A Curious Kind of Life

Author: cesreichert

  • Our Family’s First Trip to Japan: Wandering Around Osaka

    One thing we quickly discovered about Osaka is that some of the major train stations are connected to—or practically part of—massive shopping malls.

    And when I say massive, I mean massive.

    These weren’t just malls with a few stores attached to a train station. They had clothing brands, restaurants, movie theaters, grocery stores, food halls, and pretty much anything else you could think of.

    Each floor seemed to have its own category, and you could easily spend hours wandering around without even realizing how much time had passed.

    Which, of course, we did. 😂

    The Cutest Vet Clinic

    On our walks between the train station and our hotel, we passed a veterinary clinic every time.

    And this one was just too cute not to notice.

    They had these adorable 3D dog-head mascots on the outside of the clinic. 🐶

    We passed it so many times that it became one of those little landmarks we recognized along the way.

    Gachapon: There Goes the Pocket Money

    Then there was the day my son discovered gachapon.

    We went into a store near Osaka Castle, and that’s where he discovered the wonderful world of those little capsule toy machines.

    Once your child discovers gachapon, kiss your pocket money goodbye.

    I’m serious. 😂

    They’re everywhere.

    And the thing is, each machine has different things to dispense. Then you see another machine. And another one. And another one.

    Before you know it, your child is going from one machine to the next, trying to figure out which one he absolutely needs to have.

    And before you know it, his suitcase is filled with gachapon.

    I don’t even know how it happened.

    Okay, I know exactly how it happened.

    Gachapon happened. 😂

    The Great Sneaker Hunt

    In Dotonbori, my husband went on a mission to find new sneakers.

    We quickly found out that finding men’s size 13 shoes in Japan wasn’t going to be as easy as we thought.

    Some stores only carried sizes up to about 11, so the sneaker hunt became a real hunt.

    We went into several stores, searched around, and eventually found a couple of options.

    But yeah…

    That was something else. 😂

    It was definitely one of those things we learned along the way that we probably wouldn’t have known before the trip.

    Studio Ghibli Heaven

    Now, one of the things I was on a mission to find was Studio Ghibli merchandise.

    And then we found it.

    In a huge section of the mall.

    I was in heaven.

    I’m used to seeing a handful of Studio Ghibli items at Barnes & Noble back home. You know, a few things here and there that make you stop and look.

    This was completely different.

    There were so many things.

    I didn’t even know what to pick!

    I kept going back and forth between the aisles, looking at everything and trying to decide what I absolutely had to bring home.

    The only problem?

    My suitcase had limited space.

    So I had to be practical.

    Which meant walking back and forth between the aisles several times, making sure I picked things that weren’t too bulky and would actually fit in my suitcase.

    Was this a difficult decision?

    Absolutely.

    Was I happy?

    Also absolutely. 😂

    🏰 The Disney Store… Wait a Minute!

    We also stumbled upon a Disney Store in one of the malls we visited.

    At first, it looked like the regular Disney Stores we see here in the U.S.

    But wait…

    Nope.

    Not quite. 😂

    They had Disney items and characters that we don’t normally see featured in the Disney Stores back home.

    Something like, you know…

    BAYMAX?!

    And did I mention that my son—and okay, us parents too—love, and I mean LOVE, Big Hero 6?!

    So imagine our excitement when we found a Baymax freaking plushie…

    AND A BAYMAX RICE PADDLE.

    Yes.

    A rice paddle.

    And obviously…

    WE ABSOLUTELY HAD TO GET THEM. 😂😂

    And before you ask—yes, we use the Baymax rice paddle.

    Every. Freaking. Night.

    So really, it wasn’t just a souvenir.

    It became part of the family kitchen. 😂

    Honestly, I’d say that’s money well spent.

    We Found the Pokémon Center!

    We were also on a mission to find Pokémon stuff.

    After doing some internet searching, we found out that there was a Pokémon Center near Osaka Station.

    So naturally, we had to go.

    We actually got there before the store even opened.

    And when the doors opened, we saw something that I thought was really interesting.

    All of the store personnel were lined up along the aisle with their heads bowed, welcoming the customers into the store.

    I thought that was such a great thing to see.

    It felt very respectful and intentional, and it was definitely something I hadn’t experienced in a store back home.

    Now, here’s what we would do differently.

    In hindsight, we probably should have gone straight to the Pokémon Center instead of wandering around the different floors of the mall first.

    Because once we got to the Pokémon Center, there was already a line to get inside.

    And then there was another line to pay for our stuff.

    😂

    So if you’re heading there and you know exactly where you’re going, go straight to the Pokémon Center.

    Don’t be like us.

    We had time.

    We wandered.

    And then we waited.

    Even the Manholes Are Cool

    One of the little things we noticed while walking around Dotonbori was that some of the manhole covers have designs on them.

    It’s such a small detail, but it was one of those things that made walking around and looking down actually interesting.

    Even the manholes had personality.

    I mean… come on.

    How cool is that?

    Daiso: Japan’s Version of Dollar Tree

    And then we stumbled upon what I would describe as Japan’s version of Dollar Tree—Daiso.

    Except…

    Daiso is on another level. 😂

    They have pretty much everything you can think of.

    Kitchen gadgets.

    Stationery.

    Cleaning supplies.

    Snacks.

    Beauty items.

    Random little things you didn’t know you needed until you saw them sitting on a shelf.

    We could have spent a ridiculous amount of time in there just looking at everything.

    It was one of those stores where you walk in thinking, “I’ll just take a quick look.”

    And then an hour later you’re still there.

    KitKat Heaven

    And finally, there was the KitKat section.

    On one of the floors of the mall where the Pokémon Center was located, we found a section dedicated to different types of candy—and especially KitKats.

    And when I say they had flavors…

    They had ALL the flavors.

    Okay, maybe not literally every flavor ever created. 😂 But it sure felt like it.

    There were so many different varieties that I had a hard time deciding what to get.

    I ended up buying a variety pack to bring back to work because these were flavors you simply don’t find in the United States.

    And honestly, this was one of the fun parts of exploring Japan.

    We weren’t necessarily looking for some huge attraction.

    We were just wandering around, seeing something interesting, and going, “Oh! What’s that?”

    And then we’d go find out.

    That’s how we discovered a lot of our favorite little things in Osaka.

  • Our First Trip to Japan: Discovering Osaka

    Our First Trip to Japan: Discovering Osaka

    Where We Stayed

    So, let’s talk about where we stayed in Osaka—Moxy Osaka Umeda.

    The hotel has a modern, fun feel with contemporary furnishings. We had read that most hotel rooms in Japan tend to be on the smaller side, so we weren’t expecting a huge room. But honestly, this one didn’t feel small to us. I would say it was a modest size and worked really well for the three of us.

    And the most important thing?

    It has a bidet. 😂

    My son stayed on that pot longer than he needed to.

    Mm-hmm!

    And did we mention that it sprays both lukewarm and cold water?!

    Very awesome!! 😂

    The breakfast area is on the ground floor, and they had both continental and traditional Japanese breakfast items available at the buffet. There was a good variety, and overall, I’d say our stay was comfortable and the breakfast was great.

    Another thing we really liked was having convenience stores nearby. If we wanted drinks or snacks in the middle of the night, we could just walk downstairs and grab something. With a kid who is always hungry, that was definitely a plus!

    Convenience Stores Are a Whole Thing

    And Japanese convenience stores are an experience all on their own.

    The nearest one to our hotel was Lawson, which made those late-night snack or drink runs super easy. If we walked a little farther toward Osaka Station, there was also a 7-Eleven.

    And these aren’t just places where you grab a bag of chips and leave.

    For starters, they don’t just have sections for cold drinks. You can get hot drinks too! There are hot drinks sitting right there in the store, ready to grab. That was something we weren’t used to seeing back home.

    Then my son discovered the smoothie machine.

    They have frozen fruit already portioned into cups. You pick the one you want, pay for it, then scan the barcode on the smoothie machine. Put the cup in, let the machine do its thing, and next thing you know—there’s your smoothie!

    My son absolutely loved that part. 😂

    It was one of those little things that probably wouldn’t make it onto a typical “Top Things to Do in Osaka” list, but it was one of the things we remember.

    And if you ever find yourself in a Japanese convenience store, try the egg sandwich.

    Seriously.

    Those were some of the fluffiest sandwiches we’ve ever had. And that egg filling?

    Yummmyyyyy in our tummies!! 😂

    We were not expecting a convenience-store egg sandwich to become something we looked forward to, but here we are.

    Getting Around Osaka

    Now, here’s something I didn’t know when I was researching the hotel.

    There are actually two local train stations in the area, and I didn’t realize this until we got there.

    The station we were closest to was Osaka Station, where the JR Line runs—and that’s actually the one we wanted.

    This turned out to be really convenient for us because we knew we wanted to explore beyond Osaka itself.

    There are area passes that you can purchase through Klook depending on where you’re going. Since we knew we wanted to visit Dotonbori, Osaka Castle, Universal Studios, and Kyoto, our main transportation was going to be the trains.

    We took advantage of the Kansai Area Pass, which allowed us to ride the trains unlimited for however many days we chose, depending on the pass we purchased.

    So here we are at the train station office getting our passes.

    And after that?

    We’re lost.

    Confused as heck.

    How can railway lines be this complicated?!?!

    Our first attempt at figuring out the Osaka train system. Spoiler: we asked for directions. A lot.

    There were people moving in every direction, trains coming and going, signs everywhere, and here we were trying really hard not to look like lost tourists.

    But can you blame us?

    It’s confusing, I tell you. 😂

    So what do we do in case of confusion-ness?

    Ask.

    So we asked.

    And then we asked again.

    And again…

    The staff were really good about helping us figure things out—what platform to take, where to get off, whether we needed to switch trains, and which train was actually ours.

    Once we started getting the hang of it, it became much easier.

    But one thing that continued to amaze us was how many trains were coming and going on different schedules and heading to different places.

    And somehow, they all run on time.

    Like, really on time.

    Not “I’ll be there in five minutes” and then showing up fifteen minutes later.

    I’m talking right on schedule.

    You really have to be in awe of how they keep everything moving.

    Meanwhile, we’re just standing there trying to figure out which platform we’re supposed to be on. 😂

  • Our First Trip to Japan: Landing in Tokyo & Taking the Shinkansen to Osaka

    Our First Trip to Japan: Landing in Tokyo & Taking the Shinkansen to Osaka

    Landing at Haneda

    So this is it! We’re finally in Japan! That was close to a 14-hour direct flight, and we’re ready to stretch and walk, ready to potty, and ready for whatever’s going to come next.

    Nothing says “Welcome to Japan” quite like a bidet. 😂 I’m telling you, my son was obsessed with it the moment he discovered that thing. And all the restrooms at the airport have bidets. First real Japanese experience—bidet! Check!

    We knew we were going to take the Shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo to Osaka, and we were really looking forward to that experience! But first, we had to get through immigration.

    The line was long—like you’re lining up to get into a BTS concert venue. 😂 The airline had given us forms to fill out for customs and immigration, which we completed on the plane, so at least we were good in that area.

    I think we spent about an hour going through immigration, and then we had to pick up our luggage. You know those Facebook reels that show you how Japanese airline employees take care of your luggage? They were not kidding at all.

    Because it took us so long to get through immigration, the employees had already taken our luggage off the baggage carousel and lined everything up for us.

    Okay, Japan. We see you.

    We got some of our bearings straight. My husband went to the foreign exchange counter because we had read that Japan relies heavily on cash, especially in smaller areas. Meanwhile, my son and I went to the information desk to ask for directions on what train to take, where to get our tickets, and how to board the Shinkansen to Osaka.

    We also picked up our rented pocket Wi-Fi from a kiosk at the airport.

    Okay. We had our luggage. We had our Wi-Fi. We had some cash.

    Now we just needed to find the train to take us to the Shinkansen station.

    Our First Shinkansen Experience

    Then we were off without a hitch!!

    Not.

    We got lost. A lot. 😂

    And we were anticipating that this probably wouldn’t be the last time we’d get lost, but hey! Part of the journey, right?!

    So we asked for directions. And then we asked again. And probably again.

    We were really glad that we hadn’t bought Shinkansen tickets beforehand with a scheduled departure time because, honestly, we wouldn’t have made that train.

    But through the help of the people at the stations, we eventually found our way.

    Finally, we could take a breather while waiting for our Shinkansen.

    And can we talk about the vending machines?

    They’re awesome!

    They can dispense both hot and cold drinks, which I thought was pretty cool. We grabbed something to drink and finally had a moment to just sit and take everything in.

    My husband looking through his choices from the vending machine

    We were actually in Japan.

    And we were about to ride the Shinkansen.

    When it finally arrived at the platform, we were just like, “WHOA!!!!”

    And in comes this futuristic-looking train that we had never seen before in our entire lives.

    I mean, we knew it was coming. We had seen pictures. We knew what a Shinkansen looked like.

    But seeing it come flying into the station in person was a completely different experience.

    It was one of those moments where all three of us just stood there thinking, “Okay… this is really cool.” 😂

    The Shinkansen experience was really great. The Tokaido Shinkansen, which connects Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, can reach speeds of up to 285 km/h, or about 177 mph.

    It was traveling at such a fast speed, but you could barely feel it inside the train. The scenery was just whizzing by.

    Granted, it was nighttime when we boarded, so we couldn’t see much.

    And by this time, we were wiped out.

    We got ourselves and our luggage situated, settled into our seats, and pretty much dozed off.

    Not exactly the glamorous bullet-train experience I had imagined.

    But honestly?

    It was perfect.

    Arriving in Osaka and Finding our Hotel

    It was way past midnight when we finally arrived in Osaka.

    We found out as soon as we got there that the Shinkansen station is different from the train stations that run locally. Heh!

    Oops!

    Our hotel wasn’t within walking distance of the Shinkansen station, so we decided to take a cab. Thankfully, there was a taxi line just outside the station, which made things much easier.

    I showed the cab driver the hotel name—Moxy Osaka Umeda—along with the hotel address.

    Moxy Osaka Umeda in the morning

    And so began another part of our adventure.

  • Our First Trip to Japan: Why We Went & How We Planned It

    Our First Trip to Japan: Why We Went & How We Planned It

    Why We Chose Japan

    Japan had been on our list for quite a while.

    There was something about it that made us curious. The combination of old and new, the food, the culture, the scenery, the technology, and just the idea of experiencing everyday life somewhere so different from home.

    And then there’s the anime.

    We’re an anime-loving family, so naturally, that was part of the appeal too. 😂 Japan wasn’t just some random destination we picked out of a hat. There was already a little connection there for us through the shows and characters we enjoyed.

    Of course, we knew that the Japan we would experience in real life wasn’t going to be exactly like the Japan we saw in anime. But there was something really exciting about finally getting to visit the country that had inspired so much of what we enjoyed watching.

    We also wanted a trip that would be more than simply visiting places and taking pictures.

    Our son is 10 years old at the time, and we wanted him to experience another culture while he was still young enough to be curious about everything.

    We wanted our family to experience something different.

    And Japan felt like one of those places where you could do that just by walking down the street.

    Of course, we still wanted to see the famous sights. But we were just as interested in the little things—what people ate, how they got around, what stores were like, how the cities worked, and what daily life looked like.

    That curiosity ended up being one of the best parts of the trip.

    Planning the Trip

    Planning our trip to Japan was exciting and overwhelming at the same time.

    We’re a family of three, and our son was 10 years old at the time. We were planning to go during Spring Break so March – April.

    We were also hoping to catch the cherry blossoms.

    Well… let’s just say our timing wasn’t quite what we hoped for. 😂

    But we’ll get to that later.

    We knew we were going to fly into Tokyo, but we decided that our home base would be Osaka. We wanted to spend more time exploring Osaka and the surrounding area rather than constantly moving from one hotel to another.

    Then came the hotel search.

    Our requirements were pretty simple:

    It needed to be close to a train station, and breakfast had to be included.

    Simple, right?

    Not exactly.

    I searched.

    And searched.

    Then searched again.

    And then searched some more.

    I spent days looking at hotels online, comparing locations, reading reviews, checking how far they were from the stations, and trying to find something that would work for the three of us.

    Eventually, I found one that was fairly close to Osaka Station and, most importantly, close enough that we could walk between the hotel and the station.

    Perfect.

    One thing checked off the list.

    Now, we’re not the type of family who feels like we MUST see absolutely everything.

    We’re not interested in waking up at some ungodly hour, racing from one attraction to another, and then crawling back into the hotel completely exhausted.

    That’s just not how we like to travel.

    We wanted to enjoy the trip.

    We also didn’t book any tours. Budget was certainly part of the reason, but we also liked the freedom of figuring things out ourselves.

    Instead, we made a list of the places we knew we wanted to see and went from there.

    We knew we wanted to visit:

    • Osaka Castle
    • Universal Studios Japan
    • Dotonbori
    • Kyoto

    And then we’d see what else happened along the way.

    For Universal Studios, I purchased our tickets through Klook, which turned out to be a really useful travel app for the trip. I also rented a pocket Wi-Fi through Klook, which gave us internet access while we were out exploring.

    At that point, the major pieces were starting to come together.

    Flights? Check.

    Hotel? Check.

    Universal Studios? Check.

    Pocket Wi-Fi? Check.

    Places we wanted to see? Check.

    Now we just had to actually get there.

    And that’s when the excitement—and a little bit of nervousness—really started.

  • It All Started with Milkweed

    It All Started with Milkweed

    I read that monarchs need milkweed to lay their eggs on. So I started researching milkweed—and, oh boy! There are tons of varieties!

    I went to our local garden centers with an idea of what kind of milkweed I wanted, only to find out that they didn’t carry nearly as much variety as what I had found on the Internet. They had common milkweed and butterfly weed, so that’s what I got.

    Did I have any idea where I wanted to plant them?

    No.

    Looking back, I probably should have planned where to plant them first. Oops!

    So here I was, thinking that I would have to create another flower bed specifically for native plants. Off to the garden centers I went to get garden soil.

    I already had plenty of cardboard boxes from my Amazon deliveries (heh!), so I decided to put those to good use.

    I laid down the cardboard, then added sticks and tons of dried leaves. I watered everything down, added some more dried leaves, and then topped it all with garden soil.

    I’m not an expert, and I had read somewhere that this was a way to create a flower bed without tilling. Some people suggested adding compost as well, but I just worked with what I had at the time.

    Then came the milkweed and butterfly weed.

    And then I waited…

    And waited some more.

    I didn’t see any monarchs at all.

    My new native plants were taking off, and the perennials in my other flower bed were blooming, but there were no monarchs.

    I thought maybe it would just take some time. Perhaps I would have to wait until next year.

    Oh well.

    Then, one afternoon after work, I was pulling into our driveway when I saw one.

    A monarch.

    In my garden!!!

    I was so excited that I actually stopped my car, shut off the engine, and got out.

    There was a monarch in my garden! How exciting is this?!?!

    And then I saw another one.

    I’m in heaven!

    But wait…

    They weren’t even on my milkweed!

    One was sitting on an annual blue salvia that I had planted in that same flower bed, and the other was just flitting around.

    Still, that made my day.

    I told everyone I knew the good news and even posted pictures on Facebook for everyone to see.

    Exciting!

    Monarch on an annual blue salvia

    But I still hadn’t seen any caterpillars or eggs on my milkweed or butterfly weed.

    Then one afternoon, while I was watering my garden, I saw something move.

    I looked closer at my butterfly weed.

    And there they were.

    Caterpillars.

    Of all sizes, munching away on the leaves!

    How cool!

    Caterpillars!

    That’s when it dawned on me that the saying “Build it and they will come” really rings true.

    I had planted the milkweed hoping that monarchs would find it, and somehow, while I was waiting and wondering if anything would happen, they had already found it.

    I left the caterpillars where they were because I didn’t have any experience rearing them. I thought about researching how to do it, but honestly, I didn’t think I was ready for that yet.

    So I watched.

    I don’t know where some of those caterpillars ended up or whether they made it all the way to becoming monarchs. But I became attached to them—not to the point of naming them!—but I looked forward to seeing them every afternoon.

    And then some disappeared.

    Where did they go?

    I started getting curious about predators and began researching what could be eating monarch caterpillars and how I could deter them naturally.

    I learned that wasps are among the predators that can prey on monarch caterpillars. I also came across suggestions that herbs such as basil and rosemary may help deter some unwanted insects.

    So, naturally, I got some starter herbs and placed them near and around the milkweed and butterfly weed.

    And said a little prayer.

    I didn’t know if it would work.

    I was learning as I went.

    But that’s really how my garden started to grow.

    What started with a couple of milkweed plants slowly became a garden filled with plants for both monarch caterpillars and adult butterflies.

    I added more milkweed and more nectar plants. Joe-Pye weed and oxeye sunflowers filled the summer garden, and New England asters would bring something for the fall.

    And I kept seeing monarchs.

    They would flit from plant to plant, and I would find myself wondering if they were the same monarchs I had seen before or newly emerged ones.

    I still don’t know.

    But maybe that’s part of what I love about gardening.

    There is always something to notice.

    Something to wonder about.

    Something to learn.

    And for me, it all started with milkweed.

  • The garden I didn’t know I was growing

    The garden I didn’t know I was growing

    I’m the type of person who doesn’t like to just see grass—I know, I know, unpopular opinion—but I love flower beds. The less I—or I should also say, my husband—mows, the better.

    I just don’t want to see a sea of green.

    I want colors. I want flowers. I want bugs flying around. I want butterflies. I want birds stopping by. I want it to feel alive.

    So here we were in a new house about four years ago, and it was a blank slate.

    Perfect!

    I can do whatever I want.

    I didn’t have any grand flower-bed plans in mind. I just knew I wanted to transform one section of the yard into a garden.

    The area I chose was a downhill slope on the side of our driveway. For the most part, it was sunny. Perfect. I could plant my Asiatic and Oriental lilies, hydrangeas, coneflowers, Black-eyed Susans, and whatever else caught my eye.

    I looked at Pinterest posts on how I should plant everything.

    Tall ones in the back. Shorter ones in the front.

    Got it.

    So my husband and I tilled the area, and then came the fun part: planting.

    My son and I planted the lily and gladiolus bulbs, then we bought some starter plants to put in the middle and front of the garden.

    Now, I don’t know about some ladies going to garden centers, but I go in there with a list in my mind.

    And once I’m there, I get so overwhelmed with all my choices that I come home with more than what’s on my list.

    And if I’m being completely honest, the plants on my list aren’t even the things I end up buying.

    So here they are, stuck with me.

    One of the things I’ve learned is that no matter how gorgeous lupines are, they will not grow in my yard.

    I tried them one year, and sadly, they didn’t come back the next year.

    I didn’t know what I did—or didn’t do—but I guess I just had to accept that, sadly, lupines weren’t meant for my yard.

    Then there were the lilies.

    One thing I didn’t anticipate was that some lilies can grow as tall as six feet, while others stay around two or three feet.

    Did I take that into consideration while my son and I were planting the bulbs?

    No.

    Of course not.

    So here they are, all coexisting beside each other, with some as tall as my husband and others short enough to be closer to my height.

    So much for tall ones in the back and short ones in the front.

    And that’s really how this garden began.

    Not with a carefully designed plan. Not with a perfectly coordinated color palette or a detailed planting map.

    Just a blank space, a shovel, a whole lot of enthusiasm, and a tendency to come home from the garden center with plants I never intended to buy.

    But somewhere along the way, something changed.

    I started paying more attention to what was happening in the garden.

    I noticed the butterflies.

    The bees moving from flower to flower.

    The birds visiting.

    The little creatures I had never really thought much about before.

    And eventually, I became especially interested in monarchs and native plants.

    I started thinking less about simply filling my garden with pretty flowers and more about creating a place where something could actually live.

    A place that could provide food for caterpillars, nectar for butterflies and bees, and a little bit of shelter for the creatures that make a garden feel alive.

    My garden is far from perfect.

    There are plants that didn’t make it. Plants that grew much bigger than I expected. Areas that don’t get enough sun. Areas that get too much water. And plenty of things I’m still trying to figure out.

    But I think that’s what makes gardening interesting.

    A garden is never really finished.

    There is always something to learn, something unexpected to discover, and occasionally, something that comes back when you were sure it wouldn’t.

    So that’s what I’ll be sharing here.

    Not a perfectly landscaped garden, but a garden in progress.

    I’ll share the plants I’m growing, the butterflies and other visitors that find their way here, the things I’m learning about native plants and creating a more welcoming habitat, and, undoubtedly, some of my gardening mistakes along the way.

    Because if I’ve learned anything in these past four years, it’s that gardening doesn’t always go according to plan.

    And maybe that’s the best part.

    What started as a simple attempt to get rid of some grass has turned into something I never really expected—a little corner of the world that feels more alive every year.

    And I think that’s a pretty good place to begin.

    How it started