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#i love holic so much but if there was a way they could explore the whole push n pull of having one repel friend vs one danger magnet friend
floorpancakes · 10 months
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say what you want about various things but clamp were kinda cooking when they were like 'if ur not around your gay love interest for like three hours you may just simply eat shit and fall out of a window and die' 😭
#i also enjoy the inherent angst of 'your other crush is actually the death girl' even if hima is sadly not explored much#i enjoy it all as one big gay joke but i also enjoy the fuckjng crazy implications of all of this for watanukis two closest besties#i also just find it sweet that their weird kid hangouts every day kinda mitigate their shit they all cancel each other out#like the universe brought them together to get to be friends....#im not a douwatahima truther but its very cool for those shippers too#im also not a watanuki hima crush denier i just think its funny to laugh at him being in denial of all of his feelings but that#i feel like his feelings for either of them are definitely romantic but to very different extents and natures#i also just rly heavily relate to shoving all your feelings in one direction to not have to explore the elephant in the room#i used to do that a lot#i like the idea that in a minimal drama au his feelings for hima fizzle out to be like the closest friendship like even closer than before#this is also from irl experience. i have a long sordid past of tripping over myself for crushes that become friends or vice versa LMAO#the strongest homies are the ones you wanted to date 5 years ago#i also enjoy the inherent comedy of him calljng his bestie babe and darling and his boyfriend dipshit and dumbass#anyway#i love holic so much but if there was a way they could explore the whole push n pull of having one repel friend vs one danger magnet friend#i would eat that shit up#the fanfic urge strikes yet again#this would've been a twitter post but twitter isnt letting me TWEET!!!!!!!!goddamn#what if himawari was real and she touched elon musk on the arm and he suddenly really wanted to go see the titanic#***explore even more i mean#i ran out of space#the amount of tags i use and how i use them probably gives me away as a tumblr elder#xxxholic
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pinkandpurple360 · 5 months
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As much as I love Fizz, his character has been inconsistent. And until recently, hadn't thought about the negative aspects of his relationship with Asmodeus. I play devil's advocate with myself all the time and it's torture so sorry if this ramble goes on for too long; I'll do three main points (though it's stuff other people already point out so feel free not to answer if this is repetitive)
-At first it seems like their communication is actually pretty good, but in any relationship, ofc someone is gonna just wanna keep some stuff private. In Fizz's case, he has issues with perfectionism and rejection sensitivity (probably)- that apparently leads him to isolate an be a work-a-holic. While I appreciate Ozzie's way of voicing his concerns and comforting Fizz, it does suck knowing he was either forced to male the Fizz bots (or was making them before he met Fizz). Time line is a bit weird in my head but I assume Ozzie actually met Fizz maybe a couple years after Fizz started working for Mam? Unsure. Regardless, I understand Ozzie's protective nature, but it's overbearing and not the way you should be treating an adult.
-Fizz's insecurity and vulnerability is understandable. Maybe the confidence is a facade, but after ten years? I understand he may feel like a fraud or whatever but I do wish he had more confidence rather than constantly being Infantilized. There are other ways to show off Fizzarolli's more playful/childish side rather than just making him helpless. I mean hey, we see that childish nature come up with RoboFizz, except that version is the more malicious aspect. Just like with Millie, we could see fascination with "childish" things like amusement parks or whatever.
-His relationship with Blitzø. Tbh I think they could be platonic, romantic, or even a QPR (the hype is real), but goddamn it's just another issue of the narrative providing us with angst, which would be great if it were handled a bit more maturely. Personally, I think the shots of "who tops" and "could we make out" are kinda funny? But they're also unnecessary, and I can totally get why people wouldn't dig those jokes.
Looking into the dynamic more just makes me realize Fizz x Ozzie isn't "Stolitz but healthy," it's just another relationship with it's own problems and pitfalls (which is great for nuance) and there's still the unexplored (and unacknowledged) issue of the nuance of power dynamics in relationships
I may just be hopeful, but I really, really hope that the series explores more of the mature stuff as they get into the rest of season two, and begin season 3.
Sorry for this wall of text, holy cow
Everyone plays devils advocate at first don’t worry, its ok to not want to explore possible uncomfortable aspects of things we like and enjoy. For this ship it was hard for me too. But like you said, it’s about complex nuances and possible issues rather than just jumping to ‘toxic’ but the biggest thing for me? It was “I don’t like designing sex toys with your likeness for him-pretty sure you feel the same” Cmon Oz. You still did that. You still designed and built and shipped out these things, knowing Fizz is possibly uncomfortable, how did Mammon force you? Why are they conscious btw Oz…And if it is later written canonically that mammon forced him to do it, that’s a bit lazy. Every character makes mistakes after all.
Fizz hasn’t been too inconsistent up until this latest episode imo. Maybe we just didn’t know his full story. His cute side was hinted at back in Ozzies with that nuzzling. He was most definitely defanged in S2E7 though.
Miscommunication Issues…power dynamics..
“Well today I learned I hate going outside!”
“You won’t have to again.”
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Look at that reaction…that’s not what he wanted to hear. :( that smile was put on. And now that Fizz quit his job, he really doesn’t have to go outside again except for Ozzies nightclub. I don’t know what’s next for him other than becoming Ozzies temporary spouse. The mortality/immortality dilemma is like the biggest elephant in the room right now for these two.
Fizz says that Oz is “someone who understands me”and many times he does, many times they communicate through eye contact alone, but a lot of times especially recently…he actually doesn’t understand Fizz. I love Asmodeus don’t get me wrong but let’s put the spotlight on him for a little bit. Nothing bad about examining some things.
And you’re completely right I mean…he calls him babe, baby, froggy, cutest little thing…and it feels like Fizz has to be very cute and submissive all the time saying ‘pwease’ for Oz to listen to him. This is likely Ozzies first real relationship and it being with someone so low on the hierarchy is making it a bit of a rough challenge for him.
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Ozzies smiles are so cute they hurt 😔 Kronk energy sometimes with this guy.
There is some choices made to not communicate about stuff. Not because Ozzie is abusive, he is actually not, but because there are things they don’t talk about when they really should. And secrets between them. Even if they’re badly kept.
wice now it seemed like Ozzie side stepped Fizz’s worry and anxiety over the status of their relationship being exposed. And he says “I don’t care both times” it’s always “I” and this implies he used to care yknow? We’re just kinda lucky Fizz turned out to be ok with both of these decisions. Imagine if the crowd got angry at Fizz instead and accused him of being a gold digger (which was written in the magazine from Oops)
Fizz and Blitzos relationship is something Ozzie definitely doesn’t get. And to be fair it is the most complicated one in the show. Blitzø isn’t just ‘that guy fizz hates’ and he knows it. His former bestie lifelong enemy then recent hero sortve rekindled friend blitz is a mystery.
Idk if it (blitzfizz history, power dynamics of class) will be explored without Ozzie and Stolas’ feelings being shoved in there some way. Or striker saying stuff then just getting punched out of the way for asking too many questions. I wish they could have a break from them. And like you said, comparing relationships never really works cause everyone is different. I’m not sure where they’re going with this but I can’t help but hope the pairings don’t stay rigidly stagnant. Right now they feel forced and set in stone.
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maries-gallery · 3 years
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Eeeek! ❤❤⭐I honestly love match ups so much and after reading the last one you did! I am in love❤❤❤🔥
Hehehe so so could i pretty please with sprinkles ontop request a Ikevamp match up🥺🌠🌠
-Tell me about your personality 
Driven, Passionate, Ambitious, Active, Restless, hard working (as in i will work myself to the poing of burnout! Whoops), Little clumsy , Ditzy, Forgetful, Goofy, Fun loving(love making jokes and joking aroun , All over the place , Idealistic, Incredibly competitive, Sharp tempered. Usually takes a while to warm up to new environments and people, however is quick to adapt!
Can be incredibly blunt and aloof and may step on toes without realizing it. Beware for after a few drinks any form of filter falls away and this bluntness become more pronounced
-Your likes
Music, art, pizza, dancing and singing but when no one is around, reading, helping people, laughing and making jokes, bunnies! Dogs!, exploring new places, running, weight lifting (like this be life), cuddles, SWEETS, tea both drinking and spilling, watching conspiracies and true crimes, is never leaving the house a valid like lol?, the cold, the spring time! and drinking wine. Also love love love baking! Playing with my cutie Ramsey (he is a German shepherd btw) and low key working ( i am a bit of a work o holic)
- Your pronouns and sexuality 
Female (heterosexual, ie i like boys🤣)
-What you’d like in a partner
Someone strong, dependable, hardworking and ambitious. A partner and best friend that will treat me as their equal. Naturally someone who loves dogs, working out and candy as much as i do hehehe🤣🥺❤🔥 honestly someone to cuddle with from dusk till dawn ❤🥺someone who would be able to pull me out of my comfort zone! And someone with whom i can have a lot of fun with! Ie roughhousing, joking around etc
 And pretty much anything else you’d like to say :))
I am very go big or go home. I have lots of patience. I am slow to warm up to someone but quick to befriend! Honestly i can be so damn awkward! Also also i love candy! Like my sweet tooth is real! Also eeek i swear waaaay too much ❤🔥🔥🔥🤣
-Tell me if you want it SFW or NSFW or both 
Hehehe i would love both😉😏😏😏
Eeeep thanks a million dear! I am super excited to see who i get! Sending all the hugs and love! Hope you are keeping safe!🤣❤❤🔥🌠
Match ups are closed 
Hello Zeta ! I'm so happy to see you here and to be writing something for you, lovely human :)) You're just so sweet :) I hope this will be to your liking !
I match you with Theo !
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SFW :
- The two of you are very similar, honestly when Theo first saw you he felt like gazing straight in a mirror at a female version of him. Which can be slightly... Disturbing. But still you were a Hondje he  planned on looking after because that is just how he is. Not that he’d make it apparent though but he is worried about you being a human girl in this mansion full of vampires. Without mentioning the fact that your character is pretty epic for a woman of the 19th century Paris and he is very scared this would bring problems your way. So he takes it upon him to keep an eye on you. Honestly he didn’t mean to befriend you or anything at first, he just found you amusing and liked watching you interact with the other residents, loved your sharp and honest tong and how you weren’t afraid to put Arthur back in his place (he laughed so hard the first time you did and actually congratulated you). And even though it took you a little while to warm up to the mansion’s resident you soon became a part of the family and loved by everyone, even Jean approached you which is honestly kind of rare. And honestly you being talented in a lot of areas made the mansion a perfect place for you to socialise, from writers to musicians to soldiers... Everyone was free for you to pick their brains.
- But the similarities between the two of you would be the cause of some banters too. You are just even more blunt than he is and aren’t afraid to say things as they are and boy is kind of shook the first time you rebuke him. This is kind of a reality check for him to be honest. But apart from that Theo learns to love and admire you a lot. You are just so dedicated and ambitious, traits he admires in anyone but add the passion in your eyes and your hardworking self to the mix and he is done. However he can’t help but get really irritated when you overwork yourself and spend hours after hours working on whichever project of yours. 
- This leads to the first time the two of you really spent time together and actually became friends. You had been working for days without any break and poor boy was so worried you might pass out from exhaustion. So he decided to take things in his own hands and dragged you with him outside of the mansion to an art exhibit. He just wanted for you to have a break from it all and to enjoy yourself, to enjoy some fresh air (not that he’d admit it though). And was he glad he did, because for the first time since you arrived your bright smile was directed his way and he got to witness a more tender and innocent side of you, almost childlike. His heart stopped the moment he heard a giggle coming from your lips, turning to you only to see you marvelling at a shop of sweets. And god knows Theo loves sweets. So of course he decided to invite Hondje to the restaurant and buy them a few treats. And here the two of you are, enjoying patisseries and talking about everything, getting to know each other. 
- And that is probably when Theo fell hard. You told him about your view of the world, your wish to help people, about your passion for baking and all your other colourful hobbies. You were just a whirlwind. Funny, ambitious, kind... Kind of clumsy too but he didn’t mind, it was actually cute how you’d accidentally trip on air or drop your things. He was there to help after all and to make sure that you wouldn’t hurt yourself. Theo was whipped. 
- After this the two of you continued to grow closer, Theo showing you more and more of his soft side and eventually you ended up together. One hell of a duo and the best of partners and friends. Vincent also adored you, and you were immediately welcomed in the Van Gogh family. The two of you are very supportive of each other, always there for one another and always have each other’s back. Theo is also very protective of you and loyal to a fault, he just loves you so much. You are honestly a real power couple. Jokes between the two of you (also known as private jokes) are very frequent and it honestly confuses the hell out of the other residents but you simply love it. You’re the kind to share a plate of pancakes or playfully banter over who will have the last drop of maple syrup. Theo just encourages you and has your back in everything you do, always ready to stand up for you even though he knows you are able to handle yourself.
- Concerning dates expect lots of tours around the city and nature, lots of art gallery viewing and eating fests. The two of you are just restless and always up for new discoveries and activities. Theo brings you everywhere he goes for his work and you just do the same. He isn’t really one for sports but he is up to try anything with you. What he loves more than anything though is to see you dance or hear you sing. You’re just so beautiful and free... And it honestly steals his breath away. Reading together would also be a thing on quiet nights and early mornings. 
- Honestly the only issue in your relationship would probably be the fact that you are both really stubborn and driven. He is constantly worried about you overworking yourself too and might be on your back for that, always making sure that you are placing yourself first. But fights between the two of you never last long and are always done with at the end of the day. 
Song : 
I’ve got you under my skin, Frank Sinatra
Scenario :
The flickering of a candle cast a warm light on the walls and furniture, shining on the papers on your wooden desk. The faint flame casts a glow on your features, enhancing your cheekbones and the frown creasing your brows, shadows under your eyes more prominent now than ever. 
You are so caught up in the sound of your own pen scratching the paper that you don’t hear the door to your room open, nor do you hear the slow steps approaching your side.
A tight scowl took over Theo’s features, eyes fixated on your form.
How long had you been there, working on God knows what ? Had you even eaten something ? Gosh it is freaking 2 in the morning !
Theo had told you numerous times not to overwork yourself, to take care of your health and to come to him when you needed something. Yet here you were once again, working so late into the night. 
He really couldn’t keep his eyes off of you for a second, eh ?  
The art dealer cleared his throat in an attempt to get your pretty eyes to look his way, in vain. Frown deepening, the male walked up to your form, hands settling on his hips as he stopped in front of you. 
“And just what do you think you are doing, Hondje ?” His low voice broke through the silence, bouncing off the walls and finally stirring you off your thoughts. Finally he got a glance at your sleep deprived features as you turned a surprised look his way, a deer caught in headlights. 
“Theo ?” Your voice sounded quiet, wavering with every letter falling from those lips he loved so much. 
The sight of your dry lips and sunken eyes broke his heart, tearing through the tissues and making him bleed on the floor for you. He knew he should have looked after you more, but he had been so caught up in work himself that he didn’t have time to come see you as often as he used to. 
He bit the interior of his cheek, blue eyes shadowed by clouds of worry like the sea on a stormy day. A clear depiction of the millions of thoughts whirling around through his head. 
Okay, this was enough. 
In an instant his arms were around you, hoisting you up and dragging you off on his shoulder, dragging you away from your desk. (E/c) eyes widened in panic. 
“No, Theo put me down ! I’m not done yet !” 
The man shushed you with a tsk of his tongue, sending you a tight scowl from over his shoulder. But you knew to find the unrest behind his irises. 
“No. This is enough for today, Hondje. No more playing around for you.” He reprimanded seriously, plopping you down on the bed and laying down beside you, bringing your back flush against his chest, a strong arm wrapping around your waist in a warm embrace. “Time to sleep or no more treats for you.”
“But-”
His lips pressed a tender kiss on your cheek, silencing you. He’d have none of your protests. 
“Your master said no. Now just rest, or tomorrow’s date is cancelled.” And he knew this threat was enough to silence you. 
Ocean eyes gazed at you lovingly as your eyelids slowly fluttered close, muscles relaxing in his hold. HIs lips formed in a tender smile. 
Now he’d get some proper sleep himself, eased by the knowledge you were safe in his arms. 
NSFW :
- Theo is dominant and one hell of a tease, this is no secret. He just loves seeing you squirm under him, loves the pretty sounds that flow from your lips when he touches you everywhere except where you want him the most. But what he loves the most is how you beg for him to take you, beg for him to pleasure you like he is the only one on your mind, the only one able to bring you over the edge. That said his favourite positions are of course doggy style and reverse cowgirl. Boy also has a thing for your thighs and ass and these are perfect positions to grab them and knead the flesh, so soft against his rough fingertips. Honestly Theo loves grabbing onto your thighs harshly, enough to know it’ll leave bruises, and thrust up into you as you desperately hold onto whatever you can for support, to keep up with his pace. 
- Speaking of which, his pace is more often than not rough and fast. He knows what he wants and just goes for it. Sex with him is always very intense and leaves you fully satisfied and honestly a mess. Remember how I said he was a tease ? Well he’d spend hours edging you and marvelling at the sight of pretty tears prickling at the corners of your eyes as it is all just too much for you. He loves how you try to plead and wiggle your hips against his for some kind of friction as he just moves farther away. He’d call you his greedy girl. 
- When it comes to kinks... Well Theo is very kinky. Pet play is canon, he just adores the sight of a collar adorning your pretty neck, love bites and hickeys left on your soft skin as a reminder of who you belong to. He also has a thing for food play, one day he’d just bring maple syrup or whipped cream in the bedroom and would lick it off of your skin and clit. He is a master at eating you out and honestly does it with so much ardour it is concerning, licks at you like a man starved. He also has a thing for overstimulation and edging, could go on for hours and leave you honestly wasted. Finally I can see him having a thing for impact play, nothing too harsh though, he never wants to hurt you. But he just loves spanking you and admiring the red mark it leaves on your ass. Oh and he is also one to bite you and lick your skin afterwards (your shoulders and neck being his favourite places). 
- So yeah, sex with Theo is always an experience. But even though he can be pretty rough he also knows how to make sweet love to you and if you actually get to be in control he is putty in your hands. I can see him loving it if one day you take the reins and just ride him, make him beg like he does with you and treat him like your very own toy. Then he also always makes sure to place kisses everywhere on your skin, soft and tender to show his love. 
- When it comes to sound, he doesn’t moan much and prefers to groan in your ears or dirty talk until your skin turns blood red. Honestly Theo would be one of the best dirty talkers out there, telling you how good you are for him or how much of a bad little pet you are. HIs favourite thing though is to ask you to tell him how much you want it as he teases the hell out of you. 
That’s it ! I really hope you like it :)) Take care and love you dear Zeta :))
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Neeeeeemoooooooo! Eeeeeeeek ❤❤😳😳hehehe happppppy birthday once more! //Dances! Whooop whooop🤣⚘🌸🌻🔥☺ could i pretty with aaaaalll the sprinkles and candy on top request a match up hehe for both fandoms of that ain't toooo greedy!🌻🔥❤❤ but low key i am greedy🤣🤣🤣🤣 so no surprise ey!
-Tell me about your personality 
Driven, Passionate, Restless, hard working (as in i will work myself to the poing of burn out! Whoops), Little clumsy , Ditzy, Forgetful, Goofy, Fun loving, All over the place , Idealistic, Incredibly competitive, Sharp tempered. Usually takes a while to warm up to new environments and people, however is quick to adapt! Can be incredibly blunt and aloof and may step on toes without realizing it. Beware for after a few drinks any form of filter falls away and this bluntness become more pronounced-
Likes?
Music, pizza, dancing and singing but when no one is around, reading, helping people, laughing and making jokes, bunnies! Dogs!, exploring new places, running, weight lifting (like this be life), cuddles, SWEETS, tea both drinking and spilling, watching conspiracies and true crimes, is never leaving the house a valid like lol?, the cold, the spring time! and drinking wine. Also love love love baking! and low key working ( i am a bit of a work o holic)
-What you’d like in a partner
Someone strong, dependable, hardworking and ambitious. A partner and best friend that will treat me as their equal. Naturally someone who loves dogs, working out and candy as much as i do hehehe🤣🥺❤🔥 honestly someone to cuddle with from dusk till dawn ❤🥺someone who would be able to pull me out of my comfort zone! And someone with whom i can have a lot of fun with! Ie roughhousing, joking around etc
Okay thats that about that lololol🤣🤣😳❤☺
Pffffffft im sure you are laughing at this bullshitting of mine🤣🤣🤣 hehehe love ya neeeeeemoooo! Sending all the catbus hugs☺❤😳🔥
Goood luck darling! I leave my fate in your hands 😳😳😳 my u chose my husbands wisely 😳😳😳😳
Greed is rarely rewarded, especially not here on this blog, dearest Zeta of mine. But I shall allow it and do two fandoms for you as well, but know that it was your idea that decided to trust me with your most precious information!
-- In lieu of my birthday I promised a few friends some exclusive matchups from my side. No promises that they will be any good, neither that I won't troll them (I totally do plan on trolling them) Now let's start this wild ride, because I'm ready to take on the world of matchmaking and shipping and proving to everyone why I should never make this my business.
NOTE: I’m NOT open for requests. This is only a special I allowed as a joke for friends to indulge in. I will be ignoring all and everyone who weren’t part of this special offer.
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Ignoring the last part of the form, which is totally aiming for a certain type of suitor, this matchmaker troll also believes that the form is a tad outdated, or at least awkwardly untrue of what this matchmaker knows of the victim. So here I go, stroking my imaginary beard as I hum about the many men available that can deal with the sort of energy I'm met with now.
It is so incredibly hard for this matchmaker not to outright troll this victim who puts way too much faith in me and also dared to send this in unanonymously. Not that she would have been able to hide herself anyway, she isn't sneaky enough for that. But alas, I still haven’t addressed the question! Who do I ship Zeta with? Well... Read on below the ‘read more’, for you my dear get a special: 
Blind Date!!!
Pizza? Ordered. Music? Set and playing. Books to talk and bond over? Especially recipe books, annotated and all. The matchmaker you went to may not have been known as a culinary genius, but they possessed at least enough wit to know how to leave some commentary behind that should get a conversation rolling, even if it was a note of: ‘use a large whisk.’
But who was it that had been invited to spend the day with you? You honestly had no clue as you looked down at the meagre note of descriptions that had been given. ‘Handsome by conventional standards, taller than you.’
What a very typical note that was from the matchmaker, whose words were as sparse as the notes suggested them to be. You let it slide, however, never one to let your mood down as you picked up the movie chosen for the night.
IT. You gulped, wondering if this was supposed to be a foreshadowing to the night. Much time to mull it over you didn’t get, the bell ringing in the next moment as you tried not to leap over to the door, not wanting to seem too excited.
“Hi!” you managed to yelp out, the pitch of your voice rising an octave before you took in the presence of the man in front of you, or rather... Two men.
One dark, one light, but both brooding and in need of sleep.
Had the matchmaker mistakenly arranged a sleepover instead? You thought back of the movie chosen for the night and wondered if you were meant to have nightmares instead, weak as you were against horror.
“Yo,” the first spoke, his figure hunched over as he scratched the back of his leg with his… toe? You realised that the man wasn’t wearing any shoes, nor that he looked battle-ready for a date at all. In fact, he didn’t look ready for anything but a good night’s sleep followed by a seasonal hibernation to get rid of those eyebags.
“Hmpf,” the second figure sounded, standing straight, but looking so severely unimpressed that you wondered if he even wanted to be here.
“Zeta, right?” the hunched man spoke, his hand going through his unkempt hair as he heaved a sigh, “Ryuzaki, can I come in? It is kinda chilly outside,” he was quick to introduce himself, and you would have considered him rude if it wasn’t for the soft smile he flashed at you. Half child-like, mostly awkward, as if only remembered in hindsight.
“Yeah, welcome! Come in!” you beam and the second man heaves another sigh, his fingers pushing up his glasses from the middle before he follows after Ryuzaki without a word. That would be if the man in front hadn’t stopped, suddenly seeming to remember something as he turned around.
“I didn’t catch your name,” came the mumbled request and you had to gulp at the way the other heaved yet another sigh, his expression growing more unimpressed by the minute.
“Faust. I was threatened,” he supplies finally, but neither you nor Ryuzaki seem to believe that he really had been threatened, or felt threatened at all. Whatever the matchmaker had done to convince the man had been effective, however, and Faust was allowed entry into the apartment as well meant for the date tonight.
Perhaps the matchmaker had made a slight mistake in matching Zeta. Maybe it was meant to be as awkward as it ended up to be. Ryuzaki mostly ate the sweets, finding a challenge in Zeta to fight for his share, Faust continued to brood as he watched the sugar disappear in slight disgust.
“Shall we bake a cake?” The proposal was met with a heavy grunt as Faust glared at the duo from where the proposal had come.
“I’m not beating eggs,” he shortly answered, but that was as much of a ‘yes’ you would get. You were just glad that the movie went ignored and unwatched.
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To this Faust actually perks up, his eyes for once a little brighter than the dead light they had been carrying earlier. 
“Will there be chicken heads?” he asks and you throw him a curious look, not wanting to question the fascination too much as you look down at the chickens you had prepared for tonight. 
“You can help if you want?” you try, already glad that the man finally shows some enthusiasm. “That way I can keep my hands clean and...”
With that being said you turn around, pouncing towards the snacking Ryuzaki who had deftly shovelled an entire bowl of caramels into his mouth. 
“No, you said you would wait!” you shriek, followed by a smart quip. 
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taexual · 4 years
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HOLIC - 50 | jb x reader
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pairing: Im Jaebum x Reader
genre: enemies to lovers au | roommate au
warnings: fluff
words: 3.1k
disclaimer: i do not own the gif, please let me know if it belongs to you, so i can give proper credit
the final chapter is up, let’s get it!
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To say that it was raining cats and dogs would have been akin to saying nothing at all because the precipitation that night resembled a whole downpour of whales much more accurately. You have, of course, experienced rain before and you never really appreciated it much, but as you exited the car outside of the building, you welcomed every drop with a smile on your face. It seemed as though there used to be so many things in life that you’d hated, but tonight, as you texted Jaebum, announcing your arrival at the party, each of those silent moments of hatred seemed to lose all meaning.
The waiter took your coat after you entered the empty loft that you and Jackson had picked out for tonight’s event. Giving him a grateful nod and brushing the wet hair away from your face, you grabbed a glass of champagne by the door and headed for the party. With each step that you took inside of the packed venue – full of people, waiting to hear and to congratulate Jaebum on his debut EP – you watched the white walls of the building come alive with the pictures you’ve taken of Jaebum in Jackson’s studio that very first time you were there.
You wanted to take partial credit for the planning of this event, but really, it had been Jackson’s idea. As soon as you and him started to work together, he didn’t see a point to host your exhibition on a separate night from Jaebum’s release party because the two instances were connected so closely to one another. Jaebum had used you for inspiration when he worked on the songs he’ll be putting out for the world to hear and, similarly, the only pictures you wanted to exhibit for all to see were the ones that featured Jaebum.
Now, smiling as your eyes searched for the live-version of the man in the pictures on the walls, you welcomed the warm memories of all the days leading up to this moment. All the fights and the make-ups. All the kisses and inside jokes. All your shared friends – who were all here, eager to congratulate you and Jaebum both – and all of your shared nights.
The title piece for both, your exhibition and Jaebum’s EP, greeted you in the center of the room, reading in bold letters, “HOLIC. indicating a person’s abnormal desire for something.” Another memory sparked in your mind – you’ve only settled on the title a few nights ago, lying awake next to Jaebum who was tracing symbols on the sensitive skin of your neck—symbols, that were only visible to him—with the tip of his finger.
“I’ve never needed anyone this much before,” he had whispered to you then, “so much that it feels like an illness without a cure.”
You had responded to him with endless confessions of love, lasting all throughout the night and well into the morning, and all was decided.
Admittedly, out of all the memories that the pictures on the walls brought back, the memories of the last few nights before this party were your most favorite ones. Even if thinking about them made you much dizzier – and hotter – than the champagne that was being served here.
“Hey!” Jackson’s shrill voice distracted you and you turned your head to see him and a group of executives you thought you’ve seen around his studio a few times before. “Where’s the boyfriend? We should get some pictures taken of you two together.”
“Oh,” you looked around again. “I thought you were with him. Isn’t he in the back?”
“I don’t know,” Jackson glanced towards the hallway at the end of the room – it lead to a storage room that Jaebum had planned to use to rehearse, “he was waiting for you to arrive.”
“I’ll go find him,” you said and, with a quick nod at the people in Jackson’s entourage, excused yourself.
You didn’t even reach the hallway before you saw the door open at the far end as Jaebum stepped out of the storage room, his shoulders hunched and chest heavy with anxiety. He closed the door, stopping short as soon as he saw you.
“You’re here,” he said and, even though it was too dark to see him, you could hear the smile in his voice. “You look beautiful. Maybe you shouldn’t come closer or else we might miss the entire event.”
You laughed, crossing the hallway anyway, because you haven’t seen him today yet – he’d left early for a soundcheck and refused to bring you along with him, not wanting you to hear his songs early – and that was too long of a time. Jaebum, feeling exactly the same way, had his arms wrapped around you as soon as you stopped close enough for him to reach.
Every kiss you’ve shared since reuniting that night in the lounge room felt so important and special that you both refused to pull away first as if this was the last kiss you’d ever share and neither of you wanted to be responsible for its ending. You didn’t mind losing yourself in him completely whenever your lips touched but, this time, you two were about to start the biggest night of your lives to date and, despite everything, you had to pull away.
“Jackson is looking for us,” you said, reluctantly breaking the kiss—and then regretting it right away because of how alluring he looked from up close. “He said something about getting our picture taken.”
“Ah, that’s right,” Jaebum groaned. He’d already talked about how little wish he had to participate in the promotional aspect of making music – he just wanted to create and to sing – but he knew he wouldn’t get out of it. “Let’s go.”
“Don’t look so sad,” you said, taking his hand into yours as the two of you headed towards the party. “It’s your big night.”
“It’s our big night,” he corrected, pressing a quick, chaste kiss to your cheek just as the two of you emerged from the hallway. The few photographers Jackson had hired for tonight immediately found the two of you, their flashes going off so suddenly and with such vehemence that nearly everyone at the party turned to look. “God, I feel awkward.”
Smiling, you turned to look at him and – not daring to kiss him now that there were cameras on you – chose to fix his tie for him instead. “Don’t. You look great.”
Jaebum watched you as you tightened his tie, his eyes providing the much-needed warmth on this rainy day – the photographers were having a field day and they didn’t even have to try – and then leaned in to whisper into your ear, “I’m so grateful to have you next to me tonight.”
“I love you,” you replied, his hand clutching yours tighter. “I never thought we’d make it this far.”
“I love you,” he echoed, “I never had doubts about this.”
Thankfully, Jackson proved to be not just a great friend and a talented artist – or perhaps a producer? A photographer? A model? The man clearly hated labels – but also a fantastic party host. Another few moments later, when you and Jaebum were already risking permanent eye damage from the camera flashes, Jackson shuffled closer to you, waving his hand around in a manner so authoritative, the photographers ceased their rapid flash fire immediately.
“Let’s get started, yeah?” Jackson asked and, after getting affirmative nods from both of you, he proceeded to walk Jaebum to the platform in the far corner of the room.
A microphone and a stool was already prepared for Jaebum on the platform, the audio engineers giving him a thumbs-up from across the room. Slowly, the background music that had played through the speakers since the party started faded out, and the room prepared to finally hear what they’d come here to hear.
“Thank you for coming,” Jaebum said into the microphone as soon as he climbed on the platform. His voice sounded so sheepish, you could tell that the few elderly ladies behind you had started to giggle because they were falling in love with him, too. “It’s a very special night tonight and I’m happy to get to share it with all of you.”
You wished for nothing more than to stand silently in the opposite corner of the room where you could hear Jaebum’s clear voice but, as soon as he finished his thank-you speech and introduced the first song, you learned that that was absolutely not going to happen.
Your friends were the first ones who approached you, trying to keep their excitement to a minimum but still distracting you from Jaebum’s music. You didn’t mind – it felt so touching to hear their words of support – and you didn’t really mind the people from Jaebum’s agency who approached you next, either, because, for one, you felt like you had to leave a good impression on them, but also, they were unexpectedly supportive as well. Apparently, this was the first acoustic-showcase-turned-photography-exhibition for any artist signed with their label and that was, according to them, a great start for any career.
You got to hear Jaebum finish the first song – and saw how lost in the music he seemed to be on that platform; he looked like he was exploring a different world, far away from the party and the people here – and applauded as loud as every other person in the room before, just as he started to introduce the next song, you were forced to return to the position of co-host and carry on with your own performance.
Apparently, the people who had come tonight weren’t just friends and acquaintances, but complete strangers as well. They had simply gotten curious about an event in their neighborhood and decided to show up. You learned of this when Jaebum’s second song of the night unleashed a chain of people you’ve never met – all of them were curious about purchasing the artwork. Your artwork.
Truthfully, you hadn’t even planned on selling any of your pictures, so, flushed and disheveled, you left them waiting while you scanned the party for Jackson.
“I got this,” he reassured you as soon as you found him – he was chatting up the three elderly ladies from before – and explained the situation. “You go to the front, yeah? He needs to see you.”
“Y-yeah,” you nodded, overwhelmed by so many things happening at the same time. “Thank you!”
Jackson nodded and headed in the direction you had pointed in, while you made your way closer to Jaebum’s platform. For the first few moments, you couldn’t concentrate on the sound of his voice for too long. You kept turning around to check on Jackson who was showing your pictures and bargaining with anyone who was interested. But, before long, Jaebum’s songs ended up captivating you after all. It was simply impossible not to feel yourself wander into the realms he’d created with his soulful music.
Watching him was an all-consuming experience. Jaebum kept his eyes closed for most of the songs but whenever he did allow himself to look at the audience, his eyes always found you by default. That alone was enough to make your heart race but every time he smiled when he looked at you – as if he wasn’t expecting to see you standing at the front, completely transfixed by him – sent you right into a dizzy spell and you were worried you’d conclude this night by passing out before hearing his entire set.
“The last song,” Jaebum announced right when your cheeks were starting to hurt from smiling so much, “is easily the most meaningful one in the EP. It’s about someone who’s really important to me. The most important, actually. Uh, we met under unusual circumstances, to be honest. I caused a lot of damage in this person’s life – I broke furniture, even,” he had to pause until the audience stopped laughing, “I was generally a very big asshole. But this person and I went through a lot a-and I hope we go through a lot more together.”
When Jaebum looked at you before the first chords started to play, you were afraid you looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Your heart was struggling to keep beating as the time around you seemed to come to a stop.
“You and I, who met by accident,” he started the song, the richness of his voice so much more prominent when he was singing live than it was on the record, “you never even thought about us, but my head is completely filled with thoughts of you. I think about you every moment of the day.”
You tried to focus on your breathing because focusing on the words he was singing – the words he might have written about you – was making your hands shake and your eyes water. This could have been the very song Jackson had mentioned when he confronted you at the exhibition you’d attended with Jiho.
“Without missing a single day, no matter where I am, I want to be with you,” he sang and you perked up, recognizing the last line. This was the same song—the same melody, the similar lyrics!—that you’d overheard Jaebum sing to himself in the shower at the motel all of those weeks ago. “I don’t want to be apart, not for one moment. Let’s make a promise, the two of us.”
You’d have promised him anything in that moment—and any moment that followed—as you listened to him sing, your entire body coming alive with each chord. You could feel your pulse throb in your veins, your temples, and your throat all at the same time.
“Each gesture of yours is picturesque. Even when you wake up in the morning, you sparkle,” Jaebum’s voice continued, his eyes catching yours in a loving—and absolutely unyielding—gaze. “It wouldn’t matter if you were shabby, you’re already inside of my heart. Even if someone else comes along, no one compares to you.”
Your throat was dry but your eyes were the complete opposite. You felt the first tears slip out of your control and slide down your cheeks -- just like the raindrops had, outside of the loft -- as soon as Jaebum gripped the mic stand tighter, starting the chorus of the song.
“I can’t stop thinking ‘bout you,” he harmonised, his eyes closing but his heart remaining open as words spilled out from the deepest cavities of his chest, “I am spiraling out of control. All I wanna do is love you, the spot next to me naturally belongs to you.”
You flinched, startled by an unexpected hand that had landed on your shoulder just as the chorus drew to a close. Tearing your eyes away from Jaebum, you saw Jackson next to you – a proud, almost fatherly, smile on his face. He didn’t say anything but the nod of his head confirmed what little doubts you may have had left – this was the song for you. The song about you.
“When I think about it now, it still makes no sense,” Jaebum continued, the feeling of you finally hearing these words so relieving, he couldn’t help the small smile that had crept up to his lips as he asked, “how did I fall for you in such a short time? Even when I close my eyes, I’m thinking about you. I can’t fall asleep, what’s the matter?”
You knew you were going through the most powerful whirlpool of emotions of your life as you felt the tears on your cheeks but couldn’t resist mirroring Jaebum’s smile.
“I don’t know if I’m me, sometimes I get surprised. My image, even if it’s the same, is a little awkward,” he sang, each and every word full of the feelings he’d grasped and pulled out of his heart to put them into the song. “But I think it’s okay – this isn’t so bad, either. As long as I’m next to you, whoever I am, it’s all good.”
You felt so much love for him, you thought you were going to explode. And, in spite of finding the song simply mesmerizing and utterly unforgettable, you suddenly couldn’t wait for it to end because even though he was singing it on a platform a mere few feet away from you, he still felt too far.
“I can’t stop thinking ‘bout you,” he admitted again in the second chorus. When asked later, you’d never be able to tell if he was singing this song at his release party in front of dozens of people, or if he had pulled you away from the crowd to sing to you about all the things he’d insisted he was so bad at saying out loud.
Bowing to deafening applause when the song ended, Jaebum thanked everyone once again, his speech directed at those who came and those who didn’t. He thanked his friends individually. He thanked his label and everyone involved in the creation process. He thanked his family. And he thanked you – but you were already crying too much to make sense of anything he was saying.
As soon as he was finished, he wasted no time before climbing off the platform and, with a smile brighter than the brightest star in the night sky, he made his way towards you. The people were still applauding him when he reached you but he was now focused on something else entirely.
“You didn’t like the song?” he asked with a smile as his hands carefully wiped the tears away from your face.
You laughed at the absurd question, wrapping your arms around him and leaning your head against his shoulder as you whispered, “I loved it. I love you.”
“I love you, too,” he said and the room erupted into a yet another round of applause as he hugged you back, laughing in the same ethereal way that made your heart dance and the rain outside stop, so the whole world could listen.
With the people around you still on a high brought on by Jaebum’s music and with the applause still ringing in your ears, Jaebum took you back into the world he’d created for you and him only -- a world that seemed to be miles away from anyone else and lightyears away from real life. No one wanted to approach you and interrupt. No one dared.
Kissing your temple, Jaebum pulled away slightly to push a stray strand of your hair away from your face and ask, “do you still have doubts if we’ll make it?”
“No,” you answered, your eyes glittering with life and with love. “I think we’ve already made it.”
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THE POSITIVE & NEGATIVE: MUN & MUSE
Fill out & Repost ♥ This meme definitely favors Canons more, but I hope OC's still can make it somehow work with their own lore and Lil’ fandom of friends & mutuals. Multimuses pick the muse you are the most invested in atm.
Tagged by: @sweet-talkin-gladiator (thank you :> ) Tagging: @forgedcold, @fortwarden, @abuzzingofbumblebees, @incendiius, @sparkmender, @panickedforcefield, @polyhexianchicken, @blubrownrpblog and er.. anyone else that wants to? You can say I tagged you or whatever.
MY MUSE IS.   canon / oc / au / canon-divergent / fandomless
is your character popular in the fandom?  YES (???) / NO.
is your character considered hot™ in the fandom?  WELL… / NO / IDK. (I think he’s hot...)
is your character considered strong in the fandom?  YES / NO / IDK. (I think he’s strong as well considering he’s a load-bearer and whatnot)
are they underrated?  YES (???) / NO.
were they relevant to the main story?  YES (...???) / NO.
were they relevant to the main character?  YES (???) / NO
are they widely known in their world?  YES (As Ultra Magnus yes but as Minimus Ambus... No) / NO.
how’s their reputation?  GOOD / BAD / NEUTRAL.
HOW STRICTLY DO YOU FOLLOW CANON?
I mean.. I try to follow the canon as close as I can. I’ve read the comics, anayalzed him to hell and back and just.. yeah. I follow canon, but I also add in my own twists here and there so that he’s still following canon, but still... different? If that makes sense.
SELL YOUR MUSE! (aka try to list everything, which makes your muse interesting in your opinion to make them spicy for your mutual.)
In my eyes, he is the ideal enforcer.. in that he isn’t biassed towards who he brings to justice. You can be an Autobot, Decepticon, Neutral, Alien, or hell even human and he’d still make sure you are given a fair trial with the proper lawyer because you still broke the law.
He is very sassy when he needs to be as in, he isn’t afraid to put you in your place, especially when he’s protecting someone. If you’re going to make assumptions about someone, 10/10 he’s going to shove facts into your face about how WRONG you are and then proceed to ripe you a new one all without so much as twitching once. I love this.
Despite being stern and seemingly emotionless, he’s not really. He just keeps all those emotions inside for the most part and rarely shows them. He is essentially selfless, caring and willing to protect anyone who needs protecting. He has issues of his own, but he’s willing to put said issue to the side to take care of your issues and your wellbeing because those matter to him more. The moments he allows himself to open up and be vulenable for just a second it.. it truly is heartwrenching, but in a good way.
NOW THE OPPOSITE! (list everything why your muse could not be so interesting (even if you may not agree, what does the fandom perhaps think?)
He’s a work-a-holic, in that he will put his work before anything else. Even at the expense of his heath. He’s stubborn like that.
He doesn’t know how to relax or have fun, at least in the ways others do. While others want to get rip-roaring drunk and party, he avoids those sorts of scenes at all costs and may even start to issue citations because there are rules being broken.
Oh yeah.. he’s a stickler for rules. Will never break one no matter what, so that can make him a kill-joy. He’s also prone to cleaning obsessively because of his OCD and anxiety and just doesn’t know how to strike up a proper converstation.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO RP YOUR MUSE?
I’ve been wanting to RP as Ultra Magnus / Minimus Ambus for like the longest of times since I came across him in the comics the first time he came out, but I was so shy and had anxiety about tackling such a big role. I kept putting it off because I didn’t think I could portray him correctly or others wouldn’t like how I wrote him. I finally gave in though because someone I admired wanted me to try after I mention wanting to try my hand at him and since I gave up so many others I wanted to RP as, I thought this time.. I’m going to do it and so I did. While I do still have some anxiety regarding my portrayal among other things, I’m enjoying myself and I’m glad others are actually enjoying my portrayal as well. You have no idea how much that means to me really. Besides I just.. find him so interesting really. He’s a gentleman, intelligent, resourceful, handsome (in my eyes), loves the arts and needs to be loved honestly.
WHAT KEEPS YOUR INSPIRATION GOING?  
I guess the fact that I’m enjoying writing this muse and that others are enjoying him as well? Really, if it wasn’t for some of you I probably wouldn’t have taken on Minimus and just wondered about it like I did with other muses I wanted to try my hand at.
SOME MORE PERSONAL QUESTIONS FOR THE MUN.
do you think you give your character justice?  YES / NO. (I mean I feel like I do yet don’t???)
do you frequently write headcanons?  YES / NO.
do you sometimes write drabbles? YES / NO.  
do you think a lot about your muse during the day? YES (I do that with all my muses honestly...) / NO.
are you confident in your portrayal?   YES / NO. (This is rather laughable really)
are you confident in your writing?  YES / NO. (HAH!)
are you a sensitive person?  YES / NO. (...It depends I guess?? Sometimes I can be and sometimes you have to try harder than that bucko)
DO YOU ACCEPT CRITICISM WELL ABOUT YOUR PORTRAYAL?
I wouldn’t mind it yes? As long as it’s CRITICISM and not just flat out hate like I have recieved before. Telling me the way I’m writing the muse sucks isn’t going to help me get better. You’re just insulting me. Tell me how to improve. Give me tidbits and or hints. Provide helpful criticism. Some of you don’t know how to do that and it shows.
DO YOU LIKE QUESTIONS, WHICH HELP YOU EXPLORE YOUR CHARACTER?  
I think everyone does really. It helps not only you but your muse as well. It helps you get a better feeling on your muse and expand their background and whatnot, so yeah. I do.
IF SOMEONE DISAGREES TO A HEADCANON OF YOURS, DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY?  
Not.. really? Considering it’s my headcanon and it’s my interepation of the muse, not theirs. I mean I’m open to new headcanons and if I like it, I may addapt it to my own but I also can refuse it if I feel like it doesn’t fit with my portrayal. If you don’t like my portrayal, you’re welcome to unfollow. Not that hard really.
IF SOMEONE DISAGREES WITH YOUR PORTRAYAL, HOW WOULD YOU TAKE IT?
...Unfollow? I feel like I’m doing a decent enough job on my portral. If you don’t like it, unfollow and move on. Simple.
IF SOMEONE REALLY HATES YOUR CHARACTER, HOW DO YOU TAKE IT?
Everyone has their likes and dislikes. It’s how the world is. How people are. If you don’t like my muse, that’s fine. I don’t care. Just don’t send me messages about it or whatever. I don’t care for that shit.
ARE YOU OKAY WITH PEOPLE POINTING OUT YOUR GRAMMATICAL ERRORS?  
I don’t mind as long as they’re not an ass about it... Like calling me stupid or an idiot. Not everyone can write perfectly or even speaks / writes English. Remember that. Some of us also have issues with speaking and or typing. Remember that.
DO YOU THINK YOU ARE EASY GOING AS A MUN?  
I mean.. I like to think I am? Besides my horrible social anxiety and other problems, I try to be nice and friendly. If someone sends me something, I try my best to reply to it in a timely manner. I try my best not to bother people too much but at the same time, I try to be supportive and caring if I see someone is down or needs help with something. I don’t ever rush others for replies since I know real life always comes first. I also don’t force interactions or shipping or what-have-you. I’m just here to have fun and write, which I’m sure a great majority of us are. Having said that, if you ever want to message me or get to know me, please don’t be afraid to do so. I’m not a mean person by any degree really. The only time I’m rude if is someone is rude to me first, but that’s really the only instance. I don’t like to start conflict or drama. That sort of stuff causes me anxiety anyways, so yeah.. Enjoy yourselves, okay?
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chronologiical · 5 years
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/crashes in with 2018 art summary ☆
i hope 2019 will be a good year for everyone and i hope i get to draw as much as i used to be able to!! I’ll also start using twitter a lot more next year since tumblr is getting a little unstable so feel free to follow me if you’d like!
https://twitter.com/chronologiical
there’re still nothing on my twitter at the moment but i’ll be posting doodles, sketches, random streams and all my gacha hell stories over there in 2019! Feel free to come over and cry with me (*•̀ᴗ•́*)و ̑̑
more under the cut since it’s getting a little lengthy ahaha
you know the thing last year where i said i’ll draw more and ended dying for like half a year...yeah. I hope all of you had a much much better 2018!
2018 has been a really weird year for me and i was having this art block for like most of the time;; i also got a little tired of drawing that i ended up not doing it for like 2 months ahahah but sao came back! and i'm slowly spiraling down the way i did with watanuki...
sorry i haven’t been drawing much for clamp this year! I still love holic/trc and all the precious idiots in it but i felt like i’ve been drawing so much of it over the years that there isn’t anything new i could explore until rei comes alive (╯︵╰,) but feel free to chat with me about them still though i always love discussing these sweethearts with you all! I'll still draw them but it may not be as frequent as the previous years hope everyone would understand! ☆
Here’s to a wonderful 2019 and merry holidays to all of you!
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dxmedstudent · 6 years
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Getting through things one day at a time...
It’s been a reflective couple of weeks, and I took some time out to reflect on how I’d been feeling over the course of the entire year, but particularly in the run up to the past month or so when everything seemed to get on top of me.
I took a break from revision, after discussing it with my tutors. Looking back, it was important to take a break so I could begin to get better. I really, really wanted to take that exam, and I was so frustrated because I’d already put in so much work. But I’ve had to resign myself it’ll have to wait a little longer. I stressed a lot about getting everything ready by the deadlines (as does everyone else), and I think I just tried to do so much, until it wore me down. Maybe because it never quite feels like enough, and maybe because it always feels like it’s framed like the results will be dire if you do not. It took a while for me to accept that I needed to put myself first, and now I think I’m finding a better balance. After talking to my tutors, I tried to find non-medical things to fill up my time. I knew I needed to do something, but it’s hard when you’re struggling to stop thinking about work stress and feeling miserable about not being able to do everything you wanted/needed to do because you’ve not been well. I took the time to take regular exercise, lots of walks in the sunshine. I worked on trying to eat and sleep better, and occupying my time with activities as best as I could. I didn’t create much art; somehow, I’m not quite back to my usual creativity. It sucks when you have free time, but lack the energy and will to do things you’d usually love to do. I’m sure it’ll come back, right now I just have to be patient. In the meantime, I decided to make myself do things that required less effort; so I read a few books that had been on my to-do list for a while. I read most of the books in Sarah J. Maas’ ACOTAR series (does it have a real name?). I like the characters, and I can see why they attract a fandom.  It’s less fun reading about characters struggling with their own issues when you want a diversion from your own, but they weren’t too heavy to read. There were a few bits that dragged, and I feel they were meant give the impression that it feels terrible and interminable for the characters, but I think I was in the wrong place to be entertained by that aspect. 
I also read Good Omens! After putting it on my to-read list multiple times since what feels like forever. For me, reading has always been a healing activity, and it helped, it really did. I have no idea how reading about the apocalypse helped to lift me out of the difficult place I’d found myself in, but I think it’ll keep a special place in my heart.
I took up resin casting some simple things. Nothing... exciting, but we’ll see. I haven’t done much crafting for a long time, and I guess this was the least exhausting way to be creative. D&D remains a godsend to my remaining sanity; There’s something refreshing about immersing yourself completely in hijinks and stratagems and whatever it is that your party gets up to. I’m glad that I have the kind of friends who can be there in whatever way you need. I haven’t worked on comics in a while; I’ve not felt the joy in coming up with ideas or bringing them about, and rather than producing things that feel like they aren’t up to what I want to do, or feel forced, I decided to take a little time and focus on wherever the muse took me, rather than get upset that I was burnt out and art-blocked. I put out weekly comics for so long (for years), that it really frustrates me that I just couldn’t keep up with that recently.  When the portfolio-panic dies down, I’ll start up with comics again, hopefully.
I’ve started writing again. Well, my initial concept for this story was a sort of mellow, reflective xxx-holic or Mushishi-like exploration of working in hospital, and somehow it morphed into the hitchhiker’s guide to hospital, and I guess I like writing things that are amusing, but deep down inside it’s underlined by anger at parts of the system. I don’t care if it’s any good, or if anyone else ever reads it, as long as it helps me unwind, or blow off steam.
I finally started the medical BSL course I wanted to start. It’s only a small part of level 1, and I’d love to continue to finish the rest of the level if/when I had the time to, but right now, I’m taking it one lesson at a time. I enjoy it, and though I’ll never be interpreter level, even if I can make my Deaf patients feel a little more included and respected, then I’ll be happy. Following a period of leave, I’ve started back at work. Staffing has been... OK at present. I’m not sure how long that will last, we’ll have to see. I have the uncomfortable feeling that I’m counting down the weeks until I move on from this rotation, which is sad,because I usually really enjoy and miss the departments I work in. But then we can’t like everything. This too shall pass. The main issue right now is the serious amount of portfolio/ARCP related stress permeating all my friends and colleagues. It’s pretty hard to avoid stressing out and falling back into burnout mode when it’s all everyone else talks about. I’ve managed to get back to my portfolio after my break, and make some good progress, but I’m just saturated with it. I’ll be glad when this bit is over. One step at a time.
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olixerwoood-blog · 7 years
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Study Breaks
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Request: Hello! Are you taking requests? May I ask you for some fluff with Oliver Wood? ^^ But like in school, private, not on the quidditch pitch. Maybe some cuddling on the rainy evening or something? :) Love you!xx ( @bluegreyme ).
Word Count: 1378
Author’s Note: I love Oliver Wood so of course I loveeeeeed this request. I just hope that I did your request to your liking :) Also tagging the lovely @notgreengrass for always being so willing to edit my posts!
Disclaimer: Fluffffffff
The NEWTs was all Y/n could think about the for past two weeks. The end of term was approaching quickly, which meant that Oliver and Y/n had been studying from dawn 'til dusk. The morning sun was bright as it glistened against the water of the lake, though the air felt a little stagnate. Regardless, it was pleasant weather for studying underneath her and Oliver's favorite tree by the Hogwarts lake.
Transfiguration books were sprawled all across the ground. As Oliver's head was resting on Y/n's lap, he held a book in attempt to block the sun that was making them squint their eyes.
“Y/n–,” Oliver began to whine, “we’ve been studying all bloody morning. Can we please take a break? My brain is going to explode,” he said, dragging out "please." Oliver groaned as he rolled onto his stomach to face the Y/h girl.
She looked down at the brown-haired boy for just a moment before huffing and turning her attention back to her notes, dipping her quill into the jet black ink. She only sighed and shut her eyes in frustration.
“Oliver, I’m getting tired of explaining this to you again and again. I need at least an 'exceeds expectations' in Transfiguration. I can not afford anything less that, and at the rate I’m going, I will barely manage to get ac–”
“Acceptable and then there is no way you’ll get a credible job after Hogwarts. Blah, blah, blah. I know, but darling, it’s a beautiful day and we're busy studying again! When was the last time we had some real fun?” He raised his right eyebrow up in questionable manner.
“Well, the other day we had a nice laugh in the library when Fred and George tried to prank Madam Pince...”
“We were studying then, too!” Oliver playfully yelled while attempting to grab the book from her petite hands but only to fail miserably.
“Oliver Wood, leave me be and get back to your own studying! You know I care about you and want you to do well.” She playfully slapped him on the head with the book before throwing it aside and tackling him onto the rough ground.
Oliver’s mood instantly peaked as he wrapped his arms around the girl and began to tickle her sides, the spots he knew to be the most ticklish on her. He knew exactly how to get what he wanted and wouldn’t stop until she desperately gave in upon his request.
She gasped for air and flailed all about trying to get her breathing into a normal and steady pace which did not succeed because of the intense laughter escaping her mouth.
“Ollllliee! St–stop ii-iit!" she cried as tears caused from the sensation prickled the corners of her eyes.
“I won’t stop until you agree that we can take a break from studying!” he declared while tossing his head back with even more laughter. The witch began to hit him on his legs. “O-okay j-j-just pleeaase quit it!”
Oliver finally released the girl who scooted away from the Scot as quickly as she could as she smoothed down her hair and clothes in the process. She crossed her arms and began to pout while baiting her now wide and dewey eyes, giving her best shot at the puppy eyes she knew he couldn’t resist prior to late events.
“Oh Merlin, Y/n,” He ran his rugged hand over his face and chuckled, “you know I can never resist that gorgeous face of yours, but you make it exceedingly hard when you pout, love.”
He scooted closer to the girl and rested his forehead against hers. He ran his forefinger up and down her right cheek before cupping it gently and leaning in to plant soft kisses on her lips.
Y/n met him halfway and captured his lips onto her own while running her hands excruciatingly slow in his previously neat hair. Oliver moved his right hand to the back of her neck, causing her head to tilt back and her mouth to part ever so slightly granting his tongue access to explore the inside of her mouth.
The two were in their own little world of bliss when suddenly Y/n felt a drop of liquid hit her now flushed cheek. She broke apart the sultry kiss to look up to the sky. The sky seemed to have changed drastically. Ominous clouds were now looming over the lake and Hogwarts threatening to trap them in a great rainstorm.
“Uh, Oliver?” Oliver was busy planting kisses on her neck to bother hearing her. However, it was too late. In a matter of mere seconds, the clouds released their pressure and began to pour onto the couple underneath the tree.
“Oh bloody hell! Oliver, our books and parchments! They're getting soaked!” Oliver, paying no mind onto his belongings, grabbed all of Y/n's and stuffed them as quickly as he could into his bag.
“Y/n, just grab what you can and run back to the castle. I’ll get the rest! Now go!”
Her hands were full as she stumbled and giggled her way all the way back to the castle entrance. Oliver was not too far on her heels. Once they reached the entrance, the two dropped all of their belongings on the floor and fell into a fit of laughter. Oliver walked toward the soaking wet witch and grabbed her waist and pulled her into a tight hug before kissing her forehead lovingly.
“Hey, let’s go and put our things back in the common room before Filch finds us. I want to take you somewhere,” whispered Oliver. He stroked her back and motioned his thumbs in small sloppy circles. Goosebumps hidden under her clothes formed a trail following under his fingers.
“Please tell me it’s not the pitch. You’re always there, you know.” Oliver laughed and kissed her temple. “No, it is not. I think you'll like it.”
The couple began to walk down the hall after emerging out of the portrait dry and with a new change of clothes. Oliver grasped her left hand in his right one, tangling his fingers through hers so he could lead her up the stairs towards the top of the tower. He stroked her hand as they walked and Y/n's cheeks turned a light peach. Even after months of dating, they're hearts still beat fast from any sign of affection.
“Have I ever heard of the place we're heading to, Oliver?” She squeezed his hand knowing that he was taking her to the astronomy tower.
“Well, love, you’re a bright woman, and you’ve been in this castle for a long while now,” Oliver teased. He had always admired her cleverness.
Once they reached the astronomy tower, Oliver let go of her hand and placed them over her eyes. “Ollie, I’ve seen the astronomy tower about a million times now. It’s no surprise to me anymore.” She chuckled lightly and tried to peel his hands away from her eyes.
“Yeah, but have you seen this view before?” He guided her over to the railing that overlooked the lake before removing his hands from her face that revealed the mid-afternoon sky. The clouds were moving rapidly overhead as the rain poured against half of the lake while the other half was brilliant shades of oranges and pinks. The passing storm gave a beautiful and breathtaking glow across the remaining half of the lake. Everything looked bright green on the outskirts of the forbidden forest from the rain that was falling. The moss was more illuminated than ever before. Y/n’s breath caught in her throat as she smiled. A fuzzy warmth filling her body.
“It’s... absolutely gorgeous Oliver. This... just, wow,” she breathed out as she leaned forward against the railing. She felt a pair of strong arms entangle around her from behind.
“Not as gorgeous as the lady I have in my arms,” Oliver whispered in her ear before placing a small kiss along the side of her neck. "Ugh, you're such a cliche, Oliver."
The couple stayed intertwined in each other’s arms spending some much needed time together away from the stress of studying under the mesmerizing warm sky. 
“I love you, you study-holic.”
“And I love you too, Keeper.”
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brittanyinterviews · 5 years
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Simone Anne, Wedding, Travel, and Commercial Photographer
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Simone Anne, Wedding, Travel, and Commercial Photographer
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This interview was conducted via email in October 2019.
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Brittany: How did you get into wedding, travel, and commercial photography?
Simone: I started with photography my senior year of high school when I took a black and white film photo class. I’d love to say that it was love at first click, but it was just something I enjoyed (although, true to my obsessive nature, I spent hours and hours in the darkroom on weekends, so I must have loved it in some way). I was finishing up a roll of film at the park taking photos of my mom when she got tired of me taking her photo. My mom, who doesn’t love being in front of the camera, pushed me towards another woman in the park. “Excuse me,” I said. “I’m taking a photography class at the high school and need to finish up this roll of film for school. Do you think I could take a few photos of you?” She said yes, I awkwardly manually focused and snapped some images. Then she turned to me and said, “I’m actually a professional photographer.” Shanti, the photographer I met in the park that day, became my mentor, friend, inspiration, and more. She’s a wonderful human, inspiring business owner, and incredible photographer. Without her and this chance encounter in the park, I would not have gotten into photography and it would not have turned into my career in this way.
Brittany: Can you describe a typical day as a professional photographer?
Simone: I am very much not a routine oriented person and one of the big things that I love about my role as an independent business owner is that for the most part, I get to mold my work days to how I’m feeling. There are (of course) photography days where I am working with clients with my camera: Usually we’re outside, exploring around, and having a ton of fun. I love these days so much. I also love editing days, where I tuck myself in at my desk, put on an audiobook or podcast (I listen to a TON of audio in this role and love it very much), and make the images match my vision.
A huge part of my job is also back end things: I send a lot of planning and organizing emails, talk to my clients on the phone a lot to help them plan their day or pick their photographer, and work on various web things. For commercial jobs or travel jobs, I’ll put together fancy pitch / proposal decks to get the job, go back and forth with them on the phone and via email to make sure all of our plans are set, and more. Most of my wedding photography clients find me through Google and I spend quite a bit of time working on my website, dealing with pages and content that drive traffic, and working on the back end things (I don’t have a developer so it’s all just me). There’s always a lot going on and I am a work-a-holic who loves to get everything done as soon as possible, always.
Brittany: Can you describe the process of planning an engagement, wedding, or elopement shoot with a couple, touching on logistical details like timing, picking locations, and mapping out the kinds of photos you'll be taking?
Simone: My biggest goal for a wedding is this: I want my clients to have their dream day, whatever that is. I ask questions to help them narrow in on what kind of day they want and what that might look like and then I make suggestions as to how photography can fit into and augment that. I always tell my clients, “I’ll never tell you what to do, I’ll just tell you what your choices mean.” What this means is that I’m never ever leaving them hanging, but I will make whatever they want work, as long as we’re realistic about the timeline and build in the time they need for their dreams to come true. It sounds very up in the clouds, but ultimately it means that the way that I do it, wedding photography is a super fun and rewarding part of an overall joyful wedding day where we get exuberant, meaningful images that are beautiful, too.
That being said, in terms of locations and timelines, I do make suggestions. For locations, I like to get a general sense of where clients love (ocean, mountains, town, etc.) and make suggestions from there. I have a HUGE library of past work and can often share that to inspire locations, otherwise I am always scouting and exploring and love to share new finds.
In terms of the kinds of images I am going to make, I feel so lucky to have clients that trust my vision completely. I am always happy to work in a request or two, but mostly my clients come to me without anything except love of my work and trust in me and it really opens us up to a super fun and rewarding experience working and creating magic together.
Brittany: Many of the moments you capture seem so natural and your subjects seem far from stiff. Do you find yourself directing your subjects? How do you make them feel comfortable in front of a camera?
Simone: I absolutely direct and pose clients, but never in a way that asks them to stand there and hold a moment. I believe that good “posing” is less about telling you how exactly to position your body or interact with your partner, but more about figuring out where your body is its most comfortable, most you, most beautiful, and how you and your partner most naturally fit together. It’s pretty common for me to get on the phone with a potential client and have them tell me that while they love the natural, candid look of my work and want that for their own photos, they don’t actually feel that relaxed in front of the camera. This is very normal! I do a fun kind of posing that lets my clients relax, have a wonderful time, AND come away with photos they absolutely love.
Brittany: You've worked with brands like CLIF Bar and United Airlines. How does a commercial gig come to be?
Simone: I’ve gotten my biggest commercial gigs through Instagram, where clients are looking for a powerful combination of high quality photography and a strong social media presence. Most of these clients have then licensed images for other use after the fact as well.
These types of jobs have led to other commercial and editorial jobs as well: Word of mouth and experience of course go a long way.
I am not a high production commercial photographer who manages production teams of 30 people over a week in a big company’s office building. That’s just not what I do or what I am interested in, so in that sense “commercial” is perhaps not quite the right industry word, although I am working with commercial partners on big jobs.
Brittany: How has your business grown or changed over the years?
Simone: Over time, I’ve dialed in my voice and my work to really and truly represent who I am, how I approach photography, and how I work on a wedding day. With a strong voice (or brand) and strong images that fit within that story, the clients I work with these days are people who I utterly and truly love and who are SO excited about my work (beforehand, on the day of, and when they get their gallery). It’s ideal because it works as a win-win all around for my clients and myself and I am endlessly thankful for the wonderful relationships and jobs this has brought me.
Brittany: In addition to being an amazing photographer, you're clearly a UC Berkeley grad in that you steep yourself in local and global issues. Is there any issue you think more people should be paying attention to right now?
Simone: I don’t understand why managing climate change isn’t our number one priority at all times, above profit, above politics, above everything. The concept that there are people out there who don’t believe the science boggles my mind and I find our lack of care for the planet embarrassing and upsetting.
Brittany: You're definitely an expert in social media and have a background in marketing. If you could share one tip (or even a pet peeve) on how to use social media better, what would it be?
Simone: Honestly as our social media lives and IRL lives become more and more intertwined, my advice for both is the same: Focus on being interested, not just interesting, and the rest will follow.
I’ll follow an interesting account that doesn’t know how to use hashtags over a glossy, perfect account any day and overall those accounts and people that build a real rapport or community will always have a voice that outlasts the social media platform and usage tactic of the day. All that and you didn’t sell out! ;)
Brittany: Have you always been interested in photography and art in general? Can you describe your first "art memory"?
Simone: I have always been interested in art and writing, but photography was a later interest acquisition. I grew up without a television and while it meant I miss out on a TON of pop culture references, it also meant I just kinda putzed around and created a lot as a kid.
I was really, really into scissors as a young child and created a lot of collages and cut paper art. (I still love doing this, haha).
I also wrote a LOT. My parents still have so many little homemade books: For example, I had an adventure series I wrote about a girl who liked to explore outside named Art with probably five or six “books” in the series. I’ve also kept a journal since I was six years old. I’ve written in them a few times a week pretty consistently my whole life and I have a printer box full of old thoughts, worries, interests, travels, and more. And since everybody asks if this comes up: I don’t really read through them! Maybe one day I will, but for now the joy has been in the writing and exploration of them.
Brittany: I know you're a writer and have been making pottery for a few years now. Have you ever experimented with other creative mediums, like video?
Simone: I’ve never played with video professionally or even with my camera, but I’ve fallen in love with video on Instagram Stories! It’s such a versatile medium, where you can meld sound, movement, and vision to share a true sense of place. I’ve considered experimenting with this “for real,” so to speak, but video editing is time consuming and a true art.
Brittany: You've traveled all over the world, including places as far as South Africa and India and as close as the John Muir Trail here in California. What's on your travel bucket list?
Simone: I want to spend more time in India, for sure. Getting just a month in only a few of the Northern states was seriously not enough. So much to explore (and eat!) and so many interesting, historic, and beautiful things to see. Other than a return to India, I want to spend some time in Bolivia (I have tentative plans to be there for a job next fall!), explore Greece and Portugal, and get back to Africa (not sure what’s at the top of my list, but possibly Egypt, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Morocco… Ahh, so many ideas). In short, everywhere!
Brittany: What can we expect to see from you in the future?
Simone: I want to work on more editorial and travel projects, am interested in pursuing writing more seriously, and will continue to photograph rad couples getting married with joy and intention (so, more of that). I really love the life I’ve built and right now I just want to continue that: Grow and finess my business, travel more, and pursue some personal projects as well.
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Photo by Karen Santos
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Special thanks to Simone for discussing her work with us. You can follow her work on her wedding photographer website, travel and editorial photographer website, travel, editorial, life Instagram, wedding Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.
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topfygad · 5 years
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10 Unmissable Osaka Day Trips – Aussie on the Road
Often spoken of in the same breath as Kyoto and Tokyo, Osaka is one of Japan’s most popular tourist destinations for a reason.
Not only is it home to one of Japan’s largest international airports, but it’s also home to a whole range of fascinating attractions ranging from ancient castles to hands-on experiences to theme parks to some of the best food in Japan. Don’t believe me? Just check out Adventures Around Asia’s post on the most unique things to do in Osaka.
Another huge selling point for Osaka is how connected it is to the rest of Japan. From this dynamic city, it is possible to take a number of fascinating day trips to nearby landmarks and cities.
Once you’ve finished exploring Osaka, why not take one (or more) of these fascinating Osaka day trips to extend your exploration?
Meoto-Iwa’s wedded rocks are one of Ise’s most popular Shinto sites.
#10 – Ise
The starting point for the breathtaking Kumano Kodo Iseji, Ise City is home to one of Japan’s most beloved Shinto shrines in the form of the Ise Grand Shrine.
While Mie Prefecture is part of the greater Kansai region, Ise lies a long way from Osaka. Even so, it is possible to get there in a shade under 2 hours on the JR train. Set out bright and early for your chance to experience the serenity of Ise Grand Shrine in the early hours of the day.
If you’re pressed for time, skip Geku and focus your attention on the beauty of Naiku. When you’re done there, wander along Okage Yokocho to sample delicious street food and do a little souvenir shopping in an old-town themed street.
There’s more to see in Ise than the Geku and Naiku Shrines, of course, with the wedded rocks at Meoto-Iwa being a popular spot for young lovers wanting a little extra luck for their romance.
Lastly, Ise is famous for its delicious cuisine. There are plenty of places to eat in Ise, but I’m especially partial to the delicious Ise udon, which has more noodles and less broth. It’s perfect for a carb-o-holic like me!
Getting There: You can reach Ise from Osaka 2 hours and 20 minutes on the slow JR train (1,700 Yen/$17 USD) or in just under two hours on the express JR train (3,030 Yen/$30 USD).
See: Ise Grand Shrine and Meoto-Iwa.
Extend Your Stay: If you’re keen to tackle the Iseji Kumano Kodo, Ise is the starting point for my two-week Kumano Kodo itinerary.
Naoshima’s most iconic image. Image courtesy of saltowitz
#9 – Naoshima
You might not know the name, but you’ve probably seen the eye-catching photo of that iconic sculpture sitting out on the pier.
Sometimes known as ‘art island’, Naoshima is an idyllic little beach island that has been overrun with stunning works of art. Thanks largely to the Benesse Corporation, Naoshima is fast becoming one of Japan’s most popular tourist attractions.
Naoshima is a bit of a journey from Osaka, as you’ll need to take the JR train to Okayama and then transit on local lines to the ferry. It’s just 45-minutes from Osaka to Okayama.
Once you’ve taken the ferry (for the princely sum of 290 Yen/$2.90 USD), you’ll be able to wander Naoshima at your leisure to soak in its many art installations and its immense natural beauty.
Getting There: Take the JR train from Shin-Osaka Station to Okayama Station and then follow these instructions. It’s around 6,000 yen ($60 USD) on the JR line, or 3,020 Yen ($30 USD) on the slower local trains.
See: Wander the many art installations on the island.
Extend Your Stay: Spend a day or two exploring Okayama.
Making your own Japanese sweets is one of many hands-on activities in Sakai City. Image courtesy of Adventures Around Asia.
#8 – Sakai City
So close to Osaka that you would be forgiven for thinking that they’re the same city, Sakai City is the place to go for hands-on activities. Less than a half-hour’s travel from Osaka, it’s the perfect place to get a little off the beaten path and try something new.
Adventures Around Asia has already designed a fantastic girls day in Sakai, but there are plenty of man-friendly activities as well.
In the course of a single day in Sakai City, I tried my hand at honing my own sashimi knife, dyed yukata fabric, learned how to make Japanese candy, attended a tea ceremony, and soared high over the city’s ancient burial mounds in a VR experience.
As a relatively new tourism market, you’re going to want to email the Sakai Tourism Board ([email protected]) ahead of time to get some assistance in planning things, but it’s well worth the day-trip.
Getting There: It takes roughly 30-minutes to get to Sakai from Osaka or Kansai International Airport.
See: Visit the Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko for a traditional tea ceremony, make Japanese sweets at Machiya Cafe Sacay, and visit the city’s ancient burial mounds.
Extend Your Stay: Splash out on a night at the Agora Sakai Regency and explore the city by bicycle.
Himeji Castle is especially gorgeous during cherry blossom season. Image courtesy of Reginald Pentinio
#7 – Himeji
While Osaka has an impressive castle of its own in the form of Osaka Castle, Himeji Castle is hands-down the most famous castle in all of Japan.
Japan’s best-preserved feudal castle, Himeji-Jo is sometimes known as White Heron Castle due to its striking all-white exterior and the graceful curve of its eaves. It’s one of Japan’s most beautiful architectural achievements.
Insider tip? You can snap your photos of Himeji Castle without having to pay for admission, although the tour of the interior is informative and you’re obviously helping contribute to the upkeep of the historic site.
At just ninety-minutes on the JR train from Osaka, it’s totally possible to experience both Osaka Castle and Himeji Castle in a single day too!
Getting There: It takes ninety-minutes to reach Himeji from Osaka.
See: Himeji Castle is the obvious attraction in Himeji.
Extend Your Stay: While there might not be enough in Himeji to hold your attention for multiple days, you could pay a visit to the nearby Kokoen Gardens for just 40 Yen more with a combined Himeji Castle/Kokoen ticket.
The deer of Nara are just one of many attractions in a gorgeous city. Image courtesy of conifer conifer
#6 – Nara
Famous for its friendly population of deer, Nara is a city with far more to offer than just an up close and personal interaction with hungry deer.
Many flock to the city to wander Nara Park and feed the bowing deer, but to me, the real attractions are the many temples and shrines in the city. Todaiji and Horyuji are doubtlessly impressive, but my heart belongs to Shintoism and Kasuga Taisha is every bit as stunning as the shrines that dot the Kumano Kodo.
The city is home to a number of other temples and shrines, but is also a great place to tour Japanese gardens. Yoshikien is especially gorgeous.
Getting There: It takes a shade under an hour to reach Nara from Osaka.
See: Wild deer in Nara Park, Todaiji and Horyuji Temples, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, and Yoshikien gardens.
Extend Your Stay Stick around for dinner at Sakura Burger, where you can try delicious Japan-US fusion burgers.
Kobe is a green, gorgeous city that warrants an extended visit.
#5 – Kobe
Famed for its succulent Kobe beef, I discovered that Kobe is far more than just a place to grab a meal. If you’ve read my One Day in Kobe post, you’ll see there is a wealth of things to do in the port city.
From scenic hikes and the stunning Kobe Herb Gardens to the modern vibe of Meriken Park and the nearby shopping precinct to going on a boozy sake distillery tour, there’s just so much about green, modern Kobe to love.
Getting There: It takes 15-30 minutes to reach Kobe from Osaka.
See: Try Kobe beef, visit the Kobe Herb Gardens, go on a sake distillery tour, and visit Meriken Park.
Extend Your Stay: You can see a full day itinerary for Kobe outlined in my One Day in Kobe post, but this could easily be extended out to two days with a full-day to relax and enjoy the Kobe Herb Gardens.
Universal Studios Japan is a blast! Image courtesy of Andrea Hale.
#4 – Universal Studios Japan
While it technically lies within Osaka, a day trip to Universal Studios Japan is an adventure unto itself. With multiple ‘worlds’ to explore, an attached shopping/dining precinct, and rides & shows galore, USJ is a fantastic day out for the entire family.
Our visit just so happened to coincide with Christmas festivities, which meant an abundance of Minion madness as part of the park’s ‘Yellow Christmas’, but we also managed to sneak in a little time at the fantastic Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Our day at the park only scratched the surface of what there is to do, as we weren’t able to find time to explore attractions such as the Evangelion VR ride, the terrifying Hollywood Dream roller coaster, or the Jurassic Park ride.
We did, however, ride the Despicable Me Minion Mayhem and the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey rides, both of which were a blast!
We also saw two fun parades and the famous The Gift of Angels nightly performance, which is truly gorgeous to behold.
Getting There: It takes around 30-minutes to reach Universal Studios Japan from Osaka city.
See: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, live shows and parades, themed rides, and delicious food.
Extend Your Stay: It’s a big park, so why not book a hotel in the attached City Walk so you can spread your exploration out over two days?
The ‘floating’ Torii of Miyajima are one of the most popular attractions near Hiroshima. image courtesy of Michael Day.
#3 – Hiroshima and Miyajima
Famous for all of the wrong reasons, Hiroshima will forever live in infamy as the site of the first use of an atomic bomb against a civilian population.
Rebuilding from the ruins of that war-ending event, Hiroshima now stands as a tribute to the destructive capacity of war and the healing that had to be done after that fateful day.
Visitors to Hiroshima can learn more about the bombing of Hiroshima by visiting sites such as the A-Bomb Dome, the Peace Memorial Park, and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, but there is more to dynamic Hiroshima than its dark past.
Gorgeous gardens such as Shukkeien, historic sites such as Fukuyama Castle, and the World Heritage-listed Itsukushima Shrine are worth the trip in their own right.
The latter is on nearby Miyajima, which might mean you’ll want to spend a night in the area so you’re not rushing to fit both Hiroshima and Miyajima into a single day.
Getting There: It takes 2.5 hours to get from Osaka to Hiroshima, with Miyajima another hour from Hiroshima.
See: Visit memorials to the Hiroshima bombing, tour Shukkien gardens, and pay a visit to Miyajima.
Extend Your Stay: If you want to explore at a more relaxed pace, consider booking a hotel in Hiroshima or Miyajima so you can take your time.
Koyasan is also home to Japan’s largest (and most haunting) graveyard. image courtesy of DocChewbacca
#2 – Koyasan
One of the holiest locations in all of Japan, Koyasan (Mount Koya) is the center of Shingon Buddhism and a hugely popular tourist attraction with those wanting to immerse themselves in traditional Japanese culture.
As you would expect from a holy site, Koyasan is awash with temples, pilgrimage trails, and opportunities to get in touch with a little inner peace.
For those with a little more time, Koyasan is a fantastic place to overnight at a temple or even launch your own exploration of a longer pilgrimage trail such as the Kumano Kodo.
Getting There: It takes just over ninety-minutes to reach Koyasan from Osaka.
See: Buddhist temples and pilgrimage trails.
Extend Your Stay: Spend a night in a traditional temple to really immerse yourself in Buddhism.
Kyoto might be Japans’s most photogenic cities. Image courtesy of Terence Lim
#1 – Kyoto
I would be loathe to say Kyoto is just a day trip city. There’s enough in gorgeous Kyoto to warrant a full week of its own, but if time is pressing and you’re based in Osaka, it’s certainly possible to get a taste of Kyoto in a day.
The city wears its history on its sleeve, and you’ll be surrounded by gorgeous temples and shrines at every turn. It’s also the home of Japan’s fading geisha culture, so geisha-watching is a pastime of its own.
For mine, the real highlights for a day in Kyoto would be Fushimi Inari shrine (best seen at dawn), the Arashiyama bamboo grove, golden Kinkaku-ji, and the chance to spot geisha in Gion.
You’ll be dealing with crowds every step of the way, however, so keep that in mind when planning your day in Kyoto!
Getting There: Kyoto is an hour from Osaka.
See: Kinkaku-Ji, Arashiyama, Fushimi Inari, and spot geisha.
Extend Your Stay: Kyoto deserves more than one day. Consider spending at least three days in Kyoto to really do it justice.
As you can see, Osaka is not only a fantastic place to visit, it’s also a fantastic place to base yourself while you take day trips to nearby cities such as Kyoto, Nara, Kobe, and Himeji.
It really is the perfect combination: a hub for exploration and an attraction in its own right.
What are your favourite day trips from Osaka?
What about things to do in the city itself? How would you recommend a visitor spend their time in Osaka?
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topfygad · 5 years
Text
10 Unmissable Osaka Day Trips – Aussie on the Road
Often spoken of in the same breath as Kyoto and Tokyo, Osaka is one of Japan’s most popular tourist destinations for a reason.
Not only is it home to one of Japan’s largest international airports, but it’s also home to a whole range of fascinating attractions ranging from ancient castles to hands-on experiences to theme parks to some of the best food in Japan. Don’t believe me? Just check out Adventures Around Asia’s post on the most unique things to do in Osaka.
Another huge selling point for Osaka is how connected it is to the rest of Japan. From this dynamic city, it is possible to take a number of fascinating day trips to nearby landmarks and cities.
Once you’ve finished exploring Osaka, why not take one (or more) of these fascinating Osaka day trips to extend your exploration?
Meoto-Iwa’s wedded rocks are one of Ise’s most popular Shinto sites.
#10 – Ise
The starting point for the breathtaking Kumano Kodo Iseji, Ise City is home to one of Japan’s most beloved Shinto shrines in the form of the Ise Grand Shrine.
While Mie Prefecture is part of the greater Kansai region, Ise lies a long way from Osaka. Even so, it is possible to get there in a shade under 2 hours on the JR train. Set out bright and early for your chance to experience the serenity of Ise Grand Shrine in the early hours of the day.
If you’re pressed for time, skip Geku and focus your attention on the beauty of Naiku. When you’re done there, wander along Okage Yokocho to sample delicious street food and do a little souvenir shopping in an old-town themed street.
There’s more to see in Ise than the Geku and Naiku Shrines, of course, with the wedded rocks at Meoto-Iwa being a popular spot for young lovers wanting a little extra luck for their romance.
Lastly, Ise is famous for its delicious cuisine. There are plenty of places to eat in Ise, but I’m especially partial to the delicious Ise udon, which has more noodles and less broth. It’s perfect for a carb-o-holic like me!
Getting There: You can reach Ise from Osaka 2 hours and 20 minutes on the slow JR train (1,700 Yen/$17 USD) or in just under two hours on the express JR train (3,030 Yen/$30 USD).
See: Ise Grand Shrine and Meoto-Iwa.
Extend Your Stay: If you’re keen to tackle the Iseji Kumano Kodo, Ise is the starting point for my two-week Kumano Kodo itinerary.
Naoshima’s most iconic image. Image courtesy of saltowitz
#9 – Naoshima
You might not know the name, but you’ve probably seen the eye-catching photo of that iconic sculpture sitting out on the pier.
Sometimes known as ‘art island’, Naoshima is an idyllic little beach island that has been overrun with stunning works of art. Thanks largely to the Benesse Corporation, Naoshima is fast becoming one of Japan’s most popular tourist attractions.
Naoshima is a bit of a journey from Osaka, as you’ll need to take the JR train to Okayama and then transit on local lines to the ferry. It’s just 45-minutes from Osaka to Okayama.
Once you’ve taken the ferry (for the princely sum of 290 Yen/$2.90 USD), you’ll be able to wander Naoshima at your leisure to soak in its many art installations and its immense natural beauty.
Getting There: Take the JR train from Shin-Osaka Station to Okayama Station and then follow these instructions. It’s around 6,000 yen ($60 USD) on the JR line, or 3,020 Yen ($30 USD) on the slower local trains.
See: Wander the many art installations on the island.
Extend Your Stay: Spend a day or two exploring Okayama.
Making your own Japanese sweets is one of many hands-on activities in Sakai City. Image courtesy of Adventures Around Asia.
#8 – Sakai City
So close to Osaka that you would be forgiven for thinking that they’re the same city, Sakai City is the place to go for hands-on activities. Less than a half-hour’s travel from Osaka, it’s the perfect place to get a little off the beaten path and try something new.
Adventures Around Asia has already designed a fantastic girls day in Sakai, but there are plenty of man-friendly activities as well.
In the course of a single day in Sakai City, I tried my hand at honing my own sashimi knife, dyed yukata fabric, learned how to make Japanese candy, attended a tea ceremony, and soared high over the city’s ancient burial mounds in a VR experience.
As a relatively new tourism market, you’re going to want to email the Sakai Tourism Board ([email protected]) ahead of time to get some assistance in planning things, but it’s well worth the day-trip.
Getting There: It takes roughly 30-minutes to get to Sakai from Osaka or Kansai International Airport.
See: Visit the Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko for a traditional tea ceremony, make Japanese sweets at Machiya Cafe Sacay, and visit the city’s ancient burial mounds.
Extend Your Stay: Splash out on a night at the Agora Sakai Regency and explore the city by bicycle.
Himeji Castle is especially gorgeous during cherry blossom season. Image courtesy of Reginald Pentinio
#7 – Himeji
While Osaka has an impressive castle of its own in the form of Osaka Castle, Himeji Castle is hands-down the most famous castle in all of Japan.
Japan’s best-preserved feudal castle, Himeji-Jo is sometimes known as White Heron Castle due to its striking all-white exterior and the graceful curve of its eaves. It’s one of Japan’s most beautiful architectural achievements.
Insider tip? You can snap your photos of Himeji Castle without having to pay for admission, although the tour of the interior is informative and you’re obviously helping contribute to the upkeep of the historic site.
At just ninety-minutes on the JR train from Osaka, it’s totally possible to experience both Osaka Castle and Himeji Castle in a single day too!
Getting There: It takes ninety-minutes to reach Himeji from Osaka.
See: Himeji Castle is the obvious attraction in Himeji.
Extend Your Stay: While there might not be enough in Himeji to hold your attention for multiple days, you could pay a visit to the nearby Kokoen Gardens for just 40 Yen more with a combined Himeji Castle/Kokoen ticket.
The deer of Nara are just one of many attractions in a gorgeous city. Image courtesy of conifer conifer
#6 – Nara
Famous for its friendly population of deer, Nara is a city with far more to offer than just an up close and personal interaction with hungry deer.
Many flock to the city to wander Nara Park and feed the bowing deer, but to me, the real attractions are the many temples and shrines in the city. Todaiji and Horyuji are doubtlessly impressive, but my heart belongs to Shintoism and Kasuga Taisha is every bit as stunning as the shrines that dot the Kumano Kodo.
The city is home to a number of other temples and shrines, but is also a great place to tour Japanese gardens. Yoshikien is especially gorgeous.
Getting There: It takes a shade under an hour to reach Nara from Osaka.
See: Wild deer in Nara Park, Todaiji and Horyuji Temples, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, and Yoshikien gardens.
Extend Your Stay Stick around for dinner at Sakura Burger, where you can try delicious Japan-US fusion burgers.
Kobe is a green, gorgeous city that warrants an extended visit.
#5 – Kobe
Famed for its succulent Kobe beef, I discovered that Kobe is far more than just a place to grab a meal. If you’ve read my One Day in Kobe post, you’ll see there is a wealth of things to do in the port city.
From scenic hikes and the stunning Kobe Herb Gardens to the modern vibe of Meriken Park and the nearby shopping precinct to going on a boozy sake distillery tour, there’s just so much about green, modern Kobe to love.
Getting There: It takes 15-30 minutes to reach Kobe from Osaka.
See: Try Kobe beef, visit the Kobe Herb Gardens, go on a sake distillery tour, and visit Meriken Park.
Extend Your Stay: You can see a full day itinerary for Kobe outlined in my One Day in Kobe post, but this could easily be extended out to two days with a full-day to relax and enjoy the Kobe Herb Gardens.
Universal Studios Japan is a blast! Image courtesy of Andrea Hale.
#4 – Universal Studios Japan
While it technically lies within Osaka, a day trip to Universal Studios Japan is an adventure unto itself. With multiple ‘worlds’ to explore, an attached shopping/dining precinct, and rides & shows galore, USJ is a fantastic day out for the entire family.
Our visit just so happened to coincide with Christmas festivities, which meant an abundance of Minion madness as part of the park’s ‘Yellow Christmas’, but we also managed to sneak in a little time at the fantastic Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Our day at the park only scratched the surface of what there is to do, as we weren’t able to find time to explore attractions such as the Evangelion VR ride, the terrifying Hollywood Dream roller coaster, or the Jurassic Park ride.
We did, however, ride the Despicable Me Minion Mayhem and the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey rides, both of which were a blast!
We also saw two fun parades and the famous The Gift of Angels nightly performance, which is truly gorgeous to behold.
Getting There: It takes around 30-minutes to reach Universal Studios Japan from Osaka city.
See: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, live shows and parades, themed rides, and delicious food.
Extend Your Stay: It’s a big park, so why not book a hotel in the attached City Walk so you can spread your exploration out over two days?
The ‘floating’ Torii of Miyajima are one of the most popular attractions near Hiroshima. image courtesy of Michael Day.
#3 – Hiroshima and Miyajima
Famous for all of the wrong reasons, Hiroshima will forever live in infamy as the site of the first use of an atomic bomb against a civilian population.
Rebuilding from the ruins of that war-ending event, Hiroshima now stands as a tribute to the destructive capacity of war and the healing that had to be done after that fateful day.
Visitors to Hiroshima can learn more about the bombing of Hiroshima by visiting sites such as the A-Bomb Dome, the Peace Memorial Park, and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, but there is more to dynamic Hiroshima than its dark past.
Gorgeous gardens such as Shukkeien, historic sites such as Fukuyama Castle, and the World Heritage-listed Itsukushima Shrine are worth the trip in their own right.
The latter is on nearby Miyajima, which might mean you’ll want to spend a night in the area so you’re not rushing to fit both Hiroshima and Miyajima into a single day.
Getting There: It takes 2.5 hours to get from Osaka to Hiroshima, with Miyajima another hour from Hiroshima.
See: Visit memorials to the Hiroshima bombing, tour Shukkien gardens, and pay a visit to Miyajima.
Extend Your Stay: If you want to explore at a more relaxed pace, consider booking a hotel in Hiroshima or Miyajima so you can take your time.
Koyasan is also home to Japan’s largest (and most haunting) graveyard. image courtesy of DocChewbacca
#2 – Koyasan
One of the holiest locations in all of Japan, Koyasan (Mount Koya) is the center of Shingon Buddhism and a hugely popular tourist attraction with those wanting to immerse themselves in traditional Japanese culture.
As you would expect from a holy site, Koyasan is awash with temples, pilgrimage trails, and opportunities to get in touch with a little inner peace.
For those with a little more time, Koyasan is a fantastic place to overnight at a temple or even launch your own exploration of a longer pilgrimage trail such as the Kumano Kodo.
Getting There: It takes just over ninety-minutes to reach Koyasan from Osaka.
See: Buddhist temples and pilgrimage trails.
Extend Your Stay: Spend a night in a traditional temple to really immerse yourself in Buddhism.
Kyoto might be Japans’s most photogenic cities. Image courtesy of Terence Lim
#1 – Kyoto
I would be loathe to say Kyoto is just a day trip city. There’s enough in gorgeous Kyoto to warrant a full week of its own, but if time is pressing and you’re based in Osaka, it’s certainly possible to get a taste of Kyoto in a day.
The city wears its history on its sleeve, and you’ll be surrounded by gorgeous temples and shrines at every turn. It’s also the home of Japan’s fading geisha culture, so geisha-watching is a pastime of its own.
For mine, the real highlights for a day in Kyoto would be Fushimi Inari shrine (best seen at dawn), the Arashiyama bamboo grove, golden Kinkaku-ji, and the chance to spot geisha in Gion.
You’ll be dealing with crowds every step of the way, however, so keep that in mind when planning your day in Kyoto!
Getting There: Kyoto is an hour from Osaka.
See: Kinkaku-Ji, Arashiyama, Fushimi Inari, and spot geisha.
Extend Your Stay: Kyoto deserves more than one day. Consider spending at least three days in Kyoto to really do it justice.
As you can see, Osaka is not only a fantastic place to visit, it’s also a fantastic place to base yourself while you take day trips to nearby cities such as Kyoto, Nara, Kobe, and Himeji.
It really is the perfect combination: a hub for exploration and an attraction in its own right.
What are your favourite day trips from Osaka?
What about things to do in the city itself? How would you recommend a visitor spend their time in Osaka?
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10 Unmissable Osaka Day Trips – Aussie on the Road
Often spoken of in the same breath as Kyoto and Tokyo, Osaka is one of Japan’s most popular tourist destinations for a reason.
Not only is it home to one of Japan’s largest international airports, but it’s also home to a whole range of fascinating attractions ranging from ancient castles to hands-on experiences to theme parks to some of the best food in Japan. Don’t believe me? Just check out Adventures Around Asia’s post on the most unique things to do in Osaka.
Another huge selling point for Osaka is how connected it is to the rest of Japan. From this dynamic city, it is possible to take a number of fascinating day trips to nearby landmarks and cities.
Once you’ve finished exploring Osaka, why not take one (or more) of these fascinating Osaka day trips to extend your exploration?
Meoto-Iwa’s wedded rocks are one of Ise’s most popular Shinto sites.
#10 – Ise
The starting point for the breathtaking Kumano Kodo Iseji, Ise City is home to one of Japan’s most beloved Shinto shrines in the form of the Ise Grand Shrine.
While Mie Prefecture is part of the greater Kansai region, Ise lies a long way from Osaka. Even so, it is possible to get there in a shade under 2 hours on the JR train. Set out bright and early for your chance to experience the serenity of Ise Grand Shrine in the early hours of the day.
If you’re pressed for time, skip Geku and focus your attention on the beauty of Naiku. When you’re done there, wander along Okage Yokocho to sample delicious street food and do a little souvenir shopping in an old-town themed street.
There’s more to see in Ise than the Geku and Naiku Shrines, of course, with the wedded rocks at Meoto-Iwa being a popular spot for young lovers wanting a little extra luck for their romance.
Lastly, Ise is famous for its delicious cuisine. There are plenty of places to eat in Ise, but I’m especially partial to the delicious Ise udon, which has more noodles and less broth. It’s perfect for a carb-o-holic like me!
Getting There: You can reach Ise from Osaka 2 hours and 20 minutes on the slow JR train (1,700 Yen/$17 USD) or in just under two hours on the express JR train (3,030 Yen/$30 USD).
See: Ise Grand Shrine and Meoto-Iwa.
Extend Your Stay: If you’re keen to tackle the Iseji Kumano Kodo, Ise is the starting point for my two-week Kumano Kodo itinerary.
Naoshima’s most iconic image. Image courtesy of saltowitz
#9 – Naoshima
You might not know the name, but you’ve probably seen the eye-catching photo of that iconic sculpture sitting out on the pier.
Sometimes known as ‘art island’, Naoshima is an idyllic little beach island that has been overrun with stunning works of art. Thanks largely to the Benesse Corporation, Naoshima is fast becoming one of Japan’s most popular tourist attractions.
Naoshima is a bit of a journey from Osaka, as you’ll need to take the JR train to Okayama and then transit on local lines to the ferry. It’s just 45-minutes from Osaka to Okayama.
Once you’ve taken the ferry (for the princely sum of 290 Yen/$2.90 USD), you’ll be able to wander Naoshima at your leisure to soak in its many art installations and its immense natural beauty.
Getting There: Take the JR train from Shin-Osaka Station to Okayama Station and then follow these instructions. It’s around 6,000 yen ($60 USD) on the JR line, or 3,020 Yen ($30 USD) on the slower local trains.
See: Wander the many art installations on the island.
Extend Your Stay: Spend a day or two exploring Okayama.
Making your own Japanese sweets is one of many hands-on activities in Sakai City. Image courtesy of Adventures Around Asia.
#8 – Sakai City
So close to Osaka that you would be forgiven for thinking that they’re the same city, Sakai City is the place to go for hands-on activities. Less than a half-hour’s travel from Osaka, it’s the perfect place to get a little off the beaten path and try something new.
Adventures Around Asia has already designed a fantastic girls day in Sakai, but there are plenty of man-friendly activities as well.
In the course of a single day in Sakai City, I tried my hand at honing my own sashimi knife, dyed yukata fabric, learned how to make Japanese candy, attended a tea ceremony, and soared high over the city’s ancient burial mounds in a VR experience.
As a relatively new tourism market, you’re going to want to email the Sakai Tourism Board ([email protected]) ahead of time to get some assistance in planning things, but it’s well worth the day-trip.
Getting There: It takes roughly 30-minutes to get to Sakai from Osaka or Kansai International Airport.
See: Visit the Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko for a traditional tea ceremony, make Japanese sweets at Machiya Cafe Sacay, and visit the city’s ancient burial mounds.
Extend Your Stay: Splash out on a night at the Agora Sakai Regency and explore the city by bicycle.
Himeji Castle is especially gorgeous during cherry blossom season. Image courtesy of Reginald Pentinio
#7 – Himeji
While Osaka has an impressive castle of its own in the form of Osaka Castle, Himeji Castle is hands-down the most famous castle in all of Japan.
Japan’s best-preserved feudal castle, Himeji-Jo is sometimes known as White Heron Castle due to its striking all-white exterior and the graceful curve of its eaves. It’s one of Japan’s most beautiful architectural achievements.
Insider tip? You can snap your photos of Himeji Castle without having to pay for admission, although the tour of the interior is informative and you’re obviously helping contribute to the upkeep of the historic site.
At just ninety-minutes on the JR train from Osaka, it’s totally possible to experience both Osaka Castle and Himeji Castle in a single day too!
Getting There: It takes ninety-minutes to reach Himeji from Osaka.
See: Himeji Castle is the obvious attraction in Himeji.
Extend Your Stay: While there might not be enough in Himeji to hold your attention for multiple days, you could pay a visit to the nearby Kokoen Gardens for just 40 Yen more with a combined Himeji Castle/Kokoen ticket.
The deer of Nara are just one of many attractions in a gorgeous city. Image courtesy of conifer conifer
#6 – Nara
Famous for its friendly population of deer, Nara is a city with far more to offer than just an up close and personal interaction with hungry deer.
Many flock to the city to wander Nara Park and feed the bowing deer, but to me, the real attractions are the many temples and shrines in the city. Todaiji and Horyuji are doubtlessly impressive, but my heart belongs to Shintoism and Kasuga Taisha is every bit as stunning as the shrines that dot the Kumano Kodo.
The city is home to a number of other temples and shrines, but is also a great place to tour Japanese gardens. Yoshikien is especially gorgeous.
Getting There: It takes a shade under an hour to reach Nara from Osaka.
See: Wild deer in Nara Park, Todaiji and Horyuji Temples, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, and Yoshikien gardens.
Extend Your Stay Stick around for dinner at Sakura Burger, where you can try delicious Japan-US fusion burgers.
Kobe is a green, gorgeous city that warrants an extended visit.
#5 – Kobe
Famed for its succulent Kobe beef, I discovered that Kobe is far more than just a place to grab a meal. If you’ve read my One Day in Kobe post, you’ll see there is a wealth of things to do in the port city.
From scenic hikes and the stunning Kobe Herb Gardens to the modern vibe of Meriken Park and the nearby shopping precinct to going on a boozy sake distillery tour, there’s just so much about green, modern Kobe to love.
Getting There: It takes 15-30 minutes to reach Kobe from Osaka.
See: Try Kobe beef, visit the Kobe Herb Gardens, go on a sake distillery tour, and visit Meriken Park.
Extend Your Stay: You can see a full day itinerary for Kobe outlined in my One Day in Kobe post, but this could easily be extended out to two days with a full-day to relax and enjoy the Kobe Herb Gardens.
Universal Studios Japan is a blast! Image courtesy of Andrea Hale.
#4 – Universal Studios Japan
While it technically lies within Osaka, a day trip to Universal Studios Japan is an adventure unto itself. With multiple ‘worlds’ to explore, an attached shopping/dining precinct, and rides & shows galore, USJ is a fantastic day out for the entire family.
Our visit just so happened to coincide with Christmas festivities, which meant an abundance of Minion madness as part of the park’s ‘Yellow Christmas’, but we also managed to sneak in a little time at the fantastic Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Our day at the park only scratched the surface of what there is to do, as we weren’t able to find time to explore attractions such as the Evangelion VR ride, the terrifying Hollywood Dream roller coaster, or the Jurassic Park ride.
We did, however, ride the Despicable Me Minion Mayhem and the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey rides, both of which were a blast!
We also saw two fun parades and the famous The Gift of Angels nightly performance, which is truly gorgeous to behold.
Getting There: It takes around 30-minutes to reach Universal Studios Japan from Osaka city.
See: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, live shows and parades, themed rides, and delicious food.
Extend Your Stay: It’s a big park, so why not book a hotel in the attached City Walk so you can spread your exploration out over two days?
The ‘floating’ Torii of Miyajima are one of the most popular attractions near Hiroshima. image courtesy of Michael Day.
#3 – Hiroshima and Miyajima
Famous for all of the wrong reasons, Hiroshima will forever live in infamy as the site of the first use of an atomic bomb against a civilian population.
Rebuilding from the ruins of that war-ending event, Hiroshima now stands as a tribute to the destructive capacity of war and the healing that had to be done after that fateful day.
Visitors to Hiroshima can learn more about the bombing of Hiroshima by visiting sites such as the A-Bomb Dome, the Peace Memorial Park, and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, but there is more to dynamic Hiroshima than its dark past.
Gorgeous gardens such as Shukkeien, historic sites such as Fukuyama Castle, and the World Heritage-listed Itsukushima Shrine are worth the trip in their own right.
The latter is on nearby Miyajima, which might mean you’ll want to spend a night in the area so you’re not rushing to fit both Hiroshima and Miyajima into a single day.
Getting There: It takes 2.5 hours to get from Osaka to Hiroshima, with Miyajima another hour from Hiroshima.
See: Visit memorials to the Hiroshima bombing, tour Shukkien gardens, and pay a visit to Miyajima.
Extend Your Stay: If you want to explore at a more relaxed pace, consider booking a hotel in Hiroshima or Miyajima so you can take your time.
Koyasan is also home to Japan’s largest (and most haunting) graveyard. image courtesy of DocChewbacca
#2 – Koyasan
One of the holiest locations in all of Japan, Koyasan (Mount Koya) is the center of Shingon Buddhism and a hugely popular tourist attraction with those wanting to immerse themselves in traditional Japanese culture.
As you would expect from a holy site, Koyasan is awash with temples, pilgrimage trails, and opportunities to get in touch with a little inner peace.
For those with a little more time, Koyasan is a fantastic place to overnight at a temple or even launch your own exploration of a longer pilgrimage trail such as the Kumano Kodo.
Getting There: It takes just over ninety-minutes to reach Koyasan from Osaka.
See: Buddhist temples and pilgrimage trails.
Extend Your Stay: Spend a night in a traditional temple to really immerse yourself in Buddhism.
Kyoto might be Japans’s most photogenic cities. Image courtesy of Terence Lim
#1 – Kyoto
I would be loathe to say Kyoto is just a day trip city. There’s enough in gorgeous Kyoto to warrant a full week of its own, but if time is pressing and you’re based in Osaka, it’s certainly possible to get a taste of Kyoto in a day.
The city wears its history on its sleeve, and you’ll be surrounded by gorgeous temples and shrines at every turn. It’s also the home of Japan’s fading geisha culture, so geisha-watching is a pastime of its own.
For mine, the real highlights for a day in Kyoto would be Fushimi Inari shrine (best seen at dawn), the Arashiyama bamboo grove, golden Kinkaku-ji, and the chance to spot geisha in Gion.
You’ll be dealing with crowds every step of the way, however, so keep that in mind when planning your day in Kyoto!
Getting There: Kyoto is an hour from Osaka.
See: Kinkaku-Ji, Arashiyama, Fushimi Inari, and spot geisha.
Extend Your Stay: Kyoto deserves more than one day. Consider spending at least three days in Kyoto to really do it justice.
As you can see, Osaka is not only a fantastic place to visit, it’s also a fantastic place to base yourself while you take day trips to nearby cities such as Kyoto, Nara, Kobe, and Himeji.
It really is the perfect combination: a hub for exploration and an attraction in its own right.
What are your favourite day trips from Osaka?
What about things to do in the city itself? How would you recommend a visitor spend their time in Osaka?
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