Mt. Otowa Kiyomizu-dera Temple | Review by Linda Liao

One of Kyoto's signature traditional sweets, nama yatsuhashi is said to have originated from Kyoto's yatsuhashi rice crackers, with its name linked to Yatsuhashi Kengyo, a koto musician from the Edo period. Later, the soft nama yatsuhashi was developed, with thin, warm, chewy wrappers made from rice flour and fillings such as sweet red bean paste and matcha. It has a soft texture with a subtle rice aroma. Having it once in a while really does make you miss it. If you especially like cinnamon, you shouldn't miss its distinctive aroma.

A signature landmark of Odaiba Seaside Park, with the beautiful Rainbow Bridge behind it and views of the bay set against the city skyline. This Statue of Liberty is a replica modeled after the Statue of Liberty from Paris that was displayed in Odaiba during the 1998 "Year of France in Japan." It has been permanently installed here since 2000 and symbolizes friendship between Japan and France. When visiting Odaiba, you can include the Statue of Liberty, Odaiba Seaside Park, Fuji Television, and DiverCity Tokyo Plaza in the same itinerary.

Shonan Kaigan Park stretches along the coast and is a great place for a walk or to simply unwind. During the day, you can often see many dog lovers leisurely walking their furry companions, as well as skilled surfers riding the waves and showing off their smooth moves on the water. Of course, you shouldn't miss the fun of wading in the waves. With the sea breeze blowing and the cool spray from the waves, the summer heat fades away quite a bit.

It was already close to evening when I visited this time. It was less lively than during the day and had more of a relaxed sunset atmosphere. I walked to the shore with a friend to wade in the water and chat, and then reluctantly headed home.