1. The Osaka castle is one of the major sites to visit in the second-most populous city of Japan.
2. Built in the 16th century, it played a major role in defending the city during the Siege of Osaka.
3. The castle grounds span 16 acres and two moats.
4. Just as impressive is Shitennoji Temple, often regarded as the oldest administered Buddhist temple in Japan.
5. The courtyard of the temple doubles as a marketplace, and all around, you see structures with incense and water for purifying your hands and face.
6. Smaller shrines also dot the city, often with intricate wood carvings at their entrances.
7. During our visit, the very first cherry blossoms were just beginning to bloom.
8. I loved seeing these paper lanterns everywhere – though they do remind me how big the language barrier is when you can’t even read the local lettering.
9. Narrow cobbled streets made for beautiful wandering.
10. And we discovered thanks to our tour guide (more on that tomorrow!) that each city in Japan has its own uniquely painted manhole cover. Osaka’s features the castle and the cherry blossoms.
idyllic