Central Japan Trip Index
Day 1 to 2: Tokyo to Osaka, Osaka Castle
Day 2: Osaka - Shinsaibashi & Shinkansen Ride
Day 2: Kyoto - Kiyomizu Temple & Awara - Onsen Resort
Day 3: Tōjinbō
Day 3: Kanazawa - Kenroku-en
Day 3: Shirakawa-gō
Day 3: Takayama - Kokunbunji Temple
Day 3: Takayama by night
Day 4: Takayama - Higashiyama Temples
Day 4: Takayama - Sanmachi
Day 4: Hirayu Otaki
Day 4: Daiō Wasabi Farm
Day 4 & 5: Lake Kawaguchi
Day 5: Tokyo - Odaiba
Day 5: Tokyo - Sensō-ji, Shinjuku, Harajuku
Day 6 & 7: Tokyo Disney Resort & Home
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This is the first post in a series of posts about a 7 Day Central Japan trip.
31 June 2008
Finally, the time has come for a vacation. This time, unlike the previous organized tour, I was going with a group of friends. Woke up at 5am in the morning and by 6:20am I was at the airport. In the blink of an eye, it was 8:30am and we were on board an All Nippon Airways (ANA) flight to Narita before transferring to Haneda for a domestic flight to Osaka. I must say the flight was really enjoyable, ANA has the best economy class I have experienced so far, except for one bit -- they only switched on the entertainment system once cruising altitude is reached, leaving you a good 1 hour starring into space.
Here's what one of their lunches look like.
Here's the other menu, yeah that's right, that's Champagne on economy class.
After about 7 hours we arrived at Narita International Airport (Narita Kokusai Kūkō)
En-route to the other airport, some stadium?
After about an hour we arrived at Haneda Airport that is actually known as Tokyo International Airport (Tōkyō Kokusai Kūkō).
The interior of the airport
Check-in counters, the check in system here is different from Narita and most other international airports. Your baggage is checked in at
a separate counter after collecting your tickets here. Then upon check-in of baggage, a special ticket is given that must be retained to claim your baggage later.
We have two more hours to go so it is to be dinner at the airport. After looking at some not so appetising bentos (boxed meal sets) at the mini-mart, we decided to settle for ramen here.
A piping hot bowl of ramen for a pricey ¥1350. Didn't taste that nice. At this point in time, ¥100 is about USD 1.
This confirms that the QBHouse in my country is not some pseudo Japanese express salon, it's real!
After one and a half hours we arrived at Kansai International Airport (Kansai Kokusai Kūkō) that serves the region around Osaka. Some large porcelain piece here.
Apparently this airport was opened in 1994 and rests on an artificially created island!
In about 20mins, we checked into our hotel for the night, Ramada Hotel Osaka.
The sophisticated Japanese toilet seat.
The spray is for your bum, and you have to press stop or it will continue. Somehow, confusingly, the bidet is for ladies although a bidet by definition covers your bum as well.
After a short rest we decided to go take a walk to check out the surroundings. Here's what looks like a Buddhist temple.
Ah... Yoshinoya is real too.
Inside, it is mainly counter seats, you seat and you order, unlike most western fast foods where you queue to order before you seat. A separate counter is used for take outs.
A ¥380 bowl of beef with rice. Tastes much better than the version we get back home. Green Tea is complimentary.
It looks like we are in the outskirts of the city.
Having traveled the whole day, it was already past midnight. Time for a good night's rest. We walked back to our hotel, passing by another gate of the temple en-route. The next morning it is breakfast at 7am with both international and Japanese fare. Then, we will proceed to Universal Studios which other guests in the tour group opted for to drop them off before moving on to our highlight -- Osaka Castle. First version completed in 1598CE, it was reconstructed twice and improved over the successive years. The last damage to the castle was in 1945CE due to allied bombing in WWII. Since then, it was restored in 1997CE.
What most hotels' Japanese-style breakfasts look like
This is called Nattō (納豆) -- fermented Soybeans. It has a peculiar smell and I personally find it unappetising.
This so reminds me of Razor Ramon Hard Gay (レイザーラモンＨＧ, Reizā Ramon HG). Guess what? He is based in Osaka. HOO!
The entrance to Universal Studios for vehicles
Beyond this archway is where you queue to get in
What a busy day!
This rotating globe makes for nice pictures
Back to our bus an onwards to Osaka Castle (大阪城, Ōsaka-jō)
Scenic reflection of the outermost walls of Osaka Castle compound on the moat. The castle is in the middle of a large park
These metal railings have little birds on them. Scarebirds?
The map of Osaka Castle Park
Gateway to inner compound with the castle in the background. The walls of the inner compound is surrounded by a dry moat.
A person in what I think is a Japanese Buddhist monk attire (based on the alms bowl). I am not sure if he is really a monk since they are only allowed to beg for alms.
Probably the reason why Osaka Castle area was hit by allied bombing in 1945. This building is where Imperial Japan planned the invasion of Asia.
A time capsule lies in front of the castle, filled with present day stuff to be opened 5000 years later.
Osaka Castle. Entry tickets need to be bought to visit the museum inside.
The top deck seems to be for viewing the surrounding park.
A cute looking well groomed squirrel
It is actually his pet!
Tako (octopus) balls seem to be the in thing to eat in Osaka
A last look at the castle with the time capsule in front of it
Walking out of the castle park
A little pseudo train brings people around the park for a fee
That ends half a morning in Osaka. Next up, we will be headed to Shinsaibashi, a major shopping district in Osaka, for lunch. Then, we will catch the Shinkansen (Bullet train) for a short ride to Kyoto.
View the next related post here.
View the next related post here.
5 comments:
oh my god...!! Brings back memories!
And yeah, I keep seeing their butt-washing toilet bowl too. And I had that beef rice in yoshinoya too. haha.
Osaka Castle feels so different. Maybe because all the greeneries have appeared. It was bare and barren in winter, but beautiful too. Did you enter the Osaka Castle Museum?
No I did not, it was an organised tour so no time was allocated to go in. Glad that it brings back fond memories. These pictures are of early summer.
yoshinoya definitely taste much much better in japan and somehow it doesnt feel as expensive.
wonder if the bidet is designed to "shoot" at a fixed angle. some have smaller/bigger butt than others. i must say the accuracy is quite good
Haha. I have to adjust my butt to the suitable position each time I use it.
I think most people will adjust their butt, I can't think of someone that will be too lazy to do so. Maybe those that reaaaally need a lot of effort would require an angular control knob. The bidet button actually is like the spray but goes more to the front, that's why it seems to be for ladies...
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