Must visit areas in Kyoto: Fushimi Inari Shrine and Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

Fushimi Inari is one of the most iconic places to photograph in Kyoto. You may be familiar with the area already, as it was one of the scenes in Memoirs of a Geisha where Chiyo runs through the red torii gates right after meeting the Chairman for the first time. The visually stunning moment has led thousands of tourist to the temple hoping to relive the exact same running scene of the young Geisha.

We hailed a cab from Gion going to the shrine and it took us around 15 minutes to arrive at the destination. The cab will drop you off at the foot of a tiny street, which is closed to vehicles. You will find yourself in front of a big torii gate as an indication that you are now entering the street leading to Fushimi Inari.

There seemed to be a weekend market the time we visited, where stalls lined up at the sides of the road, selling snacks (takoyaki, korokke, dango, baked fish on stick, etc), drinks, souvenirs and even furniture.

At the shrine proper, you are greeted with the "Romon gate", and right behind you will find the main building of the complex. At the back of the building starts the beginning of the journey to 10,000 torii gates.

Yay! The best part is to reenact the memoirs of a geisha moment!

If you're wondering what do the Japanese characters in the torii gates stand for, they are actually the names of the companies that have donated to the shrine for maintenance and/or restoration - great advertising as well, if you can read in Japanese.

Once you are inside the gates, it feels like a never ending tunnel! Its as if the further you go, the longer the torii gates are before your next exit.

Right after our trip to Fushimi Inari, we headed on over to Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. 

We took a cab from Fushimi Ward to Ukyo Ward (since we were not familiar with the train system of Kyoto and didnt want to waste any of our precious time!) On our way to our destination, we actually fell asleep on the cab! I woke up to a picture perfect view of the mountains, the stream and the beautiful blue horizon. 

It actually took us 40 minutes from Fushimi to Ukyo! Good thing we were travelling in groups, our cab bill reached around Y4,000! Thank God for the very courteous cab drivers of Japan and for consistently good service, I actually think taking cabs if you're a group of 3 or more is well worth it. Hassle free and gets you from one place to another on time.

The entrance to the bamboo grove is a tiny street at the side of the main road, where we found quaint food stalls that serves Japanese delicacies, dessert and drinks.

There were also shops at the side that sold hand crafted items such as baby bibs, towels, shirts and plush toys.

Walking up towards the sprawling bamboo forest, it was such a calm and relaxing experience! You can feel the cool breeze, smell the scent of nature and hear the birds chirping and bamboo swaying. A great place for meditation and a morning stroll. You can even rent a bike if you prefer the slightly uphill climb. 

Another great thing about Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is, it will cost you nothing to visit such an amazing and picturesque place! Its a MUST visit destination in Kyoto.

Address of Fushimi Inari:

Fushimi Inari Taisha, 68 Fukakusa Yabunouchicho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture 612-0882, Japan

Address of Arashiyama Bamboo Grove:

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan

The Gourmet Chocolate Dessert of Café Ilang-Ilang, Manila Hotel

"A balanced diet is chocolate in both hands"

Chocolate is every woman's first love! They are your best friend whenever you feel down and whenever its that time of the month. 

A few weeks ago I had the most amazing discovery! I found the best home made chocolate dessert right in the heart of Manila! They come in assortments of praline, hazelnut, white chocolate, milk chocolate, toffee, caramel, chocolate-cruch, chocnut and many more. The texture also varied from nutty, crunchy to oozing with chocolate filling from the inside. 

My personal favorite was the white chocolate (with the pink sakura design printed on top) and praline ganache oozing from the inside. 

The chocolates are part of the buffet at Café Ilang-Ilang where they have an excellent selection of food and cuisine. Dinner rates start at 2,450Php per person on weekdays and 2,950Php per person on weekends. 

You may also purchase the chocolates separately at their lobby lounge. They have boxes of 10 and 20 assorted chocolates being sold starting at around 900Php. 

Below are the chocolate fountain and home made gelato also included in the dinner buffet of Café Ilang-Ilang. 

Reservations for the lunch and dinner buffet can be made at Cafe Ilang-Ilang, Manila Hotel

Opening hours

Breakfast
Daily 6:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Lunch
Daily 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM
Dinner
Daily 6:00 PM to 10:30 PM

Email: restaurantrsvn@manila-hotel.com.ph
Contact number: 632 527 0011
Address: Manila Hotel, One Rizal Park, 0913, Manila, Philippines

Must visit areas in Kyoto: Gion (Geisha District) and Okamoto Kimono rentals

The city of Kyoto is truly the center of Japanese culture; here you may spot the remaining Geishas walking by the streets of Gion, where a number of  temples and shrines are still preserved as part of the 17 World Heritage Sites across Kyoto and the tradition of Japanese stage drama, theater and dance numbers are still showcased.



Gion is the known Geisha district of Japan. The wooden homes are lined up on both sides of the street, restaurants offering traditional Japanese cuisine and entertainment can be found in each corner. The most expensive and exclusive of these restaurants are known as Ochaya (teahouse) where maiko's and geiko's hosts and entertain hundreds of guests that still visit til this day.

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There are also several stores you can choose from that offers whole day kimono/yukata rentals! We tried out a place called Okamoto Kimono which we found over the internet. The streets of Kyoto are a bit confusing since there are not many street signs to guide you, we found that the best way to getting to your destination is asking the locals for help. Some of them would actually walk with you so you wont get lost!

We arrived at the Okamoto branch of Gion after a few minutes. We were greeted with a warm welcome and the store ladies guided us on the process. There were a few locals who were also availing of the services. Most of them were young couples going out on a date.

The store offers different set of rentals ranging from Y3,000 to Y5,000 per person. The cheaper sets can get you limited choices of kimonos to choose from (around 15-25 designs) while the most expensive set includes a wider variety of kimono outfits (600+ outfits to choose from).

The kimono set includes the following pieces: undershirt, kimono, obi (stretchable belt), obi accessories, tabi-socks, geisha bag and traditional Japanese sandals.

After selecting your chosen kimono design, you are ushered to a changing area where you will be dressed by professionals. You literally just stand there while the women do all the dressing for you. It took around 20 minutes for you to get fully dressed. (Scenes of Memoirs of a Geisha come into mind during this whole experience)

FYI. There is an optional geisha hair styling service for an additional Y500 yen. Choices include stylish and modern updo's as well as the traditional geisha hairdo complete with hair accessories. Will definitely avail of this next time for the complete geisha experience!

My set came in socks with panda designs on it (kawaii!), and you get to take home the socks as souvenir afterwards! Plus the shop is picture perfect for that awesome Japanese corridor shot.

We were able to walk around Kyoto for half a day feeling like a proper Geisha, we even had lunch in our Kimono outfits in a nearby Japanese tatami restaurant.

There are so many temples and heritage sites in Kyoto you can visit while wearing the kimono, just be sure that your feet is prepared to walk with the Japanese slippers as it is a bit slippery and hard to walk in. All in all the kimono rental experience was well worth it and actually pretty affordable! Hope to hear all about your geisha experience as well!

The 5 Star Japanese Dish: Mastusaka Beef of Matsusakagyu Yakiniku

The Japanese is known all over the world for their excellent taste and finesse in food, from their sushi/sashimi, to their shrimp tempura and miso ramen. So when we heard of this restaurant that served the BEST beef in Osaka (according to one of our executives at the office), and Osaka being the food capital of Japan, we just had to find our way to Matsusakagyu Yakiniku.

The restaurant has over 6 branches across Osaka, but the most visited one is located in Namba, just a few blocks away from the famous Dotonbori canal and Shinsaibashi shopping arcade. In order to get a reservation, you must call atleast 2 days ahead, especially on weekends. The seating is limited and your reservation is timed. 

Getting to the restaurant is a bit confusing especially if you're not familiar with the streets of Osaka. It is along a small alley a few blocks from the crowded tourist area. We had to call the restaurant again to get proper directions. It was a great relief that the restaurant actually sends over a guide to meet you at the front of shinsaibashi and walks you to the restaurant! Talk about hospitality!

You have to take a lift to the 2nd floor of the building to get to the restaurant. The venue is dimmed with warm lighting, and the walkways are very tight. I believe there were only a total of 6 to 8 rooms for table seating. Per room can accommodate 4-8 pax.

Were getting to the best part of the post.. The Matsusaka Beeef!

Not known to majority of the tourists, but Matsusaka beef is considered by many Japanese as superior quality compared to its rival Kobe beef. This is thought to be because of how the beef was raised; from specially pampered Japanese Black virgin heifers. The beef is described as soft-melts-in-your-mouth texture, rich, and evenly marbled.

We ordered 3 different parts of Matsusaka beef, but since we did not know which part was the best we requested to serve the recommended cuts

We were advised to cook the meat as medium rare (the more rare, the more it melts in your mouth)

The meat was so juicy, rich and oh so tender! Definitely a 5 out of 5 experience! I wish I could have ordered another platter all to myself (if only I had the extra 3k yen). All in all, another dining experience to remember! Kampai!

For reservations you can contact Matsusakagyu Yakiniku M

Below is the contact details and location of the branch we ate at

TEL +81-6-6211-2917

1-1-19 Namba, Chuo-ku,
Osaka-city, 542-0076

HOURS 17:00-24:00 (L.O.23:00)
(Open 7 days a week)

Cruising Together... The Royal Caribbean Asian Cruise

The Royal Caribbean International is one of the best known cruise ships around the world that offers a special vacation experience for couples, families and retired folks alike! They have over 16 destinations to choose from including Alaska, Bahamas, Bermuda, Caribbean, Europe etc.

Last December we chose to try out the Asian Destination 4D3N weeked trip from Singapore - -Malaysia - Singapore via the world class Mariner of the Seas ship.

We arrived at the boarding gates of the Royal Caribbean around lunch time along with 2,000 other guests. (Mariner of the Seas can accommodate up to 3,100 passengers aboard the ship). 

We soon arrived at our rooms, with the breathtaking view of the ocean! Below is a photo of the balcony stateroom. There are also options to have a room with no balcony in case you have a fear of open water.

The great thing about this particular cruise is... You dont even notice you're on a moving ship! Unlike the Star Cruises (which I took a couple of years ago). This is perfect for those who are anemic or easily dizzy. 

There are so many things you can do in this ship! Activities that cater to both the young and mature alike can be found in every corner. There are indoor and outdoor pools, basketball court, outdoor golf, rock climbing, gym, arcade room, board games room, ice rink, casino and many more!

The main area for shopping and casual dining is the promenade, where designer brands such as Michael Kors, Gucci and Ray Ban are located. There is also a quaint cafe located at the side for some light snacks (pizza, cookies, pasta etc)

We were able to try out the rock climbing located outside of the south side of the ship. It was around 3 to 4 storeys high (which is not bad to have in a moving ship!) All activities in the ship is unlimited, so you can do them over and over again!

Complimentary breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in the main dining room which has a great panoramic view of the sea, thanks to the amazing ceiling to floor windows.

All day snacks are also being served at the kiosks beside the pool area. Our personal favorite is the hotdog and soft served ice cream stand!

View of the pool deck area from above. We are actually standing on the runners path that goes all around the ship.

During the last night of the cruise, you are treated to a world class multi-course cuisine dining experience at the main dining room. 

Must try dishes of the evening included: escargot buorguignonne (baked escargot with garlic butter), royal shrimp cocktail, roasted rack of lamb and last but not the least, steak!

The food, ambiance and service was 5 out of 5! We were so pleased with our whole cruise experience including our shore excursion in Malaysia (where we were able to check the Petronas tower and other must see sites within the 5 hours)

Taking the first step

"You'll never get to where you want to be if you dont take the first step."


Change is something we either look forward to or dread experiencing. Sometimes, the change we feared the most is actually the change we needed the most; growing a thousand times more as an individual -- stronger and wiser. Move out of your comfort zone and strive for better possibilities.

My 2012 in less than 20 words

The year people predicted to be the end of the world, surprisingly, was my best year yet.