wandering through a cold city with no plan

the weather's not exactly inviting right now. i just checked and it's 6.95°C out there with a feels-like temp of 4.19°C, so yeah, bring a jacket. the humidity's at 53%, which isn't terrible, but the wind's got that bite to it. perfect for wandering without sweating, but also perfect for regretting not wearing gloves.

anyway, i ended up here kind of by accident. i was supposed to meet someone in osaka, but the train got delayed and i got off at the wrong station. turns out, this place has a weird charm. it's not on any tourist map i've seen, but that's exactly why i like it. the streets are narrow, the vending machines are everywhere, and the locals don't even glance at you twice. it's the kind of place where you can just exist without feeling watched.

i heard from someone at a tiny ramen shop that the nearby hills are great for photos at sunset, but i haven't made it there yet. too cold, too lazy. instead, i've been walking around the train station area, which is surprisingly lively for how quiet the rest of the town feels. there's a small park nearby with a pond that's half-frozen, and i sat there for an hour just watching the pigeons fight over breadcrumbs. someone told me that the cherry blossoms here in spring are insane, but i'll have to take their word for it.

if you get bored, kyoto and nara are just a short train ride away. i checked the schedules, and you can hop between them pretty easily. kyoto's got the temples and the tourists, nara's got the deer and the quieter vibes. both worth it if you're into that kind of thing.

i also found this weird little museum about local folklore. it's not on TripAdvisor, but the guy at the front desk was super into it. he kept telling me about the haunted well in the backyard, but i didn't go check it out. maybe next time. for now, i'm just gonna keep wandering and see where the cold wind takes me.

if you're into offbeat places, check out the reviews on TripAdvisor for some hidden gems in the area. and if you're feeling adventurous, the local tourism board has some decent guides for day trips.

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