After the May Day holiday, I returned from my hometown to Shanghai and could already feel summer approaching. It was time to go to Northern Xinjiang, where spring was warm and flowers were blooming 😄

Last September and October, I visited Northern and Southern Xinjiang respectively to enjoy the autumn colors. Back then, I told myself I must come back to Sayram Lake when it was full of flowers. And here I am!

I arranged my work handover on Thursday, took two days off, and combined them with the weekend. Here was my itinerary:

1. Day1 Friday Fly from Shanghai to Urumqi, then take a high-speed train from Urumqi to Bole
2. Day2 Saturday Get up early in Bole and head to Sayram Lake, then take a car to Yining in the evening
3. Day3 Sunday Join a one-day round-trip tour from Yining to Nalati Grassland
4. Day4 Monday Take an early high-speed train from Yining to Urumqi, have a meal and a short walk around Urumqi, then fly back to Shanghai

Day1 Shanghai-Bole

I booked a ride-share last night. The driver was a middle-aged man. He asked what time my flight was, and I said it was a 6:30 domestic flight. He said picking me up at 5:15 would be perfectly fine. It was indeed fine, but a little tight. Boarding had already started when I arrived at the airport.

The flight took five hours. I slept for about an hour and a half, then could not fall asleep again. I was like a caterpillar, twisting every now and then, otherwise sitting for too long made my whole body uncomfortable. It was cloudy today, and for most of the flight I could only see thick clouds outside the window.

After landing in Urumqi, the temperature was around 8 °C. I took out my thick jacket at the airport to avoid catching a cold. I took the airport bus to the high-speed railway station. The ticket was 20 yuan. It was still a bit warm inside the bus. After arriving at the station, I went upstairs to KFC for lunch. I had actually already eaten brunch on the plane, but since I would be on the road for a long time in the afternoon, it felt better to fill my stomach again.

I bought a coffee at KFC, went downstairs, and boarding had just started. Along the way, I could see the endless snow-capped Tianshan Mountains and the Gobi desert at their foothills most of the time.

Sitting by the window, with sunlight shining through the glass, I suddenly felt dazed for a moment and forgot whether this was a dream or reality.

Arrived in Bole! I took a taxi to the hotel. It was still early, but after spending the whole day on the road, I no longer had the energy to wander around. Tonight’s room was on the 16th floor, with a great view. The west-facing window was perfect for watching the sunset.

Xinjiang time feels about three hours later than Shanghai, and sunset was not until around 21:30. I ordered takeout, showered, did laundry, and booked the Sayram Lake shuttle car on WeChat with the same driver I rode with last year.

The sunset was beautiful.

Day2 Sayram Lake

I got up early, and the driver came to pick me up. Three people in the car had taken the overnight train from Urumqi to Bole. I did the same last year. Surprisingly, nobody was sitting in the front passenger seat. Haha, just like last year, I got that seat again. It really felt surreal.

The driver asked if we wanted breakfast. I said yes, since it was too early for the hotel breakfast. Some passengers in the back hesitated a little, just like I did last year, probably worried about being taken to some shady restaurant and overcharged. Haha. There was no need to worry at all. I ate even more than my usual breakfast and only spent 10 yuan. By the way, breakfast milk tea in Xinjiang is salty. I am not used to it 😄.

When we arrived at Sayram Lake, the driver asked if we wanted to drive around the lake ourselves, 150 yuan per person. The price was actually okay, but I prefer stopping and walking around on my own, so I went to the visitor center and took the sightseeing bus.

This was my second time at Sayram Lake, and there were some places where I did not get off last year that I wanted to see this time.

Santai Ancient Post Station

The first stop was Santai Ancient Post Station.

The morning light was from the right direction, and the mist had not risen yet. I could see the clear, transparent lake water, and the snow-capped mountains in the distance were also extremely sharp.

Songshutou

Songshutou. Last year, I took the left-side boardwalk and climbed to the top to see Guozigou Bridge. This year I skipped the climb and went to the other side to enjoy the lake view.

The yellow wildflowers on the hillside were blooming everywhere. It felt so much like spring, full of vitality. Sunlight, snowy mountains, flowers, and the lake. So beautiful.

After coming down from the viewing platform, I bought a naan. It was delicious. I sat by the lake for a while. By then, a bit of mist had started rising from the lake.

Jinhua Zihui

I took the shuttle bus to Jinhua Zihui. This is the stop with the popular lighthouse. But I did not see any purple flowers here. Maybe it was still too early in the season.

Kele Yongzhu

The next stop was Kele Yongzhu, where there were many swans. Some tourists were feeding them naan. Besides swans, I also saw ducks, the flying kind. When I came last autumn, I only saw seagulls and no swans. This time there were only swans and no seagulls.

I looked up and saw a big swan. It looked like flying was rather hard work.

The big swan landing.

The water of Sayram Lake is very cold. I really admire these swans and ducks.

West Sea Grassland

West Sea Grassland. There was a little dog sleeping. I made a little clicking sound, and it raised its head to glance at me, then lay back down and kept sleeping.

Tian’e Leshui

Arrived at Tian’e Leshui. There were no swans here, but on the other side of the road, the snow-capped mountains felt closer. The view was open, beautiful, and magnificent.

There was a “snow mountain” by the lake.

Dianjiangtai

Arrived at Dianjiangtai. Climbing up gives another overlook of Sayram Lake. The view is great, and the lake water is incredibly blue. There is a Dicos and boat rides here.

Someone was parachuting in the sky.

Qinshuitan

The next stop was Qinshuitan. I sat on the sandy, actually rocky, beach by the lake and chatted for a while with a university student from Hubei. This place is really perfect for zoning out.

Blue Sayram Lake, like the sea.

After that I did not go to any more stops and returned to the visitor center. There are many hotels near the East Gate Visitor Center of Sayram Lake, and it has already started to look like a small town.

Tonight I planned to go to Yining. The official bus was full, so I took a shared business van.

On the way, we passed Guozigou Bridge. One section of the road was under construction, so there was a bit of traffic. For a long stretch, the road was inside a canyon, where we could enjoy the canyon scenery, as well as herders and cattle and sheep on the mountains.

It was almost 10 p.m. when I arrived in Yining. I planned to visit one of the grasslands in Ili the next day. I wanted to see a grassland with a stream, so after briefly looking at some photos posted online, I decided to join a one-day tour to Nalati Grassland.

The tour offered departure from either Yining Railway Station or the bus station. For convenience, I stayed tonight at a local non-chain hotel near the railway station. The actual stay was very nice, and I slept well.

Day3 Nalati Grassland

Got up early. The hotel breakfast had not started yet, so I simply ate some small bread and went to the railway station to wait for the tour bus.

I signed up for a large 50-person group, but there were actually only 17 people today, so the agency changed us to a midibus.

There were also beautiful views on the way to Nalati. At first everyone was sleepy and slept for about two hours. On the bus, I heard a few people speaking a dialect. The more I listened, the more familiar it sounded, and then I realized they were speaking Hakka. I am Hakka too. I asked and found out they were from the city next to my hometown. Haha, what a coincidence. I also asked whether they eat taro dumplings, and they said yes. Seems like Hakka eating habits are quite similar, especially since we are not that far apart.

We took a short break at Mus Service Area, then continued on.

The guide explained today’s schedule and reminders to us, then chatted with the other travelers. The atmosphere was nice.

After arriving in Nalati Town, we went to lunch first. My expectations for this group meal were zero, and because I had no expectations, it actually tasted okay, not that bad.

After lunch, we went to the Nalati Scenic Area, and the guide bought tickets for us. Most people in our group went to the Valley Grassland, while I and three others went to the Sky Grassland.

We took the scenic sightseeing bus to the first stop. The bus speaker played an introduction to the Nalati Scenic Area.

Even from the bus, I could already see the green meadows covering the mountains.

The story of the Nalati beekeeper is a poignant Xinjiang love legend, originating from the viral online song “The Shepherd of Koktokay” and its response song “The Beekeeper of Nalati.” It tells of two wandering souls who met and fell in love in Xinjiang, only to miss each other because of life’s realities.
http://grassland.china.com.cn/2021-01/08/content_41420710.html

Tianjietai

The first stop was a viewing platform overlooking Nalati Grassland. It was vast and spectacular. You can take a cable car up here, though it was not open today, and also play grass sliding here, which was not open today either.

From here, you can overlook Nalati Town.

Tianmutai

The second stop was the grassland. It was closer to the snow-capped mountains here.

Nomadic Family

The third stop was Nomadic Family. There was milk tea and hot food here. You could also pay extra to take a sightseeing bus to Xuelian Valley. I did not plan to go. I only wanted to walk along the stream.

There was a popular photo bridge here, and many people were lining up to take pictures.

The farther I walked upstream along the creek, the fewer people there were. The stream, blue sky, pine trees, and snow-capped mountains were so beautiful!

There were so many little flowers blooming, and eagles circling in the sky.

At 4:20, I started walking back and took the sightseeing bus from the Nomadic Family stop to the visitor center. The guide had estimated we should return to the visitor center by 5:30, and I arrived exactly at 5:30. I remembered seeing a KFC at the visitor center, so I opened the app to see what I could order. Hey, guess what I saw? A 10-yuan afternoon tea deal with the Dashen Card! I will love KFC forever 🥹 I ordered chicken nuggets and a triple-lemon tea, leaving a note to pick it up 25 minutes later. When I arrived at the KFC in the visitor center, the nuggets were packed for me on the spot. Good, good, very good 👍!

Returning to Yining

Sky Grassland is farther than Valley Grassland, so the guide thought we would get back to the visitor center later. In the end, the four of us were the earliest ones back. We waited in the bus for a while, and at about 6:20 everyone had arrived, so we headed back.

I enjoyed the grasslands and valleys along the way the whole time. The scenery was beautiful too. Watching cattle, sheep, and horses grazing made me feel completely relaxed.

As we got closer to Yining, the grasslands by the road slowly turned into Gobi desert.

I saw a beautiful sunset at the service area.

Tonight I stayed at the same hotel as last night. I originally planned to visit a nearby night market, but considering I had to take a train tomorrow morning and had already spent a lot of energy on the road today, I decided to rest early.

When I checked in tonight, the front desk upgraded my room. The whole room had smart controls. Very nice.

Day4 Yining-Urumqi-Shanghai

Got up, washed up, and had breakfast. Then I walked to Yining Station and took a high-speed train of about five hours to Urumqi.

It was already after 2 p.m. when I arrived in Urumqi, but here, a little after 2 is just lunchtime. The weather was great today. I planned to go see the Hongguangshan Giant Buddha, so after leaving the railway station, I took a taxi to a restaurant near Hongguangshan for lunch.

This was a very “Xinjiang” restaurant. I ordered lamb polo, yogurt, and two lamb skewers for 49 yuan in total. Everything was delicious! I was so full!

I felt the lamb polo was even better than the one I had on Hotan Second Street last year, and the price was good too. I saw someone next to me order stir-fried meat noodles, and there was so much meat that I got tempted just looking at it.

Hongguangshan

After eating my fill, I walked to Hongguangshan. At the entrance, an older man driving a sightseeing electric cart was calling for passengers. I asked, and it was 5 yuan. Pretty good, saved me the walk. I got on and went straight to the entrance of the Giant Buddha Temple.

From the entrance, you could already see the Giant Buddha and snow-capped mountains in the same frame. Today was sunny, and the Buddha shone golden in the sunlight. Up close, it looked majestic.

I bought two keychains, then took a taxi to the airport.

It was not far, and I arrived quickly. The taxi cost a little over 20 yuan, which was nice. After all, the airport bus costs 20 too, and taking the subway would have been too much hassle. I was not in a huge rush, but not idle enough for that either 😂

After security, I bought a cup of milk tea to drink on the plane, and also Tianrun yogurt. Delicious and not expensive.

After sitting for a while, it was time to board. The weather was good today, so I deliberately chose a window seat. Before leaving, I could take another look at the snow-capped mountains. When flying to the northwest, do not miss the view outside the window. It is basically National Geographic, visible to the naked eye.

Reflections

• Xinjiang is huge
  I spent a lot of time on the road.

• The air is very dry
  Do not suddenly open your mouth too wide, or your lips will probably crack 😂 Apply plenty of hand cream. It is really, really, really dry.

• The sunlight is strong and dazzling
  Protect yourself from the sun, and it is best to bring sunglasses.

• Add layers in the morning and evening
  The temperature difference between day and night is large, so dress carefully to avoid catching a cold.

• No traps
  Personally, I have had great experiences with tour groups in Northwest China. They did not take us shopping or make us buy weird things. It was simply a travel group, and the guide’s advice was practical too.

Expenses

Finally

Although the time was tight, and I spent a lot, a lot of time on the road, and my body may have been completely exhausted, my mood was incredibly relaxed. The weather was also very good, sunny every day.

I do not know how many more chances I will have to travel this year, because airport construction fees and fuel surcharges for flights have gone up a lot, making it less cost-effective.

See you in the next travel journal 👋

I actually planned to travel to Lijiang last year too, but those few days happened to be rainy. If I wanted to see Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, I probably would not have seen anything, so I refunded the flight ticket and went to Xinjiang instead, Northern Xinjiang. This year I finally got the chance to visit Lijiang. I have been genuinely busy lately. Even though there are all kinds of clever AI tools helping now, there are still plenty of requirements lined up. I felt embarrassed to take too many days off, so I only took one day. With early departure and late return, it made a three-day, two-night trip. Overall, I think the experience was okay.

My imagined itinerary, the super hardcore version:

• Day1 Lijiang Old Town
• Day2 Lugu Lake, but it was not a sunny day and it is too far, an 8-hour round trip from Lijiang, so I skipped it this time
• Day3 Tiger Leaping Gorge, but my butt still hurt from horseback riding, and the water volume is not very high right now, so I skipped it this time too

Itinerary

Schedule

Day1 Yuhu Village

I got up early and took a ride-share to Pudong Airport. Today’s shared car had four passengers including me, packed full. As soon as I got in, a strong stink hit me in the face 😅.

At the airport, I chose a front-row window seat at the check-in counter and headed to security. It was only just after 6, but the security line was already very long.

The plane took off at 8:55. I was too sleepy and slept for a while. When we were almost at Lijiang, I saw the Jinsha River on the ground and Gongga Snow Mountain in the distance, though I could not photograph it. The weather was great today, and before landing I could see Jade Dragon Snow Mountain very clearly.

Meili Snow Mountain in Shangri-La was also faintly visible in the distance.

After landing at Lijiang Sanyi Airport, I had no checked luggage, so I went straight out and took the bus to the city. The airport bus costs 20 yuan per person and runs every 30 minutes.

There was a “staff member” on the bus, whom I will call the bus lady for short. She introduced Lijiang’s geography, history, culture, and some things to watch out for. She said the most convenient and cost-effective way to get around Lijiang is “shared rides,” and if tourists wanted more information, they could ask at the visitor center near the bus drop-off point. She also said the weather was good today and it was very suitable to visit Yuhu Village, the village closest to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The flowers were blooming, and the scenery was beautiful.

I happened to have no idea where to go that afternoon, so after getting off at the South Gate stop of Lijiang Old Town, I went to the visitor center to ask how to take a shared ride to Yuhu Village. Only after asking did I realize the staff were actually from a travel agency. Whether they were “official” or not, who knows. The staff said there was no simple shared ride to Yuhu Village, only a package including sightseeing, horseback riding, boating, and lunch, priced at 148 yuan. I thought that was not expensive, so I bought the package and went to Yuhu Village.

Actually, by then I already had a slight bad feeling. We took a 7-seat car to Yuhu Village, and once we arrived, we went straight to the horseback riding place, which looked like a villager’s home. Before riding, they first served us cured pork rib hot pot. It was neither good nor bad, just bland. There was not even dipping sauce for the hot pot, and it felt like they mainly wanted to sell their sauce.

After lunch, we went horseback riding. I had never ridden a horse before, so it felt quite novel. The ride went up the mountain, looped around, and returned to the starting point. There was horse manure all along the way, and the horses would also poop while walking. The smell was just barely acceptable. Herbivore manure is not enough to make someone pass out. The whole ride took about 50 minutes. The saddle was not soft enough, like sitting directly on the horse’s spine. My butt hurt a lot, and it was still faintly sore the next day 😅.

After the ride, the horse owner invited us to taste tea. I tried their mountain tea, which was a little like the vine tea from my hometown, with a sweet aftertaste. It was 50 yuan for a small bag or 200 yuan for a tin.

They had also dug a pond below the courtyard. The boating activity mentioned in the package was in this pond. I could accept the horseback riding, but this boating thing really broke me.

While we were riding, someone else took photos of us. After we came back, they asked us to buy them for 20 yuan each. I thought it was too expensive and did not take any. Even if he had said 10 yuan, I still would not have taken them. Luckily nothing happened.

Some people in our group went boating in the pond. After they came back, the guide took us to Yuhu Village. At the Yuhu Village visitor center, we were asked to buy scenic electric cart tickets, 40 yuan round trip.

This stretch was not far at all. It only took a few minutes to reach the village. The village was still being developed, and many houses had scaffolding on them.

We walked through the stone road in the village, then took the second section of the electric cart to Longnu Lake.

This section was not far either. When we arrived at Longnu Lake, my inner reaction was: ?

Isn’t this just another pond 😅 Where is the promised forest? Where is the blue lake water?

The clouds in Yunnan look relatively low, and they are very pretty.

Fortunately, today’s weather was not too disappointing. Although the snow mountain was backlit in the afternoon and clouds and mist started to rise, the sunlight piercing through the clouds and falling onto the grassland was beautiful.

Let me see what kind of dog this is. The little dog was so happy, rolling around on the ground.

There was a dead tree by the lake.

The guide asked us to return to the visitor center at 6 to gather and head back to Lijiang City. I walked back and got on the scenic shuttle a little after 5.

I was really sleepy on the way back and slept in the car for a while.

When I got back to Lijiang City, it was already after 7. The sky was not dark yet, but it was probably dinner time here.

For dinner, I had a bowl of small-pot rice noodles upstairs in Lijiang International Shopping Plaza. It was good. I had previously bought pre-made small-pot rice noodles at Hema, and the flavor was about 80 percent similar to this. While eating, I also met a group of tourists from Taiwan.

After finishing the rice noodles, I went through the underground passage to the Big Water Wheel in Lijiang Old Town.

It was just an ordinary landmark, nothing especially novel.

There was a stage set up in the open space today, with song performances.

I was not interested in the night market, so I went back to the hotel to check in and rest. I had to get up early tomorrow to go to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.

Day2 Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

The day before, I booked today’s “Golden Sunrise on the Snow Mountain shared ride” tour at the South Gate visitor center. I got up at 5, and at 5:30 I met the driver at the designated spot to head to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.

On the way, the driver kept talking nonstop, saying one trip did not earn much, and now in the off-season he earned even less. Then he went on to say that golden sunrise on the mountain is rare, usually only in winter, and we should not expect it now.

When entering the mountain, staff boarded the car to check mountain entry tickets. You could also buy one on the spot. After arriving at the parking lot, the driver started selling glucose oral solution, 40 yuan per bottle. I did not buy any. The clouds were quite thick this morning, so seeing golden sunrise was indeed impossible. After arriving at Ganhaizi Visitor Center, the driver handed us over to another “staff member.” This staff member briefly explained some reminders and took us to an altar. After some setup, they led us to the place where prayer flags were sold. The prayer flags were not purchased directly. The staff asked tourists to put their hands on the table where the prayer flags were placed, which naturally meant whoever touched them would need to pay. Then they asked tourists in the front row to pass yellow prayer flags to the back rows. I was in the middle of the crowd and did not take one. Those who received flags paid on the other side of the room.

Next, the staff took us in front of the altar for a prayer before entering the mountain. A Dongba priest beat a drum and sprinkled holy water, said to be snowmelt from above 5000 meters on the mountain, very rare. One drop landed on me. Although I did not buy a prayer flag, I still hope it brings me good luck 🍀.

In short, we were stuck there for an hour, and I had not even eaten breakfast 😅. At that moment, a little sunlight broke through the clouds and shone on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. There were some clouds in front of the mountain, very beautiful! The driver told us not to take photos now, saying it would be better at noon when we came back. Anyway, I took some very nice photos.

My cableway ticket was for 8:00-8:29. According to the rules, I could enter before 9 and board the cableway before 9:30. At the visitor center, I queued for the bus to the Blue Moon Valley cableway station.

At Blue Moon Valley Station, we were already very close to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. I looked up at the mountain, and the peak was covered by clouds.

The driver kept telling us that the Blue Moon Valley route was 4.8 km one way, and if we did not buy the sightseeing car ticket, we would have to walk 9.6 km round trip, which would take hours. He also said that after getting off the cableway at Spruce Meadow, we would need to walk 3 km. In short, he was trying to get us to buy sightseeing car tickets, 60 yuan in total. (Don’t buy it, unless you have money to spare)

We queued for Spruce Meadow. After going up, the place selling sightseeing car tickets said the distance was 2 km. If you walked further in, you would see the actual walking distance was 900 meters. This electric sightseeing cart was completely ridiculous.

After arriving, the clouds grew even thicker, and the upper part of the snow mountain was completely hidden. As its name suggests, the scenic spot is a large meadow surrounded by fir forest.

I walked a big loop around the meadow. There is an older boardwalk loop and a smaller newer boardwalk loop. I took the old one.

There were many couples taking wedding photos on the meadow. This was really the first time in my life seeing a place with so many wedding photo shoots.

It was still a bit cold here, and my nose kept running uncontrollably. There were many little sheep in the meadow. Lots of small yellow daisies were blooming on the ground, and the sheep ate them one bite at a time.

The forest here was quite beautiful, a bit like the forests I saw in Jiuzhaigou, with lots of moss on the trunks. But everywhere you could see trash left behind from wedding photo shoots, though I did not include it in the photos.

At this time, the grass was not very green yet.

After walking around, I took the cableway down the mountain. Halfway down, looking over Blue Moon Valley, the lake water looked like gemstones. There was a little sunlight then, shining on the lake surface, very beautiful. At the cableway station, I bought 4 xiaolongbao for 10 yuan to fill my stomach a little. They were not good.

After eating, I took the sightseeing bus to the lakeside of Blue Moon Valley. The main scenery of Blue Moon Valley is made up of several lakes cascading down from higher to lower levels.

The waterfall looked artificial. Behind the waterfall was cement, so it looked kind of fake.

A dead tree. Some of the water here looked blue, while some looked green. Maybe it has something to do with light reflecting off algae or deposits from water dripping through stone.

It felt a little like Jiuzhaigou. The water was very clear, though there was some algae.

The clouds over the snow mountain were still there.

A duck, seemingly eating fish.

The calm lake reflected Jade Dragon Snow Mountain like a mirror.

Rainbow trout. Here it seems to be called “snow mountain fish.”

After finishing Blue Moon Valley, I took the bus back to Ganhaizi Visitor Center. This “shared ride tour” I joined included lunch. The driver said the meal was quite average and we could decide whether to eat it. I skipped it and went to KFC.

After eating, I went upstairs to the morning photo spot and looked at the snow mountain for a while, then headed to the parking lot to get in the car and wait to return to Lijiang City.

This one was taken with iPhone, because the longest lens I brought for my camera was only 70 mm, a little shorter than the iPhone’s 100 mm. It was majestic and stunning.

It took about an hour to return to the city. When I got off, the temperature was quite high.

After getting off, I went to Black Dragon Pool Park. There were not many people today. The park has an iconic photo spot where you can see the snow mountain and the five-arch bridge in the same frame.

After leaving, I bought a drink from Cotti Coffee at the entrance, then walked to the hotel to check in and rest. I passed a fruit shop that looked like it was run by a father and son. I asked the owner how much sugar apples were per jin. He said 25. I saw the skins were a bit bruised, so I did not buy any. Then I asked how much salak was. He said 15 yuan for two. I had just passed another fruit shop selling salak for 10 yuan for three, so I told him another shop was 10 yuan for three. The owner replied grumpily: “Then why didn’t you buy from that shop?” Me: 🙄 This owner really does not know how to do business.

I returned to the hotel to check in and rest. Today’s room could see a corner of the snow mountain. The location was very convenient. From the entrance, I could take the underground passage directly into the old town. I did not know what to eat for dinner and was too lazy to go out, so I ordered takeout: porcini mushroom braised rice and tossed luffa tips. Both were things I had never eaten before. The porcini rice was a huge bowl, and I could not finish it. The luffa tips had soy sauce and were a bit salty. Overall, not a disaster, but not amazing either.

I had not slept enough for two nights in a row, and my watch had already shown three abnormal alerts, heart rate, blood oxygen, and sleep duration. I did not plan to go anywhere far tomorrow, just wander around near the old town.

Day3 Lijiang Old Town

I slept until I woke up naturally and had breakfast. After eating, I still did not feel like moving. I lay in bed scrolling on my phone and got sleepy again, so I took another nap.

At noon, I checked out and went to the Big Water Wheel. There are two pretty good spots here for photographing the snow mountain.

I walked to Dashiqiao. Along the river, there were lots of flowers, with a clear stream lying in the middle. It was beautiful.

Small stream, flowing water, music.

At Dashiqiao, two very photogenic people held poses there for 10 minutes. I stood nearby feeling a bit awkward.

I walked back and bought a milk tea from Chagee near the Big Water Wheel to quench my thirst.

I saw on Xiaohongshu that there were two photo spots where you could capture “the old town beneath the snow mountain.” It looked very appealing. I checked navigation and it was only 500 meters on foot, so I decided to go.

Passed by Wenchang Palace.

Overlooking Lijiang Old Town.

Street view.

The first spot was in front of “Shan Kaka.”

The second spot was in front of “Zai Shanye.” This photo is the cover of this post.

Today, there was a ring of clouds around the top of the snow mountain, so it did not reveal its full appearance. But these two photo spots are indeed great!

My return flight was at 18:20. I booked a ride-share for 3:40, expecting to arrive at the airport two hours early. On the way, the driver asked if I wanted to take the expressway. I thought it was better to be safe, so I chose the expressway and paid an extra 10 yuan toll.

At the airport, check-in and security were very quick, only a few minutes in line. It was still early, so I ate a bowl of black-bone chicken rice noodles. It was good, very fresh-tasting.

After takeoff, I saw mountains in light and shadow. Beautiful. I had deliberately chosen a left-side window seat because I wanted one last aerial view of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain as I left, but there were too many clouds and I did not see it.

Arrived in Shanghai! I took a ride-share home, sorted myself out, rested properly, and had to go back to work tomorrow.

Expenses

Reflections

• The flowers, plants, and trees are all neatly trimmed
  The streets are very well maintained and tidy.

• The scenic shuttles are a small trap
  The distances are obviously not that far.

• The so-called shared ride experience was not very good
  It is probably better to take a taxi yourself or use public transportation. My small-group tour experiences in the Northwest last year, Xinjiang and Gansu, were all very good, which made me lower my guard.

• Altitude sickness?
  Did not encounter it.

• A feeling of being tricked
  It did not cost much money, but it affected the mood a bit.

• Blue Moon Valley: a substitute for Jiuzhaigou?
  I have always believed that all kinds of so-called “substitutes” can never truly replace the original. If you come for a “substitute,” you will definitely be disappointed. But if you do not treat it as a substitute and instead look at its own characteristics, it is still pretty nice.

Finally

See you in the next travel journal 👋

Since 2023, I have traveled to Japan several times, but I had never been to the Kanto region. I wanted to see Mount Fuji with my own eyes, so around New Year’s Day I started planning a cherry blossom season trip. Looking at previous years, peak bloom was usually around Qingming Festival. Taking two days off plus the three-day Qingming holiday did not feel too rushed. I booked the flights and deliberately chose red-eyes so I could make full use of the daytime on both my arrival and departure days.

There were two sights I wanted to see on this trip:

1. Sakura in full bloom ✅
2. Mount Fuji with its snow cap ✅

Before Departure

Itinerary

Schedule

Day1 Tokyo

The first flight was at 1:50 a.m., and I arrived at the airport a little after 11 p.m. the night before. Since I did not bring a suitcase, I could check in at the self-service kiosk and skip the long counter queue. There were not many people at that hour, and security was quick. I lay down on a chair near Gate 230 for a bit, but did not fall asleep.

After boarding and takeoff, I still could not sleep. There was even a meal in the middle of the night, and finally I had all kinds of drinks to choose from. I asked for apple juice, and it went nicely with the curry rice. Let me sigh for a second: I only got to fly on a wide-body plane and eat a pretty decent airplane meal at the age of 30. This was already the most premium flight I had ever taken.

The seatback screen had some interactive features. You could watch movies or view footage from the aircraft cameras, though it was too dark at midnight to see anything. This airline also offered free Wi-Fi throughout the flight. It was not smooth enough for videos, but fine for reading posts with images and text. Being able to charge my phone on the plane was nice too.

I only dozed off for a little while around 5. We landed at Haneda Airport at 5:45, and I started queuing for immigration at 6. There were so many people that entering the country took about 45 minutes.

It was raining in Tokyo in the morning and would clear up in the afternoon, which was also an important reason why I planned to head to Mount Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi later that day.

Kanda River

I took the train to Takadanobaba and headed for the Kanda River. When I arrived, it was drizzling. Walking in the rain felt so romantic. Scenes from Makoto Shinkai’s films surfaced in my mind. Wow, I was finally in Tokyo.

Along the Kanda River, the section from Toda Hirabashi to Omokagebashi has many cherry trees planted on both banks. I arrived right at full bloom, though some petals had already fallen onto the water because of the wind and rain.

Maybe because it was a weekday, I did not see a single tourist on the road. I quietly enjoyed that comfort.

Next stop: Shukugawara.

Shukugawara

I took the train and got off at Shukugawara Station. I thought cherry trees should probably be planted by the river, so I walked in that direction. After crossing the road and stepping onto the little path along the riverbank, I suddenly thought: the place where Shin-chan and his friends often play probably looks like this too.

There were many egrets, probably, on the river in the distance.

I passed a shrine, where several cherry trees beside the torii gate made a very pure-looking scene. A few teenagers rode over on bicycles, and I thought: these must be the real-life Nobita Nobis.

I kept walking until I reached an intersection. Looking down the small river from the bridge, I saw so many cherry blossoms that I finally realized: this should have been my “destination.” From that intersection, the wooden path along the riverbank was all beneath blooming sakura. It was bright, delicate, and almost fairy-like. Still, I barely saw any tourists.

A train happened to pass through the cherry blossoms.

If the cherry blossoms fall at a speed of five centimeters per second, then…

After leaving Shukugawara, my next stop was Shinjuku Gyoen.

Shinjuku Gyoen

Makoto Shinkai’s film The Garden of Words has many locations set in Shinjuku Gyoen. There are many varieties of cherry blossoms in the garden, and because different varieties bloom at different times, the viewing season here lasts for about a month.

The trees in Shinjuku Gyoen are very tall.

The Japanese garden is also beautiful.

It started raining, so I took shelter for a while.

A flock of birds flew across the sky. The atmosphere was wonderful!

Standing in the cherry blossom grove, with full-bloom sakura overhead, felt a little like standing beneath the sacred tree in Avatar.

There is also a maple grove inside. It must be lovely for autumn foliage.

After leaving Shinjuku Gyoen, the sky gradually cleared.

Lunch was handled at a convenience store. In the afternoon, I went to Shinjuku Station and boarded the 14:37 JR train to Otsuki.

Why only to Otsuki? Because tonight I was staying at Toyoko Inn Fuji Kawaguchiko Ohashi, and this hotel provides free shuttle buses to several places around Mount Fuji, including a round-trip shuttle between Otsuki Station and the hotel. Very convenient. Excellent!

Looking out from the JR train to Otsuki, I saw many small rural towns. I nodded off several times on the train, which counted as catching up on sleep. After arriving at Otsuki, there was still some time before the shuttle bus came, so I walked around the station. There was a cherry tree in front of the station, also in full bloom, swaying in the breeze. So beautiful.

At 4:30, I got on Toyoko Inn’s shuttle bus. The driver checked the passenger information when I boarded. I was the only person who had reserved this bus today, which surprised me a little. I had assumed the cherry blossom season would mean buses packed with tourists 😄

The driver did not speak English, so he used a translation app to ask whether it was okay to stop for gas on the way. I said OK. After about half an hour, we arrived at Lake Kawaguchi. I looked out the window and saw Mount Fuji’s waist exposed, while the face was still hidden by clouds.

Lake Kawaguchi

I arrived at the hotel and checked in at the self-service machine. My room was on the top floor, but not in the building facing Mount Fuji, so I could not see the mountain directly from the window. After sitting for a short while, I headed to Kawaguchiko Bridge, which was very close and had a great viewing spot.

I passed a Lawson, which also had a nice photo spot. By the time I reached the bridge, the wind was already going wild. Luckily my jacket was windproof, but a baseball cap was definitely not warm enough. I also had to tighten the cap all the way, otherwise one gust could have blown it off the bridge.

The bridge was not very long, and the clouds around Mount Fuji’s snowy peak never dispersed. I hesitated over whether to keep going to the lakeside on the opposite bank and wait. It was quite cold, and I had not put on the down vest I brought. After thinking about it, I still went.

I waited by the lake until dark, but the clouds were still there. That was enough for today. It was truly too cold, so I went back, washed up, and slept.

Bought some water at the convenience store.

Day2 Mount Fuji

In the morning, I had breakfast on the first floor of the hotel. Looking around, I saw rice, curry, soft saucy eggs, small sausages, and grilled chicken. I took some and almost made myself nauseous, because everything was slippery and oily. Luckily, I got a coffee from the machine to drink with it, otherwise I really could not have eaten it. In the morning, I still prefer bread with milk.

The weather today was unbeatable. Just as the forecast said, Mount Fuji had perfect visibility. Any casual photo looked good.

I passed by Lawson again and finally got photos I was happy with.

Reverse Fuji at Lake Kawaguchi

I continued to Kawaguchiko Bridge and took some beautiful photos there too.

By the lake, Mount Fuji’s reflection on the water formed the scenery known as “Reverse Fuji.”

Reverse Fuji refers to the sight of Mount Fuji reflected on the calm surface of Lake Kawaguchi on a clear, windless morning, forming a mirror-like “double Mount Fuji” with near-perfect symmetry.

Apparently there are white swans at Lake Kawaguchi too, but I did not see any. I only saw black ducks. Ugly duckling: quack quack?

Walking further along the lakeside, I came across a cherry tree in full bloom.

Passed by a viewing platform.

Tenjoyama Park

At 10, I arrived at the Tenjoyama Park ropeway station and went up the mountain for a higher view of Mount Fuji.

From the observation deck on the mountain, one side faces Mount Fuji, while the other overlooks Lake Kawaguchi. In clear weather, the lake reflected the color of the sky.

Looking into the distance, you can see the Southern Alps.

On the other side is Mount Fuji.

From this angle, it had a chilly, austere feeling.

I took the ropeway down and walked to Kawaguchiko Station, preparing to head to Lake Yamanaka. Near the station, I accidentally ended up across the road from the famous Lawson that went viral online. Many young couples were lining up in front of it to take photos.

The bus ride to Lake Yamanaka was not far in distance, but it took quite a while.

Lake Yamanaka

Arrived at the Mt. Fuji Yamanakako bus stop.

I first went to Nagaike Water Park. The lakeside here faces Mount Fuji directly with no obstruction.

After taking some photos of Mount Fuji, I prepared to go to another spot: Hirano Beach. I checked navigation and found that the fastest route was to return to Mt. Fuji Yamanakako Station and take a bus in the other direction. So I began another 2 km “power walk” back to catch the bus.

By the time I took the bus and arrived at Hirano Beach, the sun had already climbed quite high. Under the overhead light, Mount Fuji looked less crisp. I took a brief walk around Hirano Beach, then went to the tourist information center entrance to wait for the bus back to Lake Kawaguchi.

Back at Lake Kawaguchi, there was still more than an hour before I had to leave for Otsuki, so I wandered around near Kawaguchiko Bridge again. By then there were some clouds in the sky, which made the view even prettier.

When it was almost time, I returned to the hotel lobby to rest and wait for the bus.

After arriving at Otsuki, I still had 40 minutes before my train, so I ate a bowl of ramen at a small shop in front of the station.

I arrived in Shinjuku a little after 8.

There were many people smoking in front of the station, and many cigarette butts on the ground.

Was this a street performer? He sang very well!

After checking in at the hotel, I went to the nearby Shinjuku Central Park.

Passing by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, I saw several cherry trees blooming nicely.

It was Friday, and the park was lively, full of laughter.

What a full day! I went back to the hotel, washed up, and slept.

Day3 Kamakura, Tokyo

I slept pretty well last night.

I got up early, washed up, had breakfast, and checked out. I originally planned to go to Nikko today to see Kegon Falls, but the weather did not look good, and heavy rain in Nikko would make travel inconvenient. So I changed course and went south to Kamakura.

I took JR toward Kamakura. Following Google Maps, I transferred to a bus at Ofuna Station for Kencho-ji.

After exiting Ofuna Station, I could see a large Kannon statue from upstairs.

I do not think I had ever ridden this kind of suspended train before. The bus driver below looked very young, maybe even younger than me. Then I saw him get out of the driver’s cabin, take a cloth, and wipe the wheels. My inner voice: is it really that clean???

When boarding the bus, the driver asks where you are going. After entering the fare, you tap your card. I could not understand what the driver was saying at the time. Later I realized he was asking whether I was going to Kencho-ji. I showed him the navigation information on my phone, with the stop name in Japanese, and got on smoothly. Arigato gozaimasu.

Today was rainy too.

Kencho-ji

Arrived. As soon as I entered, I saw an avenue of cherry blossoms.

There was also a garden inside.

I walked toward the back mountain to take a look.

Continued up the mountain.

There is an observation deck on the mountain. When the weather is good, you can see Mount Fuji from there.

Went down the mountain.

It was almost lunchtime, so I went to find something to eat.

I walked all the way to Komachi-dori, and the rain got even heavier. There is a Hachimangu Shrine here, but the rain was too heavy, so I did not go in.

Lunch was KFC in front of Kamakura Station. I had originally planned to go to Enoshima today too, but the weather was really not suitable, so I will save it for next time.

I took the train to Ikebukuro. On the ride, someone next to me was wearing Crocs and took one foot out of the shoe, leaving it exposed. The smell nearly knocked me out.

Tonight I stayed at a Toyoko Inn near Ikebukuro Station. After arriving in Ikebukuro, I saw a milk tea shop inside the station with quite a few people in line, maybe around 10. I queued up and bought a cup too. It tasted average, not as good as milk tea back home.

After checking in, I rested in the room for a while.

This pedestrian bridge had a nice view. Train fans would probably like this spot a lot!

For dinner, I had a bowl of Ichiran ramen and ordered almond tofu too. I had never tried it before. The almond flavor tasted oddly poisonous to me.

Chidorigafuchi Night Sakura

I took the subway to Kudanshita Station. Right outside the station was the cherry blossom viewing path.

There should normally be tourists rowing boats on the moat, but perhaps because of the rain, boating was suspended today.

Under the cherry trees, lights of different colors were projected onto the blossoms. Some colors looked awful, a bit too eerie, while others were beautiful.

It was beautiful and dreamlike.

Day4 Tokyo

The main destinations of this trip were already done, so I did not arrange any special sightseeing for today. First, I slept until I woke up naturally. This Toyoko Inn in Ikebukuro had bread for breakfast, so finally I did not have to eat myself into nausea 😁 Slippery food in the morning really does not work for me.

Ochanomizu

This is one of the locations from the film Suzume.

Sensoji Temple

So many people! It felt similar to Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto, the kind of place many tourists in Tokyo will come to see.

I drew bad fortune 😅.

There is a tourist information center across from Kaminarimon. You can go up to the 8th floor to overlook Senso-ji and see Tokyo Skytree.

Tokyo Skytree

I went nearby for lunch and took some photos of Tokyo Skytree along the way.

Shibuya

What an incredibly busy crossing! The shooting spot was on the 12th floor of Shibuya Scramble Square, and it was free.

It was still early, but there was nowhere else I particularly wanted to go. I went to the Starbucks upstairs at Shibuya Station and rested for a while.

For dinner, I had yakiniku near Shinagawa Station.

My flight to Kansai Airport was at 9 p.m. I would sleep there for one night and fly back to Shanghai the next morning. When I bought the tickets, there was an option to fly directly from Tokyo to Shanghai at 10 p.m., but I figured I would arrive in Shanghai around midnight and still need to take a taxi home. I would not rest well at that hour anyway. Better to sleep one night first, and it also let me experience a domestic flight in Japan.

The aircraft was the familiar A320.

Day5 Return

I got up, washed up, and took the hotel’s airport shuttle to Kansai Airport, saving another 530 yen, hehe. It took about 15 minutes to reach T1. Very quick.

Security was also fast, and it was still early. I took the little train inside the terminal to the area near Gate 11 and bought something to eat at the convenience store.

The haze was quite heavy today, so I could not clearly see the ground along much of the route. Back in Shanghai, this trip came to an end~

Expenses

Reflections

• Cherry Blossom Viewing

  The viewing period for cherry blossoms is truly short, and the frequent spring rain makes it even shorter. Their most beautiful moment is when they are fully blooming and you see flowers but no leaves. By the time I arrived, a few fresh leaves had already appeared, but it was still incredibly beautiful.

• Wide-body Planes

  They are indeed steadier than smaller planes. It was my first time using Wi-Fi on a flight, and it felt great. ANA’s in-flight meal was pretty good too.

• Lake Kawaguchi

  The view of Mount Fuji from here is excellent. The mountain appears as a fairly symmetrical cone. You can see Mount Fuji from many places around it, but the scenery is generally not as good as Lake Kawaguchi. For example, some spots reveal the crater on the mountainside, making the overall shape less perfect, while others have obstructions. Transportation is convenient, though buses seem to run about every half hour.

  Outside Japan’s big cities, road trips seem very suitable, if conditions allow. A video creator I follow, Lao Song CHANNEL, often travels to small places around Japan, and I really like his video style.

• AI Fails

  During this trip, I used Microsoft’s Copilot app for some searches, and sometimes its answers were wrong.

  For example, when I was at Ikebukuro Station, I asked which floor Starbucks was on. It told me the 1st and 2nd floors. In reality, it was on the 3rd floor.

  Another time, I asked whether it would rain in Kamakura. The forecast I saw looked rainy, but Copilot confidently told me not to worry, that it absolutely would not rain. Then around noon I nearly got soaked, because my umbrella was small and I had to quickly hide under a storefront. I was so annoyed I laughed. Truly laughed. Sometimes when people are speechless, they really do laugh out loud.

• Big City

  Tokyo really is a major metropolis. After living in Shanghai for several years, I already felt Shanghai had the shape of a big city. Osaka felt just okay when I visited, but Tokyo gave me the feeling of Grandma Liu entering the Grand View Garden. Tokyo is excellent in urban construction, greenery, and transportation.

• Humid

  It felt a little like the movie Weathering With You. It had been raining recently, the air humidity was high, and with spring warming up, my body never felt quite dry. I did not like that much.

• Getting Lost

  I nearly got dizzy wandering around Shinjuku Station and Ikebukuro Station.
  Shinjuku Station truly deserves its title as Asia’s largest station, and even “the busiest station in the world,” with more than 3 million daily users.

• Mainland Tourists

  There were noticeably fewer mainland tourists, similar to what I noticed in Kansai late last year. On streets, roads, and at scenic spots, I barely heard Mandarin with a mainland accent.

• iPhone 17

  The thermal improvements on this generation are indeed very obvious. It heats up much less during charging and photography, and the battery can now comfortably last a full day.

• Prices

  Hotels are much more expensive than in Kansai. Everything else felt about the same.

• A Small Regret

  I did not get to see Tokyo’s night view from a high place. I think there will be another chance next time. If a trip leaves no regrets at all, then maybe I will not return to that place for a long time.

Q&A

• Transportation Passes

  Pass prices have gone up. Unless you are doing an extremely packed itinerary and visiting faraway places, it is hard to make the money back. Not cost-effective.

Some Links

• Mount Fuji visibility forecast https://fuji-san.info/zh-cn/index.html
• Train timetable search https://japantravel.navitime.com/zh-cn/area/jp/depArrTimeList
• Toyoko Inn shuttle bus reservation https://reserve.toyoko-inn-bus.com/

Easter Egg

My blog theme hexo-theme-linen is finally open source!

LynanBreeze/hexo-theme-linen: A clean Hexo theme.

Finally

Thank you for reading all the way here. I hope it brought you a little bit of good mood. See you in the next travel journal 👋!

I got my Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macau back in 2023, but never used it once. The endorsements that came with it expired untouched. Recently I found cheap flight tickets, so I decided to take a weekend mini trip.

After getting off work on Friday, I booked a carpool ride on Hellobike for the next morning to the airport. Unexpectedly, early the next day, the driver bailed. He had called me the night before saying he’d pick me up 20 minutes later than scheduled, but when the time came, he didn’t show up, and I couldn’t reach him via the platform or phone. Luckily, I woke up early and had extra buffer time, so calling a taxi still worked perfectly. I arrived at the airport smoothly.

At check‑in, the staff asked if I had purchased the ticket using my passport. I recalled that I did. She told me to go to the counter around the corner to update my passenger info to the travel permit. The “crisis” was solved in 5 minutes. Thankfully, I had flown a lot last year and upgraded to Gold status, so I skipped the line and boarded smoothly.

Main goals of this trip:

1. Buy an iPhone ✅
2. Eat Macau snacks, especially Portuguese egg tarts ✅

Saturday

It always looks hazy when looking down from the plane.

Honestly, Hong Kong looks more spectacular from above than Shanghai — mountains and sea.

I arrived at Macau International Airport a little after 11 AM, breezed through immigration, and headed to the bus stop next to the airport to take the free hotel shuttle (“Fortune Bus”) to Galaxy Macau.

The ride was short, just a few kilometers, about 10 minutes. The drop‑off point was the “Crystal Lobby” (probably named after the extravagant crystal chandelier inside). Once inside, indoor navigation basically stopped working, and I wandered around for a while before finding the Apple Store.

I asked a Genius and was told they were out of stock for now, but might restock in the afternoon. I could come back later.

It was lunchtime, so I decided to fix my hunger first. I ate beef tripe lo mein + milk tea at Tsui Wah Restaurant. The beef tripe slices were huge and delicious. The noodles were instant noodles by default and surprisingly tasty (the menu said “instant noodles,” but I didn’t expect it to literally be instant noodles 😂). The milk tea had too strong a tea flavor — not my thing.

Wandering Around the Peninsula

From the Crystal Lobby at Galaxy Macau, I took the Fortune Bus to StarWorld Hotel.

Right after getting off, I saw streets that looked straight out of Hong Kong dramas.

There happened to be a China Telecom Macau store nearby, so I went to check if they had iPhones in stock. They actually did — lucky me. The staff said there was exactly one left (white, 512GB). I asked if I could split the payment into two transactions so I could use two coupons. They said yes, so I happily completed the purchase. They even gave me a DIY phone case that could be printed on the spot.

After buying the phone, I headed toward the peninsula’s “most famous” attraction — the Ruins of St. Paul’s.

After crossing the footbridge, there was Mong Ha Municipal Park, with a lighthouse, fort, and lookout point. I went up to take a look.

The weather was quite warm — taking off my jacket and wearing just a T‑shirt felt perfect.

I continued walking toward the Ruins of St. Paul’s, about 900 meters left. The next morning I realized my hotel for the night was right next to it.

Loved the sunlight and shadows here.

Arrived at the Ruins of St. Paul’s — so many people!

The Ruins of St. Paul’s (Portuguese: Ruínas de São Paulo) are the remains of a 17th‑century Catholic religious complex in Macau’s St. Anthony Parish, including the original St. Paul’s College and the Church of St. Paul (Igreja de São Paulo), also known as Mater Dei. It is one of Macau’s iconic landmarks. The façade is part of the church ruins (the façade, forecourt, and staircase). The Chinese name “Da San Ba” comes from the transliteration of “São Paulo.” The typhoon name “Sanba” also originates from this.

There is an elevator next to the Ruins that goes up to the park. The Macau Museum is there — admission is 15 MOP (I didn’t go in).

From the top platform, you can see the Grand Lisboa Hotel.

Its shape reminds me of this:

A street performer was singing a song by Chang Chen‑Yue.

I walked through the alleys below the Ruins. The first section was packed with tourists, but it got better further in.

I saw this photo on Unsplash →
https://unsplash.com/photos/a-group-of-people-walking-down-a-street-next-to-tall-buildings-8GIsOVL_rlY
Later, while browsing my own photos, I realized I had walked down the same street.

I ate a small portion of Wing Kee beef offal — 50 MOP, very delicious.

After that, I bought a milk tea from Hui Zhen Ji — very good.

Then I took the Fortune Bus from StarWorld back to Galaxy, and walked to The Parisian to see the Eiffel Tower replica.

The Parisian at Night

Passed by some casino — no idea what it was.

Passed another casino I didn’t recognize — also didn’t care.

Arrived. Rounding up, I guess I’ve “seen” the Eiffel Tower too 😊
I wondered how tall the real one is 🤔 (later checked: original is 330m, Macau’s is 162m)

After seeing the tower, I didn’t feel like walking anymore, so I took a bus back to the hotel.

The alleys were narrow, but the large buses still drove very steadily. There weren’t many pedestrian crossings — you often had to use footbridges.

Sunday

I kept my camera in my bag today — just wandered casually without trying to “get good shots.” Woke up, checked out, and took a bus to Taipa Village (Rua do Cunha).

Taipa Village (Rua do Cunha)

There’s a beautiful big tree at the entrance, next to a small square.

I arrived early, so most shops weren’t open yet.

Lord Stow’s Bakery on Rua do Cunha opens at 9 AM. I bought egg tarts, chocolate cookies, and milk tea — all delicious.

Wetland Park

A white egret.

A happy rolling cat.

Heading to the Airport

Leaving Rua do Cunha, I went to Galaxy’s Asia Food Street and bought a HeyTea drink that isn’t available on the mainland menu.

Turn left when exiting the Crystal Lobby — the light rail station (Pai Kok Station) is right there.

Pai Kok → Airport: 15 minutes, 8 MOP. Tickets can be purchased at the window using WeChat Pay or Alipay.

About to land.

Took a carpool ride home — a lovely end to this quick one‑day flash trip.

Expenses

Some Impressions

• Plants and greenery are very well maintained
  The streets are tidy and neatly managed.

• Building glass façades are spotless
  So clean they reflect like mirrors.

• Convenient transportation
  Free hotel shuttles, public buses, and the light rail are enough to reach most places in Macau. Public restrooms are easy to find, and there are plenty of seats for resting.

Small Tips

• Bus payments: Macau Pass / UnionPay QuickPass / WeChat Pay
• Hotel shuttle buses are free and do not require a room key
• Walking around the Cotai area is very convenient

Transportation Options

• Hotel Shuttle (Fortune Bus)
  Free. Runs between major hotels, the airport, and border checkpoints. Queuing is required. Intervals are about 10–15 minutes.

• Public Bus
  6 MOP per ride, roughly 5 RMB. You can use the Amap (Gaode) app to find bus routes.

• Light Rail
  The tracks and stations are elevated above the roads. A bit like the BRT system in Xiamen.
  
  Image source: https://www.mlm.com.mo/tc/route.html

Buying an iPhone

iPhones in Macau are tax‑free and slightly cheaper than in mainland China. They are Hong Kong‑version devices. Except for the iPhone Air (which is eSIM‑only), all other models have one physical SIM + one eSIM (and can store multiple eSIM profiles).

If you use a China Merchants Bank credit card, you can claim coupons in the CMB Life app, saving + cashback totaling around 500 RMB.

There are two Apple Stores in Macau, and neither supports online reservations — in‑store purchase only. They are:

You can also visit China Telecom Macau stores to purchase iPhones.

This monitor is pretty good overall. At around 2,000 RMB, it performs well in many areas, but for me it has two small drawbacks:

1. It is a bit slow to wake up, taking about 5 seconds when waking from the keyboard.
2. After the monitor goes to sleep, I can no longer use Xiao Ai voice commands.

I looked through the monitor settings and could not find an option to keep it on standby without sleeping, so I decided to make one myself.

Basic idea: This is a miniLED monitor. When HDR mode is enabled in macOS, the system can control the monitor brightness directly. This does not work in SDR mode, where brightness can only be adjusted through the monitor itself. Because of miniLED local dimming, when the brightness is set to 0, the whole panel stops emitting light.

So all I need to do is set the brightness to 0 when I am not using the computer. This effectively turns off the monitor panel and saves power, while the system keeps running and can still respond to Xiao Ai commands at any time.

Prerequisites

1. A miniLED monitor with HDR enabled in macOS - System Settings - Displays.
2. One Switch - Keep Awake.
3. Hammerspoon.

Implementation

1. Install Hammerspoon

1. Go to the official website and download Hammerspoon.
2. After opening it, click Hammerspoon -> Open Config in the menu bar.
3. This will open ~/.hammerspoon/init.lua.

You can also open ~/.hammerspoon/init.lua directly with an editor such as VS Code.

2. Configure init.lua

Paste the following code into init.lua:

-- Screensaver dimming mode:
-- after entering the screensaver, wait delayBeforeDim minutes before lowering brightness;
-- dimDuration controls how long it takes to dim to 0.
-- When leaving the screensaver, for example by pressing Enter to wake, restore the original brightness.

local brightness = require("hs.brightness")
local caffeinate = require("hs.caffeinate")
local timer = require("hs.timer")

-- Configuration
local delayBeforeDim = 1 * 60      -- Wait 1 minute after entering the screensaver before dimming (seconds)
local dimDuration    = 5           -- Total time to dim from the current brightness to 0 (seconds)
local steps          = 2           -- Number of dimming steps; higher values are smoother
local originalBrightness = nil
local dimTimer = nil
local delayTimer = nil

-- Stop all timers and restore brightness
local function restoreBrightness()
    if delayTimer then
        delayTimer:stop()
        delayTimer = nil
    end
    if dimTimer then
        dimTimer:stop()
        dimTimer = nil
    end
    if originalBrightness then
        brightness.set(originalBrightness)
        originalBrightness = nil
    end
end

-- Start dimming
local function startDimming()
    -- Avoid starting another dimming timer if one is already running
    if dimTimer ~= nil then return end

    originalBrightness = brightness.get()
    if not originalBrightness or originalBrightness <= 0 then
        return
    end

    local currentStep = 0
    local stepInterval = dimDuration / steps
    local stepDelta = originalBrightness / steps

    dimTimer = timer.doEvery(stepInterval, function()
        currentStep = currentStep + 1
        local newValue = originalBrightness - stepDelta * currentStep
        if newValue < 0 then newValue = 0 end
        brightness.set(math.floor(newValue + 0.5))

        if currentStep >= steps then
            dimTimer:stop()
            dimTimer = nil
        end
    end)
end

-- When the screensaver starts: wait delayBeforeDim minutes, then start dimming
local function onScreensaverStart()
    -- Prevent duplicate timers
    restoreBrightness()

    delayTimer = timer.doAfter(delayBeforeDim, function()
        startDimming()
    end)
end

-- When the screensaver stops: restore brightness immediately
local function onScreensaverStop()
    restoreBrightness()
end

local watcher = caffeinate.watcher.new(function(event)
    if event == caffeinate.watcher.screensaverDidStart then
        -- Entered screensaver
        onScreensaverStart()

    elseif event == caffeinate.watcher.screensaverDidStop then
        -- Left screensaver, usually triggered by a key press or mouse movement
        onScreensaverStop()

    elseif event == caffeinate.watcher.screensDidLock then
        -- Screen locked, either manually or automatically
        onScreensaverStart()

    elseif event == caffeinate.watcher.screensDidUnlock then
        -- Successfully unlocked, after password or Touch ID
        onScreensaverStop()

    elseif event == caffeinate.watcher.systemDidWake then
        -- The Mac woke from sleep
        restoreBrightness()

    elseif event == caffeinate.watcher.screensDidWake then
        -- The screen woke from sleep
        restoreBrightness()
    end
end)

watcher:start()

Save the file.

3. Reload Config

Click Hammerspoon -> Reload Config in the menu bar.

The setup is now complete. You can press Control + Command + Q to lock the screen and test the effect.

Conclusion

With this custom script, I got the monitor rest mode I wanted.

Limitations:

1. On the macOS login screen, the script cannot listen for events and restore brightness. You can temporarily adjust brightness manually with the brightness keys on the keyboard.
2. Compared with true sleep, this will use more power. I have not tested it, but I suppose the difference is not too large.

Advantages:

1. There is no need to wait for the monitor to wake up, and I do not need to worry about issues such as burn-in.
2. Xiao Ai is always on standby. Last night, I called Xiao Ai in the middle of the night to turn on the air conditioner for me.

Amanohashidate is located in Miyazu Bay on the Sea of Japan side of northern Kyoto Prefecture. Together with Matsushima in Mutsu and Miyajima in Aki, it is known as one of the Three Scenic Views of Japan.

What are the Three Scenic Views of Japan? -> https://www.nihonsankei.jp/about.html

Use Passes

JR Kansai Wide Area Pass + Amanohashidate-Ine 2-Day Pass

Klook link: https://s.klook.com/c/awRZzp_v1B

Choose the 5-day pass, then under Add-ons select 5-Day Pass + Kyoto Amanohashidate Ine Sightseeing 2-Day Pass.

This means you can buy the Amanohashidate-Ine Sightseeing 2-Day Pass, worth 3,500 yen, for only about 39 RMB.

Schedule

The Amanohashidate-Ine Sightseeing 2-Day Pass covers both local buses and express buses. Express buses stop at fewer places than local buses and get to Ine faster.

If you do not buy the pass, you need to pay bus fares in cash. Suica and Icoca are not accepted. Local bus fares vary by distance, while the express bus has a fixed fare of 1,000 yen.

Kyoto Round Trip

Train

From Kyoto, take a JR train to Amanohashidate Station.

Direct train, recommended: The JR Hashidate Limited Express has only a small number of departures, but it runs directly between Kyoto and Amanohashidate. The one-way trip takes about 2 hours, and the fare is around 4,800-5,400 yen depending on your travel date.

Please note: JR trains to Amanohashidate are reserved-seat only, so you must reserve a seat. I recommend reserving your round-trip seats at the ticket machines in the first-floor hall of Kyoto Station the day before departure.

Enter Kyoto Station with your pass. When leaving Amanohashidate Station, show both your pass and reserved-seat ticket to the staff.

Bus

Tankai Bus operates several highway buses each day between Kyoto Station and Amanohashidate. The one-way trip takes about two hours, and the fare is 3,200 yen or 3,400 yen depending on the travel date. Online reservations are available through the Willer website.

Book online

Arriving at Amanohashidate

Inside Amanohashidate Station, exchange your voucher for the Amanohashidate-Ine 2-Day Pass at the Amanohashidate Information Centre. You can also pick up English and Japanese sightseeing brochures there.

The Kyoto Amanohashidate Ine Sightseeing 2-Day Pass covers the following:

• Admission to Nariaiji Temple
• Round-trip mountain bus to Nariaiji Temple
• Kasamatsu Park clay-disc throwing voucher
• Amanohashidate sightseeing boat: round trip between Miyazu Pier, Amanohashidate Pier, and Ichinomiya Pier
• Amanohashidate Kasamatsu Park cable car and chairlift: round trip between Fuchu Station and Kasamatsu Station
• Ine Bay sightseeing boat, Hikaribune: boarding ticket for the Ine Bay cruise
• Tankai route buses: route buses within Miyazu City, Kyotango City, Ine Town, and Yosano Town, excluding community buses
• Nariaiji shuttle bus: round trip between Kasamatsu Station and Nariaiji Temple

Sightseeing Route

Take the bus toward Ine to visit these places.

Bus stops:

1. Amanohashidate Station
   I recommend taking the express bus. The fare is 1,000 yen and is covered by the Amanohashidate-Ine 2-Day Pass. Just show your pass when boarding.
2. Ine Bay Meguri / Hide
   Take the sightseeing boat here. The boat fare is 1,200 yen and is covered by the Amanohashidate-Ine 2-Day Pass. Just show your pass. The cruise takes about 30 minutes. You can buy snacks at the pier before boarding and feed the seagulls on the boat.
3. Ine
   Walk around Ine’s funaya boathouses and enjoy the calm atmosphere of this seaside village. You can also climb up to Satsuki Park, near Roadside Station Funaya no Sato Ine, for a view over Ine. There are several cafes by the sea where you can sit down and rest.
4. Amanohashidate Motoise Kono Shrine
   Get off here and walk to the Kasamatsu Park cable car station. The cable car fare is covered by the Amanohashidate-Ine 2-Day Pass. Just show your pass. There are two options: chairlift and cable car cabin, and you can choose freely. One thing to note is that the chairlift stops earlier in the evening than the cabin-style cable car.
   After reaching the Kasamatsu Park observation deck, you can take the Nariaiji bus from the deck directly into the Nariaiji Temple area. The fare is covered by the Amanohashidate-Ine 2-Day Pass; show your pass when boarding. The one-way bus ride takes about 5 minutes. Before boarding, remember to ask the staff for a bus timetable so you can confirm the return bus time. Nariaiji Temple has a magnificent five-story pagoda, and there is also an observation deck overlooking Amanohashidate.

For related photos, see: Kansai Trip (2025)#Day 8 - Amanohashidate - Ine

This guide is for reference only. It is most useful if you only have one day and need to rely on public transportation. If you have enough time and can drive, I highly recommend going by car. The beaches at Amanohashidate are also very beautiful.

There is no need to fear missing the beautiful scenery others once saw; the most beautiful moment may simply arrive when you casually look up.

Have a wonderful trip. The scenery outside the train and bus windows is beautiful too.

A total of 1986 photos are counted (only photos containing exif data are counted)

Among them, 425 photos (about 21.40%) are from iPhone, and the rest are taken by Sony A7C2 camera.

in conclusion

24mm-35mm photos account for the highest proportion, accounting for about 52.57%.

My Lenses

1. Tamron E 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 A071
2. Samyang AF 35mm F1.8
3. Samyang AF 75mm F1.8
4. Viltrox AF 20mm F2.8

Data analysis

Although these data are a bit like asking questions based on the answers (because most of the photos are from the Tamron 28-200 lens), it is precisely because of this zoom lens that some of my shooting preferences can be calculated.

CoPilot summary:

The focal length distribution shows very obvious “two poles”:

• Extremely high at wide-angle end (24–35mm)
• Extremely high telephoto end (200mm)
• Low usage at intermediate focal lengths (50–120mm)

“People who enter the world”

——Wide-angle personality (24–35mm ultra-high body ratio)

24mm, 28mm, 35mm add up to over 52%.

This means you are:

• Likes to be close to the subject
• Likes to get into the environment
• Like real, natural and unpretentious pictures
• Likes to record life, cities, travel, and streets
  You are not the kind of person who “takes photos from afar”; you are the kind of person who walks into the crowd and into the story.

Photography personality summary

• ✔ People entering the world (wide angle)
• ✔ Distant observer (telephoto)
• ✔ Don’t like the average focal length (medium focal length)
• ✔ Not pursuing traditional blurred portraits (85mm)
• ✔ Like reality, story, sense of space, sense of compression

Samples

Super wide angle

Wide angle

Medium focus

Telephoto

Super telephoto

West Lake

Start walking from the broken bridge on Beishan Street with remaining snow.

Entering the water silently.

On the mountain is Baochu Pagoda.

Two mandarin ducks were on the branches, moving with the waves. This was the first time I saw mandarin ducks.

Zhongshan Park

Although the maple leaves have fallen, it is still beautiful. The calm water is like a bright mirror, without any ripples.

There is also a maple tree that has not yet shed its leaves.

Xiling Seal Society

Quyuan Fenghe

There are no lotus flowers now, and the simple water surface is also very elegant.

Prince Bay Park

The super cute puppy is playing with the gardener and looks very happy!

Climb Jiuyaoshan ing.

After climbing for about half an hour, we reach Jiuyao Pavilion and overlook the West Lake.

There is still a bit of haze in the distance.

Overlooking Leifeng Pagoda.

Looking into the distance…I don’t know where it is.

Going down the mountain, there is a deep cave on the roadside.

Looking up at Leifeng Pagoda, I didn’t go in.

Taurus out of water-sunset

The sunset is so beautiful!

The waves are as smooth as silk.

Renfeng Pavilion-Sunrise

I got up at around 5 a.m. and took a taxi to Renfeng Pavilion at 6 a.m. to wait for the sunrise.

Blues hour before sunrise.

Start to turn warm.

The temperature was very low, and I was almost freezing when I was holding the camera with both hands, but I couldn’t stop the sunrise from being so beautiful!

The hazy Leifeng Pagoda.

Su Di

I got up too early and felt sleepy. I sunbathed on a chair by the West Lake and closed my eyes to relax.

Three Pools Reflecting the Moon

Take another look and go back to Shanghai.

Day 1

Saturday, 2025/12/13

Before landing, I could already tell the air in Changde was not great today. Visibility was low.

After checking in at the hotel, I was upgraded to a room with a view because it was the low season and there were not many guests. The spot where the sun set happened to be blocked.

The night view from the room was pretty nice.

I did not leave the hotel today. I ordered delivery: Sexy Tea, spicy braised chicken feet, and pork intestines. Nothing missed. The drinks and food were both good.

The hotel air conditioner, though, really confused me. Since it was central AC and already winter, it could only send out warm air. With the AC off, the room was still 28+°C. Hot 🥵. The front desk could not really do anything, so I had to open the window for ventilation and ask them to send a fan to the room.

Day 2

Sunday, 2025/12/14

I slept in. When I got up and opened the curtains, there was morning mist over the river outside.

The high-rises were in the mist too.

Washed up and had breakfast. I had some milk and eggs, plus a bowl of rice noodles. The taste was fine, but not amazing.

I lay on the sofa for a bit. Very relaxed.

Close to noon, I checked out and went looking for lunch. I went to Lin Jia Huo Fu Shimen Changzi Guan and ordered their signature pork intestine hot pot. Rice and tea were free.

The portion was huge, and it tasted great. I could not finish it. Truly impossible to finish. The fermented bean curd was good too, perfect with rice.

After lunch, I walked toward Qili Bridge for a stroll.

This stretch of water is part of Liuye Lake.

Across the water is German Town. Although I have not been to Europe yet, at first glance it did have a bit of a European feel.

The kid on the swing left, so I had a little swing too 😊.

Wandering around Xiaohe Street.

The restaurants here are interesting. Many of them have layouts with an old-architecture style, elegant and refined.

Golden sunshine, warm and gentle.

So laid-back!

An outdoor football match was on. Team Changde had just scored, and I was drawn over by the cheers.

German Town

Before I knew it, evening had arrived.

I went back to the restaurant where I had lunch. For dinner, I ordered sliced pork in chili oil. The portion was still very generous, but personally I did not think this dish was very good.

After dinner, I took the bus to the airport. Time to head back.

Originally, we planned to go to Hokkaido this year, but since I’m sensitive to the cold, I figured I wouldn’t be able to handle more than ten days there. On top of that, with this year’s reports of “bear incidents,” I felt a bit uneasy. In the end, we decided to return to the Kansai region instead.

Route

• Osaka: 2 days
• Kyoto: 6 days
• Uji: 0.5 day
• Nara: 1 day
• Kobe: 1 day
• Wakayama: 1 day
• Rinku Town: 0.5 day

Before Departure

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 · Departure · Osaka

To make the most of this holiday, we booked the earliest flight of the day to Kansai International Airport.

We arranged a ride-hailing car the day before, and watched the sunrise inside the departure hall. Sunrises and sunsets seem to have a kind of magic—I always find myself stopping to admire them without realizing it.

The flight took off a little after 8 a.m. and landed at 11:20 a.m. local time, just in time for lunch.

The plane was probably full. After landing, the two of us walked quickly toward the front of the line, passed immigration smoothly, and took the shuttle bus to T1 to grab lunch first.

We walked around T1 for a bit but didn’t find anything we particularly wanted to eat, so we went to Sukiya and ordered a rice bowl. After not being here for a year, I had completely forgotten the ordering process. When it was my turn, I went straight to the cashier, and the staff told me I needed to place my order at the machine first and then pay. A quiet sumimasen later, I managed to place the order. I had one rice bowl plus an ice cream, then got ready to head to the hotel we’d be staying at tonight (or at least drop off our luggage). At the Nankai Railway counter in T1, I exchanged for a Nankai 2-day pass (I’ll write a separate post to explain these passes in detail).

We stayed in Sakai City tonight—to save money, since it was Saturday, and paying several times the usual price for an average hotel didn’t feel worth it. I have a very good impression of this small city. It feels simple and uncrowded, yet it meets my needs perfectly. We arrived at the hotel before 3 p.m., and the front desk let us check in right away—huge thumbs up. After entering the room, we tidied up and rested for a while. The hotel was newly opened, so the facilities were quite new. It was close to the station, and most importantly, the seaside view was excellent.

From Sakai City, it takes about 30 minutes to get to Namba by Nankai Railway.

Osaka Castle Park

Today we headed to Osaka Castle, which my friend had been looking forward to for a long time, just to take a photo in the same spot as Black Chicken. I guess this counts as a kind of pilgrimage 😊. Since we planned two full days in Osaka, we bought a 26-hour Osaka Metro pass for today.

We took the Nankai Railway and then transferred to the subway to get to Osaka Castle. As soon as we exited the station, we were greeted by ginkgo trees along the road, full of autumn colors. Bathed in sunlight, they looked absolutely beautiful.

Coming back to Osaka Castle Park after a year, I felt a strong sense of familiarity along the paths I walked.

The ducks in the moat of Osaka Castle were lively and cheerful.

There was a cat hiding in the bushes, and another one outside. An elderly Japanese man noticed me taking photos of the cats and smiled at me warmly. I smiled back. The kindness from a stranger eased my worries a little.

When we reached the base of Osaka Castle Tenshukaku, we bought tickets (about 55 RMB) and went inside. There were many exhibits in the tower, along with plenty of explanations about its history. I wasn’t particularly interested in these, mainly because I don’t really have a clear understanding of Japan’s dynastic history.

At sunset, standing on the observation walkway at the top of the Tenshukaku and looking out over Osaka Castle and its surroundings was actually a very nice experience.

As night fell, we prepared to head to the area near Shinsaibashi to find something to eat.

Tonight we had a yakiniku buffet, and it was delicious. The meat was rich in fat, tender, and flavorful—absolutely satisfying.

After dinner, we took a ride back to the hotel to rest.

Day 2 · Osaka

The weather today is really beautiful!

Nanzō-ji Temple

In the morning, we headed to Nanzō-ji Temple. I had seen on Xiaohongshu that someone shared a photo of a large ginkgo tree here, which was at its peak viewing season.

Upon arrival, it was indeed beautiful. The sky was blue with white clouds, the sun was shining brightly, and a gentle breeze brushed my face. Nanzō-ji is quite small, and you can sit quietly in the corridor in front of the main hall to feel the Zen atmosphere.

After leaving, we weren’t sure where to go next, so we thought of Expo ’70 Commemorative Park and navigated our way there. Yes, we hadn’t had lunch today 😅, only some small snacks.

Expo ’70 Commemorative Park

As we arrived at the station across from the park, we could already see the huge “Ya-Ha-Ha” sculpture inside. Check the map here 👉https://stroly.com/viewer/1740129557?lang=en

We bought tickets (260 JPY, about 12 RMB) to enter the park. We first went to the right side of the park, which featured displays and shops related to railways and trains (Sheldon’s Happy Zone).

Neither of us was particularly interested in the train-related exhibits, so we headed to the Japanese Garden exhibition area instead.

We arrived at the Japanese Garden area.

The Japanese Garden exhibition area is divided into four sections. We decided to start from the far side to appreciate the garden styles from ancient times to the present.

Walking to the left, we came across a large bamboo grove. Although it wasn’t as tall as the one in Arashiyama, it was still beautiful under the blue sky.

After passing through the bamboo grove, we began to see landscaped areas with ponds, complemented by red autumn leaves, creating a very delicate scene. We arrived a bit later this year, so some of the leaves had already turned brown and fallen, but overall, it was still quite beautiful.

Mountain Spring. The maple leaves in this area were still at their peak, looking absolutely stunning.

We continued walking and reached the karesansui (dry landscape) garden. The landscaping here was much simpler; personally, I felt it wasn’t as impressive as the karesansui at places like Myōkō-an. We then continued back along the path.

Outside, there was a plum grove. Although it’s still autumn, I was surprised to see one plum tree starting to bloom.

In the small stream, ducks were playing in the water and foraging.

We hadn’t finished exploring Expo ’70 Commemorative Park yet, but we decided to leave since we needed to head to the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan before our 26-hour metro pass expired.

Tempozan Ferris Wheel & Osaka Aquarium

We first went on the Tempozan Ferris Wheel next to the aquarium (using the metro pass gave us a discounted price). We arrived just a little late, and as we ascended, the sun was setting. The transition from the golden hour to the blue hour was stunning.

After the Ferris wheel, we went to the nearby mall to have dinner. Tonight, I had a pork cutlet with rice in broth. I would rate it as average because the cutlet lost its crispiness after being soaked, which I didn’t really like.

After dinner, we headed to today’s final destination—the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan. Inside, some of the animals had already “clocked out” and were sleeping, while others were still “working overtime” to entertain us. I really hope all the animals are happy in there too.

The lively and adorable little penguins.

The graceful jellyfish.

After leaving the aquarium, we returned to the hotel to rest.

Day 3 · Kyoto

We slept in a bit last night and only set off around check-out time. Upon arriving in Kyoto, we first went to the hotel to drop off our luggage. The hotel didn’t allow early check-in, but the front desk said they would deliver our luggage to the room once it was ready.

Once outside, it was lunchtime, so I decided to take my friend to Ichiran Ramen, which was very close to the hotel and we had passed by it earlier.

I found the standard flavor too rich, but the mild flavor was just right. The double-spicy option wasn’t too hot and was tolerable. After finishing lunch, we took the bus to Ginkaku-ji.

Ginkaku-ji

Ginkaku-ji has many evergreen trees, and the moss grows very well. With the clear weather, the garden exudes a serene beauty.

After leaving Ginkaku-ji, we walked along the Philosopher’s Path toward Eikando.

Along the way, we spotted a beautiful butterfly.

Eikando

Eikando is famous for its maple leaves. Although we arrived a bit later in the season, we were still able to see many beautiful maples within the temple grounds.

Nanzen-ji

After leaving Eikando, we headed to Nanzen-ji.

I have visited this area of Nanzen-ji for three consecutive years. Even within the free-access areas, the scenery is quite beautiful and definitely worth seeing.

After leaving Nanzen-ji, we walked to the Shijo area and found a sukiyaki buffet (run by Chinese owners). It was quite tasty. After eating our fill, we returned to the hotel.

Day 4 · Kyoto

We slept in again last night. After getting up, washing, and having breakfast, we took the bus to Arashiyama. Most of the autumn leaves had already fallen, so our first stop was Jōjakkō-ji Temple.

We took the bus to the entrance of Tenryu-ji and then walked through the bamboo grove.

So cute—a Maneki-neko (beckoning cat).

Jōjakkō-ji Temple

We happened to arrive just in time for the bell-ringing ceremony.

Every time I visit Jōjakkō-ji, I find it incredibly beautiful. On the way out, we passed by a small shop we had visited before, selling various handicrafts.

We walked through a narrow alley.

Gio-ji Temple

After leaving Gio-ji, we headed to Tōkō-ji.

Tōkō-ji Temple

We sat quietly here for a while; it was very peaceful.

Camellias in full bloom, with a delicate fragrance.

Adashino Nenbutsu-ji

The maple leaves were beautiful, but I probably won’t come back next time, as there is a large cemetery inside.

Atago Nenbutsu-ji

Katsura River

We took a bus from Atago Nenbutsu-ji to Togetsukyo Bridge.

Kiyomizu-dera

We took a bus to Kiyomizu-dera to enjoy the autumn leaves at night.

Looking up at the Kiyomizu Stage from below.

On our way to dinner, we passed by the Kamo River.

For dinner, we went to Wako Tonkatsu. I ordered the mixed fried set, which was delicious.

Day 5 · Kyoto

We decided to visit Nishi Hongan-ji, which my friend had discovered on Xiaohongshu.

We bought an ice pop at a FamilyMart and started eating it inside, thinking we could throw the wrapper in the store’s trash can afterward. Then I noticed a sign asking customers not to eat inside, and I felt a bit embarrassed, so we quickly went outside to finish it.

After leaving FamilyMart, I mentioned that Nijo Castle was just across the street, so we decided to take a look. The entrance fee for Nijo Castle was 800 JPY, which is relatively expensive.

Nijo Castle

A fire truck was heading out on duty.

Nishi Hongan-ji

After leaving Nijo Castle, we took a bus to Nishi Hongan-ji. As soon as we got off, we saw the ginkgo trees at the temple. There is no entrance fee for Nishi Hongan-ji.

A full and radiant ginkgo tree.

Free to visit.

Jonan-gu

The reason we visited Jonan-gu was mainly because we were running late, and we could still see the last of the autumn leaves there. Jonan-gu is also very close to our next planned destination, Fushimi Inari Taisha.

I hadn’t noticed before, but there are persimmon trees in several spots.

I’ve seen this type of nut back in my hometown as well.

After leaving Jonan-gu, we walked and took a bus to Fushimi Inari Taisha. It looked like it might rain soon.

Passing through an underground passage.

Crossing the railway tracks.

Passing by a small bridge.

Arrived!

Fushimi Inari Taisha

It was my friend’s first time in Japan, and I thought that for anyone visiting Kansai for the first time, Fushimi Inari Taisha is almost a must.

We walked part of the Senbon Torii and then headed back down. Once it gets dark, the mountain feels a bit scary, especially with crows cawing all around. The sun was just about to set, so we stopped for a while to take it all in.

That evening, he found a small family-run restaurant owned by people from Sichuan. The food was really good, and I could tell his mood lifted quite a bit after the meal.

After dinner, we took a bus back to Kyoto Station, and then transferred to another bus to return to the hotel.

Day 6 · Kyoto

We didn’t really know where to go today. Most of the autumn leaves had already fallen, and my friend was starting to feel a bit of temple fatigue. I suggested we just wander around casually. Neither of us is into anime culture, and aside from temples, we honestly didn’t know what else to see within Kyoto city.

It was still snowing up in the mountains.

In the morning, we headed to Shinnyodo. Admission to Shinnyodo is free. Many people include Shinnyodo as part of the route between Ginkaku-ji and Eikando, but when we arrived in the area a few days ago, it was already afternoon and we didn’t have enough time.

There weren’t many visitors at Shinnyodo, and the grounds aren’t very large.

Shoren-in Monzeki (Shinnyodo)

Eisetsu-in

Kurodani Temple (Konkai Komyo-ji)

We passed by but didn’t go in.

Next to it is the Lotus Pond.

Kurodani Temple Three-Story Pagoda — Monju Pagoda

We went to have lunch. This wild plant looked a bit like Canada goldenrod.

First, we found a nearby restaurant for lunch. We went to Ikkyutei. The food was okay—not amazing, but not bad either. What I remember most was the tatami table: there wasn’t enough space to bend or stretch my legs properly, and after sitting for a while, my legs went completely numb (literally).

After lunch, we headed to Kyoto Zoo. Perhaps because of the cold weather, we didn’t see many animals. What was surprising is that the zoo doesn’t have any tigers or lions. If you live locally, an annual pass is a great deal—it costs only as much as two or three single-day tickets.

Kyoto Zoo

You look like you have something on your mind.

Big Cat.

Adorable little red panda.

Giraffe

Zebra

Flamingos (very noisy).

We left and took a bus to Kyoto Tower.

Kyoto Tower

Dinner was Ippudo ramen.

We took a bus back to the hotel.

Day 7 Ōtsu

Yesterday, my friend and I discussed avoiding rainy areas since it would be inconvenient to travel and the scenery might lose its charm.

After checking the weather forecast, we decided to head to the side of Lake Biwa opposite Mount Hiei.

Since the upcoming itinerary involves several JR trips, we purchased a 5-day Kansai Wide Area Pass + 2-day Amanohashidate-Ine Pass.

Today’s main destination is Omihachiman. First, we stopped by Otsu to stroll along the shores of Lake Biwa. The weather was great today, with blue skies and white clouds. It’s about a 10-minute walk from Otsu Station to the lakeside.

Otsu

The lake reflected the sky, showing both blue and green hues. From here, we could see the “snow-capped mountains” on the opposite side.

The wind by the lake was so strong it gave me a headache, so we headed back to the station to continue our trip to Ōmihachiman.

Along the way, I noticed the clouds on the mountains across the lake getting thicker.

Ōmihachiman

By the time we arrived in Ōmihachiman, it was almost lunchtime. We decided to have a meal first. After having yakiniku and sukiyaki in the past few days, today we went for Ōmi beef shabu-shabu. Delicious 😋.

After finishing our meal, we walked to the Hachiman-yama Ropeway station.

We took the ropeway at Hachiman-yama Ropeway Station to go up the mountain. The round-trip fare was 900 yen, which was quite reasonable.

From the top of Hachiman-yama, we could take in the surrounding scenery with a very pleasant view. Looking down at Ōmihachiman, there were no tall buildings, giving it the feel of a peaceful small town.

From the viewing platform on the other side, we could overlook Lake Biwa and even see snow falling on the mountains across the lake. I couldn’t help but think how perfect this place was to visit.

We came across a cat. It was very gentle, and I petted it (don’t follow my example).

We came across another cat, but I didn’t pet it.

Nichiren Sect Head Temple – Zuiryu-ji

There is a temple at the top of the mountain. You can draw a fortune slip for 100 yen, and I got a good one—so happy 🥳.

There was a black cat with sharp eyes, and I petted it. Its head had some incense ash on it, as if it had slept in the incense burner. It looked a bit old, with its chest fur turning white.

It seems that this place used to be a castle.

Torii gate.

A big tree.

Heading down the mountain.

An empty street.

Countryside.

Kitano-no-sho

We walked to Kitano-no-sho. As soon as we arrived, we saw these fairy-tale-like houses with grass roofs. The sun was about to set, and the last rays of the day were shining on the rooftops.

It looked like a tea plantation.

Inside the grass-roofed house, they were selling local Omi-Hachiman snacks and even “ginseng” 😏.

A window. It looks like a painting.

When we left, the sun had set, the clouds in the sky were dyed golden, and birds were circling above.

Took a bus back to Kyoto.

At Kyoto Station, I reserved round-trip reserved seats for tomorrow’s journey to Amanohashidate.

For dinner, we ate at Sukiya near Kyoto Station.

Day 8 Amanohashidate & Ine

Tonight we would be changing hotels. In the morning, I checked the time and realized we still had enough, so I first dropped off our luggage at the hotel where we would stay tonight, planning to check in directly in the evening.

We took a bus to Kyoto Station, then boarded a JR train for a 2-hour ride to Amanohashidate.

At Amanohashidate Station, I exchanged for the Amanohashidate-Ine 2-Day PASS and picked up a travel guide. The guide was available in Japanese and English, and I chose the English version.

This 2-Day PASS is really worth it, covering transportation, sightseeing cruises, the Kasamatsu Park cable car, and buses to Nariaiji Temple. According to our plan, we first took a bus to the Ine Sunrise stop to board a sightseeing boat.

The roads are mostly built along the coast, and through the bus window, I could see the blue sea and golden beaches.

Arriving at Ine Sunrise stop, there was no need to buy a separate sightseeing boat ticket—just showing the PASS was enough. Without the PASS, a sightseeing boat ticket costs 1,200 yen. Just this one boat ride already makes the PASS worth it.

The sightseeing boat goes near the Ine Funaya (boat houses). Before boarding, you can buy some fries to feed the seagulls on the boat.

The waves were quite strong today. When we got off the boat, we saw a notice at the dock saying that no boats would depart today. We were really lucky—if we had arrived a bit later, we wouldn’t have been able to experience the sightseeing boat. From the boat, we could also see patches of snow still on the mountains.

There were snacks for sale at the dock, so I bought a croquette and a milk pudding. They were delicious.

We took a bus to Ine. After getting off, we continued strolling along the road.

Ine also felt very open and peaceful (probably because we had been in the city before). There were few tourists now. We walked up to Ine Park and spent some time enjoying the view.

We walked back to wait for the bus to go to Amanohashidate Park.

We arrived at Amanohashidate Park. To get up the hill, there are two options: the large cable car or the chair lift. I decided to take the cable car up and the chair lift down for a better scenic experience. At the top, there is an observation platform where we could overlook the iconic sandbar of Amanohashidate.

It was still early, and we noticed the bus to Nariai-ji Temple parked nearby. After checking the schedule and the travel time to the top, we decided to go up. Showing the PASS was enough to board the bus, and it took about 5 minutes to reach Nariai-ji.

As soon as we arrived, I was glad we came up; otherwise, we would have missed the beautiful snowy scenery. The snow hadn’t melted yet, and the five-story pagoda stood gracefully amidst the snow, giving off a classical charm.

There was also an observation platform at the top of the mountain.

Took the last bus down to the Amanomatsu Park observation platform, and we were the only passengers on the bus. Looks like many people missed the snowy scenery here.

Then we headed back to Kyoto.

Day 9 Uji & Nara

Starting the familiar final stretch: first to Uji for matcha and sweets, then to Nara to see the deer.

We took the JR to Kyoto and transferred to another JR train to Uji. We stored our luggage in a locker at the JR Uji Station exit for 400 yen.

Walked down to the Uji River and strolled along the riverside. The weather was great again today, so chill.

Almost 10 a.m., we headed to Nakamura Tokichi (Byodoin branch) for some matcha desserts. Even before it opened, there was already a long queue. The window seats filled up quickly, so we had to sit inside. At this moment, suddenly a lot of low-hanging clouds appeared in the sky.

We enjoyed our desserts and had a chat. Around 11 a.m., we left and walked to the bridge by the Uji River, then headed back to visit Ujigami Shrine.

A wild bird was catching fish—so thrilling to watch! (A bit of a shame my photo came out blurry.)

Uji Kamisha Shrine

After leaving Ujigami Shrine, it was almost mealtime, so I suggested we go eat matcha ramen.

After finishing the ramen, I bought another matcha ice cream and ate it while walking (don’t follow my lead—this is probably considered a bit impolite here).

We then took the JR train to Nara. The hotel for tonight is located right next to the Nara JR station, which is super convenient. The facilities are quite new, and they provide POLA toiletries, which are pretty nice to use. The only downside is that the bathroom is located on the balcony (which means the room itself doesn’t have a traditional window sill).

After dropping off our luggage, we took a bus to Nara Park.

We walked to Mount Wakakusa, where the entrance fee was 150 yen.

After entering, we took the path on the far left up to the first peak (Ichigome) of Mount Wakakusa, where the view became much more open and expansive.

We headed down to the large lawn at the base about 20 minutes before sunset.

After the sun set, we grabbed some dinner and headed back to the hotel.

We ate at Matsunoya for dinner tonight.

Then we returned to the hotel to get some rest.

Day 10 Nara & Kobe

The night before, I told my friend that I wanted to get up early to capture the morning light (Links’ photos were so incredible that I wanted to give it a shot myself). I packed my luggage in advance so my friend could sleep in a bit and then help me bring it down during check-out.

I got up on my own and took a bus to Nara Park.

The morning light—I captured it. As for the “flavor” of the shots, they’re still missing that tiny bit of something, but I’m already quite satisfied.

Not a single soul in sight.

The little deer are just like children.

A quick sniff, and the verdict is: 100% a good person.

I took a walk around the outer perimeter of Todai-ji Temple.

Food for the little deer.

Yoshikien Garden

I walked over to Yoshikien Garden—it was fantastic! Admission is free, and the landscaping is absolutely beautiful.

Stopped by Starbucks for a coffee break. By noon, my friend had finished touring Kasuga-taisha and Todai-ji. I suggested we meet up at Starbucks and highly recommended Yoshikien Garden, which I had just visited.

We met up and grabbed lunch. After taking the bus back to Nara JR Station, we went to Matsuya. For some reason, this branch didn’t serve Tonkatsu (fried pork cutlets). After eating, we headed back to the hotel to pick up our luggage and caught the JR train to Kobe.

Kobe

Arriving in Kobe, we rolled our suitcases toward today’s hotel. This place looks like a classic, established grand hotel. The room has a great view, and the window glass is incredibly clean. There’s even a FamilyMart convenience store at the far end of the lobby. The downstairs exit leads directly to Meriken Park.

There are sightseeing cruise ships at the Meriken Park harbor.

A sparrow.

After a stroll around the area, we had Yakiniku (Japanese BBQ) for dinner. The taste was just mediocre.

The shopping streets near Sannomiya were quite empty. So far, the liveliest shopping district I’ve seen is Shinsaibashi in Osaka; I haven’t visited the Kanto region yet.

Day 11 Kobe & Wakayama

Waking up in the morning, embracing the sun, and filling my body with brilliant sunshine 😊.

Checked out, took the JR train to Sannomiya Station, and stored our luggage in the station lockers before heading to Maiko Park via JR.

Maiko Park

Arrived at Maiko and saw the ocean! As I walked under the bridge, I suddenly felt a strong gust of wind, so I quickly bundled up with my scarf and hat.

Once I stepped out of that specific area, the wind didn’t feel strong anymore. It probably has something to do with the bridge structure or some kind of physical phenomenon.

I spotted a starfish on the beach. Not knowing if it was dead or alive, and too scared to touch it with my bare hands, I used a stone to gently push it back into the water. Hope it makes it!

After walking along the seaside for a while, we headed back and took a quick tour inside the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (Maikovilla).

Once we came out, we went to the Maiko Park ticket office, bought our tickets, and headed up onto the bridge.

The wind up here was incredibly strong—I was honestly worried it might blow my baseball cap right off.

There was even a glass-floor section where you could look directly down at the seawater below. Since I’m afraid of heights, I didn’t dare step onto it.

There were snacks for sale up there. I ordered some Akashiyaki (which tastes like boiled Takoyaki) and an ice cream. Eating something hot and cold together made my teeth feel a bit “off”—not the best sensation!

It was so cozy sitting there; with the glass and solid ground, my acrophobia wasn’t an issue anymore. Though I think a refreshing drink would have been a better choice for that spot.

After lunch, we took the JR train to Wakayama.

Now, here’s the interesting part: we were sitting in the second carriage. In this specific train, cars 1–4 head to Kansai Airport, while cars 5–8 go to Wakayama. My friend told me we had to switch carriages before reaching Hineno Station. Having just woken up, I was quite confused until I saw the reminder on the overhead screen—thanks for having my back, my friend!

Actually, it wouldn’t have been a huge deal if we had ended up in the wrong place since we were using the JR PASS; it just would have meant a bit of backtracking and a later arrival in Wakayama.

Sidenote: Why didn’t we take the Limited Express Kuroshio? Because the timing wasn’t right. If we had waited for the Kuroshio after arriving in Osaka, it would have added another hour to our

Wakayama City

We booked the Candeo Hotels Wakayama, located right above Wakayamashi Station. After arriving at Wakayama Station, we had to take another short JR ride to get to Wakayamashi Station. Originally, I had booked a hotel near Wakayama Station, but I switched to this one near Wakayamashi Station because we needed to take the Nankai Line to Kansai Airport the next day (and I still had one day left on my Nankai 2-Day PASS).

The lobby of the hotel offers a fantastic view. After dropping my luggage in the room, I specifically came back down to the lobby just to watch the sunset.

Me: “Clouds fly with the lone wild duck; the autumn water is the same color as the vast sky. What a poem, what a masterpiece!”
Friend: Scrolling through Douyin (TikTok) in the room.

In the evening, I suggested we try Yakitori, so we headed to a local shop. Well, “expect the unexpected”—neither of us could handle these charred, burnt skewers. The blackened bits were incredibly bitter, which totally ruined the flavor. Luckily, we only ordered about 200 RMB worth of food.

My friend mentioned he didn’t have any cash, but I told him not to worry. When it was time to pay, I asked if they accepted WeChat Pay or Alipay (since WeChat can actually scan PayPay QR codes now), but the owner said they only took cash or credit cards. I opted for the credit card, but as he pulled out the terminal, I noticed something: “Oh, it has Alipay—maybe we can try 😉.” We gave it a shot, and it worked perfectly. The owner was impressed: “Sugoi!” (Amazing!) 👍

After leaving, we went to a convenience store to buy some snacks. That dinner didn’t count—let’s call it a “re-do” 🥺.

After resting at the hotel for a bit, I went up to the rooftop onsen. It had just been maintained today (maybe a fresh water change), and after showering, I found the pool to be exceptionally clean. Plus, there was no one else there—hehe, a total “private moment.” The public bath felt like a private spa experience! There were both indoor and outdoor pools; stepping into the outdoor one felt a bit like streaking on a rooftop.

The view from the outdoor pool was great, though the night lights in Wakayama are much scanter compared to the big cities. After the soak, I headed back to the room. We both agreed to sleep in tomorrow and check out directly.

Day 12 Rinku Town

Slept in, got up, freshened up, had breakfast, and packed our bags to check out. Our destination: Rinku Town.

We dropped our luggage at the JLS store run by a Chinese lady near Exit 4 of Rinku Town Station. At 300 yen per piece, the price was quite reasonable.

After storing our bags, we took a stroll through Rinku Park.

Rinku Park

Rinku Premium Outlets

Then we headed to the Outlets. First, we visited the beach right outside the mall; the water here was incredibly clear and transparent.

Feeling the sea breeze—it was so comfortable.

Returned to the Outlets, walked around for a bit, and ended up spending exactly 0 yen.

Had Ramen for lunch.

Headed to the airport and arrived right as check-in opened. We were at the front of the line, so there was hardly any waiting—perfect.

After passing through security, I picked up a bunch of Royce’ Nama Chocolate.

Heading back to Shanghai! This trip was a complete success.

Expenses

Total spent: Approximately 9,268 RMB per person.

Hotels

• Agora Regency Osaka Sakai: Opened in 2025. Very new, located near Nankai Sakai Station with beautiful harbor views.
• Hotel Vista Premio Kyoto (Kawaramachi St.): Opened in 2011. Located in a bustling area; there’s a Little Sheep Hot Pot downstairs that offers discounts for hotel guests. Rooms feature traditional Japanese-style windows.
• Cross Hotel Kyoto: Opened in 2018. Located in a prime downtown area with a Uniqlo right across the street. The toiletries are lavender-scented—so strong they made me feel a bit dizzy! Laundry service is pricey (charged per item, e.g., ~50 RMB for a T-shirt); I suggest using the nearby CoCoNe Internet Cafe for laundry instead.
• Hotel M’s Plus Shijo Omiya: Opened in 2017. Close to the JR station.
• Piazza Hotel Nara: Very new and right next to the JR station. Convenient transportation. They provide POLA toiletries, which are excellent.
• Hotel Okura Kobe: Located next to Meriken Park and near the harbor. Great window views and free laundry service. They also use POLA toiletries—highly recommended.
• Candeo Hotels Wakayama: Opened in 2020. Located next to Nankai Wakayamashi Station. Features a rooftop open-air onsen with a fantastic view.

Q&A

What camera did you use?

I’m skipping this one. If you are viewing this page on the web, just click on the images to see the detailed EXIF/shooting parameters.

Did you edit the photos?

No. But to be honest, they still look a bit different from what the naked eye sees. My photography skills aren’t quite there yet.

HDR Photos

These are HDR JPGs exported using Adobe Camera RAW. The effect isn’t perfect; the highlights around the sun look a bit funky.

Why go to Japan when relations are tense?

The itinerary was planned back in August, long before things escalated.

Were you worried about anything?

Yes. I even joked with my friend that we should speak English instead of Mandarin while in Japan. However, from the moment we arrived until the end of the trip, everything felt fine. I didn’t experience anything unusual.

Why do you keep going to Japan?

A few key reasons:

• Japan actively promotes tourism, and their infrastructure is very friendly to foreign travelers.
• The cost is well within an acceptable range.
• The locals are traditional and follow the rules.
• Most public places are non-smoking.
• The scenery is very delicate and refined.

Any new experiences?

Yes. This time, I tried out various railway and bus/subway PASSES in the Kansai region.

Across the entire trip, the various transportation passes saved me about 300 RMB. Specifically, the Amanohashidate-Ine 2-Day PASS saved about 200 RMB on its own.

The prerequisite for buying a PASS is knowing exactly where you want to go. If your itinerary is relaxed or flexible, you likely won’t break even. In that case, just sticking to a regular transit card is better.

Closing Remarks

I was 29 when I went on this trip, but as I write this travelogue, I have already turned 30. At 30, it feels as though I’m living the life others had in their 20s—happy and fulfilled.

I’d like to recommend the website https://kyoto.travel/en/. This is the official information site provided by the Kyoto City Tourism Association. It’s available in multiple languages and is incredibly detailed, rich, and practical.

This is my longest travelogue to date. Although it’s written in a “journal-style” (day-to-day) format, it still took quite a bit of time to organize. Thank you so much for reading this far.

2025 has come to a wonderful close. Here’s to staying happy next year too!