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Kyoto Day Trip from Osaka Our trip to Japan felt a bit like a tasting menu. We got a taste of so many incredible places, but there’s always one you wish you’d gone back to for seconds. Kyoto was that place for me, and next time we visit Japan, I’ll definitely be ordering the large portion of Kyoto! We organised a full-day trip to Kyoto while we were staying in Osaka, as it’s only about a 30-minute bullet train ride away. Even though we only had a day there, in true cousin connect travel style, we managed to pack quite a bit in. Breakfast at 7-Eleven Our first stop was 7-Eleven for something to eat. Oh my goodness, 7-Elevens in Japan are something else. The range of fresh food is amazing, and the prices are crazy cheap. teamLab Biovortex Kyoto After that, we spent over three hours at teamLab Biovortex, and as I said in the recap, I think it may have been the highlight of the trip. Heading to Arashiyama Then we stopped for burgers at Wagyu to Worldwide before heading out to Arashiyama to see the famous bamboo forest. We took the train from central Kyoto out to Saga-Arashiyama, and from there walked through the streets towards the bamboo grove. The whole area had such a peaceful, calm feel, and everything sounded almost muted. Maybe it was because we were surrounded by so much greenery and mountains. It gave the effect of being in a soundproof room. It’s kind of hard to explain, but that’s the closest I can describe it. Arashiyama Bamboo Grove When we got to the bamboo forest, Sam, who visited Kyoto in 2024, told me it was really short, and we’d be through it in no time. Either he remembered it differently, or my sense of distance was completely off, because it felt so much longer than I was expecting. I kept asking him how he thought it was short, but he couldn’t really remember. It’s a mystery. Anyway, the bamboo forest was incredible, with towering bamboo all along the path. I remember saying out loud, “I can’t believe I’m here.” I think I say that a lot when I’m overseas. It usually goes: “I can’t believe I survived the flight and landed,” and then, “I can’t believe I’m here,” whenever I see an amazing sight. Hehe. At the end of the bamboo forest, we came across a small temple tucked away just off the path. As we walked further through Arashiyama, we reached a small lookout where we could see the mountains rising around the area. So beautiful and peaceful. Almost Made It (But Didn’t) After the bamboo forest, we really wanted to visit the Tenryu-ji Temple gardens, which are right there next to the bamboo grove. But it was already too late, and even though we sprinted to try and make it before the gates closed at 5, we missed it. The famous red gates at Fushimi Inari Taisha are also in Kyoto, but we needed another day to explore those as well. So that’s two big reasons to go back to Kyoto one day. I think we did a great Kyoto day trip. It really was so beautiful and one of those days that felt like a lot, but still not quite enough at the same time. I hope to visit you again, Kyoto… you really stole my heart on this trip.

My family and I were chatting about the highlight of our trip to Japan, and even though we visited so many amazing places, the overall consensus was that teamLab Biovortex Kyoto came out on top. Which says a lot, because we are a die-hard Disney family. Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea are hard to beat in our world, so I never expected anything else to even be mentioned in the same breath. But teamLab Biovortex Kyoto is right up there for us, because yes, it was that good! What is teamLab? TeamLab is a Japanese art collective that creates immersive digital art experiences. Think giant interactive rooms full of light, colour, movement and sound. You step in and, bam, you become part of the artwork. It’s nothing like a traditional art gallery where you admire artworks from afar. Now, don’t let the word art put you off if art isn’t really your thing. That was the case for our youngest cousin in our travelling group. She wasn’t 100 per cent convinced she’d enjoy the visit when she heard it was an art experience. But two minutes in, she was completely won over. Just like the rest of us, she absolutely loved it. TeamLab experiences can be found in a few cities across Japan, including Tokyo and Osaka. Each location is different, with its own installations and themes, so it is never the same experience twice. I had such an incredible time at teamLab Biovortex Kyoto that I would genuinely love to experience the others as well. Maybe one day. What to expect at teamLab Biovortex Kyoto Once you walk in, you’re not really looking at separate “exhibits” in the usual sense. You move through a series of large immersive rooms where the whole space is part of the artwork. The floors and walls are covered in digital light and projections that shift and react as you move through them, so nothing seems to stay still. The room changes depending on where you are and what you’re doing. Some spaces feel really calm, with flowing light, colour and peaceful music. Others are more full-on, with layered visuals and interactive elements: You can play with foam… spin giant colour-changing blobs walk through metallic paint wearing gumboots jump on giant bouncy cushions while following a projected star (I couldn’t keep up with the star, but it was still so much fun!) play with giant inflatable balls, and we may have gotten carried away bouncing them off each other’s heads–lucky we’re a close family and walk through shallow water that changes colour and reacts to your steps I felt like a kid in a futuristic jungle gym and had a go at everything. Holiday Ruth came out to play! Is teamLab Biovortex Kyoto worth it? 1,500 per cent yes! TeamLab Biovortex Kyoto is an immersive, interactive feast for the senses, and unlike anything I have ever experienced before. We all absolutely loved it and would go again in a heartbeat. If you’re planning a visit, you can find more information on the official teamLab Biovortex Kyoto website.

Visiting the Osaka Aquarium in Japan was another standout moment of our trip. We walked through feeling completely mesmerised by the incredible sea life and beautifully designed exhibits, and it took us about two calm hours to cover everything. When you first walk into the Osaka Aquarium, you go through tunnel-like walkways where the water surrounds you. It feels like you are in the ocean because you can look up and see fish swimming above you. Another section of the aquarium is a spiral design that takes you gradually downward around a massive central tank. As you move through it, you can see marine life from different angles and depths. Then, just when you think you have seen it all, boom, another section appears with something completely new, like the whale sharks swimming through the enormous central tank. Seeing the Whale Sharks Up Close When we were lining up at the entrance to the aquarium, we saw whale sharks on a poster. Immediately, we all said there was no way they could be in an aquarium because whale sharks are just too huge. But they absolutely were, and boy, were they massive. We spent ages watching not one but three whale sharks swim around the tank. I must have taken so many photos and videos, but when I look back at them, they just do not capture the scale of what we were seeing in real life. No photo or video really does it justice. But here are a couple of the better ones. All I can say is that I felt quite small standing there watching the enormous and graceful whale sharks glide past. I was in complete awe of just how incredible the natural world is, even inside an aquarium. Our whole family group felt the same. Favourite Animals and Exhibits at the Osaka Aquarium The Osaka Aquarium also wowed us with so many other sea life exhibits. Jellyfish The jellyfish displays were in a darkened room, so all you could see were these almost alien-like jellyfish floating through the water. It was hypnotic to watch, and because the tanks were dimly lit, you could see so much detail in their delicate, never-ending tentacles that looked like fine trailing strings. I wondered if they ever got tangled up–fascinating! Seals and Otters The seals and otters were another favourite because they are so cute and playful. Penguins The penguins stood tall and happy in their cold enclosure… brrr! Giant Crabs These giant crabs were almost as big as the ones we saw in Dotonbori, well, maybe not quite, but they were huge! Stingrays The stingray was so calming to watch, gliding through the water. Colourful Fish Bright colourful fish darting in and out of the coral displays. Dory from Finding Nemo. Osaka Bay and the Lights Around the Aquarium When we finished visiting the aquarium, we walked outside and saw the giant Ferris wheel, with the lights along Osaka Bay starting to come on. There were also lit-up displays of sea creatures along the waterfront, like giant crabs and turtles. Seeing these displays and the pretty lights was a really nice way to end the visit before heading off. We had such a wonderful time at the Osaka Aquarium in Japan, and I would definitely recommend it if you are planning a trip. It was fantastic, and I am really glad we went. I am actually a bit sad I am not there right now.

We travelled on the Shinkansen, Japan’s bullet train, from Tokyo to Osaka as part of our Japan trip. Yes, friends, it’s time for another Japan travel recap, and this is the first part of our time in Osaka, starting with Dotonbori in the day and night. I was excited about going on the bullet train because, you know… It’s a bullet train. I’m not usually a fan of anything fast, so I Googled it once we were on board and felt better reading that it had an excellent safety record. I like a bit of reassurance before fast things. Not sure what the point of that was, really, because it’s not like I was going to get off the train. I would probably have just started praying hard instead. Without the bullet train, getting from Tokyo to Osaka can take around 6 to 10 hours, depending on how you travel. On the bullet train, it’s only about 2.5 to 3 hours, which is a pretty big difference! Once the bullet train left the station, picked up speed, and my ears popped a little, it was a strange sensation that’s hard to describe. You kind of got used to how fast everything was moving, and it didn’t really feel fast at all. I felt really lucky to experience it, as I had heard a lot about these amazing trains. We booked seats on the Mount Fuji side, so we had an excellent view of the spectacular Mount Fuji as we zoomed past. I took about a thousand photos and videos. It was so beautiful. Arriving in Osaka After arriving in Osaka, we made our way to Nishinari Ward, where we were staying. It was such a huge contrast to Tokyo, and it felt much calmer because it was residential. That’s one of the great things about staying in an Airbnb: you get to experience a more local side of the city. At first, I thought it was so quiet because it was a Sunday, but it stayed quiet the whole time we were there. One of the highlights (there were so many!) was exploring Dotonbori, a lively district full of food, neon lights and canals. It was about a 10 to 15-minute train ride from where we were staying in Nishinari Ward. It felt like a completely different side of Osaka, with so much energy and buzz. Osaka: Dotonbori Day and Night Dotonbori During the Day We went during the day first, and it was busy, but nothing like Akihabara in Tokyo. That was next-level sensory overload! In Dotonbori, we saw the river, the bridges, and the famous Glico running man. Dotonbori is full of huge, incredible food signs and displays everywhere. I took so many photos of giant crabs, octopus signs and oversized food displays attached to buildings. I didn’t know where to look because there was so much going on everywhere. It was amazing and like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It almost felt like a food-themed amusement park, which is the best way I can describe it. Dotonbori at Night The next time we visited Dotonbori was at night. All the signs were lit up, and the streets were even busier than during the day. We saw delicious food being prepared everywhere, and the smells were incredible. People were lining up for the famous takoyaki (small octopus-filled savoury balls, a famous Osaka street food), and there was just so much happening all around us. We tried a selection of takoyaki, and the good news is that they were exactly as good as Instagram said they would be! We also wandered through the nearby shopping streets. Including Shinsaibashi-suji Shopping Street. It felt like a long, covered street that just kept going and going, with shops everywhere and people moving constantly. It was a shopper’s dream, with every kind of brand you could think of. Dotonbori is full of energy at night. The good thing is that even with so many people, it didn’t feel overwhelming at all. In Osaka Dotonbori, both in the day and at night, it was incredibly busy. Like crazy busy! But even so, you could still walk freely, stop when you wanted, and just enjoy the moment. It was truly one of those “wow” places you have to experience.