Wide-Eyed in Kansai!! (Part 2): Doe You Know the Way to Nara, My Deer?

- August 21, 2026, Friday.

- If there's a place in Japan I've been to that I feel can make one feel like a Disney princess, that wouldn't be one of Japan's Disney parks, but rather, the ancient city of Nara! One of the biggest tourist magnets of Nara are the native deer that have become so accustomed to humans that they are not afraid to see people come close to them. But beyond the (usually) tame deer, Nara is a haven for historical sites especially since it was Japan's capital in the 8th century. 

- From Namba Station, there is a direct train to Nara, making it so convenient for me since I was staying in Osaka's Dotonbori area. The trip is around 30 minutes long. Ride the train to Kinetsu-Nara Station, which is close to Nara Park, where most of the main tourist sites are. I was so excited to go back to Nara since I only had a short half-day rushed visit to Nara more than a decade ago; my family and I were part of a big bus tour. This time, my DIY day trip to Nara allowed me to explore the city a bit more! 

- Upon arriving at Nara, I rode an Uber to Todaiji Temple. Now, I rode Uber a couple of times during the day despite short distances between places because Nara Park isn't flat. Nara Park is actually at the base of a mountain, so the sites require a bit of a hike between them. The heat also made the hike more difficult, so I might as well ride a car between places when I can, and the prices aren't too expensive since they're near anyway.

Did not take long for me to see the deer!

I honestly was tempted to wear a headband with antlers just to "fit in", but I remembered that male deer (those with the long antlers) like to fight each other. Just to play it safe, I didn't.

....However, this cheeky deer probably thought I was a giant leaf and began chewing on my new yukata!! I'm glad it didn't get damaged!!

These deer don't have a care in the world. They know they're cute and they know people often find them to pet them or take photos with them. These deer even know how to bow to people (as the Japanese do, at least)!!

- Todaiji Temple is one of the city's main temples, and was built in the mid-8th century. It is known for housing the Daibutsu, or Great Buddha, which is one of the world's largest bronze Buddha statues. It is also supported by two serene-looking statues, Kokuzo-Bosatsu (Wisdom) to the left, and Nyoirin-Kannon (Compassion) to the right. Todaiji can get REALLY crowded as this is often the first if not the only place people go to in Nara. I made sure to arrive early to beat the crowd!!

Todaiji.

It's almost impossible to get a shot like this. This is considering I thought I arrived late. I should've arrived a bit earlier. This was around 8:30AM? Todaiji opens around 7:30AM in the summer.

Kokuzo-Bosatsu and Daibutsu.

Daibutsu.

Now with Nyoirin-Kannon.

Details of the main hall.

Silhouette.

Todaiji is also known for its guardians at the gate. This is Agyo. 

Sleeping deer.

This other guardian is Ungyo.

These deer are hanging out near one of the many stalls selling deer crackers. But crackers from them and the deer will be chasing you for them!! I think this is the only time that the deer become a bit more aggressive since everyone wants to have a bite!!

- I rode another car going to Kasuga Taisha. This 8th-century temple is the main Shinto temple of the once-powerful Fujiwara clan. This temple is notable for its bronze lanterns and stone lanterns. Entrance to the temple is free, but going to the "special" part of the temple (where all the nice things to see are) require a minimal entrance fee. One of the most interesting parts of this area is the Fujinami-no-ya is, which is a dark room with flickering bronze lanterns.

Deer with stone lanterns.

Bronze lanterns.

Of course I had to be in the middle of everything.

More stone lanterns.

Inside Fujinami-no-ya.

A nice tourist took this photo. Thank goodness for airdrop!

Main shrine.

With stone lanterns.

This time with a deer too!

- I proceeded to the Nara National Museum closer to the city center, and highlights Buddhist art. I think this is one of the younger historical sites in the area, as it was established only in 1889. 

Nara National Museum.

Temple guards.

Kannon.

Temple guardians.

Outside the Buddhist Sculptures Hall of the museum.

- Across the museum is a small shrine called Himuro Shrine (Himuro Jinja). Built in the early 8th century, it is dedicated to the kami for ice. It is said to probably be the only Shinto shrine dedicated to the ice god. It was created during a time when making and preserving ice were incredibly difficult due to lack of refrigeration technology.

Himuro Shrine.

Maine shrine.

They're just there near the mist fans. Smart way to cool off.

- On the way back to the train station, I also passed by Kofukuji Temple. Established in the 7th century, it was another one of the temples established by the Fujiwara clan. Currently the some parts of the temple are being renovated, so I was not able to see some buildings, especially the pagoda. I was able to go to the central hall (Chu-kondo) and the South Octagonal Hall.

Eastern Hall. (The grey building at the right side of the photo is supposed to be the 5-story pagoda, but it's currently covered for renovations.)

Central Hall.

I think it's my first time to see a wild cicada??

South Octagonal Hall.

- It was already in the middle of the afternoon and I realized I hadn't had lunch, so I dropped by at Higashimuki Shopping Street to have some ramen for lunch. I suddenly discovered Kamukura Ramen, a chain restaurant which apparently has been around since the late 1800s in Osaka (so it's funny that I stumbled upon Kamukura in Nara first instead of Osaka!)

Soup on a hot day isn't a good idea, but I really needed something soothing, and it was the first restaurant I saw. Honestly, a gem!! (Dare I say, stand aside, Ichiran!!)

- I rode the train back to Osaka and rested for the afternoon until it was time for dinner. I went back to Dotonbori to eat at American, which I like to describe as the Japanese interpretation of western food. I have eaten here before and I find the food interesting and colorful!

Had "Italian" spaghetti, cream soda, and pudding sundae. 

Yes, this is literally the name.

- A visit to Nara was a good way to reconnect with nature while appreciating history and culture. I feel I would have loved walking around more if not for the heat. I may consider going back to Nara in the future, not only for the deer, but also for some of the place I did not get to see, or see fully. For now, I'll be happy to see other places I haven't been to in Japan!

Wide-Eyed in Kansai!! (Part 1): Meeting My Heroes in Osaka!!

- August 18-20, 2026, Tuesday to Thursday.

- The travel bug is a tempting and expensive bug - but surely the most rewarding one too! Not long after trying to recover from my UK-Ireland-Maldives sojourn, here I am packing my bags again. This time, I was bound for Japan for the long weekend. Apart from needing to use my visa again, I headed to Osaka for a special reason: to meet my heroes!!  

- I left Manila on the night of Tuesday. For the first time, I had a local layover (in Cebu) before my onward flight to Osaka. This route, via Cebu Pacific, was cheaper than the exorbitant amount for a direct Manila-Osaka flight. My return flight, however, was a direct one. Although I initially took the flight because I liked the time of my arrival in Japan (allowed me to maximize my day,) I guess it was a blessing in disguise because Manila was constantly hit by storms while it was dry in Cebu. Flying south to Cebu meant that by the time we would fly over Manila and the rest of Luzon, we would most likely be above the storm. True enough, I had a smooth and almost turbulence-free flight from Cebu to Osaka, with almost enough time to sleep during the flight. I arrived on the morning of the 19th. It was an easy train ride from Kansai Airport to Namba via the Airport Limited Express. I only had to walk a short distance to my hotel! By the way, I stayed at Dotonbori Hotel, which was a small hotel yet conveniently located near the subway and Dotonbori itself!

Dotonbori Hotel. Yes it really has these heads in front. They make the hotel easy to see though, so it's convenient.

My room. This was the cheapest room I could find. At least I have some wiggle room.

- I was able to check in immediately, and after refreshing myself in the room, I dashed out and headed to Semba Building Center (Hommachi Station). Semba Center Building is a series of 10 separate buildings but mostly connected in the basement levels, and known as a local shopping center. The basement level is recognized for being a haven for kimonos both new and second-hand. This was my priority since I wanted to buy yukatas to wear during my stay (and for future summer visits to Japan.) A yukata is a summer kimono, usually made of cotton and is lighter than the regular kimono, which can be made with slightly heavier fabric. (Japan is quite particular when it comes to wearing the right kimono for the season.) If not Semba Building, there are also some kimono stores along the Hommachi side of Shinsaibashi Market.

Semba Center Building. I was in a hurry going through all ten buildings I forgot to take photos of the stores haha. But the basement level has lots of kimono stuff!

This store had a nice selection of kimonos, even for men! I bought some things from here. This store is at Shinsaibashi, close to Semba Building.

- After my first shopping trip for the day, I had lunch at Dotonbori. One of my favorite restaurants there is Genrokuzushi. The original branch of this restaurant was the birthplace of the conveyor belt sushi restaurant concept. I like the restaurant because the prices are cheap (even for Philippine standards), the sushi is always fresh and top quality, and with a wide variety too!

Of course this was just the start!

They have whale skin sushi. Fresh, but texture was a bit stringy. It feels a bit like tougher squid or octopus.

No fuss. Just get what you want, or have sushi made to order.

The damage haha.

I love you please be there forever Genrokuzushi.

- To help me digest all that sushi faster, I walked around a bit and passed by Hozenji Yokocho, and the main stars along Dotonbori River: the Glico Man sign and the Don Quijote branch with the oval ferris wheel. I know I've visited these places before, but I feel like no visit to Osaka is complete without paying them a visit! - And of course, after a visit to Don Quijote's ferrish wheel, I'm sure we all know what happened next hahahaha. (It's Don Quijote after all. Who can resist the temptation to buy?)

Hozenji. The temple was built in 1637,

The Buddha is complete covered in moss!

Street outside Hozenji. It's known for its retro look.

Glico Man. He's been here in Dotonbori since 1935!!

I rode on the oval Don Quijote ferris wheel!

View from the top of the ferris wheel. I didn't expect the ferris wheel to be this high!!

Tsutenkaku Tower.

Don Quijote's oval ferris wheel from the other side of the river. This is the world's first oval ferris wheel by the way!

- Later that afternoon I visited Mipig Cafe to play with small pigs. A few years back I visited the branch in Kyoto, and it was my first time in a pig cafe. I enjoyed my experience so much so I decided to visit the cafe again, although this one's a different branch. As usual the pigs were so playful and are often happy to snuggle up on your legs if they feel like chilling or sleeping.

Please notice my shirt and my hat. HAHA. I got the shirt online and the hat from a Christmas market in Vienna.

There are three of them omg!

Can I please take them home?

If only I could sleep this comfortably.

Three of them again.

I just discovered how pigs yawn and it's the funniest thing ever. They make this face then stick their tongue out.

- In the evening I walked around Dotonbori again. I just love the energy of Dotonbori at night, although that also means having a harder time to find a place to eat because of the crowd. It was incredibly hot by the way because it was summer, so that did not help too. However, the neon colors of Dotonbori nights can always cheer me up. Having ramen and takoyaki in a random izakaya was the perfect way to end my first day in Osaka!

So far I really think I'm a Kansai boy in Japan. I feel most at home in Osaka.

Had dessert before dinner haha. (My melon pan had cream cheese ice cream, then I also got a cup of really cold milk tea because it was hot.)

Salad, takoyaki, then ramen.

This is Obanzai Izakaya, the random restaurant I saw where I had my salad, takoyaki and ramen. Not bad!

 
- The following day was the most important day of this trip, and it was the main reason I booked my ticket to Osaka among all places I could've gone to. My main mission in Japan was to visit the All Super Sentai Exhibition, in celebration of Super Sentai's 50th anniversary! The exhibit is also a moving one, with each iteration of the exhibit lasting a couple of months in one Japanese city before moving on to the next city. This iteration in Osaka was held at Hirakata Park. (From Namba, I had to ride the subway to Yodoyabashi, then ride a regional train to Hirakata Station. Hirakata Park is a short walk from the station.) Super Sentai is what other people might know as the American franchise "Power Rangers". Each season, lasting a year, features a set of matching color-coded super heroes, equipped with specialized weapons and giant robots; each season also has a theme from which the rangers are based on, like animals, dinosaurs, constellations, mythical creatures, and so on. Super Sentai would always air in Japan and have their own stories, before being adapted loosely by the USA the year after or beyond. I'm a fan of both Super Sentai and Power Rangers, so this was honestly a childhood dream for me! 

Hirakata Park.

I AM HERE. Tickets were available onsite but I bought my ticket online beforehand just to be safe!

GOOOOOKAIGER!!

The exhibition had a couple of awesome things. I wasn't allowed to take photos of the room with the civilian outfits and weapons, but this room with the robots used for filming was.

OG for the American Power Rangers.

Villains.

Henchmen.

Villain heads.

Bandora, also known as Rita Repulsa in Power Rangers.

Character sketches.

THIS. IS. WHAT. I. CAME. HERE. FOR.

THEY'RE ALL HERE.

ALL 50 YEARS.

Thank you for including the unofficial sentai team, Akibaranger!!

- After a sad trip back to the city after spending around two hours at the exhibition, I had a bit of a rest at the hotel before hopping over to Namba Parks. Namba Parks reminds me a lot of Greenbelt here in the Philippines; both of them are mix-use complexes with shopping and office areas. At the 8th floor of Namba Parks is The Sumo Hall Hirakuza. Opened only in 2024, it was meant to be a facility for tourists to learn more about sumo wrestling. This is mostly for entertainment, and not really the typical sumo tourmament other people might know of. Each day may have one to two shows around dinner dimertime, and feature former professional wrestlers or sumo practitioners. They show different stretches and moves, explain the rules of sumo wrestling, and a sample match. Guests can have a brief Q and A session with the wrestlers for any query they might have, and the night ends with a lottery where some people in the audience can get to have a match with the wrestlers in a sumo suit (sadly I wasn't picked!!) It's best to purchase tickets beforehand as they can get sold out fast! Tickets also include a bento meal or a snack bag depending on your preference.

- To cap the night I visited Shinsekai, which was a couple of blocks south of Namba Parks. Shinsekai has the same kind of lively vibe as Dotonbori, but with more of a retro feel. As usual I tried to find somewhere to eat but wasn't able to, and instead I went to the Mega Don Quijote to check out what they had before riding the metro back to Dotonbori.I had another sushi meal at Dotonbori for dinner, but this time at Daiki. I didn't like it as much as Genrokuzushi, but it was decent.

Shinsekai. For some reason I don't always feel like eating at Shinsekai despite the restaurants there (maybe because it's usually too crowded), but I always want to visit it just to take a photo.

Tsutenkaku Tower.

Back at Dotonbori, at Daiki.

This is what Daiki looks like from the outside.

- My first two days in Osaka were packed with so many amazing things, including a successful mission to see all my Super Sentai heroes. But this is just the beginning of other hot adventures (literally so!) in Kansai! It's easy to go visit other nearby major cities from Osaka, so that's exactly what my next agenda is!