Japan Fall Colors

Tokyo - TeamLabs Borderless 

At teamLab Borderless in Tokyo, we had a great time exploring digital art exhibits. The museum is filled with interactive displays that use lights, sounds, and projections. Two areas that stood out were the Tea House and the Drawing Area.

In the Tea House, while sipping tea, beautiful digital flowers bloomed and floated in the bowl. The flowers would disappear if the bowl was moved. It felt calming and connected traditional tea ceremonies with modern art. The Motchi ice cream had a flower branch and butterflies too.

In the Drawing Area, we colored animals like a turtle, fish, and seahorse. Once scanned, our drawings turned into moving digital projections, interacting with other art around them. It was fun to see our artwork come to life!

Overall, the experience was unique and very enjoyable.

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Meta Office in Tokyo

We had a great time visiting the Meta office in Tokyo. It was like other Facebook offices, with some exhibits and photo spots for us to explore. We also tried some local snacks and drinks. The view of Tokyo from the rooftop was amazing.

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Meiji Jingu Gaien Gingko colors

At sunset, we visited Jingu Gaien Ginkgo Tree-lined Street. The Ginkgo Avenue is about 300 meters long. In that span, 146 ginkgo trees are planted about 9 meters apart. It was beautiful to see the dozens of ginkgo trees creating a nice golden canopy.

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Kyoto

We enjoyed the stunning fall colors of maple trees at Tofukuji Temple, with beautiful shades of red, orange, and yellow. Afterward, we took a taxi to Veg Out for lunch.

We walked along the river to see more fall colors at Kiyomizu-dera Temple and had matcha tea at a Japanese tea shop. In the evening, we visited Kodaiji Temple for its breathtaking night lighting. We then went to the nearby Entoku-in Temple, where we enjoyed a relaxing light show and the illuminated fall colors.

At the temples, we followed the custom of removing our shoes, carrying them in a plastic bag inside, and putting them back on after exiting. We ended the day with dinner at Namaste Nepal before returning to our hotel.

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Arashiyama fall colors

We enjoyed watching the twilight and sunrise from our hotel room in Kyoto. After breakfast, we took a local train to Arashiyama. For lunch, we ate at M’s Bento, a vegan organic restaurant run by two sisters. The food was delicious, made with high-quality organic ingredients. Miho, a nutritionist and macrobiotic cooking instructor, shared a hand-drawn map and suggested spots to visit, like the Okochi Sanso Garden and the moss garden.

We rented a kimono from Amuya Kimono Rental, where Sasha draped it well. The kimono’s Obi belt provided great back support. Dressed in the kimonos, we enjoyed walking through the Bamboo Forest and visiting the serene Okochi Sanso Garden, sampling various green teas in the gardens. The two hours flew by!

After returning the kimonos, we strolled by the river as the sun set and the weather grew colder. We then took a 30-minute bus ride back to our hotel, stopping at Fresco supermarket to pick up some fruits and yogurt.

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Fukuoka 2024

After breakfast, we checked out of our hotel in Kyoto and took the Nozomi Shinkansen to Fukuoka. The 3.5-hour ride took us through Hiroshima, across the main island of Honshu, and into Kyushu. We arrived in Fukuoka around lunchtime and checked into our hotel. For lunch, we enjoyed bento boxes at Evah Macrobiotic Vegan Dining.

In the evening, we visited the peaceful and beautiful Ohori Park Japanese Garden. Later, we stopped at Starbucks, where we chatted with some friendly high school girls. They enjoyed the Indian ragi biscuits we shared, and in return, they gave us Japanese candy. Back at the hotel, we made a simple hot dinner using ready-made packets.

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Nanzoin Buddha Temple 

We started the day with breakfast at our hotel, Comfort Inn, enjoying a variety of food like cereal, smoothies, coffee, bread, salad, yogurt, fruits, rice, and miso soup. Using Google Translate, we checked food labels to ensure everything was vegetarian. After breakfast, we checked out, stored our bags, and hurried to catch a train to visit the Nanzoin Buddha Temple.

The temple, located in Sasaguri, Fukuoka, is famous for its massive bronze reclining Buddha statue—the largest in the world, as big as New York's Statue of Liberty. We admired the intricate details, including caps on some of the Bodhisattva statues, and the different forms of Buddha displayed there.

For lunch, we went to Kathmandu, a Nepalese restaurant, and enjoyed the food. Back at the hotel to collect our bags, we were relieved to find my missing glove sitting on someone’s suitcase—perhaps someone kindly picked it up. They say things don’t get lost in Japan, and this felt true for us.

Finally, we took a taxi to Fukuoka domestic airport, leaving with beautiful memories of Japan’s fall colors and unique experiences.

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Korea

 

Seoul

We arrived at Gimpo Airport in Seoul around 8 PM and took an Uber to our service apartment at Wecostay Gangnam. The small studio apartment was well-designed with lots of storage and a kitchen. After a good night's sleep, we had a quick instant breakfast, unpacked, and relaxed. We also did laundry using the washing machine, drying clothes on the provided rack. Using Google Translate helped us operate appliances, including a high-tech bidet.

For lunch, we cooked simple dhal and rice. In the afternoon, we visited the Starfield Library at COEX Mall, famous for its 13-meter-tall bookshelves and 50,000+ books. Most books were in Korean, but the atmosphere was relaxing. We enjoyed coffee from % ARABICA, which also sold international coffee beans.

Next, we visited Bongeunsa Temple, saw Buddha statues, fall colors, and snow. After sunset, we checked out the iconic Gangnam sculpture playing K-pop music. We explored Seoul at night, did some Black Friday shopping for winter jackets, and enjoyed a circular treadmill at the mall. We also had fun taking pictures at a photo booth with props.

Afterward, we returned home and had a nice home-cooked dinner using instant food packets given by a friend.

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DMZ (Demilitarized zone)

We left our apartment early and took a cab to Myeongdong, where we boarded the DMZ tour bus. Our guide Nancy shared a lot about the Korean War, North Korea, and the DMZ.

Our first stop was Gamaksan Red Suspension Bridge, the longest tower-less suspension bridge in South Korea at 150 meters. The views were beautiful. Next, we visited Imjingak Park, the last civilian-accessible area in South Korea. Nancy explained the economic differences between North and South Korea and the DMZ’s history. The DMZ is a 4-km-wide peace zone filled with mines, making it impossible to cross. A few families farm rice and ginseng there under strict rules.

We took a gondola ride over the Imjingak River and saw the Freedom Bridge, an old train station, and the Peace Bell. At the DMZ, a soldier checked our passports. We couldn’t take photos in many areas. We explored the 3rd Infiltration Tunnel, built by North Korea but discovered before an attack. Wearing helmets, we walked through the narrow tunnel and saw dynamite blast marks.

At Dora Observatory, we saw North Korea, both flags, and the Joint Security Area. We even heard propaganda speakers broadcasting from South Korea. The speakers were loud enough to be heard in the nearest North Korean city, 20 km away. Afterward, we visited the DMZ Unification Village, where we bought six-year-old ginseng tea and ate our packed lunch.

The tour was an unforgettable experience. Before returning to our apartment, we visited Healthy But Awesome Flavors (HBAF) store, the largest processed nut brand in South Korea to buy flavored almonds and picked up groceries at Emart.

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Gyeongbokgung Palace

We had a relaxing day, waking up late and enjoying a brunch before heading to Gyeongbok Palace to watch the changing of the royal guards. First, we saw a training session outside the gate, then watched the actual ceremony inside the palace. The guards wore 15th-century costumes based on historical records, making it an interesting experience.

Afterward, we visited a Hanbok rental shop, where I quickly chose a traditional Korean dress. They helped me dress up, added hair decorations, and gave me a matching purse. At first, I wasn’t sure about my choice, but the photos showed it looked great. Despite the cold, I enjoyed walking around the palace in the Hanbok, taking many photos. Snow falling from the roofs occasionally made us cautious while walking. After two hours, we returned the dresses and picked up our backpacks. The shop is run by a friendly Korean family who lived in Australia.

Feeling cold, we warmed up with chamomile tea at a coffee shop. Later, we went to Namsan Seoul Tower, taking a cable car up the mountain. The city lights at night were beautiful despite the chilly weather. Returning home, we had dinner and started packing. We carefully sorted trash and recycling, as Korea has strict rules for waste disposal.

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