I never imagined going out of the country alone. While I've had experiences in the past that I went solo travel, they were just within my home country. So the first time this trip to Japan was conceived, I was planning it out with a former colleague in Singapore who happened to visit Japan several times. However, due to unexpected circumstances, our plan to travel together in February this year did not materialize. But such changes didn't stop me from pursuing  this much desired trip to one of my dream destinations that's why when I saw a flight promo by Cebu Pacific, I didn't think twice. I had hoped though to travel either with my parents or my older sibling, yet for some reasons, they could not simply come along. So in the end, I was the only one who got to book this flight.

O well, I must say I am not really that familiar with Japan. All I know is that I want to make a visit to this side of the world in springtime, during the full season of Cherry blossoms or the Sakura flowers. For reasons that I mainly attribute to the magical charm and spell that flowers never fail to cast over me ehe, I developed certain level of fondness and fascination towards these flower species that never grow in tropical countries like the Philippines. Ironically, my first ever visit to Japan was not in spring; it was in early autumn instead.

I've taken these photos at the gate of Himeji Castle. The color of the leaves signaled that it is spring time, indeed.

With the help of a friend and some research, I was able to come up with my itinerary and I realized that there are indeed a lot of to-dos and attractions for tourists in the Land of the Rising Sun ranging from sight-seeing, eating out and many others. To make me better appreciate the richness of the culture and history of the land, I settled going for sightseeing of temples and shrines and castles which traced back its roots in 15th century during which people began to build fortresses (such as castles) for defense purposes and mainly to serve as region's administrative or military headquarters or symbol of authority back then. I, of course, integrated visit to some gardens, to satisfy the flower-lover side of me and my fascination for lush greenery. So there, I came to finalize my 7-day itinerary in Japan to shrines, temples and castles and gardens.

Oh Nara! You are quiet yet so beautiful!

The Kyoto Tower at nighttime. I didn't recognize right away that I made it here because of my worries of getting lost. haha

The view near Shin Osaka Station

At the Osaka City Station

These travel diaries are divided into several parts starting from my arrival and spending the night at Kansai Airport to my day visit to the quaint city of Nara to my journeys to Osaka and Kyoto. Believe me, for a first time solo traveler who barely have an idea of what real life in Japan is and how actually the place is, notwithstanding the fact that I cannot speak and understand Japanese which is the primary language in this side of the world, it felt a lot like I was out in a jungle, but my adventures (and my misadventures) in this completely strange place now form part of the best travel memories I've ever had so far :-)