Cycling in Osaka & Kyoto

I've read many blogs that recommend biking in Osaka and Kyoto. They say it's relatively easy even if you're not an expert cyclist. I'm thinking of giving it a try. The thing is, even though my husband and I know how to ride bicycles, we haven't tried riding on the road with cars before. It's always been in beach resorts. So I'm a little apprehensive about it.

Here's what I had in mind.

CYCLING IN OSAKA

9:00 am - Bike from bicycle rental shop to Minami Temma Park. Explore the park on bikes.
10:00 am - Bike to Osaka Castle Park. Explore the castle grounds on bikes.
11:00 am - Lunch at Saizou. (I wonder if they have bicycle parking.)
1:00 pm - Bike back to bicycle rental shop and return bicycles.

That shouldn't be too hard for us biking amateurs, right? A half day cycling through parks? Now cycling in Kyoto is going to be more challenging. We're only going to be there for one day so we have to make the most of it.


CYCLING IN KYOTO

9:45 am - Bike from Kyoto Station to Gion. Explore Hanami-koji Dori and Shirakawa-minami Dori by bicycle.
11:45 am - Lunch at Oshokuji Dokoro Asuka. (Again, I wonder if they have bicycle parking.)
1:00 pm - Bike to Nanzen-ji Temple. Park bicycles and explore the temple grounds.
3:30 pm - Bike to Philosopher's Path. Ride up the path until the end.
4:30 pm - Bike to Kamo River via Imadegawa Dori. Ride along the river to Kyoto Station.

This one I am more worried about because I also read that cycling in Kyoto can be quite chaotic. One blogger even described it as a "war" between pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. Although he did also say that most drivers in Kyoto are considerate towards cyclists. But I'm not completely at ease about the idea yet. I even tried asking a blogger from Kyoto for advice. I'm waiting for his reply.

What do you think? Should we try cycling in Osaka and Kyoto? Or is that too ambitious of us?

Oops, sorry!

Hey, everyone. I'm sorry I didn't see your comments until today. I had no idea people have been asking me if I can email them my Pimsleur's Japanese notes. I'm sorry to say that I can't. I don't have them anymore. Honestly I haven't even continued level 3. I've been meaning to but just can't get over my chronic lazinitis. Ha!

Well, I can try to help you guys out with certain words you're having difficulty hearing. If you can tell me which lesson and around which minute, maybe I can transcribe the words that aren't so clear to you. Good luck with learning Japanese. :-)

We are going to Japan!!!

At last! After thinking about it for years and years, we are going to Japan! I can finally put one check mark in my bucket list.

In less than six months, we'll be eating takoyaki, okonomiyaki, kushikatsu, ramen, gyoza, and Japanese curry in Osaka! Nine glorious days in Japan's Kitchen... and a side trip to Kyoto. I can't wait! In the meantime, I am busy making our itinerary. I have a feeling I might never get it finished since I keep changing and tweaking it every day. Hah!

It's my first time travelling out of the country because I was such a cheapskate before. Now I have decided to be a cheapskate no more. Life is short. What's the point in working to earn money if you don't spend it and enjoy the fruits of your hard labor? I'm going to live life NOW. NOW is when everything happens. Well, okay. Six months from now is when this particular something is going to happen, but you get my drift.


My shopping list is getting just as long as my list of what to eat while in Japan. I want to buy Japanese cosmetics while I'm there. I wonder what drugstore brands are good, and where should I buy them? Food items like tsukemono, nori, noriten, instant ramen, and wasabi aji ika furai are also in my list. Chopsticks, a nice metal Japan keychain to replace my broken Malaysia one... the list goes on and on. But I haven't figured out where the best and cheapest places to buy them are. Maybe you know? :-)