I still did go, I just had to try it. Interesting. I think it wasn't surprising to know I was the only female there, but I was with a male, so I guess it either looked like I was a lesbian, or I had to accompany the guy, either way, awkward.

Wagyu beef, can I just suggest this to EVERYBODY. Whether you like beef or not, this is so good. I had very little expectation for this, despite this being one of the most expensive meals I had. (Expensive being only around 1,500 JPY equalling around £10 or so.) Even now, I cannot get over it...

Japan is full of little cafes, I probably just about tried ALL of them.

On this day, we took a little ride along Sumida River towards Asakusa and other spots. Japan is filled with bicycles and there are seemingly no rules, which I guess it makes it all the more fun and easier. One surprise is the height of the bikes, I mean asian people aren't the tallest of people, except why are the bikes still so tall?!

Directions was one thing I failed at, I mentioned how I aimlessly wondered, because I had no GPS. So whenever I had somebody to hang with, they ALWAYS used theirs, cheeky I know, I know. Tokyo is one of those places where you can find absolutely anything, and yet nothing at all, because when you are attempting to find something it's all buried in the sky scrapper buildings.

One of the things I managed to tick off my list. Cat cafe, we expected a lot more than just cats lazing around the cafe. I mean, they were pretty mean cats, they sat and ate and only paid attention when food was on the agenda.

Attempting to post pictures of Tokyo in one picture was unrealistic... I've most definitely left my heart behind here, just waiting for the day I return...