Fushimi Inari Taisha | Review by Eddie

When I left Osaka in January this year, I watched the sunset at the airport before my flight home and felt a little reluctant to leave. The sunset that day felt so peaceful that I couldn't help telling myself, “I definitely have to come back next time.”

I never expected those words to actually come true this December. I've already bought my plane ticket, and this time I'm ready to fully enjoy Osaka and eat plenty of good food, making up for all the places I didn't get to visit last time.

The airport itself may not be much of an attraction, but sometimes that's how travel is. A sunset you happen to see can stay in your memory for a long time. Watching the sky slowly turn orange-red was so, so beautiful. 🌅

I also really like this feeling—when you're leaving a city, but you're already looking forward to seeing it again.

I came to Yanagawa in December, originally thinking the winter scenery might be a little plain. But as I walked along the river, I was surprised to see how beautifully red the willows on both sides were. It felt a little different from the Yanagawa I had imagined. After boarding the riverboat, it slowly made its way along the waterway. We could see many traditional houses and streetscapes on both sides, and occasionally people walking by would wave at the boat.

Although the weather in December was a little cold, sitting on the boat with the breeze and looking at the red willows on both sides actually felt very comfortable. I wasn't rushing to follow a schedule, so I just sat there, took my time, and enjoyed the scenery. It felt like a very fitting way to experience Yanagawa.

I visited Gyokusendo Cave in Okinawa in October. I originally thought I would just be looking at stalactites, but once I went inside, I found it much more spectacular than I had imagined.

The temperature inside the cave was much more comfortable than outside. As I slowly followed the path deeper in, there were stalactites of all shapes above and on both sides. Some looked like stone pillars, while others looked like icicles hanging from the ceiling. I couldn't help stopping to look at them as I walked, especially around the Blue Fountain, where the lights reflected on the water and created a completely different atmosphere.

Gyokusendo Cave has been forming for hundreds of thousands of years. Seeing these stalactites made me feel that nature is truly patient, creating what we see today little by little. Okinawa was still quite hot in October, but stepping into Gyokusendo Cave brought a cool and peaceful feeling. It was a very special part of this trip.