Osaka has been amazing. It’s my first encounter with climates below 10 degree celsius, and I thought I might freeze to death but I didn’t. In fact, I enjoyed the cold so much, I tried walking on the streets without my winter jacket until I couldn’t really stand the cold anymore. Most of the time, I feel cool instead of cold and it was the best feeling ever, for someone who lives in a country that’s 30+ hot every.single.day.
There is something unique about every season, and while the popular seasons to visit are usually spring and autumn, winter has a certain charm to it as well. Shopping may not be as fabulous because the malls mostly sell winter wear, long-sleeved tops, sweaters and stuff, you can still find pretty cool things to buy. Especially in a country like Japan – Everything looks so pretty and good-quality, it’s really hard to resist. And I haven’t even started on talking about the food yet. I’ve decided to cover my trip by attractions so this is not by chronological order of events. If you need advice on planning your itinerary, just drop me a friendly email. :)
Let’s start with some preliminaries.
My friend and I landed in Osaka early in the morning (overnight flight with a transit at Taipei), and the temperature was 5 degree celsius. That got us screeching with joy when we were walking through the aerobridge. For me personally, it’s such a refreshing feeling – The cool and crisp air splashed onto my face and it felt like I walked into a gigantic fridge. The first thing we bought was the two-day Osaka Amazing Pass, and this basically gave us unlimited rides on the subway for two whole days and includes free entry into a list of 28 attractions in Osaka. We only covered a few, and didn’t exactly calculate whether it was worth it to get the pass in the end, but at least it saved us a lot of hassle having to purchase tickets every time we needed to take the subway during those two days. The one-day pass costs 2,300 yen (Approx S$26) and the two-day pass costs 3,000 yen (Approx S$34). To have a better idea of what attractions are covered in the pass, you can check out the online brochure. Tip: The Osaka Amazing Pass is activated on the first time you use it and it is valid for that same day and the next day (for the two-day pass) only. That is to say, if you tap the card for the first time on the subway at 4pm, the card is activated and only valid for use till 11.59pm that same day. To maximise your card value, you should start using the card only on the 2nd day, starting early in the morning.
And so, we decided to go for the HEP 5 Ferris Wheel as well as the Floating Garden Observatory, as they are part of the list of 28 attractions covered by the Osaka Amazing Pass. It’s also a good way for first-time visitors to get a bird’s eye view of the City of Osaka. I’ve always loved ferris wheel – It’s so whimsical and dreamy – Perfect for a holiday! =)
HEP 5 FERRIS WHEEL
The HEP 5 Ferris Wheel is located on Level 7 of HEP 5 shopping mall. Osaka Station (JR) and Hankyu Umeda Station (Hankyu Railways), with a few other underground stations, are in the vicinity.
Check out the views from up in the Ferris Wheel!
You can even plug in your iphone for some in-cabin entertainment. :)
FLOATING GARDEN OBSERVATORY
From HEP 5, you can walk to the Floating Observatory, though the walk is not a short one. We used Google map, got lost and went in circles before finally finding the iconic building – Umeda Sky Building. Again, this is a free attraction covered by the Osaka Amazing Pass.
The Floating Garden Observatory is located on Level 40 of the Umeda Sky Building and from up there, you can also get beautiful panoramic views of Osaka.
I love how peaceful it was, with majestic views right before me. The winds were really strong and cold at some points, but I totally enjoyed it. I had no idea why this was called a Floating Garden Observatory though, because I didn’t spot any plants or gardens. Perhaps it’s got to do with winter, so no greenery was left?
Couples can also purchase locks and ‘secure’ their love right here.
After we got down from the Observatory, we spotted a lovely garden at Level 1 though. So zen, so lovely.
Winter is a very soulful time – Everywhere and everything is peaceful, quiet, still and slow. Holidays should exactly be like that.