[Long post] We’ve benefited from this thread so much, even after traveling to Japan in the past, and often see the question “does this plan make sense/how much time do we need, etc?”that I hope our recent exact itinerary traveling with 13 yo twins and a 75 yo mother can answer some common questions about our return experience in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Nikko (which we adore).
Also, YES there was screen time. YES people were unpleasant due to jet lag. YES YES YES we adjusted plans and “missed out” on things. Flexibility is key! We never got to Senso-ji or did conveyor sushi because we ended up at a random temple flea market for over two hours finding our most prized souvenirs. Welcome serendipity - the unplanned boba store near Tokyo station remains one of my daughter’s favorite memories.
Onto our itinerary. We stayed in AirBnb’s, an onsen, and a hotel our last two nights in Tokyo.
Hope it’s helpful!
ARRIVE THURSDAY April 11th (2,747 steps) Arrive Haneda - train to Ueno Apartment (and wonderful cab driver who didn’t leave until we found out place) +Happy Mart snacks and house supplies +Dinner @ Kitchisen Handmade Soba
FRIDAY - SHINJUKU (25,885 steps) +365 Days Pastries +Yoyogi Park +Meiji Shrine +saratuhiko coffee +Souishi Menya - great ramen +Onigiri Manma - homemade onigiri +Uniqlo +TeamBorderless art exhibit in Ginza
SATURDAY (21,869 steps) +Tsukiji Market, sushi breakfast +Ueno Park for cherry blossoms +Daiso shopping +Yakitori Lunch - lunch under the train station. Two guys sitting next to us who translated on their phone “We hope you love Japan” BREAK +Artisan pop-up shop Akihabara +Gatchapan +Hakata Furyu Ramen
SUNDAY (18,280 steps) +Leave 8am +A Happy Pancake - 9am +Hanazono Flea Market - Temple market with all the vendors +Seikando Stationary store +Boba Tea +Yoyogi Park Frisbee & volleyball & greasers +Sultan Akihabara - Indian food takeaway
MONDAY (15,663 steps) +7/11 & Starbucks & French pastry breakfast +Train to Nikko +Toshugo Shrine Complex - Futarashan shrine, all temples +Shinkyo Bridge +Yuba Ryori Aburagan - lunch in Nikko +Traditional onsen + Keiseki (traditional, local, in-season) dinner
TUESDAY (19,546 steps) + Onsen volcano hot baths + Keiseki breakfast +Return to Tokyo via train, lunch and shopping in Tokyo Station, then +Nozomi Shinkansen Bullet Train to Kyoto +Check into AirBNB in the Gion district +Mosburger dinner
WEDNESDAY (23,107 steps) +Breakfast - Cicon bakery (In the Cicon hotel) Morning walk in the Gion +Kiyumizudera “pure water temple 780ad” (otowa no taki waterfall) wooden temple +Ninnenzaku Road - shopping +Hokon-ji pagoda tower +Ishebekoji road - old private road (no photography!) +Kenninji Temple - Oldest ZEN temple. 1639 screen. Zen “garden of the sound of the tide.” Creaking floors to hear the ninjas approaching Home to Recharge +Lunch - Omen Udon +Nishiki food market (Sarah/Nonna get tofu) +Teramachi-dori - famous street with clothing shops, sneakers at ATMOS +Pontocho - narrow authentic food alley along the river +Yasaka Shrine - temple with the lit up lanterns at night +Dinner - Ebisugawa Gyoza Nakajima - gyoza at the japanese style table +Gion for Geisha watching (4)
THURSDAY (13,266 steps) +Arashiyama Bamboo Forest +crepes +Goji Sanso Temple - moss temple +Seiryo-ji (incense tribute) +Ryoan-ji (incredible zen garden) Nozomi SHINKANSEN TO TOKYO Check-in &here hotel
FRIDAY (25,658 steps) +Disneyland +Ginza Shopping (Nike store/boba) Break at Hotel +Duck ramen at 麺屋上々 (Menya Joujou) +Chinese restaurant for tea
SATURDAY (7,751 steps) +Tsukiji Market sushi breakfast +Walk to Ueno park + Duck Boats Haneda Airport…. See you next time!

In the heart of Texas, where the sun beats down on vast plains and the air is filled with the aroma of smoky meats, there lies a culinary gem that captures the essence of tradition and flavor. Welcome to Victorian's Barbecue, a renowned establishment nestled near Waco, TX in Mart, where every bite tells a story of passion, history, and community.
A Slice of History
Victorian's Barbecue isn't just a place to eat; it's a destination steeped in history. Named after its founder, the pitmaster Joey Victorian, this barbecue joint has been serving up mouthwatering dishes since its inception in 2016. What started as a humble roadside trailer has now blossomed into a beloved brick & mortar, drawing in locals and visitors alike with its irresistible fare.
The Art of Barbecue
At Victorian's, barbecue isn't just a meal—it's an art form. Step inside, and you're greeted by the tantalizing sight of smoking pits, where seasoned meats are slow-cooked to perfection over a blend of red oak and post oak wood. From brisket to ribs, sausage to turkey, and delicious try tip from the Tri Tip King of Texas, every item on the menu is a testament to the craft and dedication of the pitmaster.
Taste Sensations
Prepare your taste buds for a journey of epic proportions as you explore the menu at Victorian's. Sink your teeth into their signature brisket, a melt-in-your-mouth marvel of tender meat and savory bark. Craving something with a kick? Opt for the jalapeno cheddar sausage, seasoned ribs, and Creole Jambalaya bursting with flavor and heat. And don't forget to sample their sides, from creamy gouda mac and cheese topped with Taki, to tangy cucumber salad, each one crafted with care to complement the main attraction.
A Feast for the Senses
But Victorian's Barbecue offers more than just great food; it's an experience for all the senses. As you savor your meal, take in the sights and sounds of the bustling dining room, where laughter and conversation mingle with the sizzle of meat on the grill and a touch of Star Wars and Dr Dre decor line up the shelves.
Community and Camaraderie
One of the most remarkable aspects of Victorian's Barbecue is its sense of community. Here, strangers become friends over shared plates of barbecue, bonding over their love of good food and good company. It's a place where stories are swapped, memories are made, and friendships are forged, all against the backdrop of some of the finest barbecue in Texas.
Plan Your Visit
If you find yourself in the vicinity of Waco, TX (419 E. Texas Ave. Mart, TX), don't miss the chance to experience Victorian's Barbecue for yourself. Whether you're a barbecue aficionado or just someone who appreciates a delicious meal, this hidden small town gem is sure to leave a lasting impression. So gather your friends, bring your appetite, and get ready for a culinary adventure unlike any other. After all, at Victorian's, every bite is a taste of Texas and Louisiana tradition, served up with a side of Texas hospitality.
Conclusion
Victorian's Barbecue near Waco, TX, isn't just a restaurant—it's a cultural institution, a haven for food lovers, and a testament to the time-honored tradition of Texas barbecue mixed with Louisiana cuisine. With its mouthwatering meats, welcoming atmosphere, and sense of community, it's no wonder that our beloved establishment has earned a place in the hearts (and stomachs) of locals and visitors alike. So the next time you're craving a taste of the Lone Star State and the Pelican State, make your way to Victorian's Barbecue and prepare for a dining experience you won't soon forget.
Victorian’s Barbecue
419 E. Texas Ave.
Mart, TX 76664 (Next to Waco)
(254) 300-6122
Victorian's Barbecue

Race Information

• Name: Pittsburgh Half
• Date: 5/5/24
• Distance: 13.1 miles
• Location: Pittsburgh
• Website: https://www.thepittsburghmarathon.com/races/half-marathon-1
• Time: 2:19:30

Goals

Goal	Description	Completed?
A	Finish!	Yes
B	Sub 2:20	Yes

Splits (A little off since I'm using strava data instead of the official times since they only had the 4.4 mile, 9.1, and Finish times)

Mile	Time
1	10:21
2	10:41
3	10:36
4	10:19
5	10:29
6	9:56
7	10:49
8	10:46
9	11:00
10	11:34
11	10:39
12	10:14
13	8:56
0.3	6:59 (pace I think? it didn't take 7 minutes)

Training

I've been shooting for the half marathon since around Thanksgiving this past year from having never really been a runner (the closest I got was when I signed up for cross country in 7th grade in the summer, then got so scared of embarrassment and pain that I was crying for my parents to take me out of it lol). Probably something to unpack there, oh well! Not too stressed about it now :)
My girlfriend's mom has been a huge role model for me since she restarted in 2020 and was really supportive when I started out on C25k and beyond. My weekly training ended up being mostly 3 days of running leading up to the 10 miler race with around 16 - 20 miles per week, but I realized that I'd love to increase how many days I'm running a week and started to slowly add in 2 mile days on tuesdays and/or thursdays to begin that habit for the last couple of weeks before Pittsburgh. I don't think these had any tangible benefits for PGH, but it was a big mental help as I could tell I wanted to continue the positive benefits I've seen from running into higher mileage and a long term hobby.
It was super cool to be able to have done the Cherry Blossom 10 miler with her and my dad out in DC as a training run, and it was there that I pleasantly surprised myself - I had thought that I'd be able to hang on at around an 11 minute pace for that, but my dad, who has run something like 7 marathons, paced me and helped me to not go out too quick. This meant that my pace for the 10 miler was around 10:30 and it felt really comfortable, so I wanted to set that as my goal pace for Pittsburgh!
The last 4 -5 weeks before Pittsburgh went super well and I was able to practice fueling with regular long runs that got up to 12 miles the week before. This was probably a mistake since I then went out and partied hard at an open bar my Grad school hosted, but it was really good for me mentally to have gotten near the race distance. I took off the week before as a small taper and dealt with a fair amount of nerves that I had done my longest run too close to the race (which tbf I did).
I flew in through Detroit, and spent the days leading up to the race having to unfortunately get up way too early and had a bit of a sleep debt, but thankfully the excitement from the race kept me afloat! I met up with my brother, dad, and girlfriend's mom who were all running and we had a blast the day before the race at a brewery the night before, and we got to meet up with my cousin and her husband and hang out with their menagerie of 2 cats and 2 dogs.
Slept great, and woke up with plenty of time to eat an oatmeal bar and some coffee before heading to the corrals. Unfortunately, my dad put himself in a corral back from my brother and I in Corral C, so it was just us running together since my girlfriend's mom was a corral up from us in corral B. I was definitely jittery on the start line, but it helped that my brother didn't mind me jabbering away to distract myself.

Race

I was so happy to have had my brother running with me! We got some neon bright hats at the expo which helped with some of the rain we got in the beginning and it made us pretty easy to spot for my gf's dad who was there as a spectator. Miles 1 - 6 went really well! Having my brother with me made me make sure to check I wasn't going to quick as he didn't have a watch with him to check our splits. I was amazed at how much adrenaline and the crowd made me speed up, and I felt like we were both constantly needing to cool our speed so that we had some gas left in the tank for the hills I had heard on the back half of the half marathon course, and especially for what I had heard was a large hill at mile 12. We saw my gf's dad between mile 4 and 5, and he was able to catch a great video of us running together :)
Miles 7-10 were where I started to hit some mental challenges. If I'm remembering right, this is where we started to get away from the crowds and headed towards some slightly biggelonger hills. Especially without crowd support, some of the longer slightly uphill grades felt like torture, so we slowed a bit and tried to take it easy through them. This is where I started to regret some of the stomach problems I'd had from using the honey stinger gels in training as it made me really hesitant to use them during the race. I find honey stinger gels to be sickeningly sweet at times, so I had only grabbed some of the gummies they had offered for free at the expo as those had gone down better. However as a result, I didn't fuel anywhere near as often as I know I should/can handle, and I think that definitely contributed to having a tougher time in 7-10.
Thankfully, somewhere in there I was drinking nuun at every water stop and got a banana from a kind volunteer, so I started to feel better. I also loved the gummy worm mile they had set up, as well as all the signs! Every time I saw a sign that made me laugh and smile, I got a huge burst of energy. While I was beginning to feel better, my brother was beginning to get some pretty bad cramping in his legs. I hadn't realized it at the time, but my normal routes for my week have more elevation change than I thought, and I think that helped a lot, whereas my brother, living in MN, had to work to go find hills and elevation to work in. Eventually, he told me to just go on ahead and that he'd meet me at the finish.
Miles 11 - end
I had really wanted to finish this strong, and I'm really glad I took it conservative as a first. I was a bit freaked out at mile 11 because that was the mile marker that begin the big hill everyone had been telling me about. Thing was, I couldn't remember if this was the big one, or if this was just the lead up to the big one at the mile 12 marker! I couldn't help but laugh at myself a bit for forgetting which mile I was in, and kinda just went for it. I knew if I could make it to the top of the hill, I'd be able to turn on some gas and do my best to bomb it down to the finish. I tried to remember what had happened at the Cherry Blossom 10 miler where I had done the same and blown up a bit trying to go quick the last two miles, so I made sure that it was quicker but still sustainable. Thankfully, this bit went really well, and I was able to get a sprint finish at the end to beat my A and B goals.

Post-race

I was pretty toast after hitting the finish line, so I took it slow, got my medal, and made sure to get some electrolytes in me. I was out of it for a bit, but within a couple minutes was feeling pretty good minus some soreness and mild pain in my right knee. I waited by one of the spotter places to meet my brother, and was happy to find out he had gotten through the cramping and came in about 5 minutes behind me. We met up with my gf's parents in the beer garden, and waited there to meet my dad. He found us after about 15 minutes - it sounded like two things had really gotten to him: humidity and the crowding of his corral. He was pretty frustrated with how crowded it was the first 4-5 miles for him as PGH/or the self reported paces for Corral D had a lot of walkers (which is cool btw) who had apparently blocked off a lot of the path (not so cool) making it hard to get around. He was dodging in and out for quite a while, and I wish we had coordinated our reported paces since he easily could have held with my brother and I. Lesson learned for next race!
I was pretty emotional about it as I've always thought of myself as a very unathletic person, and it was really special to be able to share my first half with my family. I had a lot of memories of being a spectator at my dad's marathons, and it was cool to be on the other side of it! Got some great pictures, and we all headed back to the hotel to enjoy a quick lunch at the restaurant that was in the lobby. It was pretty intense to see a lot of the marathon folks still out on the course - it looked like a suffer-fest (but definitely piqued my interest...it's in the cards before my 26th birthday) Got some bourbon and some nachos and couldn't have been happier before we all collapsed for a post-race nap!
Made with a new race report generator created by []().

Just came back a few days ago from a 3 week trip to Japan. Here was my experience:
To preface:

• I'm Canadian, Vietnamese, gay man, solo traveller
• I like new experiences and eating food, but I am not one to seek out the best or hottest place to go or obsessively look for tips on social media
• I like shopping and fashion and love discovering brands I am unable to get in North America
• I've been to Vietnam and I understand the very complex socioeconomical discrimination between Asians and Southeast Asians, colorism and what is considered a "rich" Asian country and a "poor" or "jungle" Asian country. I will have a hot take on this later in my breakdown.

General overview:
Day 1-3: Tokyo - I landed right on Pride weekend! It was fantastic. I knew only 1 person in Tokyo and I had some friends randomly also in Tokyo the same time I was. We went out for a drag brunch, one of the first of its kind in Japan as it's still a very new concept for the country. Performers were great though. Went to the Shinjuku gay district and had a blast discovering all these cool bars all with different vibes. It's also a great place to meet locals, tourists and immigrants (not just immigrants from Western countries, but from other Asian countries like China, Vietnam, Korea etc. who now live in Japan). There was also a festival for Pride in Yoyogi park and it was crowded and fun. Great to see Tokyo really embracing Pride.
Day 4-10: Based myself in Osaka but went exploring with my Setouchi JR West Pass throughout the week I was in Osaka. Went to Hiroshima and Miyajima Island, Nagoya so I can make my way to Ghibli Park (not a part of JR West so I paid out of pocket for that), and went to Kyoto twice. Overall, I really liked Osaka. I love big cities that are lively and noisy. I don't mind the crowds when I am also shopping in the Dotonbori area. The best part was cutting my day short in Kyoto because I was feeling sick, and then discovering that there was an exclusive Sailor Moon Museum happening in Namba and deciding to get tickets for that. Best unplanned experience that was actually better than Ghibli Park. Also, shopped on Orange Street, one of the best places for fashion lovers. Osaka castle was great but the line up to get in the castle was way too long and the day was super hot. Got to a see a high school Kendo tournament going on though so that was a neat experience!
Day 11-12: Flew to Sapporo from Osaka. It was cold. Windy on the first day. Rainy on the second day. Overall, just cold. Not Canadian Winter cold, but I wish I had a warmer jacket cold. It was the few places that had cherry blossoms left. The Sapporo Beer Museum was really neat and I liked learning about the history of such an iconic brand.
Day 13-21: Back to Tokyo. I am a remote worker and my job doesn't care where I work so I took the opportunity to save some vacation days for a future trip, and just work remotely while exploring Tokyo and surrounding areas. Went to Mt. Fuji for a day and back, did not get to see the mountain as it was really rainy and foggy that day. Wento the lucky cat shrine and it was cute but also busy for such a small shrine thanks to TikTok. Went out to the gay bars two more times and had a blast and met some new people (locals and tourists) who I still keep in contact with on social media. Got a tattoo at one point - LOVE IT. The artist was amazing and so gentle, I hardly felt anything. Did some more shopping in Ginza, Shibuya, Shinjuku and my favourite place - Harajuku! Overall, I really enjoyed Tokyo and my Japan trip as this was my first time.
Time and weather:

• rainy for half of it, warm for the other half. Chilly in Sapporo.
• was in Sapporo and Tokyo for Golden Week. Not as crazy as everyone says it would be. It was much crazier leading up to Golden Week. Was still able to get reserved seats tickets at the station itself easily and no need to book in advanced online. Honestly, didn't even bother booking online as the website isn't very clear especially when you have a JR West pass already.

Getting around:

• Digital Suica card on my iPhone. Worked for everything. So easy to use and got me around everywhere including the Kansai region and Sapporo.
• Right when I got off the plane, I got on a Airport Limo bus which was so much easier. No need to know which station to get off from and they had space for all my luggage. Took me to a hotel stop that was 2 blocks away from my hotel. Honestly, after a 9 hour flight, a limo bus is worth the $25 instead of the train and subway.
• Subways became easy to use and once you get to used to them, Osaka and Sapporo was easy to navigate as it was similar to Tokyo's subway.
• If you have a JR pass, pay attention to if you can use it on the local JR lines. Typically, you can. I forgot, and I tapped my Suica to enter a JR local line in Hiroshima, then I realized I could use my JR pass, so I stuck my pass in the machine and it let me through. But because I never tapped my Suica to leave the JR line in Hiroshima, my Suica card stopped working for train stations because it thinks I'm still on a trip in Hiroshima. Had to go to a subway guard (the ones in the booth next to the station gates where you tap your Suica), told them what happend using Google Translate and showed them my JR pass and they understood right away. They took my phone and put it on this scanner and it reset my Suica card. Very easy as if they've done this a million times before (they have).
• Used the convenience store and hotels to send my big luggage to my next hotel so I wouldn't have to deal with it on the train or train stations or flying with it when I flew from Osaka to Sapporo. Such a great service. Just bring your luggage to your hotel reception and tell them your next stop and when you want the luggage by. They will try to get it there the day you requested or the day after. Just be prepared to live out of your carry on for 1 or 2 days. If your hotel doesn't offer it, any 7-11, Family Mart or Lawson offers it. Lawson uses Japan Postal, 7-11 and Family Mart uses Yamato. I also sent my luggage to the airport before I had to leave Japan and it was a breeze. But be warned, for any transfer to an airport, it has to be 2 days before your departure flight or it won't make it on time.

Eating:
As much as I loved having a list of some places to eat at, I abandoned it and didn't really care anymore. From high-end restaurants, cafes, local places and even fast-food, everything was delicious. I stopped caring about where I ate, and just took a walk down any street and when I saw a menu I liked, I just went in. Honestly, even Denny's in Japan was amazing (it's a different menu and not like Denny's in Canada).
Shopping experience:
Loved shopping in Japan. I brought one large suitcase that was empty, put a smaller suitcase inside of it and then had my backpack and carry on suitcase. The yen was weaker than CAD, plus if you spend over 5,500 yen, and show them your passport, you'll get the tax off and some stores offer additional discounts for foreign passport holders.
Brands I bought:

• Onitsuka Tiger - best shoes ever. So stylish, comfy and very popular in Asia.
• Beams - they carry a variety of brands and their own brands.
• FR2 - great streetwear brand. They have different stores in different cities and exclusive pieces for that city.
• In Osaka, look for The Goodland Market on Orange Street. They carry brands that emphasize sustainability. Very laid-back and casual.
• Master-piece - great brand for bags.
• Saturdays NYC - this is an American brand but has a store in Tokyo. Loved the vibes. Very laid back.
• Rage Blue - easy styles with nice colours and cuts. Often had sales going on. Has a variety of brands.
• United Arrows - great styles here too. You'll be coming back to your country so fashionable.

A personal view:
I really like Japan and I would go again, but now that I've experienced it, I now know what I like and don't like. As much as everyone raves about Kyoto, I honestly didn't care for it. Inari shrine was great, the climb to the top was great exercise and most people give up not even halfway up so it gets less and less busy. I also like Nishiki market as I love street food in Vietnam so that type of vibe of just trying everything was a great experience. But honestly, Kyoto was a tourist trap (as with most places). Gion district was cute but you definitely won't find locals hanging there unless they work there. The street will be quiet for 10 minutes, then the next set of tour buses will come, 8 taxis will come and the whole experience walking through the street is kind of ruined. Also, it just felt a bit like...Disneyland. Everything was catered to tourists. I'm not someone who even seeks out places where locals are so you can meet locals as I don't really care that much if I meet a tourist or a local, if it happens it happens, but I'm not obsessed with it. But I somehow just got this feeling that Gion has been warped into a thing for tourists who are sold an "authentic, cultural experience". It reminds me of tourist traps in Vietnam, and maybe I only have this view because I've experienced Vietnam too. Perhaps a non-Asian tourist won't see this and to each their own of course. It didn't really help that there were signs saying don't take photos on private streets, and tourists would stand in front of those signs and start taking photos...
Another take is that the Japan that's shown to you on TV shows, dramas and the news is not the Japan you'll experience (unless you're always a part of a tour group). The media portrays Japan as a nation that is ONLY Japanese people, and that you will only meet Japanese people serving you and that despite a low birth rate, immigration is just not a thing in Japan. This is false. I can't count the number of times where I'll order food, have the cashier speak to me in English and Japanese (because I don't know Japanese), sit down and then hear the cashier and other staff speak Vietnamese. It dawned on me that pretty much all the food service staff were Vietnamese in Osaka and Tokyo. Probably more in other areas if I paid attention more. I started speaking Vietnamese back to them and they were surprised that I knew they were Viet. We made some pleasant conversation and for the most part they liked that someone acknowledged that they were Vietnamese. However, one time, one girl told me not to speak Viet to her or she'll get in trouble. The staff are allowed to speak Vietnamese to each other but not to the customer because the boss didn't want people to know that they weren't being served by Japanese people. Some places were more obvious such as people from Nepal, India or Pakistan working there but spoke perfect Japanese. Some places clearly only hired Vietnamese people because they can pass as Japanese. This was more shocking to me than any culture shock I could have experienced as a Canadian.
I think there's a sense of Japan being a rich nation, aligned with the US, that it's better than places like Vietnam. But after spending some time in both countries, I saw that even buildings were built in a similar way. Narrow staircases, no baseboards, sometimes low ceilings, and businesses stacked on top of each. I loved Japan and like I said, I would go again. But I think I would stick to just to Tokyo and Osaka next time. Both are also very touristy but not in a way that it's disguised as anything else. Osaka Dotonbori is a place to shop. People know that. It's extremely crowded, but you're there to shop, not for a cultural experience. If I were to go elsewhere, I would try Okinawa and maybe a rural experience too. But other than that, I'm someone who goes for the shopping and eating experience and the nightlife. I know some people might not agree with my take, as most subs about traveling to Japan always seem to be finding an authentic Japanese experience. But being able to realize that some people serving you aren't Japanese and that most experiences are waterdown and overpriced tourist experiences, you quickly realize that authentic Japanese experiences (as with any country popular with tourists) are hard to come by.
Edit: I replaced the term expat with immigrant for sensitivity.
Edit 2:
Just to provide more details on my experience that contrasts a lot of what you may find on Reddit.
Cleanliness:
Yes, parts of Tokyo and Japan itself is clean. But I have seen some parts of Toyko with garbage on the ground. Osaka is more obviously dirty if you want to put it that way. More garbage on the street, especially at night. My local friend told me that Japanese people are just good at hiding their litter and when they think no one is watching, they do litter.
Homelessness:
I saw homelessness. In Asakusa where my hotel was, there was one homeless lady on the main street near Don Quitos. I also some when you are walking to Shibuya Scramble Square. It's a big city, I'm sure homelessness is an issue there. I saw a TikTok while I was there about homeless runway children in the Shibuya and Shinjuku area.
Shyness/Attitude:
I was always told that many Japanese wouldn't really want to make small talk with you. But honestly it really depends. I had pink hair and had my nails done with a cute fun design on them. So many cashiers, retail people etc. wanted to compliment my nails and tell me how cute they were. Even leaving Japan, as I was going through security, the security lady complimented my nails as I was placing my liquids and computers in a bin. I also carried around a Sailor Moon tote bag I got from the museum and strangers on the street were stopping me to compliment it. I'm a man and I have my nails done, pink hair and a Sailor Moon tote bag. If you give them a reason to talk to you, they will.
Weak yen:
The best part about clubbing is going to the 7-11 near the gay district alleys, buying cheap alcohol, drinking it with your newly made friends, and then going back into the club to dance some more before doing it again 20 minutes later. Alcohol is so cheap there! 450 yen for a can of Jack Daniels and Coke...that's like $2-3 Canadian. We Canadians usually pay $6 or $8 for a can!
More on fashion:
I tried my best to avoid buying brands I could get in North America but sometimes the exchange rate and no tax was too good. Commes Des Garcon Play sneakers in Canada are $200 before tax. Found a design that isn't available in Canada, no tax and the conversion made them $160. Had to get them. Bought a Dior cardholder that's $480 before tax in Canada. No tax and converted price in Japan turned out to be $390. I say definitely look for the Japanese brands you can't get back home because you'll come back with more unique pieces (even if it's a popular, mass product in Japan) but also if you have your eye on designer pieces, chances are the piece is cheaper in Japan. The only thing I found that Hermes and Chanel were the same price or more expensive in Japan. But other brands like Gucci, Dior, Prada, Burberry and Louis Vuitton were cheaper.
Even Uniqlo is cheaper. The viral bag that people like is $25 in Canada. In Japan it's $13. There was a Golden Week sale that made the bags $8 each.
I did avoid some brands like A.P.C or Diesel (which is everywhere in Japan) because despite it being cheaper, I know when there's a sale on SSENSE it's even cheaper than what you could get in Japan.

I have been down a rabbit-hole these past few days, in search of the perfect companion for my tropical vacation this summer. I wasn't disappointed! There are plenty of options out there, for every income and every taste. To preface this, I must say I'm a little difficult when it comes to fresh fragrances: I tend to prefer heavier scents that make a statement, and I am sort of a vintage-style scents lover. I profoundly dislike cardamom, lemon is a no-no, and lavender usually is too masculine for me. I prefer floral, musky scents with the occasional citrus kick, but I avoid the usual tropical flower and fruit. In consequence, these aren't your typical summer fragrances. Here we go, in no particular order:
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Granado - Rosa Damascena

OK, this comes in a huge bottle: even 100 mL of an eau de cologne is too much for me. I have been on a rose kick since last year, so I hope this has that intense (or well, freshly intense) rose scent I crave for. The brand also offers shower gels and lotions of the same scent, and I am so excited to try this all together!
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Berdoues - Freesia & Coton

I imagine this as a delicate floral, powdery cloud with notes of freesia (duh), musk, cashmere blonde woods and some light citrus to bring some sparkle. I really enjoy cotton notes in perfumes for spring and summer, and usually Berdoues doesn't disappoint with respect to fresh fragrances, so I hope I will like this.
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Chanel - Paris Venise

I usually find neroli, petit-grain and orange blossom too harsh, or at least on my skin. So, with the addition of tonka bean and vanilla I hope it won't be the case! I do like orange, for example, but find orange-centric fragrances too masculine for my specific taste so this is the next best thing. And don't even get me started on lemon! My boyfriend and, by transitivity, I, find it too toilet-cleaning-supply-ish: that's why most of the other fresh fragrances are out of the question for me.
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Guerlain - Aqua Allegoria Mandarine Basilic

But worry not, dear friend, there's still some citrus to explore! Well, I know, this one is well-known but I couldn't not mention it. I love, love, LOVE juicy mandarin scents. I tend to avoid bitter, green unripe citrus fruits scents, and this is not like that. I have a sample of this fragrance, so I can actually give a review: in some way, the basil gives a coriander-like human-skin muskiness that I find comforting.
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Goutal - L'Île au Thé

Another mandarin scent, even though I don't have any sample nor have gone to test it in person. Tea fragrances seem to smell fresh by consensus, even if it's a hot drink, and reviews say this particular fragrance is "sparkly", "a little bit herbal", and "inoffensive" which is exactly what I'm looking for.
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Fragonard - Jasmin Perle de Thé

I love jasmine, even in its dirtiest forms, so finding a fragrance for summer that contains it is a dream come true. I suppose the flower won't be as indolic as I'm used to, and that along with tea it will be greener than I usually wear, but I'm eager to give this a try.
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Olibanum - Ambrette

Here we enter into the clean musk territory, with a strong contender: ambrette seed and olibanum resin (frankincense, if I'm not mistaken). For some reason, I find incense rather cooling instead of warming, so together with a vegetal musk it is the recipe for success.
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Le Couvent - Mimosa

When thinking summer, I think of not-so-classic florals and musks. So, I naturally gravitated towards mimosa: reviews say it smells like the real thing, a honeyed but very subtle floral brightened by some zesty bergamot and backed up by cedar. I suppose there are some other notes, but the notes pyramid doesn't reveal anything else.
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Fragonard - Lilas

Hurry up, this is a limited edition scent! I saw that some of us love lilac, with its spring-time freshness and delicate powderiness, and are actively looking for our holy grail. I associate the fragrance to fresh linen in my mind, so that's why such a spring-themed perfume is tropical appropriate to my nose. I had the pleasure to try it in store, and needless to say, it is very pretty.
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Of course, L'Occitane offers a number of fresh fragrances that are worth every penny, but I haven't been personally in a store to try them and none appealed me from the notes. Also, have you tried any of these? Or do you have any other uncommon summer scent recommendations? I'm all ears!
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(Originally posted in another website by me)
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where and what else can i eat? i’ve had carbonara, the artichokes, meatballs, trappizino, suppli. every restaurant has same menu. what else is interesting to eat? and where?
edit: i genuinely love food and this isn’t intended to be an insult. i am genuinely ask for a specific dish and restaurant that you recommend that is fantastic. also edit: also had gricia, amatricia, several of the pizzas, the fried squash blossom and my absolutely favorite the fried artichoke!!
so please. name a dish and restaurant!
also edit: i went back through this reddit and bookmarked all the recommended restaurants, so it seems fairly touristy ones are being recommended.

Discovered this restaurant through this sub so this definitely isn't new to y'all, but wanted to share the amazing experience I had. I went this weekend with my partner and we noticed that the 5:30 Saturday seating was only maybe 20% full, which we thought was quite sad given how good the food and service is and how good a value it is.
Personally, I'm of the opinion that the ~50-100 dollar range for omakase is mostly disappointing and gimmicky. However, Sushi Blossoms pleasantly surprised us, exceeding our expectations with its creative and modern takes on traditional omakase.
The dishes that stood out to us the most were the king salmon with braised tomato, scallop with foie gras, and uni and caviar on a tempura shiso. All of the other nigiri courses were great as well, each with its own unique twist. The prepared dishes, which come in the premium set, were the weakest part of the set but still fun to try.
We got the 17 course premium omakase ($128) which comes with 5 extra prepared dishes. Of those five, we enjoyed the panna cotta and the chawanmushi the most. The other 12 courses are the same as the classic set. IMO, the 12 course classic ($85) set is ridiculously good value.
Highly recommend checking them out and if anyone has discovered similarly great places, please share!

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Synopsis:
Juliette Contzen is a lazy, good-for-nothing princess. Overshadowed by her siblings, she's left with little to do but nap, read … and occasionally cut the falling raindrops with her sword. Spotted one day by an astonished adventurer, he insists on grading Juliette's swordsmanship, then promptly has a mental breakdown at the result.
Soon after, Juliette is given the news that her kingdom is on the brink of bankruptcy. At threat of being married off, the lazy princess vows to do whatever it takes to maintain her current lifestyle, and taking matters into her own hands, escapes in the middle of the night in order to restore her kingdom's finances.
Tags: Comedy, Adventure, Action, Fantasy, Copious Ohohohohos.
Chapter 238: Fragments Of Memories
Willem of Hagel never thought much of the world.
He didn’t have time to. As a boy out in the fields, his thoughts were as tied as his hands. Any moment spent thinking about the horizon could be better spent readying the soil for the next harvest.
There were others who thought differently, of course.
But there were also others who’d never received a smack on their head for their curiosity.
There was room enough for heroes without needing to cross the oceans, he was always told, often while nursing his ear. They were the farmers, just like them. Those who kept the miller baking his bread and the horses eating their grain.
Willem never had a mind to disagree.
The smacks hurt. And besides, he already saw everything there was to see in the world.
The village had everything he needed. And that was only a skip away.
There was a chapel with a spire to nod at. A market with traders selling all the things he didn’t need. Enough taverns that Willem rightfully wondered if they should be growing barley instead of corn. And Rosie by the river as well.
What did the towns and cities of Weinstadt have, other than taller spires to nod at, louder traders to ignore and even more taverns to wonder if they were growing the right fields? And none of them had Rosie. Although they probably had nicer rivers.
This was Willem’s life.
One farm boy among many, content with his lot in the world.
The problem was that the world wasn’t content in return.
That day, the flames rose as high as the sun, lifting it to keep the dusk from setting. It would have made no difference if it had. Even a single field burning was like a painting of the end of the world. A blanket of smoke visible even to the heavens. And certainly to the villagers.
They’d come rushing carrying water by the palms.
The flames were doused by their blood instead.
Even now, Willem didn’t understand why soldiers would attack his fields. He understood less why they would put a gash on Margie’s face or make sure Cody would never walk again. Rebels they called him, and all of them with him. Willem didn’t know who they were rebelling against, other than the king mice which plagued his fields.
They didn’t care. Nor did their swords.
“[Entangling vines]!”
But the ones who stopped them?
They cared, at least.
And that’s all that mattered.
Willem could only gawp.
The sight of his burning fields were joined by something even more frightening. Roots the likes of which could strangle an oak sprouting from the ground. Half the soldiers were taken there and then, their swords as good against the roots as Willem’s pleas had been on their ears.
Those were the lucky ones.
“[Hamstring Volley]!”
Arrows came thick and fast, striking those who’d not been taken by the roots.
They hit their marks cleanly, most dead centre in knee caps or else striking through the shin or ankle. They fell clutching their legs, crying out in pain at the shafts gone halfway through.
Somehow, there was an even greater song playing in the background.
“[Sprinkling Chorus]!”
A tune so thick and vibrant it could be seen as ribbons of water dancing in the air. It flowed across the field as beautiful as any rain Willem had seen, calming the flames like a mother’s lullaby.
Willem could only blink as the smoke lessened, and the figures strolled through his fields.
An elven woman in a dress of green leaves, each finger outstretched as she commanded the vines with unseen strings. A halfling man with a bow almost his height, three arrows notched to the strings as his bright eyes searched for the targets he hadn’t struck true. A man with a spotted lilac poncho, smiling away as he orchestrated the ribbons of water from his lute.
Adventurers.
Willem didn’t know their names. But he knew what they were.
The very aura they carried with them was different. The ease with which they walked amidst the smoking field spoke of years of experience. And the one leading them spoke of it louder than them all.
Willem almost backed away as the man approached, even though the stranger was his saviour. He had a gruff look not unlike his own father, his eyes powerful and stern.
But that was only when he was eyeing the soldiers.
The look he offered Willem was far more gentle. A sharp contrast to the sword he held, more impressive than all the weapons now dropped to the ground.
“Are you well, lad?” he asked, his voice as querying as it was kind.
Willem gulped before he could respond, feeling the dryness in his throat from the sudden turn of events.
Then, he turned to the others nearby. To Margie’s face wet with blood and Cody who couldn’t even stand. He was shocked to see that the man with the lute was attending to both, using nothing but a weave of his song to heal their wounds.
Somehow, he must have looked like one of the worst here, to be the first spoken to.
“I’m … I’m well … thank you, heroes.”
The man put a hand on his shoulder.
“Well done on standing your ground. But next time, don’t be afraid to take the wiser choice. A farm can be regrown, no matter how dire the flames. But a soul once departed can never return.”
Willem could only nod.
“I’ll … I’ll do that … thank you.”
“Good. Now, don’t suppose you could tell us where we are?”
“Hagel.” Willem paused. “In Weinstadt.”
His answer drew a bellow of laughter from the halfling scooping up the fallen weaponry, even though his ears shouldn’t have been able to catch Willem’s tepid voice.
“You hear that?” said the halfling, cheerfully turning to the others. “We’re in the right country, at least! Who’s the one who doubted me?”
“You doubted yourself,” replied the elven woman, bundling all the soldiers together into one entangled heap. “To our pains, I want to add. We should not have to constantly reassure our own ranger.”
“I do better with positive feedback!”
“Well, in that case, we should already be in an inn, hauling Cedric away from the bar after having fulfilled all of our tasks with time to spare.”
Snorts of indignation, laughter and elbowing.
A scene of companionship.
Amidst the ruins of his farm, that was all Willem saw as other soldiers came to take their own comrades away. He didn’t know enough to understand what was different about these ones, other than they were accompanied by a man claiming to be their lord.
Willem had never seen him before in his life.
Still, he received crowns in copper and silver for his troubles, taken from the coin pouches of the soldiers. He received a few more in gold, gifted by the halfling with a wink. The others did similar, the elven woman donating a satchel of leaves filled with new seeds, the lutist offering a song to lift his ailing crops, and the leader leaving behind a soldier’s sword hidden away from the lord.
His advice was to flee. But not to do so unarmed, apparently.
Willem clutched at all he received. But when the adventurers left, he wanted something else instead.
He wanted to be just like them.
Willem of Hagel wished to be a hero.
He made a wish.
And that … was that.
Click.
Maybe for others, it took an incantation steeped in black words. A sacrifice of goats and hens. Black robes and a thousand smouldering candles.
Willem only had to ponder. And then his Benefactor came.
The world froze with a snap of the fingers.
Had Willem been smarter, he would have turned his eyes down and let the words drift past.
He didn’t.
And so instead, he looked up to see a face so regal that emperors would have traded for it.
A devil from what lies beneath the abyss.
And what he offered was a contract smoking from the ring of flames used to conjure it.
Willem knew enough stories to see that was a bad sign. But then, he also knew that devils never approached those who could say no. He was no exception.
Especially when the cause was noble. Or as noble as a devil in a fine suit could offer.
“A demon. A fiend. And a devil,” said his Benefactor. “No innocents being reaped. No angels to be plucked. Only three of the most vile, most dangerous and more deranged of the hells. Defeat them–and this power is yours to keep. And should you not want it anymore, well, there’s a simple exit clause. One utterly pedestrian, to keep the theme of nothing amiss. A sum of crowns and no more.”
“... No trading of my soul? No eternal damnation?”
“Damnation? Not in the slightest. For one thing, that isn’t mine to administer, Willem of Hagel. That’s the realm of the heavens, not the hells. Even if it was, I desire nothing of the sort. This is a transaction for your services. Your soul, whole and hearty as it is, is yours.”
A smile and a contract so short there was no room for deceit.
And all Willem was asked to do was to use his powers as any hero would. To destroy evil.
What could go wrong?
The answer, as it turned out, was everything.
A farmer turned saviour. The accolades came thick and fast, clouding his eyes long before any wine fell upon his lips. He didn’t notice, during those days of pretending at righteousness, the haze which covered his sight. And when he did, he realised only too late it was more than his eyes which were failing him.
It was his soul.
He didn’t know why. He didn’t know how. But he knew it as he clutched at that fading part of him.
That’s when he stopped seeking justice for those who were most wronged. And instead sought retribution for those with the most crowns.
And so as each day he became richer, so too did he become poorer.
Willem felt as little joy from comfort as he did misery from squalor. Only in the worst things a tavern could offer did he experience the familiarity of wretchedness. The comfort of a migraine swimming through his head. The warmth of nauseousness.
And when he couldn’t, well–
It was usually because he was being bothered.
“... A curious place you find yourself,” said the girl, sitting at his table before he could frighten her away. “Are you often found brooding in the corners of taverns?”
The girl smiled, her golden hair slipping from beneath the hood she wore.
Willem blinked through the haze.
It made no difference. It never did. But for this girl, he didn’t need the clarity which only became better with wine to see. There was as little warmth in her grey eyes as there was in his.
Peas in a pod, then.
And so instead of ushering her away, he gestured towards the chair she was already sitting on.
“Taverns are beautiful this time of year,” he replied, his throat sore from whatever he’d last been served in an attempt to drive him away. “Its corners in particular. This right here? This one’s my favourite. Look carefully, and you can see the engravings on the table. A thousand and more signatures. One of them has to be famous.”
The girl’s smile continued unabated.
“A signed table is no fitting home for a man as renowned as yourself,” she said, pulling her cloak around herself. “From the tales I’ve heard, you should be raised upon a pedestal.”
Willem chuckled. A sign of life amidst the only tavern yet to bar him.
It was an instinctive reaction, one of muscles and expectation. He felt as much amusement as he did an ale so watered down it’d been drawn straight from a well.
“Depends on the pedestal,” he replied. “I’ve a few gallows waiting for me. Myself and any I speak with. Should you know who I am, you’d best be on your way.”
“And why would I do that, when I came so far to search for you?”
Willem offered no reply. The girl leaned towards him, offering a smile he could barely discern.
“... The records of you paint a picture of a hero in his prime. One who can defeat his foes in a flash of righteous light. And how many you’ve slain. The villainous princes of rotting kingdoms. The unfeeling lords trampling their own subjects … and also great demons and fiends, hidden amidst shadows and schemes, the likes of which even the Silver Aurelia could never erase.”
The girl raised a hand, drawing the attention of a barmaid. She took the entire tray, laying enough pints to slay a normal man upon the table. Willem didn’t reach for a single one.
“I know who you are,” she said, tapping at a stein. “And no pauper’s clothing will ever hide the look of one with as storied a history as yourself. I would like to make you an offer, Willem of Hagel.”
Willem prodded at something crawling upon his lap. And then he sighed.
Even with his eyes as poor as they were, he could see this girl lacked the years to possess the types of foes worth the use of his cursed ability. One he had to use sparingly. It was his road to salvation as much as it was to the abyss.
“I’ll respectfully decline. I’m afraid I’ve no answers for what troubles a young maiden these days.”
“Mine is the same as most. To be freed from those of wicked hearts and wicked deeds. Because it is not only the Kingdom of Weinstadt which finds itself under the yoke of foul rulers. And there are so few heroes in the world these days. And even fewer with the crowns to hire them.”
The girl smiled.
“I wish to bring down a kingdom,” she said simply. “Are you available?”
She lifted a stein and offered it to him.
Willem gave it a moment’s thought.
And then he took it, never realising that at that moment, he’d forgotten even the face of deceit.
If he hadn’t, he’d surely have chosen to sink than to rise from the gutters once again … if only to avoid the ignominy of frightening a single girl.
“I did warn you not to stick your hands in the flames.”
It was the least of tasks. And a horrific way to use his abilities.
But tonight, he’d unleash what was needed to spare the people from the villainy of the kingdom’s rulers. It mattered little that it should start here, sending the least of Tirea’s royalty to the bliss of sleep while her nation was given over to better hands, even as it burned.
Except it hadn’t turned out that way.
Not even in the slightest.
“There are no such things as regular princesses. We all have our talents. Mine happens to be all of them.”
Willem continued to raise his pitchfork against a girl who had no right to be standing.
Especially within his own world.
He knew from the moment she evaded his first attack that there was something different about her. And not only because he was strengthened in his world. But because everyone else was enfeebled.
Those he drew into his [Soulscape] were also drawn under a malaise more heavy than any charm, their legs stilted as though wading through marsh, and their arms weighed by the sky itself. The moment she’d been able to stop the knock he intended for her head, he knew something was wrong.
“[Spring Breeze]!!”
He especially knew it when she sent the power of a miniaturised hurricane into his face.
A force which propelled him so hard that he didn’t have time to brace. He could feel the whole force of the impact as he struck against soil that by all accounts didn’t exist. And there was pain. Plenty of it. A sensation foreign to him outside of a tavern.
But even more so here.
Everything about experiencing pain in his own sanctum was wrong.
He’d underestimated her. But it wasn’t just because she gave no hint about her prowess.
There was normally nothing to underestimate.
Here in the world created by his own soul, he’d brought down fiends so horrific they held names which couldn’t be spoken without the tongue boiling. And still their encounters could never be called a battle.
To him, this was his field of crops. The last memory which would ever leave him. The last call to joy.
To all others, it was an execution ground.
“Ohhohohohoohohohooohohohhhoohohohohohoho!!”
This princess decided it was her canvas instead.
Willem didn’t understand how his hellish ability worked. But he knew it was a mirror of his soul. The most powerful part of him, even weakened as it was. And she managed to break it.
No … not break.
She painted over it.
Dancing like a minstrel from the Summer Kingdoms, she twirled her sword to a song of her own laughter, drawing upon its tip the ribbons of his own soul. And as she danced, that which had become grey and faded turned into colours anew.
Life blossomed as flowers he’d never seen even in dreams, drawn upon beds of grass and shrubs bristling with the movement of newly birthed creatures. The sky itself flourished, a sunlight which shouldn’t exist peeking between clouds that had been wiped away to a slate of clearest spring.
And for the first time since he left his farm, Willem of Hagel began to remember.
He began to see.
His world bristled with all the colours of the rainbow, draped over a garden of all the seasons.
He could feel beyond doubt that something within him was coming together like a broken garment sewn anew. The mistakes that’d made would never become undone, but the gaping hole in the dam was sealed.
That which was leaking was finally closed. And somewhere, a devil hummed in surprise.
As Willem dropped to his knees, all he could feel before his eyes closed was long lost feelings of fatigue, relief and confusion returning like a sweeping wave to wash the consciousness from his mind.
Because more than anything, he wanted to know a single answer.
Within his [Soulscape], Willem cheated fate.
He was no warrior. But he didn’t need to be.
A swing of his arms alone was enough. Every part of him rose to become no less than S-rank, while those he faced were laid bare, their strength stripped like armour from their person.
For her to defeat him while bearing such a handicap …
Just what rank did this princess start as?
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Along with many on here, I think that the best way to get over the depression of arriving home from Japan is to start planning the next trip to Japan.
I have normally travelled to Japan in early Spring, but this time I have decided to give Autumn a go, so I am in the relatively early stages of planning 4 weeks beginning about 18 October and ending about 18 November 2025.
My travel style is relatively slow - I like staying in each place I visit for at least three nights, preferably more; getting to know a city a bit, trying out some excellent restaurants and cocktail bars, seeing some sights (but usually with only one “tourist“ thing planned each day). Flying in and out of Tokyo because that’s how the airline industry usually does things out of Australia. I also like to do a mix of a couple of favourite places I have been, and a couple of new cities/towns.
Comments, criticisms, places to go, alternative places to stay, eat and drink, pointing out of pitfalls or sheer stupidity, all very welcome. In Spring, I haven't usually stressed too much about whether the cherry blossom will be out - I've seen it in full glory once, and if it happens it happens. I'm taking the same approach to autumn leaves, but if there are leafy sights not to be missed, I'm happy to hear about them.

• Tokyo (3 nights)

Staying at the Muji Ginza.
Been to Tokyo many times, so this is intended to be a lazy introduction, along with three further nights at the end, visiting some old favourites (Kitchoan Minamoto for sweets, Koju for incense, dinner at Cocon and Kunn) and some new (maybe dinner at Nabeno-ism and Orchestra, drinks at Folklore).

• Kyoto (5 or 6 nights)

Love Kyoto. Can’t stop going there. Plan is half my stay in as fancy a room as I can afford at the time at the Marufukuro (one of my favourite hotels ever) or Hoshinoya, and the rest at Sora Niwa Terrace.
Also intended to be a fairly lazy mix of old and new - eating at Ryō Shō, Koke, Takayama and Soujiki Nakahigashi, a visit to Saiho-ji (the moss temple), a day trip to Kobe, afternoon tea at the Fauchon Hotel, stocking up on umeshu at Osu no Sato.

• Takayama (3 nights)
• Matsumoto (3 nights)

Plan is to train to Takayama from Kyoto via Nagoya, then bus to Matsumoto from Takayama, and then train back to Nagoya, unless it makes more sense to do it the other way around.
Here about the first week in November. Hoping to stay at Auberge Hidanomori in Takayama, and Matsumoto Jujo in Matsumoto.
In Takayama, planning on visiting Hida no Sato, maybe a day trip to the Shinhotaka Ropeway or Shirakawa if I can overcome my inherent laziness and inclination just to wander around the place where I am.
In Matsumoto, I have the castle on my list and otherwise doing bugger all, but I’ve never been to either city, so suggestions are very welcome.

• Nagoya (5 nights)

Also a new city for me. Staying at the Tower Hotel, and have a long list of things to do thanks to this incredibly helpful thread from u/grampus1975.
Top of lists - Inayuma Castle and the Meiji Mura museum, Nagoya castle, Atsuta Jinja and the Osu Kannon Temple. Dinner at La Vagabonde, Kawabun and Marukei. Oh and apparently, there’s some Ghibli thing that might be worth a visit if I can wangle tickets.

• Yokohama (4 nights)

Another new city. Oakwood Suites Yokohama. Dinner at Smaak, Soba Furaikyo, and some decent sushi. China Town. Kamakura obviously, for the Great Buddha, Hokokuji, and condiments at Arbre Noir. Enoshima.

• Tokyo (3 nights)

Back again. See above. Again at the Muji, or maybe Onsen Ryokan Yuen Shinjuku, or maybe the Okura (which I love, but by this point the budget is feeling pretty strained). Celebrate my birthday in style and then fly home.

Hi everyone! The other day when I was sharing all the green scents I had, and my reviews of them, I realized I had never done a full review of all the Pineward scents I've gotten, and my review of the house as a whole, so far...
My rating system: 1/5 - I actively don't like this scent/it makes me sick 2/5 - ehh, I don't really like it very much/it doesn't smell like a perfume at all 3/5 - meh, it's okay. It'll be ok layered with something else, or someone else may like it, it's just not for me. 4/5 - I do like it, it's just got something small missing from making it perfect, ie: I don't like the dry down, or it fades too fast, or it's just missing 1 note or 2 5/5 - I absolutely adore this scent. Any more and I would want to swim in it lol
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Overall Review of the House so far:
I've tried 19 scents from them so far. Most of any other house. Mainly cause they have a super affordable sample option (1.8ml/$6) and they gifted me so many with my first order. I bought 13 and they gifted me 6 additional scents.
This is The Most atmospheric scent house I've found yet. Each scent transports you to a different location and tells a story.
Definitely a house to let settle for a while, though. At first I didn't think I liked many of them. After 6 months, I like most all of them. I just end up using a lot of them for mixers. Though, a surprisingly high amount turned out to be standalone scents for me!
They are a bit more of a unisex/masc perfume/cologne house. But, I actually like unisex complex scents, cause I like to layer them underneath sweeter, more one-note scents that I find.
Turn Around Time was actually very fast compared to the other houses (ordered 11/24 of last year, the order was sent out 11/28, and I don't remember exactly when I got it in, but it wasn't a very long time after that. I was actually surprised at the fast TOT, especially because they included in their thank you note an apology for being so late! I was like, huh? Ya'll are super fast actually! (especially compared to houses like Fantome, which I love, but take FOREVER) And they included 6 freebies in there as well, which was phenomenal!
Just be forewarned, some of these scents do stain!! So I wouldn't necessarily spray on clothing.
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Apple Tabac 5/5
Notes: fresh red apple, tobacco, fir balsam, rum resin, dried fruits.
First impression: I absolutely love this scent and it is a sweet unisex standalone for me. This scent is Super well balanced. It is a pop of pure red apple juice right in your face, like you're in the apple barn, drinking fresh cider. You smell tobacco drying from the rafters, the fir trees outside, the rum resin, the dried fruits, everything. It all balances Super nicely, but you can still pick out every single note. I absolutely love this and will probably be a Fall Staple for me (or whenever I want to evoke that fall feeling in my chest lol. It's May, but in smelling it, I totally felt the fall chill lol)
Dry down: still smells phenomenal. You don't really lose any of the notes, even the apple, which is rare for me
**I really like layering this over Ponderosa (listed below)*
Boreal 4/5
pine needles, mint, cedar, resins, moss.
Frigid forest of the northern wilderness. Chilly mint gives way to a soft bed of creamy cedar, pine, and moss.
First Reaction out of the bottle: If you like Mint, this one's for you. It is Straight Mint. The cedar pine and moss were almost non existent props to the Very strong Mint, first out the bottle wet. Me personally, I was hoping for more of a Hint of mint overlaying a stronger scent of cedar and pine and moss, but the opposite is truer with this one. You do get an underlayer of cedar on the drydown, but the majority is full on mint.
After months of letting it sit, I came back to it and it is Much more balanced. Much more of a winter vibes forest scent I could get behind. Essentially she's the Winter Witch. A very Minty unisex woods scent
The long Dry down: dries down to a faint crisp woods scent. Still very pleasant to wear

Borealis 2/5 Notes: snowdrifts, peppermint, camphor, black tea, black elder, valerian root, ocean spume, fir balsam, orris root, pine needles, incense, sandalwood, Irish ambergris, cedarmoss, patchouli, deer musk (botanic accord), ashes.
First Reaction: I REALLY did not like this one. It was a freebie given (which they were amazing to include so many freebies), but this one, to me had a very stringent vibe with an underlayer of almost urine smell. I don't get very much of the pine or any of the snowdrifts or peppermint. But it does have a very 'black apothecary' vibe to the smell. Like it's the smell of an old trappegatherer's cabin in the woods. A witch in the woods that you go to, to trade with when you're desperate. If you like musk and dark foresty herbs and dirt, then this one is for you. It's like the dark chaotic marshlands sister witch to Boreal
This is the poster child for letting a scent rest lol.
Dry down: It Definitely softens on the drydown, but there's still that weird note in there, for me, that makes it not so pleasant as its sister Boreal
Also, to note about this scent, the first listed notes are snowdrifts and peppermint, but I do NOT get those notes at all. It's very much more 'Marshland forests by the sea maybe in winter...when winter is year round lol like Alaska....which makes sense with the name now that I think of it lol
Steading 4/5
Notes: tobacco, hay, beeswax, barley, dried needles, poplar, hops, maple, and wisps of peat smoke. A dense wheaty tobacco perfume with dried fir needles and honeyed maple sweetness.
First Reaction: If you like fresh natural straight out the tree, maple syrup, then this is the scent for you! I do definitely get the honey and maple, that is FOR SURE. At first straight out the bottle, I didn't think I liked this scent. It was a Strong Maple front.
BUT, after letting it settle, I tried it again, and it is now strangely becoming one of my fast favorites! The maple has mellowed out a bit and now I almost smell straight honey. The longer I smell it, the more I feel like I've been taking a autumn drive and stopped in at one of those side orchards that are selling homemade honey and maple syrup and you take a tasting tour. Personally, though, I'll still probably layer it onto something a bit more foresty/woodsy/cedar smelling to even out that super strong sweet maple. Cause on the Drydown it still completely smells like Maple honey. It's a really good honey scent though. A lot of honey's come off strangely urine-y on me. This one doesn't. It's like a true maple honey. Really nice. Almost nostalgic when it dries down
Eldritch 3.5/5 (I'll use it as a mixer, but not on it's own. It's a bit much on its own lol)
Notes: Leather, Myrrh, patchouli, fir, oolong tea, opoponax, smoke, pine needles, oakmoss.
Lair of ancient eldritch abominations, a resinous and dark perfume for the bold and unafraid.
this Fall 2023 Version included additional tea & moss
This was a Curiosity's sake purchase when I saw this on a list of 'If you want to smell like a witch' suggestions (very accurate for this to be on that list). First on my skin I definitely get the sharp leather notes and I think the myrrh. It is definitely a challenging scent and more of a unisex or masculine scent, but me as a witchy woman, I love it. I think I'm totally getting the Opoponax (resin that smells like oak honey powder and leather), the smoke and the fir. First out of the gate I feel like it makes me smell like a dark and mysterious witchy apothecary owner during the 1700s in a port town, with gunpowder and fire tinging the air. And you're making poisons and special magical bullets. And I think I do really like the addition of tea and moss into the scent, otherwise, I think it'd be more of a pirate-y unisex/masc scent. With the Leather and Myrrh and oolong tea and smoke, it has a bit of a 'Buccanneepirate' vibe to it. But with the Patchouli and oak moss and pine needles, it gives witchy and slightly southern vibes, which leads my head to go Bayou pirate/witch lol. Right after I got it, though, it was definitely a challenging scent. But, trust me, let it sit, it will get so much better with time.
First dry down it softens beautifully, so if you think it's too strong and overpowering at first, don't worry. It'll mellow
Long dry down, it does get a bit musty and stale herbally after a bit. But, it is Just perfect if you want a remnant scent of 'I just walked through a witchy Apothecary in Savannah'
Just keep in mind, right out the bottle, it is a very challenging scent. Make sure to let it rest a bit, and then try it on your skin, too, before judging.
*note: if you're not an herbally/witchy person, this may be more of a masculine scent pull. I could totally see giving this scent to a guy friend/family member, if you get it and it's not for you. For me personally, though, I love it as a dark wet witchy base layer under something super fruity (like SF&F's Lilac & Gooseberries, or Lorelai from Fantome), to give me the perfect fruity darkly complex witchy scents.
Sadly, the top notes are a fast faders on me (but I think it may just be that my skin gobbles scents ). After about 2 hours it had faded to a Very soft dried herbs, leather, and smoke. It really does perfectly pair w/ Strange Fire & Fumery's Lilac & Gooseberries, though, to give a fruity floral witch vibe. That soft dried herbs, leather, and smoke scent, though lasted a Very long time, till the end of the day pretty much

Ponderosa 5/5
Notes: Ponderosa resin, ponderosa needles, cedar, vanilla, strawberry, cinnamon, butterscotch, beeswax, raisin cookies
First Impressions: definitely another atmospheric scent. I get sweet resins and wood, like I'm in a wood barn or wood lodge. It's a very sweet woodsy scent. Think a wood lodge up in Gatlinburg, where you can get all you can eat pancakes and sweet pastries all day with fresh syrups. I don't get too much strawberry in there, but almost like you can smell someone's strawberry pancakes with maple syrup in this wood lodge.
I feel like this would be a WONDERFUL deepening layer underneath a strawberry vanilla scent that seems too one-note, to really give a full bodied complex scent. But, quite honestly, It's actually a fine stand alone scent for me, too
Dry down: It still smells really great! More into the wood/resin smell with a touch of butterscotch and vanilla, rather than super gourmand-y. But, the drydown is still a super pleasant scent I don't mind wearing
**I actually really like layering this under Apple Tabac**

Hayloft 4/5
Notes: hay, lavender honey, crocus, sweet vernal grass, bison grass, toasted almond, hazelnut, oats, dusty wheat.
Another atmospheric barn scent, but more a springtime barn: fresh sweet grasses and flowers hanging from the rafters, the warm sweet hot cross buns in your basket from breakfast. You're having breakfast in the loft, overlooking your garden. I do wish there was a bit 'more(?)' to this scent though? Like either bring in some more vanilla notes to make it a true gourmand OR bring in more lavender and herbs to make it a more green scent. I think though, because of that, that makes this a perfect layering scent. So, depending on how I want to smell that day, I can layer this under a more gourmand scent. Or, I can layer it under a more floral or green scent
though, after smelling it again after the drydown....nah, it balances out super nicely to a light spring wood barn scent. I don't think you even need to mix it with something. You can wear it on its own. I'll bring it up to a 4.5/5 rating-wise

White Fir 5/5
Notes: orange, ginger, white fir, clove, anise, pine, musk, vetiver, oakmoss
The PERFECT wintery citrus scent. Super crisp. You definitely get the citrus and ginger and white fir. The only more perfect addition would be to maybe layer it with a patchouli or deeper woodsy/cedar scent, I think, to give it a bit more depth and less 'Winter Cleaning day' vibe.
*For a sweeter vibe, though, I layer this under Kinmokusei from Fantome, and it gives me pretty much a perfect witchy lemon citrus green herbal scent*
Clemenpine 1.5/5
Notes: Clementine, Blood Orange, Maritime Pine, Night-Blooming Jasmine, Saffron Flower, Rough Suede, Passion Fruit, White Lotus, Fir Balsam, Tobacco Leaf, Cedar Planks, Leather, Sandalwood, Pacific Ambergris.
I really wish I had had the chance to let this one settle for a few months like the others, but sadly it got dropped onto my cement floor and shattered, so I only had my first impressions of it, which was that it smelled like PURE cleaning fluid. Which really sucks, cause I love orange and citrusy scents and was very hopeful for this one. I may eventually order a sample again, just to give it a second shot, since all the rest of these benefited so much from letting them sit and rest
Meadowmoss 1.5/5
Oakmoss, Alpine Sandwort, Wild grass, Green Wheat, Orange Blossom, Fir Balsam, Tomato Leaf, Azure Bluet, Mountain Wildflowers
First impressions: This one is one of those scents I wouldn't actually wear. BUT, one I would use on like my dryer balls or as a room spray on furniture in spring. It really is like you're standing out in an open field in the Swiss alps singing, the Hills are Alive, next to a wayward nun. If that's what you'd like to smell like? This one is for you! It just screamed 'linen sheet' to me, rather than perfume. Also, I unfortunately have an autoimmune allergy to nightshades and I didn't realize this had Tomato leaf in it :/
So, it's one I'm gifting to my mom
Ivymoss 3.5/5
Notes: Climbing Ivy, Green Tea, Spearmint, Lime Rind, Lemon Verbena, Waterlily, Emerald Cypress, Mugo Pine, Cedarwood, Oakmoss, Treemoss, Cedarmoss.
Another one that DEFINITELY needs rest before you judge. At first it was purely going to be another dryer ball scent. But after Months of letting it rest (like legit half a year), I actually think I like the scent enough to maybe wear it! (at least as an undertone, if not as a standalone). It's a very Bright Green early Springtime vibes scent. Fresh, without smelling overtly like cleaning fluid or laundry detergent. It's truly like walking through a forest in very early spring, with the air still crisp, but new plants starting to grow.
It's not one I would wear a Lot, I don't think....but maybe in early spring layered under an apple-y scent. Or maybe as an undertone layer with something like a honeysuckle scent, to balance it out for me.

Greymist 5/5
Notes: Noble Fir, Scotch Pine, Expressed Citron, Blond Tobacco, Botanical Musk, Vetiver.
Another one that Really needs to rest, before you try, cause I'm pretty sure it was on the list of (I REALLY don't like) when I first scented these, but now months after, this one's gonna be one of my favorite winter scents, I think. It legit smells like Christmas time. The fir and pine Really stands out, and you get that little bit of tobacco in there too, almost like you're hugging Santa and he smokes a pipe lol.
Acadian 3.5/5
Sweet Yuzu, Bergamot, Juniper Berry, Ivy, Eucalyptus, Waterlily, Goldenrod, Heliotrope, Seaweed, Cedar, Oakmoss
This scent reminds me of trips to the Lost sea or Rock city. Smelling the damp mossy forests and wet mountain stone. That smell of caves found along hikes in damp foggy weather. I kinda flip between loving this and not so loving this one. I can't really pick out any of the individual notes at all, which is sad, cause I do like a lot of those individual scents. But, it is a really nice general unisex/masculine scent
A little goes a Very long way, though. It's got a very lengthy throw. I like pairing a DOT of it underneath one of my sweeter fruity or floral scents. If I use too much, there's a note in there that's a bit wonky and it goes a bit powdery and strong and gives me a headache. And I don't like this one as much on the drydown. Powder notes tend to last the longest on me (and they're the worst for me) and it gets very strong and weirdly powdery/perfumey on the drydown, sadly, which is why I put it at a 3.5 for me. It may be great for someone else though. My brother says it smells like a generic male cologne lol
Akero 5/5
Notes: green apple, benzoin, patchouli, sandalwood, cedar.
The first bit of a freshly picked green apple. When I smell this, it transports me to a green apple orchard, with the apples just getting ripe. It's definitely got a Green earthy undertone, but the bright apple evens it out a bunch. I really love this, even alone, or layered with a sweeter fruit scent, like Kinmousekai from fantome. I do wish the Cedasandalwood stood out a bit more, though. I may have to try putting a drop of this onto an actual cedar chip. See how it smells

Caravansary 5/5 freebie
Notes: fir balsam, deer musk (botanic accord), vanilla, black tea, lavender, blue spruce, blue chamomile, treemoss, incense, mulched pinecone, campfire smoke.
First impressions: Like Olle+Max's Summer Witch is like a summer roadtrip for me, hitting up all the hippy/witchy side shops and thrift shops along the way….This is the winter version. Again a super atmospheric scent, it instantly transports me to my car in winter, riding along the backroads, smelling the fresh fir and pine trees, the smell of camp smoke in the distance and the herbs I smoke cleansed the car with before the trip, along with the hot tea I have in my traveler mug for the journey ahead. It's definitely unisex, but honestly, I could probably wear this in winter by itself. Or, I'll use it as a layering element, to bring a bit of smoke/incense/winter travel vibes to a blend
Gingerbread 5/5 freebie
Notes: ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, wheat absolute, butter co2, molasses distillate, brown sugar, black walnut, milk, cream, vanilla.
This one was a freebie thrown in (They included a Ton of freebies, which was so phenomenal!)
First impressions, another very well balanced set for late fall/winter. It smells like a fresh gingerbread snap (those hard old school ginger cookies), you can smell the cinnamon and cloves so much that it almost comes off as fresh cut wood which is definitely a complimentary vibe for this scent. Though, that may also be the wheat absolute and black walnut coming out, too. The sharpness from the ginger is mellowed out by the milk and cream and brown sugar and molasses. Another scent that blends very well, but you can still pick out all the individual notes and they tell a story. It's really cool how this house does that!
Christmas Wine Freebie 3.5/5
Notes: cranberry, plum, blood orange, cloves, nutmeg, fir balsam
It's definitely got the vibe of mulled Christmas wine. I'm kind of meh about it, though? There's a note in there I'm not fond of (I think the nutmeg) and I wish there was a bit of a crisp forest underlayer in there and maybe a bit more fruit, less mulled wine spices. BUT, this does make for a perfect mulled wine top note mixer on one of my more winter woods scents, like Grey Mist and Caravansary…and then maybe getting a winter berry scent to layer over top everything. This is a great mid layer scent for me.
Glühwein Pinewardperfume Freebie 5/5
Notes: Cranberry, champaca, cherry compote, rasberry, fir balsam, chocolate, davana attar, oakmoss, frankincense
Quite honestly everything I want Christmas Wine to be. In the description it says it was actually built on a base of the christmas wine scent, but with additional festive nuance, and this 2023 version is less sweet with more cocoa and champaca. This is actually pretty sweet, so I can't imagine what it was before. It's like sweet winter berries, and you can pretty distinctly scent the fir and frankincense and oakmoss. So, basically, all my notes from Christmas wine and how to improve it…they did it in this lol, it is Gluhwein. Just get this one lol
Then last but not least, they also included another freebie that isn't listed in their scent collection for sale. It's a Mint Cocoa. Which, honestly is Another poster child for letting rest lol. At first it was a bit chemically and I didn't like it at all. Now, it fluctuates from being a photorealistic mint chocolate….to weirdly smelling like my dad's alcoholic egg nogg that he loves every year at after Thanksgiving-New Years. I think it'll be a great mixer or even standalone this winter for me. Very nostalgic vibes.
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So, I hope anyone looking for Pineward reviews! They're a really cool house, so I hope they keep growing!

Where: Europe in early June, Austria, Slovenia, Northern Italy. Lots of sightseeing, a couple fancy restaurants, urban hiking but not so much out in nature hiking, so no need for very technical shoes, etc. I have one-bagged before using the same Osprey Fairview but it got pretty heavy, so trying to lighten load so I can have more room for small souvenirs, etc. I put in bold the specific items I'd love advice on!
Bags

• Osprey Fairview 40L + Lo & Sons Nouvelle (black) (maaaaybee the new Aoyama in ivory instead)

Clothes

• Pants x3: Athleta Trekkie North high rise jogger, in Olive (dark green), Abalone Gray (off white), Shale (dark gray/brown), will wear one on the plane
• Dresses x2: Athleta Santorini Thera, in navy and dark lapis blue (bright blue) - probably my nice dinner outfits)
• T-shirts x2: Lululemon Cates cropped shirt, in Oasis (bright blue), Lilac ether (lavendar) to pair with the Athleta pants
• Tank tops x3: Athleta Seamless Renew muscle tank, in Pyrite (a warm dark nude), Oasis blue (bright blue), Maritime pink (medium rose/mauve)
• Undies, socks, and a t-shirt and shorts for sleeping
• White sneakers for general walking - will wear on plane
• White sandals: something like this Sorel Ella slingback in white, for walking and dinner
• Flip flops? They're small and light, and we have opportunities for using hot tub, etc. and I could wear them inside the rooms. I have the Sanuk Yoga mat sandal but seems duplicative to have these AND the white sandals
• Outerwear: I want to bring this Lululemon Merino sweater in the heathered Belgian blue for the nights and to wear on the plane, but if it's rainy, then I'll want my Barbour jacket which I have in Olive, but bringing both seems bulky. Thoughts?

Toiletries - all but the brush will fit in the Away toiletry case

• Hair brush
• Moisturizer
• Toothbrush
• Travel-sized toothpaste
• Razor
• Tweezer
• Sunscreen
• Floss
• Make up (eyeshadow sticks, lash curler, eyeliner, mascara, cushion compact)
• Travel-sized deodorant
• Make-up remover wipes

Miscellaneous

• Hydrocortisone
• Converter
• Charging stuff: Apple Watch charger, USB-C cable, power brick
• Half of a magic eraser (for the sneakers, lol)

In my purse - I'm tempted to get the Aoyama because of the camera, otherwise I'll have to figure something else out as the Nouvelle will not fit

• Wallet
• Camera and lens - Sony A7IV + Tamron 20-40 lens
• Purse meds (ibuprofen, Zyrtec, GasX, lol)
• Hand sanitizer
• Passport
• Tissues
• AirPods
• Kindle Paperwhite
• Power bank
• Eye mask and earplugs
• Breath mints
• Sunglasses

After much progress with MIL to change her ways, I completely lost control of the situation yesterday at dinner, I am still feeling awful.
To start my story, yesterday was the hottest day in the year so far. As previously stated in the past story MIL had wanted to get together for brunch on Mother’s Day instead, I offered her a lunch on Wednesday, which she declined because she still had full expectations that we were getting together on Mother’s Day even though we had already told her no. The conversation to DH went “ oh no son we don’t have to get together on Wednesday to go to “ the steak restaurant” because we’re getting together for brunch on Sunday!” She would have normally been jumping for joy that we even agreed to go to the steak restaurant because I really don’t like taking LO there because it’s extremely packed all the time.
Anyways, then she stated that she was too tired to go that day, and that she would like to go the next day, so DH, LO and I went to my mom’s house for dinner that Wednesday. Mind you, my mother is a night nurse so she has night shifts. She’s usually off work in random increments sometimes one day sometimes three days it just depends. As a daughter I like to soak all her “off” her days up. We had already had dinner with her on Tuesday at a restaurant, and now we were planning to do dinner at her house, and she was going to join us Thursday at the steak restaurant with MIL. The thing about my mom is she listens to my rules. so it’s never a chaotic scene with LO when we are out or in her home. Now the most important part here is that I am full of OCD and anxiety, not the real OCD but where things have to be done a certain way if not, I will go into chaotic self-destruct mode and I have a full on panic attack. Of course my mother acknowledges this because I am her child, who knows you better than your mother? Exactly. I went over to my mothers house with LO while DH was at work. I spent time with her and it’s generally a good time when I go to my mother’s house because I can take a break and let my mom take over with my now 13 month old. There’s very few people who I can completely hand my daughter over to, and be able to relax, again it has to be my anxious, new mom feels. A few hours went by and I was considering canceling dinner with MIL, but decided to just go ahead and go.
Upon leaving, my mom asked me to install my daughters car seat in her car as she had removed it to travel. This was the most frustrating process ever, I did not have the strength to pull the buckle tight. The positioning was the worst possible, keep in mind DH usually is in charge of car seat installation, so I am youtubing this at this point, lol. Oh, and before may I remind you, it is the hottest day of the fucking year. Temperatures reading around 100 degrees. It may not be hot for all but it was awful for me, anyways, I digress. Takes about 20 minutes, to install and then all of a sudden, my mom and I got calls from MIL and DH, hurrying us up because they were already at the restaurant. we eventually takeoff and it’s just chaos and terrible situation after terrible situation, we pull up to TRH (Texas roadhouse) and it is so fucking packed, we eventually find parking walking in with LO, and go sit at the table with MIL and DH, the first thing I noticed is that MIL is sitting in front of me, DH is sitting next to, and my mother next to me, and of course LO at the end of the table, now I’m very particular on how I feed my daughter, when we are in public I feed her with her utensils instead of my hands, and I never NEVER let her eat from the table or from the plates with her hands, Call me controlling, and crazy but I do this to avoid stress of cleanup, we do messy eating at home. PERIOD. And of course, my mother completely understands this and abides by my rules, now let’s backtrack a little, every time I let MIL even get a chance to feed my daughter. She always wants to let her go at it with her hands and let her do the baby led weaning method, and make a disaster in our home. Mind you we don’t have a dog so we have to pick up every bit of food that falls on the floor. And every time I even remotely put up a boundary and say something to the extent of “ if you were going to feed her, you must use utensils because I don’t wanna have to clean up a mess and I don’t want her eating in this way” she stomps me down by saying “ oh relax, its fine! She’s having a good time! I’ll clean it up. I’ll clean it up. It’s OK I’ll clean it up.” it really infuriates me because I’m being ignored and a mess is being made in my home. And of course, when she’s done and has gotten her way, she half ass cleans it. it is so frustrating.
Now back to the restaurant we are at the point of my daughters life where we can use high chairs. I always put a cover on the highchair, but I have always reluctant to use the highchair around MIL because it gives her the perfect opportunity to feed and feed and feed and feed and feed. We’ve talked about how my mother-in-law overfeeds my daughter since the very beginning day one… anyways it’s so frustrating when she doesn’t listen to me because she gets overexcited. THIS IS WHY SHE IS LIMITED ON LO TIME. She’s like a Chihuahua that pees in the house when she gets excited….. BAD DOG! lol, immediately she starts feeding her bread at the steakhouse, I realized I left her cup in the car so MIL starts trying to give her straws of water and they’re just dripping all over her and I say stop, she needs a bib but of course mother-in-law does not stop because she’s already to the point where she doesn’t want to stop, I grab our bib from our bag, which is one of those plastic ones that has the little cup for the stuff that falls, she starts feeding her spits out water into the bib that falls and then she starts feeding her bread again I’m trying to keep my cool, everything’s fine still, then she begins to insist that LO tries onion blossom, even though she probably won’t like it, as suspected LO spits out onion blossom into the already soggy bib. Then MIL pulls out a bunch of gifts from her students for teacher appreciation., why she brought these to the table I don’t know. Anyways, so now she gives LO a teddy bear, even though baby’s hands are all dirty with food, LO throws it on the floor funnily enough HA! She then keeps force feeding her bread, to the point where she is trying to breathe MIL is still putting bread in her mouth. I say then shout STOP she doesn’t have a drink! So then MIL tries to straw her some more water which does not work, I shout STOP IT NOW! Then DH goes to my mom’s card to get her sippy.
After this scene we end up all flustered because apparently the air condition wasn’t working at the steakhouse, we end up going across the street to cheddars, where there isn’t even longer waitlist, we run into a couple of my moms work friends and she wants to introduce them to our baby, but MIL has already gotten a grasp of her and will not let her go so when DH goes to get his daughter to meet our friends MIL will not release her and instead follows behind him. So now we’re not introducing our little family we’re introducing our daughter in MIL’s arms, the conversation was, my mom saying “hi _! This is my baby (referring to tome me), then I chime in to say Hi _! This is my husband and this is my baby! (Referring to LO) and when I turn around expecting DH , its MIL… I then corrected myself and say oh my husband must be looking at the fish aquarium on the other side. Then MIL introduces herself… awkward… they then cut off the conversation and say OK we’ll catch you later! Anywaaaays, The waitlist was too long there, so we ended up going to the Olive Garden. Absolute chaos I know! Probably contributed to all the stress from the day. We walk into the Olive Garden and we sit at a table, set LO up in the high chair and we get the most newbie server possible, poor guy it must’ve been his first day. We all order our food a bit chaotic because my mother is very indecisive. We get our food finally, and at this point MIL starts cutting her plate into tiny pieces to feed to LO, even though I haven’t asked her to do this, I’m eating my food. I told my husband you know what I’m gonna go ahead and release control let’s see how this goes. WRONG, could not have been more WRONG! Little by little she starts to let LO start eating from the table with her hands, and this is still OK until LO begins to get full and starts playing with the food, LO is 13 months, this girl was throwing food everywhere, flipped her bib upside down and all the food got all over her and in my chair cover, smacking the plate, getting food all over her body and hair, and the scene was just so chaotic, it could not have gotten any worse, but it did. LO starts to turn red as a tomato, I then ask DH to take her car to her as we don’t use public changing tables, before he could even get out of the booth MIL takes LO and my diaper bag and runs to the RR, I am furious! WHAT THE FUCK IS SHE DOING! My mom sees how upset I am and decides to go after her. She comes back two minutes later asking for another onesie because apparently LO soaked her onesie in pee, which NEVER happens, NEVER! I hand my mama a onesie they get her dressed they bring her back and I’m OK surprisingly,
I suggest that we relocate to the ice cream shop across the street to get ice cream for LO, but really for me so that I can calm down after this chaos, ice cream is the way to my heart every time. Then MIL suggest that it’s late and that we should just order a dessert there at the Olive Garden, I’m sitting at our table and it’s a complete and absolute disaster with food everywhere on our side because of the baby, I said I’m ready to relocate and it’s really overwhelming me, at this point, everyone kind of suggest that we stay there to eat the dessert, so finally I’ve had enough and I stand up and I say no I’m not sitting at this table anymore, I stand in the corner, and say” I would like to leave now this has been too much for me. I am on the verge of having a panic attack, and I don’t wanna be here anymore.” I then pick up my highchair cover to put it away and it is full of food, and it falls all over the floor in front of everybody, of course my mom embarrassed says oh my gosh, that is so rude, “my name” how could you make such a mess like that that is so rude! She then apologizes to the server and says I’m so sorry my daughter made a mess” I WAS FUMING! LIVID! SO FUCKING PISSED, I explode and scream “ THIS WOULDN’T FUCKING HAPPENED IF MIL I HAD JUST LISTENED TO MY RULES. I’M READY TO LEAVE. I WANT TO LEAVE NOW I’M DONE AND I DON’T WANT TO BE HERE ANYMORE GIVE ME MY BABY BACK! I caused a scene in the restaurant I’m not gonna lie, and I was really embarrassed for my behavior, but I lost it COMPLETELY, THEN COMPLETELY IGNORING ME, MIL walks out the front door with my daughter towards her car, my mom myself, and DH follow her and try to break and say goodbye, DH tries to take LO from her and then she pulls away and says “nooooo I’ll walk you guys to your car I want every second I can get with her. “ she then stalls putting her in the car seat for about 10 minutes, she says bye and leaves finally and my mom, DH and LO drive to my moms and the car is quiet.
We got to my mom’s house picked up my car and went home, we continued with our bed routine DH apologized over and over And was upset with himself because apparently he didn’t know that I was in distress because I have such a good fake persona and can hide it really well, we came up with a code word for him to step in and sit his mother down if needed, because he truly felt terrible for how stressed out I got, and to end the night we got a text from MIL saying she had the best night of her week, and I just ended the night with saying her best night was my worst. The funniest part is, I had already warmed up to the idea of going to the brunch because bitch AIL wasn’t going to be going, but now those plans are so far down at the bottom of the trash I am going to not even give an excuse. I’m just not gonna show up. And when she demands a reason, why, I will remind her of her best night of the week and how wrong it went , lesson learned say no say no 1000 times until they get it, MIL is BANNED from feeding LO, no more exceptions no more broken rules. I am sick of it, and I am sick of being disrespected, time for a timeout time to reset expectations I am very upset with myself for allowing this to happen.
Happy Mother’s Day weekend mamas stay strong, and keep these JUSTNOMIL’s IN THEIR LANE!

Finally got around sharing our wonderful experience in Kansai (1 Apr 2024 - 10 Apr 2024). We are a family of 4 from Perth, Australia (1 x Toddler turning 4 end of this month and 1 x Infant about 18 months old) joined by my MIL from Malaysia. It was our first time trip to Japan but the second time flying 6 hours long with 2 kids. We chose to travel during this period as it was during Easter holidays and also the most favourable weather for our kids. As we have 4 separate accommodations booked over 9 days, we try to travel as light as possible: 2 x large suitcase, 1 x medium suitcase, 2 x medium bags, 1 x bag pack, 1 x dedicated bag for infant carrier and kids' jumpers + 1 stroller. Our kids still take nap(s) during the day and our plan was having the toddler sleep on the stroller and the infant in the carrier or the stroller if toddler is not using.
After extensive research (mostly from this sub) we still found the first few days to be quite hectic and wish we know some of the things beforehand (listed below the itinerary). I hope this post can help young families who are considering travelling to Japan with kids or those who have travelled to Japan before kids came to the picture to do it again with confidence.

9 Day Itinerary (1 Apr 2024 - 10 Apr 2024)

Day 1 Osaka: Namba (Monday)
Our flight from KUL arrived KIX around 10am and boarded the Nankai Rapid (bought 1 month prior online) to Shin-Imamiya station after getting our luggage. We originally planned to take a taxi from there but failed to find any taxi for 20 mins so we end up walking to our accommodation as the kids were tired of waiting. After offloading our luggage we manage to hail a taxi and head to Namba Parks to rest and unwind. Had a refreshing lunch at Yasaiya Mei (mains + all you can eat side dishes including veg tempura) and went to explore the rooftop parks garden before putting the kids to nap. After the kids woke up we took a taxi back to check in officially. Everyone was quite tired thus we opted to stay in and get dinner from Life supermarket nearby. This was probably the most enjoyable part of the day for the kids wandering around a foreign supermarket as we bought dinner and some light snacks. After putting the kids to bed, we did some laundry and packed our 1st luggage to send away.
Day 2 Osaka: Tennoji (Tuesday)
While everyone was getting ready, I went to the nearby 7-Eleven to forward our 1st luggage to the 4th accommodation via Yamato transport. The shop attendant was helpful and guided me through the process as we communicated via deepL. We walked to the Lawson's at JR Imamiya to get brekkky before taking the Osaka loop Line to JR tennoji. We took quite a while to navigate towards Tennoji Zoo from JR Tennoji but eventually got there after a 15 min detour. It was quite crowded for a Tuesday morning but the kids get to roam around the Tenshiba garden while I queue up for tickets (500 yen per adult). One of the kids fell asleep in the zoo so we decided to just grab food to go at the supermarket outside the zoo for lunch. We then head towards Abeno Q's mall to shop and put the other kid to sleep. There was quite a lot of hot food along the way and we manage to grab some for the kids to snack on after their nap (butaman from Horai 555, mochi donut from Mister Donut, taiyaki etc). There's a fantastic area for kids to play (kid, play, study) at the ground floor with different sensory setup and soft blocks for stacking/ balancing. I spent close to 2 hours there with 2 kids while my wife and MIL went shopping. After that we had dinner at Grand Capital Toyoutei at the Kintetsu mall dining floor before heading to our final activity of the day: Abeno Harukas 300. Tickets were a bit steep (2000 yen per adult) but we end up staying there for quite a bit and the experience was pretty unique even though we missed the sunset timing. The elevator ride to the top though short left quite an impression. The kids enjoyed running around at the sky garden 2 floors below as we rest and enjoy the night view of the city from about 300m above ground. The journey back to our accommodation was pretty straightforward and the kids got knocked out when we got home. All in all Tennoji was a pleasantly great experience and we have a better understanding about JR station layout and navigating underground.
Day 3 Osaka - Kyoto (Wednesday)
This was a rather hectic day as it rained quite a bit and we struggled to get a taxi after checking out, getting turned down by several taxis with "空车". We eventually found one to bring us to JR Osaka station. Navigating at the station wasn't too difficult after yesterday but there were long queues when we arrived at 10am and I made the fatal mistake of leaving my physical credit card back in Perth and spent 45mins trying to redeem limited express tickets I reserved online. The JR staff were friendly and tried their best to help but they can only recommend me cancelling my initial reservation and buying new tickets (cancellation fee was about 2300 yen for 3 adults). As soon as we got our tickets we sprinted to the underground gate about 15 mins walk away. I even carried the stroller and kids through an escalator as we didn't want to waste time finding a lift and risk missing the train. We managed to board the limited express train on time and arrived at JR Kyoto which was even more crowded and larger than most international airports. The kids were quite cranky by now as it has been all rush and long waits since they woke up. I split up with my family with 2 luggage that we initially planned to forward to our Arashiyama accommodation via Sagawa. However I was told same day delivery service is only applicable to limited hotels so I stored the luggage at 2 coin lockers and then head to the Kintetsu line ticket counter to redeem the Kyoto-Nara and Nara-Osaka limited express tickets which fortunately doesn't require my credit card details (just reservation number). By the time I reunite with my family it was still raining and both kids fell asleep so we ditched the plan for Kyoto railway museum and instead went browsing for lunch at Porta and Isetan dining floor. We eventually queued to eat at Ejuan for about 25 minutes while one of the kid was still asleep. The wait was worthwhile as the grilled miso black cod was exceptional as was the kids' grilled chicken. Next we went to the skywalk at level 9 briefly before my family went to the toy section at Isetan while I retrieve our luggage from the coin lockers. We board the Saga line bound for Saga-Arashiyama and rested awhile at the accommodation before heading out for dinner after the rain stopped. We walked to Kijurou and fortunately they have space for us provided we order a main meal per adult. The yakiniku and Wagyu rib loin bowls were pretty good but we find the Hitsumabushi set a bit gimmicky. After dinner we stopped by Kimono Forest on our way back and this was probably the highlight of the kids day.
Day 4 Kyoto: Arashiyama (Thursday)
Had Lawson's for brekky before heading out to Kimono Rental Amuya to hired kimonos for my wife and toddler including hairstyling. The shop was actually a house with the living area turned into a studio and only the owner working by herself so we waited for about half an hour before walking towards the Bamboo Forest and Tenryu-ji gardens (500 yen entry from the north gate but well worth it for the blooming sakura and picturesque lake). It was crowded as expected and everyone was moving slowly so it took us about an hour to complete the loop back to the main tourist strip. We then had Udon for lunch at Ozuru, the chewy noodles were complemented by the broth which was a lot more flavourful than the kitsune Udon we are accustomed to back in Perth. After lunch we head home to put the kids to nap before venturing out in the evening towards Togetsukyo Bridge overlooking the pristine Katsura river flowing gracefully from Mt Arashi in the backdrop. The view was breathtaking and we crossed over to Arashiyama park where the kids had a great time running around free range. As the sun was setting, we head back to the town centre, took a novelty Randen ride and grab some food (Naruse's Unagi, Upit's Burger) en route to our accommodation to eat in before calling it a day.
Day 5 Kyoto (Friday)
After checking out we took the Saga line to JR Kyoto station and forwarded the medium sized luggage to the 4th accommodation in Osaka using Crosta. We then did some light shopping at Yodabashi Camera Kyoto as my MIL shoes had kick the bucket and we needed a replacement. Manage to sneak in the only ramen meal of the trip at Ramen Chabuton located upstairs. It was a fairly small shop but we were lucky to get a table just before the Friday lunch rush hour and our ramen cravings were thoroughly satiated. We put the kids down for a quick nap as we make our way back to JR Kyoto to take the Saga line towards Kyoto railway museum. This is an underrated attraction with so much to do and we could have spent the whole day here if I knew they had coin lockers. There were many interactive and educational displays relating to train components in addition to multiple play areas upstairs as well as an outdoor playground! There's also a mockup ticket gate for kids to learn how to purchase a ticket and pass through the gate. Our kids loved the ball pit, toy train area and large train simulator. We couldn't squeeze enough time to explore the 3rd floor or watch the diorama presentation or board the Steam Locomotive as it was getting late. We took a taxi to check-in at Kamoya Ryokan before taking the bus to Nishiki Market for dinner. It's about 6pm and most of the shops were shutting and the remaining ones that are open had queues building up quickly. We ended up waiting 30 mins to eat sushi at Sushi Say. There's a limited range of cooked food including skewers which we got for our kids while we share a nigiri platter and sashimi. After dinner we went to the basement of Daimaru Kyoto across the road to get some baked goods for brekky before taking the taxi home to crash.
Day 6 Kyoto (Saturday)
My MIL wanted to take it easy and explore the area at her own pace so we had a more spontaneous day. After brekky, we took the bus to Yasaka Shrine and started our trek towards Heian Jingu, stopping along the way to enjoy the blossoming park and munching on food from street vendors. We paid to enter the shrine garden (600 yen per adult) which was very worth it for a 30 minute stroll and escape from the bustling crowd outside. We grab some food to eat from the street vendors as one of the kid slept and then head to the playground across the road (Wagener Square) and spent a good 30 minutes there even though it was a bit basic (Perth is blessed with many great playgrounds). Once both kids are feeling refreshed we felt adventurous and took the bus to attempt the hike up Kiyomizu-dera. Since its a Saturday, the Sannenzaka path was packed with phenomenal crowds with the occasional car coming through and splitting the crowd apart. I carried the infant to sleep while my wife push our toddler on the stroller as we slowly make our way up, stopping by for a nice matcha latte and softserve at Here cafe to recharge. We eventually reached the base of the temple after 30 minutes and decided against entering due to the massive crowds (& stairs!). On the way down we reached the fork that branches into Ninenzaka and thought we try giving it a go. There were a lot more stairs over this side and we had to carry the stroller through the steps while waiting for the crowd to advance before us. As physically draining as it was, we felt a sense of achievement as we manage to snap a photo with the iconic Hokanji temple. We took the bus home after that and had an enjoyable dinner at Okonomiyaki Yoshino next door before an early night to recover.
Day 7 Kyoto - Nara - Osaka (Sunday)
We had some leftover food for brekky before checking out and heading to JR Kyoto via taxi. We head to the Kintetsu line and boarded the Vistacar limited express train to Nara. I've booked for the private room down stairs which was pretty spacious for the 5 of us and our luggage. After arriving at Kintetsu-Nara station, we took the 100 yen tourist bus to the famous Nara Deer Park and started exploring the area. There were plenty of deer roaming throughout/ resting on the ground and several vendors at the entrance selling deer crackers. After the kids were done feeding 2 sets of crackers, we head to Mizuya Chaya for lunch. There were limited seating so we sat by the side and ate with the bowl in our hands while feeding the kids. Probably the best Udon we had in our lives (level above Ozuru in Arashiyama and Hifumiya in Perth). Time for a nap so we put the kids down while making our way to have a closer look at Todaiji temple as there were too many stairs to Kasuga-taisha and we have yet to recover. We had our first Cremia here and it was amazing. After the kids woke up we took the bus back to Kintetsu-Nara station and explored the nearby street while waiting for our train. We then boarded the HINOTORI limited express bound for Osaka. While walking towards the hotel to check in, we were passing by Dotombori and opted to have a quick dinner and call it a day rather than coming out again after checking in and offloading our luggage. We ended up having curry at Hariju Dotombori Curry shop which taste d like a homely nourishing meal. After dinner we took the taxi to the hotel and fortunately our 2 other luggage that we forwarded days before are waiting for us to collect. Did some repacking and also laundry at a nearby laundromat before sleep.
Day 8 Osaka: Osaka Bay Area (Monday)
Started the day with brekky at MOS Burger just outside our hotel before taking the metro train to Osaka Bay Area. There were plenty to see as we approach the Kaiyukan, large LEGO animal displays, the large ferris wheel and Disney characters. The ticketing and entry time is staggered which is a good idea to control the amount of crowds going in and out. I started queueing at 1035am and got entry for 11am which was fair (opted not to book timeslot online as it can be unpredictable with kids and public transit) but we didn't felt like its a long wait as the kids were running around and enjoying the ocean view. The entry also have a photographer stationed to take a family polaroid with a whale shark replica for FREE. We were impressed with the aquarium's efficient layout where some prominent displays (Whale Shark, Seals etc) span across multiple floors so you can still enjoy them later on if you missed it earlier due to the crowds. Apart from sea creatures there are also Arctic mammals and birds (Puffins) from all over the world. The kids were over stimulated by lunch time so we head to the food court at Tempozan Market Place to refuel. After lunch we took the kids for a ferris wheel ride before putting both to sleep while we make our way to Shinsaibashisuji Shopping Street via metro line. As the kids were still asleep, I rested at Daimaru with my MIL while my wife went shopping. This turn out to be a fantastic place with a floor dedicated for kids (Pokemon centre, Pokemon cafe, BorneLund mini play area with many display toys available for sampling). The kids spent the rest of the day here after they woke up and we had dinner at the dining floor. There were queues everywhere and we chose to wait at Aozora Blue as they offer udon made with a higher wheat ratio here. Regrettably the kids didn't enjoy as much and prefer regular ones that we are used to. After dinner we took away cheescake from Rikuro for dessert back at our hotel. I made sure to online check in our flights before I go to bed.
Day 9 Osaka: Dotombori (Tuesday)
Our final day in Japan and we chose to do some shopping and take it easy. Tried Doutor Coffee for brekky (took a while to find as it was underground) before walking to Don Quijote at Dotombori. There's 6 floors crammed with various items: snacks, electronics, clothing, non prescription medication, toys, collectibles as well as a functional ferris wheel (operates after 2pm). That being said the kids got bored after awhile and didn't really enjoy much as there wasn't much space to move around. I brought them out to stroll around the Ebisu-bashi Bridge while my wife and MIL continue their haul. It was certainly a sight to behold: countless amount of large LCD screens with surround sound on full blast from every high rise building, street buskers vying for attention from crowds that were constantly on the move, tourists taking selfies in front of the iconic Glicoman. Sadly it started to drizzle so I quickly entered the Shinsaibashisuji Shopping Street undercover area and look for a place to have lunch. I stumbled across a Yoshinoya & Hanamaru joint food hall which was bustling with both locals and foreigners. You have to order and get your food from the counter before you can occupy a table so I waited for my wife and MIL to arrive before we start queueing up. We had the gyudon and beef Udon with onsen egg along with chicken karaage and tempura. There's also a condiment station with toppings to complement your udon as well as free tea and water. Everything was very affordable and best of all we didn't had to wait long. After lunch my wife continuing shopping while we head to Daimaru for the kids to have a nap and play afterwards. I noticed there's a bridge that connects each floor to the Parco next door and discovered a unique floor full of pop culture themed stores including a studio Ghibli store featuring Totoro and No-Face displays, a 2 ft tall Godzilla, Ultraman, Capcom superstore, Sanrio (Hello Kitty), Snoopy, Rilakkuma and also a LEGO store. The kids had a great time browsing and also playing with LEGO before my wife reunites with us. As it's nearing dinner time, I thought we try our luck getting a table at Ganko Dotombori and make our way towards Ebisu-bashi Bridge. The view here is even more spectacular at night with the contrasting lights as well as numerous LCD displays illuminating the area. Unfortunately there's a lengthy wait at Ganko and our party voted for street food instead which turn out surprising well. Kids devoured a dozen gyozas while we had takoyaki, kobe beef nigiri, yakitori and yakiniku skewers as we strolled along the street. It was still early so we made a detour towards Hozenji before walking back the hotel. Then we stumbled upon an arcade (Amuse Factory AXE) which naturally drawn the kids in, we got popcorn from a vending machine there and it was enough to keep the kids happy on our trek back. Before taking our last sleep in Japan, we organized our luggage and get them ready for check out the next day.
Day 10 Osaka: Sayonara (Wednesday)
Checked out of the hotel and took a private airport taxi to KIX. Had brekky at McD and Lawsons and surprised to find that the food here costs the same as outside (e.g. McD/ Hungry Jacks at Malaysian/ Australian airports cost more than the metro/ suburban outlets). Boarded the flight and bid Japan farewell for now while soaking in the surreal time we had.
List of accommodations for 3 adults and 1 child + 1 infant/ toddler
1. Orange House 701 (22,500 yen for 2 nights) 10/10
Location is not bad in a quiet area South of the bustling Dotombori area with Konbinis and JR Imamiya within walking distance. Washing machine, shower and stove took some time to figure out and my kid accidentally turned on the stove but luckily there's a safety button. Overall a brilliant accommodation at an affordable price and will consider returning if we come back to Osaka with kids.
2. Arashiyama bamboo guest house (55,650 yen for 2 nights + 1200 yen tax) 8/10
Prime location 1 min away from JR station, Lawson and walking distances to the local tourist strip, Bamboo Grove, Tenryu-ji and Togetsukyo Bridge. However the room is located on the 3rd floor with no lift so it can be a challenge for kids and older folk. The owner was kind enough to carry our 2 X 20kg luggage up and speaks a little English. The stay was rather comfortable even with futons to sleep on while my MIL slept on one of the single beds. We are unlikely returning to Arashiyama but would recommend this place if it suits your budget.
3. Kamoya Ryokan (35,400 yen for 2 nights + 2000 yen tax) 7.5/10
Not as central as the other accommodations but still within 10 mins walking distance to JR and bus lines. This is a shared accommodation so fridge, microwave and hot/ cold water is in the common area but we have a private bathroom to use. There are no beds so we all slept side by side on futons in the same room. For some reason kids are also taxed to stay a night here (200 yen) but the host was super friendly, spoke a bit of basic English and helped us with ordering a taxi when we checked out. For the price this is not a bad place for short term stay if cosleeping on futons together as a family is acceptable. Bonus: the okonomiyaki place next door is quite good albeit requiring a bit more effort to communicate but is worth it as plenty of locals seem to frequent there and our kids love the yakisoba.
4. Best Western Hotel Fino Osaka Shinsaibashi (40,450 yen for 3 nights) 8/10
Functional hotel relatively close to Shinsaibashi shopping street and Dotombori. 1 min walk away from Osaka metro station and 7 Eleven. There's also a 24 hour laundromat 5 mins walk away. Facilities are bare minimal but gets the job done as we only needed the place to crash and freshen up since there's a lot of shopping and remaining sightseeing to be done. All reception staff spoke English well and check in/ out was rather smooth. I would consider staying again if the rooms were larger but can't complain at this price point and location.
List of eateries we consider returning

• Yasaiya Mei
• Ejuan
• Kijurou
• Ozuru
• Upit's Burger
• Ramen Chabuton
• Okonomiyaki Yoshino
• Mizuya Chaya
• Yoshinoya & Hanamaru

Highlight of each day for the kids

1. Wandering around Life supermarket and exploring a new accommodation
2. Running around 300m above ground at the Abeno Harukas sky garden while having fruits/ snacks in between
3. Visiting Kimono Forest after dinner, watching the randen pass by at the crossing
4. Running around at Arashiyama park and watching the majestic Katsura river flowing rapidly
5. The outdoor playground at Kyoto railway museum among many other fun things there
6. The playground at Wagener Square across Heian Jingu
7. Interacting with deer and eating udon outdoors
8. Seeing different sea animals up close and ferris wheel ride after
9. Making friends at BorneLund and having imaginary play together despite the language barrier

Lessons learned (not in chronological order)

General tips

• We prepared about 160,000 yen cash before arriving at Japan but also have money via 1 x transfer wise debit card (digital), 1 x Westpac credit card (digital), 1 x ING debit card (physical). We ended up withdrawing a further 200,000 yen worth of cash. We opted not to bring any AUD as the rate is quite poor in Japan since most would prefer foreign exchangers would prefer USD.
• We didn't get to use our digital cards as most places in Kansai (Kanto might be different) that offer card payments still requires a physical card to read the chip.
• Please remember to bring the physical card of the credit card used for any online booking to avoid the stress I endured on day 3.
• We booked all the transit tickets online about a month prior and find it worthwhile rather than spending 15 - 30 mins in queue at the ticket counters. The limited express tickets go crazy fast and I recommend booking them the hour they become available (1 month prior your transit date and as soon as it is open in Japan time).
• We booked all 4 accommodations via booking.com and find the messenger via the app very handy in liaising with the owne receptionist on whether we can offload our luggage earlier or forward our luggage a few days in advance. One of them even told me that I can check in few hours earlier as the room was ready. Regardless of what platform you use, try to communicate with the accommodation prior your arrival if you are considering forwarding luggage or dropping them off before your official check in time.
• Booking multiple accommodations over a short span of time is very tiring as we are needing to worry about getting our luggage from A to B every second day but only able to check in the next place 5 - 6 hours after checking out the previous place (Most checkin starts from 3pm and checkout from 10am). Our transition days are always stressful as we don't get to do much due to the timing while handling multiple baggage so the kids are crankier.
• Rubbish/ garbage cans are mainly found on major train stations or shopping malls as well as konbinis. Most vending machines only have a recycle bin but we have plenty of disposable nappy bags which we use as rubbish bags if needed.
• We had 3 data Sims about 5GB each which was sufficient for the 9 days (navigation, Google translate, WhatsApp voice call). Free wifi is available at most places which we use whenever we need to photo dump on WhatsApp group chats or play YouTube for the kids.
• My eSim stopped working when we arrived at Kyoto from Osaka but luckily I tried rebooting my phone and it connected to the local network after. Another down side of data only Sim is there is no Japanese mobile number which can be handy (make reservations at restaurants or signing up for taxi apps to get taxi).
• We use Google Maps and Japan Travel by NAVITIME App to plan our overall route each day, public transit details is quite clear via Google Maps with several options for different J metro/ bus lines. While Japan Travel App is able to approximate cost of taxi which was useful for comparison.
• For translation, we used DeepL app when we wanted to converse with someone in Japanese and Google Translate for written Japanese translation via the camera.
• In Osaka, getting around via JR and Metro is optimal in terms of time and cost; In Kyoto, buses are more readily available but be prepared to stand shoulder to shoulder as the buses are not big and averages around 30 - 50 people. We recommend a taxi if travelling a short distance (<10 minutes) for a family that can fit into a single car.
• You can forward luggage at your hotel or local 7 eleven via Yamato transport within Osaka.
• The Jikan refreshing legs patch worked well for me but my wife got woken up few times as her feet felt cold due to the cooling effect. We got some heat patches the next day and it worked better for her.
• A few Japanese phrases go along way and perhaps it's why we mostly get friendly responses (arigato gozaimas, ohaiyo, konnichiwa, kore onegaishimas, doitashi mashite, hitotsu onegaishimas, daijorbudes, kodomo).
• The basement level of most department stores/ shopping malls sells a variety of package deserts and often a bakery opened till 8pm where we sometimes go to after dinner to get brekky for the next morning.
• Some malls have an express lift (stops only at 1F and 10F) and it may be quicker to use those in combination with escalators to get to the level you like quickly.
• Coin lockers are found is almost every major attraction and JR station but finding a large one that is available can be challenging so allow extra time. Most coin lockers only take 100 yen coins with the exception of newer ones which also takes IC cards as payment.
• Some food courts have drinkable water for you to refill your bottles but otherwise vending machines and konbinis will quench your hydration needs (the peach drink is pretty addictive).
• Other than Booking.com, Google maps, Google Translate, DeepL and Japan Travel by NAVITIME, we didn't really used the other apps we downloaded before hand but you might find a use for them: Mamamap, NERV, Ecbo cloak, Klook.

Child related tips

• Younger kids take awhile to acclimatize to a foreign environment and our kids were more lethargic than they normally are during the day, sometimes needing 2 naps instead of 1 so be prepared to adjust your plans and skip over some places that were catered specifically for them if needed.
• Google maps only tells you the distance to get you from Point A to Point B horizontally. Unfortunately it doesn't consider the routes involving travelling multiple floors to avoid heavy traffic even with wheelchair access enabled. For instance you can go across Tenshiba Garden from JR Tennoji via the overhead bridge (not ideal as the route is longer with a stroller) or underground (best with a stroller but unfortunately Google Maps doesn't show this route and we stumble across it by chance).
• Google maps navigation over multiple floors is also not very accurate but the local directory maps are very informative so take extra time to study it and find the nearest access (parents room, lift or exit to above ground/ underground).
• The lift (singular as most train station platforms only share one lift unless it's a major one like Osaka/ Kyoto etc), are often located at one end of the platform so allow additional 15 - 20 minutes when travelling with strollers or luggage.
• Most department stores/ shopping malls (Daimaru etc) have a floor suitable for kids with toy samples for playing and sometimes even a free play area (Bornelund).
• Our kids love the Butaman from Horai and we probably purchased from 5 different stores throughout the trip (they are located at almost every major station and department store). Find something that works for your kids that can be found readily (7-11, family mart, Lawson's, daily Yamazaki etc) as back up when they didn't want to eat where you were dining at or if they fell asleep and skipped a meal.
• 100 yen stores (Daiso, 3 coins, Seria, Can*Do, Watts) have plenty of cheap kid activities (e.g. sticker books, puzzles, bubble wand etc) that can entertain them throughout the day/ in restaurants/ in the showe in the accommodation before bed etc.
• Paid Attractions in Kansai that are worthwhile if your kids are under 5 (6 and above may be charged separately): Tennoji Zoo, Abeno Harukas 300, Kyoto Railway Museum, Osaka Kaiyukan, Tempozan Ferris Wheel.
• Other brekky alternatives that we liked apart from konbinis/ bakeries were MOS burgers and Doutor coffee. Gyudons (sukiya, matsuya, yoshinoya) morning menu was a bit too heavy for our kids and other options we would have tried were too far from where we stayed (Tully's, McDonalds, KoHiKan).
• Some places require you order a main meal per adult but we are small eaters so we make sure what we ordered was something our kids might eat (not spicy etc).
• Tabelog is useful to tell you the size of the restaurant and we avoided anywhere that seats less than 20 people to save time.
• We tried to eat at a restaurant for lunch and dinner the first few days but actually realize the kids enjoy munching on small eats from konbinis/ street vendors more than a casual sit down meal so we were a bit more spontaneous the second half of the trip.
• Watch out for deer poo at Nara especially when pushing your stroller! Most of the deer are quite friendly and let you pet them but don't touch their tail area as they can get defensive. If your kids are feeding away the crackers too quickly, break them in half so you have more 'ammunition'.
• Metro and JR Trains (including limited express ones) stop for less than 10 seconds. Please remember to unlock your stroller when you are approaching your next stop and prepare to jump out.

Finally got around sharing our wonderful experience in Kansai (1 Apr 2024 - 10 Apr 2024). We are a family of 4 from Perth, Australia (1 x Toddler turning 4 end of this month and 1 x Infant about 18 months old) joined by my MIL from Malaysia. It was our first time trip to Japan but the second time flying 6 hours long with 2 kids. We chose to travel during this period as it was during Easter holidays and also the most favourable weather for our kids. As we have 4 separate accommodations booked over 9 days, we try to travel as light as possible: 2 x large suitcase, 1 x medium suitcase, 2 x medium bags, 1 x bag pack, 1 x dedicated bag for infant carrier and kids' jumpers + 1 stroller. Our kids still take nap(s) during the day and our plan was having the toddler sleep on the stroller and the infant in the carrier or the stroller if toddler is not using.
After extensive research (mostly from this sub) we still found the first few days to be quite hectic and wish we know some of the things beforehand (listed below the itinerary). I hope this post can help young families who are considering travelling to Japan with kids or those who have travelled to Japan before kids came to the picture to do it again with confidence.

9 Day Itinerary (1 Apr 2024 - 10 Apr 2024)

Day 1 Osaka: Namba (Monday)
Our flight from KUL arrived KIX around 10am and boarded the Nankai Rapid (bought 1 month prior online) to Shin-Imamiya station after getting our luggage. We originally planned to take a taxi from there but failed to find any taxi for 20 mins so we end up walking to our accommodation as the kids were tired of waiting. After offloading our luggage we manage to hail a taxi and head to Namba Parks to rest and unwind. Had a refreshing lunch at Yasaiya Mei (mains + all you can eat side dishes including veg tempura) and went to explore the rooftop parks garden before putting the kids to nap. After the kids woke up we took a taxi back to check in officially. Everyone was quite tired thus we opted to stay in and get dinner from Life supermarket nearby. This was probably the most enjoyable part of the day for the kids wandering around a foreign supermarket as we bought dinner and some light snacks. After putting the kids to bed, we did some laundry and packed our 1st luggage to send away.
Day 2 Osaka: Tennoji (Tuesday)
While everyone was getting ready, I went to the nearby 7-Eleven to forward our 1st luggage to the 4th accommodation via Yamato transport. The shop attendant was helpful and guided me through the process as we communicated via deepL. We walked to the Lawson's at JR Imamiya to get brekkky before taking the Osaka loop Line to JR tennoji. We took quite a while to navigate towards Tennoji Zoo from JR Tennoji but eventually got there after a 15 min detour. It was quite crowded for a Tuesday morning but the kids get to roam around the Tenshiba garden while I queue up for tickets (500 yen per adult). One of the kids fell asleep in the zoo so we decided to just grab food to go at the supermarket outside the zoo for lunch. We then head towards Abeno Q's mall to shop and put the other kid to sleep. There was quite a lot of hot food along the way and we manage to grab some for the kids to snack on after their nap (butaman from Horai 555, mochi donut from Mister Donut, taiyaki etc). There's a fantastic area for kids to play (kid, play, study) at the ground floor with different sensory setup and soft blocks for stacking/ balancing. I spent close to 2 hours there with 2 kids while my wife and MIL went shopping. After that we had dinner at Grand Capital Toyoutei at the Kintetsu mall dining floor before heading to our final activity of the day: Abeno Harukas 300. Tickets were a bit steep (2000 yen per adult) but we end up staying there for quite a bit and the experience was pretty unique even though we missed the sunset timing. The elevator ride to the top though short left quite an impression. The kids enjoyed running around at the sky garden 2 floors below as we rest and enjoy the night view of the city from about 300m above ground. The journey back to our accommodation was pretty straightforward and the kids got knocked out when we got home. All in all Tennoji was a pleasantly great experience and we have a better understanding about JR station layout and navigating underground.
Day 3 Osaka - Kyoto (Wednesday)
This was a rather hectic day as it rained quite a bit and we struggled to get a taxi after checking out, getting turned down by several taxis with "空车". We eventually found one to bring us to JR Osaka station. Navigating at the station wasn't too difficult after yesterday but there were long queues when we arrived at 10am and I made the fatal mistake of leaving my physical credit card back in Perth and spent 45mins trying to redeem limited express tickets I reserved online. The JR staff were friendly and tried their best to help but they can only recommend me cancelling my initial reservation and buying new tickets (cancellation fee was about 2300 yen for 3 adults). As soon as we got our tickets we sprinted to the underground gate about 15 mins walk away. I even carried the stroller and kids through an escalator as we didn't want to waste time finding a lift and risk missing the train. We managed to board the limited express train on time and arrived at JR Kyoto which was even more crowded and larger than most international airports. The kids were quite cranky by now as it has been all rush and long waits since they woke up. I split up with my family with 2 luggage that we initially planned to forward to our Arashiyama accommodation via Sagawa. However I was told same day delivery service is only applicable to limited hotels so I stored the luggage at 2 coin lockers and then head to the Kintetsu line ticket counter to redeem the Kyoto-Nara and Nara-Osaka limited express tickets which fortunately doesn't require my credit card details (just reservation number). By the time I reunite with my family it was still raining and both kids fell asleep so we ditched the plan for Kyoto railway museum and instead went browsing for lunch at Porta and Isetan dining floor. We eventually queued to eat at Ejuan for about 25 minutes while one of the kid was still asleep. The wait was worthwhile as the grilled miso black cod was exceptional as was the kids' grilled chicken. Next we went to the skywalk at level 9 briefly before my family went to the toy section at Isetan while I retrieve our luggage from the coin lockers. We board the Saga line bound for Saga-Arashiyama and rested awhile at the accommodation before heading out for dinner after the rain stopped. We walked to Kijurou and fortunately they have space for us provided we order a main meal per adult. The yakiniku and Wagyu rib loin bowls were pretty good but we find the Hitsumabushi set a bit gimmicky. After dinner we stopped by Kimono Forest on our way back and this was probably the highlight of the kids day.
Day 4 Kyoto: Arashiyama (Thursday)
Had Lawson's for brekky before heading out to Kimono Rental Amuya to hired kimonos for my wife and toddler including hairstyling. The shop was actually a house with the living area turned into a studio and only the owner working by herself so we waited for about half an hour before walking towards the Bamboo Forest and Tenryu-ji gardens (500 yen entry from the north gate but well worth it for the blooming sakura and picturesque lake). It was crowded as expected and everyone was moving slowly so it took us about an hour to complete the loop back to the main tourist strip. We then had Udon for lunch at Ozuru, the chewy noodles were complemented by the broth which was a lot more flavourful than the kitsune Udon we are accustomed to back in Perth. After lunch we head home to put the kids to nap before venturing out in the evening towards Togetsukyo Bridge overlooking the pristine Katsura river flowing gracefully from Mt Arashi in the backdrop. The view was breathtaking and we crossed over to Arashiyama park where the kids had a great time running around free range. As the sun was setting, we head back to the town centre, took a novelty Randen ride and grab some food (Naruse's Unagi, Upit's Burger) en route to our accommodation to eat in before calling it a day.
Day 5 Kyoto (Friday)
After checking out we took the Saga line to JR Kyoto station and forwarded the medium sized luggage to the 4th accommodation in Osaka using Crosta. We then did some light shopping at Yodabashi Camera Kyoto as my MIL shoes had kick the bucket and we needed a replacement. Manage to sneak in the only ramen meal of the trip at Ramen Chabuton located upstairs. It was a fairly small shop but we were lucky to get a table just before the Friday lunch rush hour and our ramen cravings were thoroughly satiated. We put the kids down for a quick nap as we make our way back to JR Kyoto to take the Saga line towards Kyoto railway museum. This is an underrated attraction with so much to do and we could have spent the whole day here if I knew they had coin lockers. There were many interactive and educational displays relating to train components in addition to multiple play areas upstairs as well as an outdoor playground! There's also a mockup ticket gate for kids to learn how to purchase a ticket and pass through the gate. Our kids loved the ball pit, toy train area and large train simulator. We couldn't squeeze enough time to explore the 3rd floor or watch the diorama presentation or board the Steam Locomotive as it was getting late. We took a taxi to check-in at Kamoya Ryokan before taking the bus to Nishiki Market for dinner. It's about 6pm and most of the shops were shutting and the remaining ones that are open had queues building up quickly. We ended up waiting 30 mins to eat sushi at Sushi Say. There's a limited range of cooked food including skewers which we got for our kids while we share a nigiri platter and sashimi. After dinner we went to the basement of Daimaru Kyoto across the road to get some baked goods for brekky before taking the taxi home to crash.
Day 6 Kyoto (Saturday)
My MIL wanted to take it easy and explore the area at her own pace so we had a more spontaneous day. After brekky, we took the bus to Yasaka Shrine and started our trek towards Heian Jingu, stopping along the way to enjoy the blossoming park and munching on food from street vendors. We paid to enter the shrine garden (600 yen per adult) which was very worth it for a 30 minute stroll and escape from the bustling crowd outside. We grab some food to eat from the street vendors as one of the kid slept and then head to the playground across the road (Wagener Square) and spent a good 30 minutes there even though it was a bit basic (Perth is blessed with many great playgrounds). Once both kids are feeling refreshed we felt adventurous and took the bus to attempt the hike up Kiyomizu-dera. Since its a Saturday, the Sannenzaka path was packed with phenomenal crowds with the occasional car coming through and splitting the crowd apart. I carried the infant to sleep while my wife push our toddler on the stroller as we slowly make our way up, stopping by for a nice matcha latte and softserve at Here cafe to recharge. We eventually reached the base of the temple after 30 minutes and decided against entering due to the massive crowds (& stairs!). On the way down we reached the fork that branches into Ninenzaka and thought we try giving it a go. There were a lot more stairs over this side and we had to carry the stroller through the steps while waiting for the crowd to advance before us. As physically draining as it was, we felt a sense of achievement as we manage to snap a photo with the iconic Hokanji temple. We took the bus home after that and had an enjoyable dinner at Okonomiyaki Yoshino next door before an early night to recover.
Day 7 Kyoto - Nara - Osaka (Sunday)
We had some leftover food for brekky before checking out and heading to JR Kyoto via taxi. We head to the Kintetsu line and boarded the Vistacar limited express train to Nara. I've booked for the private room down stairs which was pretty spacious for the 5 of us and our luggage. After arriving at Kintetsu-Nara station, we took the 100 yen tourist bus to the famous Nara Deer Park and started exploring the area. There were plenty of deer roaming throughout/ resting on the ground and several vendors at the entrance selling deer crackers. After the kids were done feeding 2 sets of crackers, we head to Mizuya Chaya for lunch. There were limited seating so we sat by the side and ate with the bowl in our hands while feeding the kids. Probably the best Udon we had in our lives (level above Ozuru in Arashiyama and Hifumiya in Perth). Time for a nap so we put the kids down while making our way to have a closer look at Todaiji temple as there were too many stairs to Kasuga-taisha and we have yet to recover. We had our first Cremia here and it was amazing. After the kids woke up we took the bus back to Kintetsu-Nara station and explored the nearby street while waiting for our train. We then boarded the HINOTORI limited express bound for Osaka. While walking towards the hotel to check in, we were passing by Dotombori and opted to have a quick dinner and call it a day rather than coming out again after checking in and offloading our luggage. We ended up having curry at Hariju Dotombori Curry shop which taste d like a homely nourishing meal. After dinner we took the taxi to the hotel and fortunately our 2 other luggage that we forwarded days before are waiting for us to collect. Did some repacking and also laundry at a nearby laundromat before sleep.
Day 8 Osaka: Osaka Bay Area (Monday)
Started the day with brekky at MOS Burger just outside our hotel before taking the metro train to Osaka Bay Area. There were plenty to see as we approach the Kaiyukan, large LEGO animal displays, the large ferris wheel and Disney characters. The ticketing and entry time is staggered which is a good idea to control the amount of crowds going in and out. I started queueing at 1035am and got entry for 11am which was fair (opted not to book timeslot online as it can be unpredictable with kids and public transit) but we didn't felt like its a long wait as the kids were running around and enjoying the ocean view. The entry also have a photographer stationed to take a family polaroid with a whale shark replica for FREE. We were impressed with the aquarium's efficient layout where some prominent displays (Whale Shark, Seals etc) span across multiple floors so you can still enjoy them later on if you missed it earlier due to the crowds. Apart from sea creatures there are also Arctic mammals and birds (Puffins) from all over the world. The kids were over stimulated by lunch time so we head to the food court at Tempozan Market Place to refuel. After lunch we took the kids for a ferris wheel ride before putting both to sleep while we make our way to Shinsaibashisuji Shopping Street via metro line. As the kids were still asleep, I rested at Daimaru with my MIL while my wife went shopping. This turn out to be a fantastic place with a floor dedicated for kids (Pokemon centre, Pokemon cafe, BorneLund mini play area with many display toys available for sampling). The kids spent the rest of the day here after they woke up and we had dinner at the dining floor. There were queues everywhere and we chose to wait at Aozora Blue as they offer udon made with a higher wheat ratio here. Regrettably the kids didn't enjoy as much and prefer regular ones that we are used to. After dinner we took away cheescake from Rikuro for dessert back at our hotel. I made sure to online check in our flights before I go to bed.
Day 9 Osaka: Dotombori (Tuesday)
Our final day in Japan and we chose to do some shopping and take it easy. Tried Doutor Coffee for brekky (took a while to find as it was underground) before walking to Don Quijote at Dotombori. There's 6 floors crammed with various items: snacks, electronics, clothing, non prescription medication, toys, collectibles as well as a functional ferris wheel (operates after 2pm). That being said the kids got bored after awhile and didn't really enjoy much as there wasn't much space to move around. I brought them out to stroll around the Ebisu-bashi Bridge while my wife and MIL continue their haul. It was certainly a sight to behold: countless amount of large LCD screens with surround sound on full blast from every high rise building, street buskers vying for attention from crowds that were constantly on the move, tourists taking selfies in front of the iconic Glicoman. Sadly it started to drizzle so I quickly entered the Shinsaibashisuji Shopping Street undercover area and look for a place to have lunch. I stumbled across a Yoshinoya & Hanamaru joint food hall which was bustling with both locals and foreigners. You have to order and get your food from the counter before you can occupy a table so I waited for my wife and MIL to arrive before we start queueing up. We had the gyudon and beef Udon with onsen egg along with chicken karaage and tempura. There's also a condiment station with toppings to complement your udon as well as free tea and water. Everything was very affordable and best of all we didn't had to wait long. After lunch my wife continuing shopping while we head to Daimaru for the kids to have a nap and play afterwards. I noticed there's a bridge that connects each floor to the Parco next door and discovered a unique floor full of pop culture themed stores including a studio Ghibli store featuring Totoro and No-Face displays, a 2 ft tall Godzilla, Ultraman, Capcom superstore, Sanrio (Hello Kitty), Snoopy, Rilakkuma and also a LEGO store. The kids had a great time browsing and also playing with LEGO before my wife reunites with us. As it's nearing dinner time, I thought we try our luck getting a table at Ganko Dotombori and make our way towards Ebisu-bashi Bridge. The view here is even more spectacular at night with the contrasting lights as well as numerous LCD displays illuminating the area. Unfortunately there's a lengthy wait at Ganko and our party voted for street food instead which turn out surprising well. Kids devoured a dozen gyozas while we had takoyaki, kobe beef nigiri, yakitori and yakiniku skewers as we strolled along the street. It was still early so we made a detour towards Hozenji before walking back the hotel. Then we stumbled upon an arcade (Amuse Factory AXE) which naturally drawn the kids in, we got popcorn from a vending machine there and it was enough to keep the kids happy on our trek back. Before taking our last sleep in Japan, we organized our luggage and get them ready for check out the next day.
Day 10 Osaka: Sayonara (Wednesday)
Checked out of the hotel and took a private airport taxi to KIX. Had brekky at McD and Lawsons and surprised to find that the food here costs the same as outside (e.g. McD/ Hungry Jacks at Malaysian/ Australian airports cost more than the metro/ suburban outlets). Boarded the flight and bid Japan farewell for now while soaking in the surreal time we had.
List of accommodations for 3 adults and 1 child + 1 infant/ toddler
1. Orange House 701 (22,500 yen for 2 nights) 10/10
Location is not bad in a quiet area South of the bustling Dotombori area with Konbinis and JR Imamiya within walking distance. Washing machine, shower and stove took some time to figure out and my kid accidentally turned on the stove but luckily there's a safety button. Overall a brilliant accommodation at an affordable price and will consider returning if we come back to Osaka with kids.
2. Arashiyama bamboo guest house (55,650 yen for 2 nights + 1200 yen tax) 8/10
Prime location 1 min away from JR station, Lawson and walking distances to the local tourist strip, Bamboo Grove, Tenryu-ji and Togetsukyo Bridge. However the room is located on the 3rd floor with no lift so it can be a challenge for kids and older folk. The owner was kind enough to carry our 2 X 20kg luggage up and speaks a little English. The stay was rather comfortable even with futons to sleep on while my MIL slept on one of the single beds. We are unlikely returning to Arashiyama but would recommend this place if it suits your budget.
3. Kamoya Ryokan (35,400 yen for 2 nights + 2000 yen tax) 7.5/10
Not as central as the other accommodations but still within 10 mins walking distance to JR and bus lines. This is a shared accommodation so fridge, microwave and hot/ cold water is in the common area but we have a private bathroom to use. There are no beds so we all slept side by side on futons in the same room. For some reason kids are also taxed to stay a night here (200 yen) but the host was super friendly, spoke a bit of basic English and helped us with ordering a taxi when we checked out. For the price this is not a bad place for short term stay if cosleeping on futons together as a family is acceptable. Bonus: the okonomiyaki place next door is quite good albeit requiring a bit more effort to communicate but is worth it as plenty of locals seem to frequent there and our kids love the yakisoba.
4. Best Western Hotel Fino Osaka Shinsaibashi (40,450 yen for 3 nights) 8/10
Functional hotel relatively close to Shinsaibashi shopping street and Dotombori. 1 min walk away from Osaka metro station and 7 Eleven. There's also a 24 hour laundromat 5 mins walk away. Facilities are bare minimal but gets the job done as we only needed the place to crash and freshen up since there's a lot of shopping and remaining sightseeing to be done. All reception staff spoke English well and check in/ out was rather smooth. I would consider staying again if the rooms were larger but can't complain at this price point and location.
List of eateries we consider returning

• Yasaiya Mei
• Ejuan
• Kijurou
• Ozuru
• Upit's Burger
• Ramen Chabuton
• Okonomiyaki Yoshino
• Mizuya Chaya
• Yoshinoya & Hanamaru

Highlight of each day for the kids

1. Wandering around Life supermarket and exploring a new accommodation
2. Running around 300m above ground at the Abeno Harukas sky garden while having fruits/ snacks in between
3. Visiting Kimono Forest after dinner, watching the randen pass by at the crossing
4. Running around at Arashiyama park and watching the majestic Katsura river flowing rapidly
5. The outdoor playground at Kyoto railway museum among many other fun things there
6. The playground at Wagener Square across Heian Jingu
7. Interacting with deer and eating udon outdoors
8. Seeing different sea animals up close and ferris wheel ride after
9. Making friends at BorneLund and having imaginary play together despite the language barrier

Lessons learned (not in chronological order)

General tips

• We prepared about 160,000 yen cash before arriving at Japan but also have money via 1 x transfer wise debit card (digital), 1 x Westpac credit card (digital), 1 x ING debit card (physical). We ended up withdrawing a further 200,000 yen worth of cash. We opted not to bring any AUD as the rate is quite poor in Japan since most would prefer foreign exchangers would prefer USD.
• We didn't get to use our digital cards as most places in Kansai (Kanto might be different) that offer card payments still requires a physical card to read the chip.
• Please remember to bring the physical card of the credit card used for any online booking to avoid the stress I endured on day 3.
• We booked all the transit tickets online about a month prior and find it worthwhile rather than spending 15 - 30 mins in queue at the ticket counters. The limited express tickets go crazy fast and I recommend booking them the hour they become available (1 month prior your transit date and as soon as it is open in Japan time).
• We booked all 4 accommodations via booking.com and find the messenger via the app very handy in liaising with the owne receptionist on whether we can offload our luggage earlier or forward our luggage a few days in advance. One of them even told me that I can check in few hours earlier as the room was ready. Regardless of what platform you use, try to communicate with the accommodation prior your arrival if you are considering forwarding luggage or dropping them off before your official check in time.
• Booking multiple accommodations over a short span of time is very tiring as we are needing to worry about getting our luggage from A to B every second day but only able to check in the next place 5 - 6 hours after checking out the previous place (Most checkin starts from 3pm and checkout from 10am). Our transition days are always stressful as we don't get to do much due to the timing while handling multiple baggage so the kids are crankier.
• Rubbish/ garbage cans are mainly found on major train stations or shopping malls as well as konbinis. Most vending machines only have a recycle bin but we have plenty of disposable nappy bags which we use as rubbish bags if needed.
• We had 3 data Sims about 5GB each which was sufficient for the 9 days (navigation, Google translate, WhatsApp voice call). Free wifi is available at most places which we use whenever we need to photo dump on WhatsApp group chats or play YouTube for the kids.
• My eSim stopped working when we arrived at Kyoto from Osaka but luckily I tried rebooting my phone and it connected to the local network after. Another down side of data only Sim is there is no Japanese mobile number which can be handy (make reservations at restaurants or signing up for taxi apps to get taxi).
• We use Google Maps and Japan Travel by NAVITIME App to plan our overall route each day, public transit details is quite clear via Google Maps with several options for different J metro/ bus lines. While Japan Travel App is able to approximate cost of taxi which was useful for comparison.
• For translation, we used DeepL app when we wanted to converse with someone in Japanese and Google Translate for written Japanese translation via the camera.
• In Osaka, getting around via JR and Metro is optimal in terms of time and cost; In Kyoto, buses are more readily available but be prepared to stand shoulder to shoulder as the buses are not big and averages around 30 - 50 people. We recommend a taxi if travelling a short distance (<10 minutes) for a family that can fit into a single car.
• You can forward luggage at your hotel or local 7 eleven via Yamato transport within Osaka.
• The Jikan refreshing legs patch worked well for me but my wife got woken up few times as her feet felt cold due to the cooling effect. We got some heat patches the next day and it worked better for her.
• A few Japanese phrases go along way and perhaps it's why we mostly get friendly responses (arigato gozaimas, ohaiyo, konnichiwa, kore onegaishimas, doitashi mashite, hitotsu onegaishimas, daijorbudes, kodomo).
• The basement level of most department stores/ shopping malls sells a variety of package deserts and often a bakery opened till 8pm where we sometimes go to after dinner to get brekky for the next morning.
• Some malls have an express lift (stops only at 1F and 10F) and it may be quicker to use those in combination with escalators to get to the level you like quickly.
• Coin lockers are found is almost every major attraction and JR station but finding a large one that is available can be challenging so allow extra time. Most coin lockers only take 100 yen coins with the exception of newer ones which also takes IC cards as payment.
• Some food courts have drinkable water for you to refill your bottles but otherwise vending machines and konbinis will quench your hydration needs (the peach drink is pretty addictive).
• Other than Booking.com, Google maps, Google Translate, DeepL and Japan Travel by NAVITIME, we didn't really used the other apps we downloaded before hand but you might find a use for them: Mamamap, NERV, Ecbo cloak, Klook.

Child related tips

• Younger kids take awhile to acclimatize to a foreign environment and our kids were more lethargic than they normally are during the day, sometimes needing 2 naps instead of 1 so be prepared to adjust your plans and skip over some places that were catered specifically for them if needed.
• Google maps only tells you the distance to get you from Point A to Point B horizontally. Unfortunately it doesn't consider the routes involving travelling multiple floors to avoid heavy traffic even with wheelchair access enabled. For instance you can go across Tenshiba Garden from JR Tennoji via the overhead bridge (not ideal as the route is longer with a stroller) or underground (best with a stroller but unfortunately Google Maps doesn't show this route and we stumble across it by chance).
• Google maps navigation over multiple floors is also not very accurate but the local directory maps are very informative so take extra time to study it and find the nearest access (parents room, lift or exit to above ground/ underground).
• The lift (singular as most train station platforms only share one lift unless it's a major one like Osaka/ Kyoto etc), are often located at one end of the platform so allow additional 15 - 20 minutes when travelling with strollers or luggage.
• Most department stores/ shopping malls (Daimaru etc) have a floor suitable for kids with toy samples for playing and sometimes even a free play area (Bornelund).
• Our kids love the Butaman from Horai and we probably purchased from 5 different stores throughout the trip (they are located at almost every major station and department store). Find something that works for your kids that can be found readily (7-11, family mart, Lawson's, daily Yamazaki etc) as back up when they didn't want to eat where you were dining at or if they fell asleep and skipped a meal.
• 100 yen stores (Daiso, 3 coins, Seria, Can*Do, Watts) have plenty of cheap kid activities (e.g. sticker books, puzzles, bubble wand etc) that can entertain them throughout the day/ in restaurants/ in the showe in the accommodation before bed etc.
• Paid Attractions in Kansai that are worthwhile if your kids are under 5 (6 and above may be charged separately): Tennoji Zoo, Abeno Harukas 300, Kyoto Railway Museum, Osaka Kaiyukan, Tempozan Ferris Wheel.
• Other brekky alternatives that we liked apart from konbinis/ bakeries were MOS burgers and Doutor coffee. Gyudons (sukiya, matsuya, yoshinoya) morning menu was a bit too heavy for our kids and other options we would have tried were too far from where we stayed (Tully's, McDonalds, KoHiKan).
• Some places require you order a main meal per adult but we are small eaters so we make sure what we ordered was something our kids might eat (not spicy etc).
• Tabelog is useful to tell you the size of the restaurant and we avoided anywhere that seats less than 20 people to save time.
• We tried to eat at a restaurant for lunch and dinner the first few days but actually realize the kids enjoy munching on small eats from konbinis/ street vendors more than a casual sit down meal so we were a bit more spontaneous the second half of the trip.
• Watch out for deer poo at Nara especially when pushing your stroller! Most of the deer are quite friendly and let you pet them but don't touch their tail area as they can get defensive. If your kids are feeding away the crackers too quickly, break them in half so you have more 'ammunition'.
• Metro and JR Trains (including limited express ones) stop for less than 10 seconds. Please remember to unlock your stroller when you are approaching your next stop and prepare to jump out.

Good morning!! I am very excited!! I've been wanting to sample this brand for awhile but put it off due to the price. I looked in the Sunday swap a few times, but never quite found what I was looking for. I suppose people like to hang on to their Fantome samples haha (Which means its good right?)
Have you guys tried any of these? What are your thoughts? What is your favorite? What didn't you like?
Arashiyama ( Rain-drenched bamboo, fresh aomikan slices, Japanese pear, cherry blossom, sandalwood, ginger, white tea, and faded perfume musk. )
Duende ( Evokes the smell of being lost in a forest—with oakmoss, cedar, fir, resinous labdanum, benzoin, tree sap, wild violets, and lilac. )
Kinmokusei ( Golden osmanthus in its full complexity—golden blossoms tinged with citrus, ripe apricot, juicy peach, tree sap, and deep, resinous amber. )
Baba Yaga ( Black and red musk, a smoldering cauldron, cracked bone, cardamom, hanging animal skins, burning mugwort.)
Lorelei ( Tart wild strawberries, basil, black narcissus, entangling seaweed, watery graves )
Bune ( Damp subterranean air, nagarmotha, smooth cave walls, davana, a cold marble altar, & glittering green dragon scales )
Not Dead, But Arisen ( Freshly turned grave soil and spring greenery lie beneath uplifting orange and crisp yuzu. )

This is going to be part scent Request, part scent Review of all the green/lemony scents I've tried so far....
I'm a bit of a green witch and I love having green undernotes to my perfumes. Generally, I've just been layering other scents over either For Strange Women's French Oakmoss or Pineward's Eldritch, but I would love to find some more standalone green scents. As well a some citrus scents!! I absolutely Love citrus, but scent-wise (the same with the Green scents) have been turning out smelling more like cleaning fluid or something I'd put on my dryer ball or a room spray, not necessarily use as a perfume. There are a few that have worked out, though, so I thought I'd share my reviews of those too!
_______________________________________________________________________ My rating system: 1/5 - I will never wear it and I actively don't like/hate this scent. 2/5 - It doesn't really smell like a perfume or I don't really like it 3/5 - meh, it's okay. It'll be an okay mixing agent, or someone else may like it, it's just not for me by itself 4/5 - I do like it, it's just got something small missing from making it perfect, ie: It dries down weird, or it fades fast 5/5 - I absolutely adore this scent. Any more and I want to swim in it lol
Here's what I've tried so far and how they smelled to me:
Alkemia
Moss Maiden ( Ferns, bark, lichen, crushed autumnal greens, and moss) - 2/5 - I May use this as a green layering note, but mainly I'd probably use it as a dryer ball scent or room spray. It does smell like a mossy cave...but if that mossy cave was SUPER clean lol. It's got this weird cleaning spray vibe in there
Green Witch ( oakmoss, Diviner's sage, lemon verbena, orchid, nightshade, winterhazel, rowen bark) - 2/5 - This one's got some lemon in with the green, but again, just screams 'This is laundry detergent!' to me when I smell it :/
Baccante (Blueberries, Oakmoss, wild ivy, lavender, tonka, and forest fungi) - 6/5 - I will be totally buying a full bottle of this. It's one of the first perfumes that could be a total standalone for me. It's like you're standing in a blueberry field, full of ripe fresh blueberries. I would legit rate it a 10/5 if it didn't disappear so fast on me. That may just be my skin, though.
Sucreabeille
Vodka & Swearing - (Sedona, sage, lemongrass, mojito, and juniper) 3/5 - Doesn't quite give off 'Cleaning fluid' but it does give off Very photorealistic 'Mojito'. I just sadly don't really get anything else. Just lemon mojito. Like, smelling it is akin to holding a lemon mojito up to your nose, quite literally. Not sure if I'd like to smell like that alone. If the green herbs were better in there, maybe I'd wear it...I may actually overlayer it with Green Witch and see how it does, after writing out these....
**OH MY GOODNESS OKAY I FOUND THE MIX lol...layer on For Strange Women's French Oakmoss under Alkemia's Green Witch, and top with Suc's Vodka & Swearing lol. No lie...It's a pretty great lemony Green witch scent, without being too 'Cleaner Fluid-y'. later, after the drydown, It does dry down a bit too perfumey/powdery, though, so later throughout the day, I layer on Baccante or Where the Wild things Grow (look down below), to bring in a fruity element to the mix. Unfortunately, my skin does suck those up, so I've gotta reapply like every 2 hours
haha love when that works out, though lol.... Hope that scent combo helps someone else **
Pineward
Boreal - 3/5 - (pine needles, mint, cedar, resins, moss. Frigid forest of the northern wilderness. Chilly mint gives way to a soft bed of creamy cedar, pine, and moss.)
If you like Mint, this one's for you. It is Straight Mint. The cedar pine and moss are almost non existent props to the Very strong Mint. Me personally, I was hoping for more of a Hint of mint overlaying a stronger scent of cedar and pine and moss, but the opposite was more true with this one. You do get a good underlayer of cedar on the drydown, but even in the drydown, you still get that wintery mint. It'll be a great mint additive to some of my stronger foresty scents, though! And I think, layered with Krampus it will be really nice winteyule scent. After the Drydown, you can really tell it's a softer minty version of Borealis lol. Like Boreal is the pale, shy dark woods winter witch, while Borealis is the wild and chaotic summer dark swamp witch sister
Borealis - was a 1/5, now a 3/5 - (Notes: snowdrifts, peppermint, camphor, black tea, black elder, valerian root, ocean spume, fir balsam, orris root, pine needles, incense, sandalwood, Irish ambergris, cedarmoss, patchouli, deer musk (botanic accord), ashes)
First Reaction: I REALLY did not like this one. It was a freebie given (which they were amazing to include so many freebies), but this one, to me has a very stringent vibe with an underlayer of almost urine smell( the musk, I think). I don't get very much of the pine, but it does have a black apothecary vibe to the smell. Like it's the smell of an old trappegatherer's cabin. A witch in the woods that you go to, to trade when you're desperate. If you like musk and dark foresty herbs and dirt, then this one is for you. It is STRONG on the musk, though
BUT, Okay, just fyi this is the poster child for letting a scent rest lol. I didn't much like it at first, but After a few months I tried it again and now it's going to be a great dark green witch undertone scent lol. I don't get much winter vibes, though lol. Just dark forest ones. Like it's a bit more Swamp witch then Eldritch (next down below), but it could be a sister to the "Bella Lestrange would wear me as perfume" vibe
Eldritch - 4/5 -
Notes: Leather, Myrrh, patchouli, fir, oolong tea, opoponax, smoke, pine needles, oakmoss.
Lair of ancient eldritch abominations, a resinous and dark perfume for the bold and unafraid. Fall 2023 Version: additional tea & moss
This was a Curiosity's sake purchase when I saw this on a list of 'If you want to smell like a witch' suggestions (very accurate just fyi). First on my skin I definitely get the sharp leather notes and I think the myrrh. It is definitely a challenging scent and more of a unisex or masculine scent, but me as a witchy woman, I love it as a green undertone. I think I'm totally getting the Opoponax (resin that smells like oak honey powder and leather), the smoke and the fir. First out of the gate I feel like it makes me smell like a dark and mysterious apothecary witch, with her shop at a dock in the middle of a dark swampy bayou. And I think I do really like the addition of tea and moss into the scent, otherwise, I think it'd be more of a straight, almost pirate-y, unisex/masc scent
First dry down it softens beautifully, so if you think it's too strong and overpowering at first, don't worry. It'll mellow
Long dry down, it does get a bit musty and stale herbally after a bit. But it is Just perfect if you want a remnant scent of 'I just walked through a witchy herbal shop in the Bayou' vibe
Just keep in mind, right out the bottle, it is a very challenging scent. Make sure to let it rest a bit, and then try it on your skin, too, before judging.
*note: if you're not an herbally/witchy woman, this may be more of a masculine scent pull. I could totally see giving this scent to a guy friend/family member, if you get it and it's not for you. For me personally, though, I love it as my witchy base layer under something super fruity (like SF&F's Lilac & Gooseberries), to give me the perfect fruity complex green witchy scent.
White Fir 5/5 - Notes of orange, ginger, white fir, clove, anise, pine, musk, vetiver, oakmoss
The PERFECT wintery citrus scent. The only more perfect addition would be to layer it with a patchouli or more of a 'dark forest' scent, to give it a bit more depth and less 'Winter Cleaning day' vibe
Clemenpine -2/5 - (Notes Clementine, Blood Orange, Maritime Pine, Night-Blooming Jasmine, Saffron Flower, Rough Suede, Passion Fruit, White Lotus, Fir Balsam, Tobacco Leaf, Cedar Planks, Leather, Sandalwood, Pacific Ambergris)
I really wish I had had the chance to let this one settle for a few months like the others (pineward really needs some settle time to fully bloom, just fyi), but sadly it got dropped onto my cement floor and shattered, so I only had my first impressions of it, which was that it smelled like PURE cleaning fluid. I'm talking orange Pine-sol :/ . Which really sucks, cause I love orange and citrusy scents and was very hopeful for this one. Eventually I may get another sample of it, to try again, but I was really disappointed in it.
Meadowmoss 2/5
Notes: Oakmoss, Alpine Sandwort, Wild grass, Green Wheat, Orange Blossom, Fir Balsam, Tomato Leaf, Azure Bluet, Mountain Wildflowers.
This one is one of those scents I wouldn't actually wear. BUT, one I may use on like my dryer balls or as a room spray on furniture in spring. It really is like you're standing out in an open field in the Swiss alps singing the Hills are Alive next to a wayward nun. If that's what you'd like to smell like? This one is for you! Not really for wearing on me, though. It smells like a dryer sheet.
Ivymoss 3/5
Notes: Climbing Ivy, Green Tea, Spearmint, Lime Rind, Lemon Verbena, Waterlily, Emerald Cypress, Mugo Pine, Cedarwood, Oakmoss, Treemoss, Cedarmoss.
This is one that DEFINITELY needs rest. At first it was purely going to be another dryer ball scent. But after Months of letting it rest (like legit half a year), I actually think I like the scent enough to maybe wear it! (at least as an undertone, if not as a standalone). It's a very Bright Green scent. Fresh, without smelling overtly like cleaning fluid or laundry detergent. But, it does give that hint. Like Irish Soap almost. It's truly like walking through a forest in very early spring, with the air still crisp, but new plants starting to grow....and you're wearing freshly laundered clothes lol
It's not one I would wear a Lot, I don't think....but maybe in early spring with a apple-y scent. Or maybe as an undertone layer with something like a sweet honeysuckle scent

Greymist 5/5
Notes: Noble Fir, Scotch Pine, Expressed Citron, Blond Tobacco, Botanical Musk, Vetiver.
Another one that Really needs to rest, before you try, cause I'm pretty sure it was on the list of scents I REALLY don't like, when I first scented these. But now months after, this one's gonna be one of my favorite winter scents, I think. It legit smells like Christmas time. The fir and pine Really stands out, and you get that little bit of tobacco in there too, almost like you're hugging Santa and he smokes a pipe lol. Quite honestly, it may actually be a standalone scent for me, for winter time
Acadian 3.5/5
Notes: Sweet Yuzu, Bergamot, Juniper Berry, Ivy, Eucalyptus, Waterlily, Goldenrod, Heliotrope, Seaweed, Cedar, Oakmoss
This scent reminds me of trips to the Lost sea or Rock city. Smelling the damp mossy forests and wet mountain stone. That smell of caves found along hikes in damp foggy weather. I can't really pick out any of the individual notes at all, which is sad, cause I do like a lot of those individual scents. But, it is a really nice combination into a unisex/masculine scent. All of Pineward, so far has leaned more to the Unisex/masc cologne side of things. But, this one I do like to pair with something like Lorelei from Fantome, which is a strawberry over seawater and seaweed scent
A little goes a Very long way. It's got a very long throw. I like pairing a DOT of it with one of my sweeter fruity or floral scents. If I use too much, it does dry down a bit powdery and strong and gives me a headache, which is why I put it at 3.5 instead of 4/5
Akero 4/5
Notes: green apple, benzoin, patchouli, sandalwood, cedar.
The first bit of a freshly picked green apple. When I smell this, it transports me to a green apple orchard, with the apples just getting ripe. It's definitely got a Green earthy undertone, but the bright apple evens it out a bunch. I really love this, even alone, or layered with a sweeter fruit scent, like Kinmousekai from fantome. I do wish the Cedasandalwood stood out a bit more, though. I may have to try putting a drop of this onto an actual cedar chip. See how it smells
Ollie & Max
Spring Witch 2/5 Notes: an enchanting blend of rosewater, jasmine and lily top notes, middle notes of clover and greenery, finishing with citrus and herbs
This one is another dryer ball scent for me, unfortunately. A really nice dryer scent, though! Perfect for springtime. I just more expect this scent with detergent, not a perfume
Sorcellerie Apothecary
Where the Wild Things Grow 3/5 1: the Sweet version.
Notes: Late spring strawberries still on the vine and vanilla cream soda slowly fade to strawberry blossoms, fresh green grass with morning dew, and ambrette seed.
I do like this, but not on its own. It's got a bit of a chemically tone in there (from the 'cream soda' I think). It does give fizzy strawberry drink, vibe, though. I like layering it over Fantome's Lorelei and FSW's French Oakmoss for a strawberry witch vibe
II: The fruity green version. Notes:
Late spring strawberries still on the vine and vanilla cream soda slowly fade to strawberry blossoms, fresh green grass with morning dew, and ambrette seed.
I do like this one, but it's a bit Too much artificial candy and green grass for me, if that makes sense. It reminds me of sucking on a strawberry candy as a kid, running around in the fresh cut grass. I do like it, I just have to layer it with Lorelei and other green/fruity notes, otherwise it gives me a headache
Fantome
Lorelei - 4/5
Notes: Tart wild strawberries, basil, black narcissus, entangling seaweed, watery graves
It starts off with a punch of fruity strawberry, but has bottom notes of salty seaweed and sweet basil. And I absolutely love it when basil finds its way into perfumes. I absolutely love that scent. I just wish there was More basil and other herbs, maybe
I do love this scent, but not on its own. I love it as a mid level mixing layer, though. Usually I'll layer it above something like Eldritch or Acadian or French Oakmoss (see all three above), and then top off with one or both of the Where the Wild Things Are scents (also look above), for a more full bodied Strawberry Witch vibe scent.
____________________________________________________________________________ TL;DR:
So, essentially, I've had some hits and some misses. I love Fruity scents and I want green witch/kitchen witch herbal vibes with my scents. I like gourmands. I sometimes like florals (just more on the fruity floral side, not the powdery floral side). I HATE with a passion powdery scents and scents that go cleanedetergent vibes.
Can ya'll help with some recommendations for any lemon or orange citrusy perfumes that don't go 'cleaner fluid or detergent' vibes? And/or any herbal or Green scents that I may like?
Please & Thank you!!

(OP mostly stolen from last year's rate, which was mostly stolen from the year before's, which was mostly stolen from the 10s Boy Groups/Girl Group SMACKDOWN OPs, they paved the way)
Welcome to the 2023 K-Pop Essentials Rate! Us 3 hosts (u/1998tweety, u/LilacDaffodils, & u/throwaway-7650) are excited to host the 3rd annual K-Pop yearly review rate. Last year, NewJeans - Ditto was crowned the winner of 2022 K-Pop Essentials - with TWICE - The Feels also winning 2021 K-Pop Essentials while being the only artist having 3 songs in the rate, will that trend continue this year, either by NewJeans again/several other artists also represented with 3 songs, or will the streak be broken by crowning a new winner altogether? Without further ado, here's this year's list of Essentials^TM:

1. (G)-IDLE - Queencard
2. aespa - Drama
3. aespa - Spicy
4. AKMU - Love Lee
5. ATEEZ - BOUNCY (K-HOT CHILLI PEPPERS)
6. BABYMONSTER - BATTER UP
7. Billlie - EUNOIA
8. BSS - Fighting (ft. Lee Young Ji)
9. Dreamcatcher - BONVOYAGE
10. ENHYPEN - Bite Me
11. EXO - Cream Soda
12. FIFTY FIFTY - Cupid (Twin Ver.)
13. fromis_9 - #menow
14. H1-KEY - Rose Blossom
15. ITZY - CAKE
16. IVE - Baddie
17. IVE - I AM
18. IVE - Kitsch
19. JENNIE - You & Me
20. JEON SOMI - Fast Forward
21. JIHYO - Killin' Me Good
22. Jimin - Like Crazy
23. JISOO - FLOWER
24. Jung Kook - 3D (feat. Jack Harlow)
25. Jung Kook - Seven (feat. Latto)
26. Jung Kook - Standing Next To You
27. KAI - Rover
28. KISS OF LIFE - Shhh
29. KISS OF LIFE - Sugarcoat (NATTY Solo)
30. LE SSERAFIM - Eve, Psyche & the Bluebeard's wife
31. LE SSERAFIM - Perfect Night
32. LE SSERAFIM - UNFORGIVEN (feat. Nile Rodgers)
33. LEE CHAE YEON - KNOCK
34. Loossemble - Sensitive
35. NCT DOJAEJUNG - Perfume
36. NCT DREAM - ISTJ
37. NCT U - Baggy Jeans
38. NewJeans - ETA
39. NewJeans - OMG
40. NewJeans - Super Shy
41. NMIXX - Love Me Like This
42. NMIXX - Roller Coaster
43. ODD EYE CIRCLE - Air Force One
44. Red Velvet - Chill Kill
45. RIIZE - Get A Guitar
46. SEVENTEEN - Super
47. SHINee - HARD
48. STAYC - Bubble
49. STAYC - Teddy Bear
50. Stray Kids - LALALALA
51. Stray Kids - S-Class
52. TAEMIN - Guilty
53. TAEYANG - VIBE (feat. Jimin)
54. TAEYEON - To. X
55. TOMORROW X TOGETHER - Chasing That Feeling
56. TOMORROW X TOGETHER - Sugar Rush Ride
57. tripleS - Girls' Capitalism
58. tripleS - Rising
59. TWICE - MOONLIGHT SUNRISE
60. TWICE - SET ME FREE
61. V - Love Me Again
62. VIVIZ - MANIAC
63. XG - LEFT RIGHT
64. XG - SHOOTING STAR
65. YENA - Hate Rodrigo (feat. YUQI)
66. ZEROBASEONE - In Bloom

But... where's this group or that song? Why is x in over y? [etc.]?

The main goal when curating the selection was to create a list of the most notable releases by K-Pop acts that catered to popheads' interests and taste. To determine whether a song should be included, multiple metrics, including local (Korean) and international success, streaming numbers, "... of the year" lists, acclaim from critics and online fan spaces, relevance in the sub, etc. were used. We also wanted to have a broad and diverse lineup that represented as many acts as possible, but given the competitive and fast-paced nature of the K-Pop industry, not everyone could be included, unfortunately. The reason why your robbed fave was excluded is likely either 1) the act was already well-represented in the rate or 2) it didn't do well enough in the metrics to replace any of the songs currently in the lineup. Which leads us to the...

Bonus Rate:

1. THE BOYZ - LIP GLOSS
2. THE BOYZ - ROAR
3. THE BOYZ - WATCH IT

As THE BOYZ were the unfortunate final cut of the rate this year, we as hosts decided to bring back the secret bonus rate idea from 2 years ago and each picked a "payola" song for the bonus rate and this is what we ended up with, 100% serious. THE BOYZ now joins the other 4 artists with 3 songs in the rate, making for a total of 5! Which title track of theirs from last year will come out on top?

Bonus Rate Playlists: Spotify Apple Music YouTube

Note: the bonus rate is optional so if you'd like to skip it just leave those lines untouched, you can also only give scores between 1-10 (aka no 11/0)
If you’re already familiar with rate rules and can’t wait to get started, feel free to skip the rest of this post and send your ballot using THIS LINK - this is a shared account so all 3 of us will be looking over the ballots. Here are the Spotify and Apple Music playlists as well as the YouTube playlist(s)*: we strongly recommend watching the music videos if you have time, as so much of the quintessential K-Pop experience has to do with the visuals - they are integral to the music and may also enhance your enjoyment of a song. If you ever find yourself bored, we encourage you to take advantage of the MVs!
* see the Playlists section for more details
Many thanks to the talented brilliant incredible etc. Nick (u/whoisValensi) for the incredible playlist cover!

Rules:

• You must listen and assign a score to EVERY song listed. If your ballot is missing any scores it will not be eligible and you'll be sent a message asking you to fill in the missing scores.
• Each song should be assigned a score between 1 to 10. Decimals up to one point are allowed but any further is a no-no – 9.9 is fine, but 9.99 is not.
• You can use ONE 0 and ONE 11 for the entirety of the rate, for your least favorite and most favorite song respectively - they are optional but HIGHLY encouraged if you feel some type of way about any given song! Comments are also very encouraged but not required for such scores.
• Please be sure to submit your scores using the prepared message format linked here, it makes it infinitely easier for us to record your scores using the rate machine program. **
• Comments are encouraged and much appreciated (but not required) and can be added to any song by simply typing after the numerical score, like so:

FIFTY FIFTY - Cupid (Twin Ver.): 1 50/50? they're just begging me to give them a 5.0 so I'll divide instead **

** This is the ONLY correct way to format a comment. Please do not include colons (ex. 10: I stan!), dashes (ex. 1 - ?), or any other symbol after your score/before your comment as it breaks the program.

• DO NOT SABOTAGE! Hopefully this shouldn’t be a problem as we trust you guys (famous last words) but we reserve the right to reject your ballot + ask you to change your scores and/or leave comments, especially for scores on the low end. Ultimately, please just rate all of the songs truthfully – this will make the whole process a lot easier and more fun for everyone involved!
• Use the provided message link to submit or by copying this pastebin into a Reddit convo.
• If you want to change scores or add comments at any point, don't hesitate to message this Reddit account (u/2023inKPOP). You can find us on Discord as well in the Popheads Discord #rates channel (or even submit your ballot through Discord DMs if there is any Reddit messaging issue)!

DUE DATE:

around the middle of June (15th) [EST] - there will be no extensions so don't procrastinate until the final hour(s)! but we'll accept anything that shows up in our inbox through the end of the weekend

REVEAL DATES:

June 21st - 23rd (times TBD, EST)

Day 1 - TBD Day 2 - TBD Day 3 - TBD

Playlists:

Spotify (+ BONUS)

Apple Music (+ BONUS)

YouTube (sorted by release date/popularity + BONUS)

BONUS PLAYLIST: Tidal

LINK TO SEND IN SCORES

* as a backup option please use this pastebin for your ballot and DM it to u/2023inKPOP

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The sun rises to another glorious day upon the world of Proper Human History, shining light upon the world's largest gathering of the mentally insane: Chaldea.
And in the far far reaches of this good place, a small teenage girl awakens with one thing alone in her mind: determination to make the person she really really loves / completely platonically totally likes [she's bipolar] wear a dress.
She springs out of bed with deathly tenacity and dresses herself in a hat and cloak and rushes onward to this person's room with the frilly outfit in one arm.
But he is gone. Missing.
Kidnapped.
Artoria "Castoria" Caster (occasionally called Altria by insane people) is distressed. Not by the fact that a close friend of hers is kidnapped and may be suffering, but because she's being prevented from seeing him in the drag.
Fortunately, Artoria Caster is a Touhou player. She even dodges the water in her shower, creating what she likes to refer to as her "gamer girl scent" (though others don't quite seem to appreciate it).
Regardless, as a Touhou player, whenever faced with a problem, she follows the Reimu school of beating the shit out of people in the vicinity till she discovers the culprit of her misfortune by law of averages. And so she begins her mildly violent quest.

Target: Fae Queen Girlfailure

She jumps out of the building and begins looking for other people to beat up. There she spots an enemy: Morgan. As her femboy's best friend's wife, there's an adequate reason to believe she may be the cause of his disappearance!
...
Morgan, Avalon le Fae, Queen of Fairies, has been working on rehabilitation ever since coming to Chaldea. It's been a difficult journey, but getting married, reconnecting with her daughter, calming down about the fae -- she's well on her way to finally accomplishing all her heartfelt dreams.
She walks with her daughter down the street. After their estranged relationship, it's a wonderful feeling to finally act as a mother and enjoy her daughter's presence. Morgan offers to have lunch with Baobhan at the local restaurant and talk about sweet girly things - mother to daughter. A bonding experience for the two she very much looks forward to.
Suddenly, they are interrupted. A small teenager assaults Morgan's daughter and beats her within an inch of her life. "What the hell?" cries Morgan confused before this small teenager then immediately moves on to breaking every bone in the fae queen's body. After realising they weren't the cause for the disappearance of her best friend, she leaves.

Target: The Abyssal Sore Loser

Oberon. He must have stolen her best friend for his own fruity purposes, that fiendish insect! After all, he's clearly a European. Castoria breaks into his room, which is actually her room which is actually John Grandorder's room.
"What? No, I literally have a wife. Why would you think that?" refutes Oberon.
"Because!" Castoria completely negates his argument.
She then crushes his wings, messes up his hair, and steps on Bianca's corpse because she can. Alas! He is not the cause behind the kidnapping.

Target: Old Hag

Kiara. May have kidnapped her best friend to commit Nanaya Grindset on him? Castoria propels herself to the moon through sheer rage to question her.
"What? No, I only need myself to-" the alluring witch argues. Castoria is having none of it.
The universe ending lust of the Beast of Humanity has nothing on that of the perverse degenerate depravities of a sixteen year old teenage girl with a crush on a boy (Seriously, have you seen teenagers?). Kiara is instantly obliterated as Castoria unleashes her aura.
...But nope. Not her either.

Target: Annoying Robot who can't pronounce Senpai properly

BB. Could she have kidnapped John Grandorder for her Senpai fetishes?! Castoria while on the moon, after smoking moon sugar with Astolfo, checks around.
"Huh? No, I know I'd ordinarily do that, but this time I was just reconnecting with my five daughters-"
Castoria unleashes a computer virus and bricks BB before furiously screaming at her for having an acronym for a name instead of just acting like a normal person and calling herself Black Blossom.
But no. No dice here.

Target: Kuudere Castoria

Artoria Saber. Castoria has no clue how Saber's related to her best friend John Grandorder, but she's just spitballing here so she can get a chance to beat the shit out of her schizophrenic alternate personality.
Young Castoria breaks into Avalon.
"Wait, who in the world are-" Saber Artoria does not finish as the furious hatted girl unveils her Wisconsin Heritage and instantly kills her. She spots a redheaded boy next to her.
"Oh, hey dad!" she says.
"Huh?! I have a daughte-!?"
Castoria annihilates the swordphiliac. Disappointed to discover they hadn't been the culprits, she investigates deeper.

Target: Old Man who likes Cardcaptor Sakura

Zelretch. It's certain. If no one else, it must be him. He looks upon all worlds. Clearly he noticed John Grandorder's INCREDIBLE POTENTIAL and KIDNAPPED HIM TO KEEP CASTORIA'S PROPERTY FOR HIMSELF!
"Huh-" the greatest mage in history doesn't even have time to formulate a response before the Child of Prophecy nae-naes on his old self causing him to die of cringe from not understanding the newer generations.
But he is not the kidnapper.

Target: Big Ass Spider

ORT. Being the only character to have canonically tangoed with Ritsuka, could it have kidnapped him?!
Castoria goes to the hell that is Brazil to investigate.
"⬥︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ♋︎❒︎♏︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ♏︎❖︎♏︎■︎ ⧫︎♋︎●︎🙵♓︎■︎♑︎ ♋︎♌︎□︎◆︎⧫︎?" says ORT.
Castoria, not speaking Undertale, takes a gun and shoots the unlucky Type seven times in the spider ribs before spraying it with bug repellent, imbuing it with the concept of death and ending its existence.
...but not even the Spider has her femboy...

Target: Saint Martha's Boxing Instructor

God. Unable to think of anyone in spot, Castoria concludes it must be God's fault.
"What the f***?" asks God as the small fae girl somehow pipebombs him to death.
...No, it seems God wasn't the culprit.

WHERE IS HE???

Castoria's running out of leads. She's massacred half the multiverse's population and not one of them knew where her beloved best friend was. Each time, they'd say "I'm sorry, but princess Guda is in another castle!"
Then it hits her. How could she not have realised? She unlocks the vast extent of her hatred and with that immense wrath, teleports to Fuyuki at once.
There! The thief! The vile little misbegotten that stole away John Grandorder, her favourite slave!
"Old man!" screams Castoria.
"Artoria, this is an intervention!" says Muramasa. "You CANNOT treat other people as property! I've confiscated your femboy and will be keeping him locked away till your grades improve."
"I refuse," proclaims Castoria. "Give me back my Fujimarussy. I need it"
Muramasa, unable to reason with the rabid child, turns to the only thing a father from the middle ages knows to do when his kids become rebellious.
Domestic abuse.
The two of them begin an earth shattering duel, Muramasa with his greatest sword: Poor Dad Jokes, Castoria with her ultimate power: Wobbly Punches. But Muramasa's Anti-Fatherless skill beats out Castoria's overwhelming strength.
The fae girl lies defeated upon the ground, her earnest wishes denied. She squalls in despair. From her desperation births a new technique: Nostalgic attack.
Castoria reminds Muramasa of how cute she was when she was just a baby. Despite Muramasa having never raised her as a baby, this has the effect it does upon all fathers and causes his heart to constrict from paternal love. What a cruel girl.
"Where did the years go?" asks Castoria. The finishing blow. How terrible. Muramasa rapidly ages several decades and withers into a husk from the sadness on seeing that his adorable baby girl is no longer a baby girl even if he feels that way.
She confronts John Grandorder who's stuck in the hidden cookie jar. She raises her hands to get her hands on it. Finally-
"I refuse!" shouts Fujimaru Ritsuka, Last Sane Person of Humanity.
After years upon years of being abused by Servants; being forcefully married by Morgan, being trapped in a time paradox by Melusine, being prevented from living out his homoerotic fantasies with Kadoc by Anastasia and after EMIYA Alter forgot to add pickles onto his sandwich for the umpteenth time, this Master has had enough.
He kicks his way free and challenges Castoria. Castoria laughs. He has no combat capacity with which to threaten her. The fight's in the bag-
...wait, is he throwing hats at her?
After many hours locked inside a cookie jar, John Grandorder ascended beyond human barriers and achieved the legendary ability of hat bending. Any hat he sees becomes his to control. He raises his fingers and Castoria screeches in horror as her hat betrays her to go over to his side.
John Grandorder and his army of hats assault the poor mage, fighting to win his freedom. With shadow boxing, pipe bombs, wobbly punches, and more, Castoria is a formidable foe, but not even she can defeat-

Concentrated Drip Force.

The girl falls to floor, defeated. John Grandorder, Fujimaru Ritsuka raises his arms in victory.
Never again shall he put on the maid outfit.
This is freedom.

FIN