Kiyomizu Temple - Kyoto, Japan

Kiyomizu Temple, one of my favorite places to visit in Kyoto, is a World Heritage Site located in Eastern Kyoto near the Gion area.

Before reaching Kiyomizu, there's a beautiful village surrounding the temple.  Although some streets are quiet, others are filled with crowds.   There are a lot of shops and restaurants here selling traditional foods like green tea, tofu, and mochi.

 When finally reaching the temple area, the view is incredible.

Before entering Kiyomizu, people often "cleanse" themselves by pouring water on their hands with the provided ladles.  You don't have to do this to enter the temple, but why not try it for the experience?

Here's a spectacular view of the temple from a distance.  You can pray and purchase good luck charms inside.

There's also another shrine located at Kiyomizu. It's a temple for love.  In the temple, there are two love stones inside.  If you close your eyes and find your way to the other rock, you may find your true love.  

Down below, there are some areas to eat a snack and enjoy the scenery.

The three streams of water below is where Kiyomizu received its name.  It means pure water.  You can make wishes here.

If you are worried about germs, purchase a ladle instead of using the free ones provided.

Enjoy the town!  If you are lucky, you may see Maiko walking around (apprentice Geisha).  

Also, if you have time and money, why not try a rickshaw?  

Kiyomizu is one of my favorite places in Kyoto!  I love being here because it's beautiful and reminds me of a more traditional Japan.  The air feels so fresh and natural here too.

Takoyaki Museum - Osaka, Japan

At Universal City Walk, I saw a sign for a "Takoyaki museum" which sounded interesting.  Takoyaki is a popular food in Osaka (and around Japan).  It's gooey dough balls stuffed with pieces of octopus.

I first thought I would enter the museum to learn more about Takoyaki, but I discovered that the Japanese use the word "museum" to also describe areas where there are a number of the shops and restaurants of the same type.

The Takoyaki musuem was exactly that because it wasn't a museum, but a bunch of takoyaki restaurants and a Takoyaki gift shop.

Of course, I like Takoyaki on the street the most, but the mochi and cheese Takoyaki was amazing at the Takoyaki Museum.

Check it out if you have time and are in the area ...

Soup Curry - Japan

In Japan, I discovered "soup curry."  I first had some in Tokyo and fell in love with this dish.  

If you visit Japan anytime soon, I'd recommend soup curry.  I chose a chicken and vegetable curry which was amazing.  Now, I've been trying to replicate soup curry at home, at least once a week, because I continue to crave the flavors of my first soup curry dish in Tokyo.

I had it again in Nagoya and it was still just as amazing as I last remember.

Shibuya - Tokyo, Japan

In Shibuya, there are a lot of great places to eat and shop.  There are also heaps and heaps of people!  It can get a little hectic at times.  There are so many people that it can be difficult to walk, so watch out.

The last time I went to Shibuya (last month), there were protests against nuclear energy in Japan.  It was the biggest protest I've seen.  It was interesting because protesters walked across one of Japan's busiest intersections to get their point across.

At the Shibuya crossing, you'll not only see masses of people walking across the intersection in every direction, but tons of foreigners taking pictures out of amazement.  It's hard to believe how many people are around!

Here's one of Japan's busiest intersections! 

Watching protesters ...

If you like shopping, there are a lot of stores and shops.  There's Forever 21, Zara, and Shibuya 109.  My sister loves Shibuya 109.  It has a lot of cute Japanese clothes, bags, and other goods.  There's a men and women's 109 department store.

A Maid Cafe in Akihabara - Tokyo, Japan

My most recent adventure was in Tokyo where I went to a maid cafe, as a curious female who wanted to observe a different side of Japanese culture.  My Japanese friend, a male, was surprised that I had been interested in visiting a maid cafe, but I never fully understood why.  In my mind, a maid cafe was a fancy, theme-based coffee shop.

On the streets of Akihabara, you may notice maids handing out flyers to potential customers - men.  As a tourist, you may not notice that men are being targeted because there are barely any women around!  However, a maid cafe is a man's world which I quickly learned upon stepping into one, as a female.  It was an interesting experience.

As a maid was walking by, I asked her about the cafe she was promoting.  She quickly took us there and announced that there were two females entering the cafe - my sister and I.  It immediately became awkward, as  I stepped into a smoke-filled cafe with men because I felt I was disturbing their "home."  It was a true sausage fest.

Supposedly, maid cafes are for awkward, nerdy men who have difficulty with women.  The mentality is that the customer (male) is the master and the maid is a subservient and obedient female that will cater to his needs.  I can understand that maid cafes may appeal to these types of customers, but the men I noticed weren't all nerdy and did not fit this image.  It seemed like a hang-out spot for all sorts of men, particularly younger ones.

While I was in the cafe, we ordered some food:  nachos and a chicken basket.  We also ordered some drinks. One thing you should know is that people don't go to maid cafes for the food!  It is the WORST food you'll probably eat, especially for the price.  For the four of us, we paid about $74.00 USD for crummy food.  The nachos were microwaved and tasted stale while the amount could fit into my palm.  The chicken was also microwaved and soggy.

Also, depending on how long you stay, you are charged. Some cafes will charge you every 15-30 minutes and others by the hour.  It's not cheap either, so be prepared!  Thank God we got out of there around 30 minutes, but I believe we got charged another $5.00 each just for being there a couple minutes longer (times that by four).

I was shocked to see that one item cost nearly $380.00!  Depending on what you order, the maid will "cast a spell" on your food (pretend, of course) or entertain you.  I wasn't sure what this entertainment entailed until I noticed a maid do a child-like dance for a customer where she sang and rubbed a stuffed animal on a man's leg.  I also saw a man being fed.  It seemed like men would tell the maid to eat something they ordered  too unless this was a part of the act.  I'm really not sure, but it was unique.

A maid cast a spell on my sister's drink, swirling her coffee with the words "make it good!"

As a male, if you are into this type of thing, you may enjoy the attention of maids at a maid cafe.  However, some of you may feel uncomfortable and uneasy, as you watch men being babied by maids in the most unusual ways while you sit awkwardly at your table eating the worst, most over-priced food  -  ever.  It all depends on your perspective and your reason for being there.

Now that I have been to a maid cafe, I completely understand why my friend was shocked that I was curious about visiting one.  It isn't the theme-based, upscale coffee shop that I imagined, but it plays on men's fantasies.  As a woman, it was interesting to observe a maid cafe, but I think I'll check out another themed-based coffee shop, although I was happy to experience this one as an outsider.  I think I will check out a cat-themed coffee shop next time!

Osaka Universal Studios - Japan

During the week, I decided to check out Osaka Universal Studios Japan!  It took me nearly 3 hours to get to Osaka from Nagoya, but it was worth it.

The tickets at Universal Studios are quite pricey, so I made sure I made the most of my time there.  Thankfully, the park was empty in the morning, so I had a chance to squeeze in a ton of rides without waiting too long.

I love all of the 3D and 4D shows and rides.  I nearly went on every single one.  Spider Man, Back to the Future, and Shrek were memorable.  Space Fantasy is also good unless you get motion sickness.

In "Space Fantasy," you are on a mini-roller coaster that twists, turns, and spins.  You have to store your bag in a locker because it will fly.  Don't forget to remove any hair pieces too.  

My favorite ride is Jurassic Park. You feel as if you are on a dinosaur cruise until it drops below.  If you are in the area, the "turkey bones" they sell at the kiosk outside of Jurassic Park are amazing.

Jaws is another great ride. I love how the Japanese get really into their roles as ship captains.

Waterworld is a show you may want to also see.  It was impressive!  Stay away from the bottom, middle rows if you want to avoid getting went.

Osaka Universal Studios is so much fun!  I really had a good time. 

Harajuku - Tokyo, Japan

What image do you have of Harajuku?

Many of you may be familiar with Harajuku, a place known for shopping and eccentric fashion.  Gwen Stefani also popularized Harajuku through her brand, Harajuku lovers.

When I first stepped out of Harajuku station, my image of the town had been shattered.  Where were all of the costumes and the funky clothes?  I felt I was walking through Rodeo Drive! I was on the wrong side of Harajuku ...

A couple of streets over is what I was looking for ...

This is where you will be able to find affordable, cute, funky, eccentric fashion.  Just be warned that you will barely be able to walk because of all the people.  It's a popular street!

In the middle of the street, there was a place to eat crepes.  Since I was in Harajuku, I had to have one ... 

This man became an attraction.  Tourists got a kick out of this guy, although I heard some Japanese mutter how "gross" this man seemed.  I didn't know why until I noticed he stuffed his bra.

Here's one "cosplay" (costume) store in Harajuku.

More streets filled with shopping ...

Can you believe it?  A Forever 21!

The crowds at Harajuku were insane, but I was able to find some cute clothes there!  It can be tough to find some things because it takes some work, but it was worth the experience.