Exploring Himeji, Kobe and Osaka: Castles, Beef, and a Pig Cafe

From a cycling adventure in Himeji to our first taste of Kobe beef to stroking pigs to sleep in Osaka, we had so much fun in our second part of our Japan trip after celebrating New Year’s Day!

Where we went

Himeji

We’ve always talked about cycling in Japan, and we decided to finally rent bicycles for the day to freely explore Himeji Castle, Koko-en Castle, and the city. It was fun riding through the streets and from one destination to another. I highly recommend wearing gloves if you’re thinking of renting a bicycle in the winter though! My hands were freezing after a while.

Himeji Castle

As soon as WJ and I exited Himeji Station, we were greeted by the awe-inspiring sight of Himeji Castle. Even from a distance, we could see it towering over the other buildings in the vicinity.

We marvelled at the intricate details and the castle’s rich heritage while exploring the different rooms and levels of the castle and castle grounds. And we also learnt this interesting fact: Did you know that people in the past could be paid up to 4 times more just by being taller? I would have been the lowest-paid worker based on that!

Koko-en Garden

We rode our bicycles to Koko-en Garden after our visit to Himeji Castle and entered a serene haven after we locked our bicycles and walked through the gates. If only it wasn’t winter, it would have been even more breathtaking!

After taking our time exploring the beautiful garden, we got hungry and our appetite led us to the charming Kassui-ken restaurant nestled within the garden. There was a queue even in the mid-afternoon that we were there. We weren’t lucky enough to get a table next to the huge windows overlooking the lush garden, but we were still happy in our cosy spot indoors. And our food was as amazingly delicious as it looked!

Shoshazan Engyo-ji Shrine

We decided to take the Shoshazan Ropeway both up and down the mountain to enjoy the scenery. We walked about 20 minutes from the cable car station to the shrine along a pathway flanked by Buddha statues. I lost count of how many there were after a while! 

If you don’t like to walk or are in a rush for time, then it might be best to take the shuttle bus that brings you directly to the heart of Shoshazan Engyo-ji Shrine!

We had steaming bowls of udon and oden for lunch in the small restaurant opposite the shrine to warm up, then tried the mochi rice cakes and ice cream for dessert. After we filled our stomachs to our satisfaction, we climbed up to Shoshazan Engyo-ji Shrine. it was pretty crowded when we visited in the late afternoon.

Kobe

Kobe was (kind of) on the way from Himeji to Osaka, so we decided to spend a day there. Our main objective was to try out the much-acclaimed Kobe beef and decide for ourselves. Of course, we also explored the rest of the city in the little time we had there.

Nofukuji Temple

Home of one of Japan’s three biggest Buddha statues, Nofukuji was a bit tricky to find, and we reached the back of the temple at first, but managed to make our way to the front gate in the end. It was quiet when we arrived, and only a few people came in while we were there.

The garden in the compound was so peaceful and beautiful with its shrubs and flowers, and we had an enjoyable time strolling through it. WJ also filled another page of his goshuincho after another visitor helped with translation with the attendant who did the calligraphy and stamping.

Nankin Machi Chinatown

Chinatown was bustling with activity when we visited. There was even a television crew filming a host and a couple in front of the temple. We hopped into a couple of shops (generic items you can get in China or even Singapore pretty easier), and just walked down the street to soak in the atmosphere.

Kobe Beef Red One (restaurant)

Both WJ and I don’t eat beef as we don’t like the taste, and the sight of bloody meat makes me nauseous. I used to eat beef as a kid, but since the “mad cow disease” days when we were told to avoid eating beef, I didn’t like the taste since then.

But since we were in Kobe, we had to try Kobe beef as it’s famous and supposed to be the best of the best. In the interest of not spending too much on something we likely wouldn’t appreciate, we decided to choose the souffle omelette rice with Kobe beef roast beef set and the Kobe beef cutlet for different tastes that wouldn’t break the bank. Red One was having a promotion for beef sashimi, so we ordered it on an adventurous impulse too.

The verdict?

We still don’t like beef, sadly. But I’m glad to have tried it!

Osaka

Apart from visiting Dotonbori and Shinsaibashi shopping district (both must-visits when we are in Osaka), we also did something a little different on this trip.

Cupnoodles Museum

WJ and I are big fans of cup noodles, unhealthy as they may be. But a hot cup of soupy noodles made in 3 minutes at night while binging on TV always makes everything feel better! It’s definitely a staple supper on our holidays, especially in Japan where there are countless flavours to try.

Once you enter the Cupnoodles Museum, the first thing that strikes you is the archway of the many cup noodle designs that Nissin has created over the decades – both past and present. It makes for a colourful backdrop for a selfie if you can get a breather from the crowd ogling at the wall!

If you can read Japanese, the museum would be a lot more interesting for you as most of the text is in Japanese. But Google Translate can help too!

At the end of our visit, WJ and I joined the queue to make our own cup noodles. Well, rather design our packaging and choose the ingredients that go into our cup noodles before they are sealed in front of a clear window so we can view the whole process. It was fun drawing our designs on the cup with the provided markers. I decided to go for a Japanese theme since we were in Japan!

Mipig Cafe

What’s a trip to Japan without a visit to one of the animal cafes populated by Japan? Cat and owl cafes might be too “normal”, so how about a micro pig cafe?

I am still afraid of animals, so it definitely isn’t in my nature to choose to visit an animal cafe willingly. But WJ was excited and it was a “micro” pig cafe where there were private rooms with two pigs per room, so it would be easier not to get ambushed by multiple pigs from different directions.

Micro pigs are not very… small. I was expecting tiny pigs that were the size of a box of facial tissues, but they turned out much bigger than I expected!

After sitting in the furthest corner of the tiny private room, I covered my legs with the provided blanket and quickly used it as a shield against the two pigs which gunned for me. After exhausting their efforts to sit on my lap, they settled for WJ’s lap. This is one of the things I would like to not be picked first!

We quickly discovered why blankets were provided. The micro pigs drooled a lot! Some, unfortunately, got on WJ’s pants despite the blanket, but he was so charmed by the pigs he didn’t really seem to care. The pigs also seemed so comfortable on his lap as they kept dozing off while he stroked them. I also pet them when they were asleep, and the hair is stiff and not as soft as I was expecting.