18 days in Japan [pt3]

Continued...

Day 14:
Our first day in Tokyo was mainly spent enjoying our much needed nap in our Shinjuku Kuyakusyomae Capsule Hotel and visiting the Shibuya Crossing at night. The Shibuya Crossing is...... not as fantastic as I imagined it to be. But we might have went at the wrong time. It was a Monday night and there wasn't much night life then.

Btw I must say that the capsule hotel has been the best decision ever. Contrary to popular belief, it is very spacious and comfortable (I could fit my backpack and daypack into my capsule and still have sufficient space to sleep). More importantly, the shower rooms and amenities are aweeeesomeeeeee.

Shinjuku Kuyakusho-mae Capsule Hotel
  1 Chome-2-5 Kabukichō
  Shinjuku-ku, Tōkyō-to, Japan
  http://capsuleinn.com/shinjuku/en/
     ¥2500($30.65)/night (for online booking only)

Day 15:
It was an all-out day with a morning visit to the acclaimed Tsukiji Fish Market and the rest of the afternoon at DisneySea. Woke up at 6.30am just for the fish market but the inner market was only available to public from 9am onwards, so we had an early breakfast at the Tsukiji Kaisen-don Oedo restaurant while waiting to enter. For only ¥1800($22.10), I had salmon sashimi, ikura fish roe, scallops, a small crab pincer and tamago slices in my bowl; all fresh from the Tsukiji Fish Market itself. I've never been able to eat raw seafood without soy sauce before but this was an exception!

At DisneySea, I really liked how it isn't just a carbon copy of DisneyLand. It's like a land of neglected cartoon characters, featuring Toy Story, Aladdin, Little Mermaid, Indiana Jones, etc. The Tower of Terror was slightly disappointing although it was still my favourite. (I'm a sucker for extreme thrill)

Day 16:
This entire day was dedicated to shopping and hunting for Tokyo banans and bai se lian ren but unfortunately we didn't find no Tokyo bananas or bai se lian ren, just a lot of matcha and strawberry Kit Kats. (It annoys me how they're now available in Singapore. Why the hell did I lug them all the way from Japan then?!) But I was contented that I found a pair of Sony extra bass earpieces for a decent price of ¥3650($44.75) from BIC Camera while it's sold at $59 locally. There are BIC Camera stores everywhere in Tokyo so just look out for 'em for cheap technological gadgets. Also, we took a walk down Asakusa street where all the overpriced touristy shit are. At the end of the street is the Senso-ji Temple. Nic and I prayed for our fortune there and the funniest part was when Nic's fortune paper read, "The one you are waiting for will come soon, but late."

Day 17:
Nagoya has been very quiet so far. We wandered through the park surrounding the Nagoya Castle because we didn't feel that it was worth ¥600($7.36) to enter the castle then because of the construction works. For that workout around the entire park, we rewarded ourselves with some of Nagoya's famous misokatsu at Cafe de Metro, Kanayama. Nearby was a pachinko arena which we stumbled across and decided to give a try. The staff there were astounded by our interest in the game. It's like Japan's version of the slot machine, the kind that only old and bored people indulge in. The game was so confusing but the staff and people around us helped us with it. Daren struck the jackpot without even knowing, but lost his luck slowly after. My luck wasn't that fantastic either. Well, that was ¥1000($12.26) down the drain.

Day 18:
Last day in Japan was spent roaming around the shops of Nagoya Station. Caught the meitetsu back to the airport and well, that was the end of it :-(

Kyoto was mesmerizing with its Sakuras in full bloom (also my favourite city of all). Osaka gave me a little bit of everything - from first experiences to friends - and for that, I left a part of my heart there too. Nara was a quaint little town, just the way I liked it. Tokyo was a pity because we barely got to explore it before we had to leave for Nagoya to catch our flight. (I'll be back for you Harajuku and Mt Fuji!)

We started off like a bunch of wandering sheeps, foreign to a new environment and not knowing where to go. "Sumimasen, ... wa doko desuka?" has been our saving grace. But then again, not all who wander are lost eh? ;-)

Breakdown of total costs:
Flight tickets (two-way) = ~$360 incl 20kg add-on luggage (AirAsia)

Accommodation + living expenses + Disneysea tickets + baseball match tickets + museum entrance fees + Sony MDR-XB50 extra bass earpieces in electric blue + a pair of jeans + shitload of souvenirs = ~$1600

Total expenditure = ~$1960

Who says you can't travel cheap? You just need to know where to find the ¥250($3.06) beef rice bowls and the right accommodation that can give you a good night's rest without burning your wallet all the same!

Useful apps to download:

• Learn Japanese
• Triposo (Japan)
• MapsWithMe

They all function offline so that's the best part.

Aaaaaand, this is the end of my Japan post. Hope the info helped! :-)

18 days in Japan [pt2]

Continued...

Day 8:

The initial plan was to visit the Osaka History Museum first thing in the morning but it was closed on Tuesdays. So we dropped by Peace Osaka instead, which was just in the vicinity. Then before we knew it, it was time for our baseball match. 

It was a Hanshin Tigers v.s. Yokohama Baystars match at the Tiger's home ground, Koshien Stadium. I picked my favourite no. 3 for my baseball jersey (cost SGD$45 ouch) which was player Sekimoto. He didn't appear until the end of the match and I screamed my lungs out for him even though I never knew how he looked like, HAHA. It's like "house" pride during sports day back in Secondary school; you don't know who you're rooting for but you just do it anyway. Grant was my source of entertainment for the evening when he started cheering uncontrollably even thought he didn't know the lyrics to the cheer. But the kind Japanese locals seated around us patiently guided us through the cheers word by word and even offered us some of their Tigers merchandise. The match ended at 10pm with an almost-win for the Tigers. Baystars turned the tables around at the last quarter of the match with five home-runs. Daaaaamn. But I really liked how at the end of it all, all the Tigers fans started blowing up sperm-shaped balloons and letting them go simultaneously as a tradition of celebration. Seeing sperms fly all over sounds wrong on all levels but it was such a breathtaking sight.

You can purchase the baseball match tickets at certain booths. Not sure where else, but there's one at the Osaka station itself. It's best if you know of someone who can speak Japanese to purchase the tickets for you because it can get quite difficult trying to buy it in English. The ticket rates vary according to the popularity of the teams, seat section, etc. but ours was ¥2,608($3.06) for first-row seats. (Alternative: Pre-book your tickets from <http://www.japanball.com/tickets.htm but at a much higher price)

After the match, we grabbed some supper and headed back to the Tamade Supermarket (super cheap!) near our hostel to buy some breakfast for the next morning. Midway, we bumped into a tipsy old lady who resembled the character in 'Drag Me To Hell' (or so Nic says) and she recognised our Hanshin Tigers jersey so she started talking to us. She insisted that we join her for more drinks but we were too afraid to accept the stranger's offer, so we sought help from the Family Mart staff who escorted us out of danger. I couldn't decide if I should have laughed or cry because it was so hilarious how we were so afraid of an old lady who probably couldn't harm us.

Peace Osaka

  2-1 Osakajo, Chuo Ward, 

  Osaka, Osaka Prefecture 540-0002, Japan

    ¥250($3.06)/pax

Day 9:

No pictures but we visited the Osaka History Museum in the afternoon. It was boring. I don't know, maybe I'm just not a museum person. But I guess I did enjoy playing with the puzzles and faux artefacts at the Resource Centre. Can't believe we stayed there for an hour competing complete-the-puzzle...

On our way back home, we felt cheeky so we took a different path back which passed through the red light district. It's exactly like what the magazines portray: Scantily-clad girls (who are indeed gorgeous) displayed like products at the store front with a Mamasan beside them waiting for patrons to walk in.

As usual, we brought back beer and snacks and chilled at the lounge while playing taiti that night. Halfway through, one of the Taiwanese girls started putting some music on play and somehow or rather, everyone at the lounge ended up karaoke-ing together to every possible genre of music, from mainstream pop, to C-pop and even French-pop. Despite our unglamness in our pyjamas, we still partied and camwhored. There were people from Taiwan, France, Germany, California, etc. but it's like a huge family there, regardless of your origin. That was truly a night to remember. Missing my friends from Peace House! :(

Osaka History Museum

  1-32 Otemae 4-Chome, Chuo-ku, 

  Osaka City, 540-0008

  http://www.mus-his.city.osaka.jp/

    ¥600($7.36)/pax

Day 10:

Today was Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan day and it did not disappoint. Y'know how most aquariums are mostly pillars, walls and carpeted floors and occasionally small tanks here and there? The Kaiyukan is made up of tanks all over itself. The ratio is reversed. At every corner, you can be awed by the tiniest yet most intricately-patterned fishes or the majestic giants of the ocean - the whale shark, hammerhead sharks, manta rays, etc. The Kaiyukan features a small proportion of land animals as well. A must-go in Osaka!

Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

  1-1-10 Kaigan-dori, Minato-ku, 

  Osaka-shi, Osaka, Japan

  http://www.kaiyukan.com/

    ¥2300($28.20)/pax

Day 11:

It was kinda like a one-day trip to Nara, except we stayed there for two nights at the ML International Hostel, which is an amazingly neat and homely hostel. The host was warm and friendly and he bought us bread for breakfast. The freely-roaming deers of Nara Park were the center of my attention the whole day. Although I got my jeans stained due to the mud and deer faeces while we were desperately trying to snap a selfie with the deers, they were too freaking beautiful to resist. The male ones were really aggressive though (one of them rammed into my chest because I said came close to say hi). Before dusk, we managed to rush to the Todai-ji temple, one of UNESC's World Heritage sites. The Buddha statues were larger than the whale shark at the Kaiyukan.

At night when I tried to transfer my photos from my SD card to the computer, my SD card became corrupted somehow and that left me the risk of losing all my photos. I was pretty bummed the entire night + day so forgive my lack of pictures for the next two days. P.s. Zero Assumption Recovery (http://www.z-a-recovery.com/unformat-tutorial.htm) saved my ass.

ML International Hostel

  2-11-1-5 F Shibatsuji-cho

  Nara city, Nara 630-8114, Japan

    8-bed mixed dorm,  ¥2000($24.52)/night

Day 12:

We literally did nothing except read books at Kinokuniya and ride the HEP5 Ferris Wheel of Friendship once because we had to stay near the Osaka Umeda Sky Building to catch our overnight coach to Tokyo. But it was a wasted day because we found out that our coach ride was the night after instead. In Japanese time, be careful of the difference between 00:00 and 24:00. E.g. Internationally, 12 April, 00:00 would mean midnight on 12 April. However, in Japan, 12 April, 24:00 would mean midnight on 13 April. Don't waste your time like we did! We ended up having no choice but to return to an internet cafe to spend another night except this time we sneaked four of us into one room to save on cost, LOL. This time it was Manboo! Cafe. It's a cheaper version of MediaCafe Popeye, but of course that also means less freebies (no free shower amenities). Other than that, all was good.

HEP Five, Ferris Wheel of Friendship

  5-15 Kakudacho, Kita Ward, 

  Osaka, Osaka Prefecture 530-0017, Japan

    ¥500($6.13)/pax 

Manboo! Cafe

  Tokyo Generation Sansei Bldg, 3F, Yoyogi 2-10-13, 

  Shibuya-ku, Shibuya, Japan

    (Can't find the Shinjuku outlet's address so here's the Shibuya one)

Day 13:

So we had the full day to spare again so we decided to kill time at the Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum. It was much smaller than expected, but still, an eye-opener to all things instant noodle-related. The only thing you have to pay for there is their customised instant ramen which basically allows you to choose your own ingredients for your instant ramen and decorate your instant ramen cup. We opted out for that though. 

In Ikeda lies an alluring little park, the Satsukiyama Park. Think picnic mats, sports fields, playgrounds, etc. It's where you can sit down and just gaze into the open space at for hours. We even chanced upon a mini zoo (or farm in my opinion) nearby. The Satsukiyama Zoo is free entry but don't expect much; it's more of an enclosure for a few dozen farm animals. 

The Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum

  8-25 Masumicho, Ikeda, 

  Osaka Prefecture 563-0041, Japan

  http://www.instantramen-museum.jp/english.htm

    Free entrance

Satusukiyama Zoo

  5-2-5 Satsukigaoka, Ikeda, 

  Osaka Prefecture 563-0029, Japan

    Free entrance

To be continued....

18 days in Japan [pt1]

Well, this is it. 18 days in Japan and 3 nights in KL, over in a blink of an eye. I can't explain how this feels; it's the kind that makes me smile to myself when I think back about the past half-month of memories in a foreign land, and I can't seem to specify exactly what I'm so happy about. In the past 21 days, I have learnt new things about different people, from the people I travel with to other travellers whom we've met on the way. I like listening to them tell me about their travelling stories and what bigger adventures have planned in future; I like the glow in their eyes when they do. It makes me want to grow up with them, so I can watch them accomplish what they're set out for (or perhaps even join them). More importantly, I have learnt that the horizons are endless. There are so many things out there we've yet to see and so many people out there we've yet to meet. But it all comes down to whether you're willing to take that step out to explore what's behind those borders. All I've ever needed was a pinch of courage and an ounce of faith (and maybe the boldness of these insane travel buddies) to push my boundaries a little further. Here's to never stopping. I'm never stopping. But for now, I'm home. And I'm here to tell my story :-)

Day 1: It was an overnight transition flight under AirAsia from Singapore to KL to Nagoya. The boys managed to snitch a worthy deal of $350+ to and fro inclusive of 20kg luggage weight. SO CHEAAAP.

Day 2: 
Touched down at the Nagoya Chubu Airport and immediately made our way to Kyoto via the meitetsu train. Our place of stay, JAM Hostel was conveniently located in the Gion district, where we could witness the culture of Geishas whom we occasionally catch a glimpse of when they walk on the streets at night. Also, the Yasaka Shrine just two streets down, that we chanced upon, was a street food paradise. Apparently, the week we arrived was the creme de la creme of the Sakura season so there were large groups of locals at the Maruyama Park doing Hanami (cherry blossom viewing) and drinking tea under the Sakura trees. Like kids in an amusement park for their first time, we were awed by every little thing, from the Sakura flowers that greeted us at every corner of the road to the hot canned corn soup from the convenience store. The weather was chillier than expected, but thank god for the hot shower back at the hostel.

JAM Hostel (Kyoto, Gion)
  70 Tokiwacho, Higashiyama-ku,
  Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture 605-0079, Japan
  http://www.jamhostel.com/
  8-bed mixed dorm, ¥2670($32.73)/night

Day 3:
Set out early in the morning for our VIPlace-to-visit in Kyoto, the Kinkaku-ji, otherwise known as The Golden Pavillion. Think a large golden temple settled in the middle of a glistening lake; the entire place shimmers as a whole. Pictures don't do the Kinkaku-ji justice. We were feeling adventurous that day, so we moved on to another huge tourist attraction site, the Arashiyama Village, where the Sagano bamboo park laid. Feeling small among tall people is one thing, but walking into a forest where bamboo plants tower over you by almost tenfold is another.

Day 4:
Our Australian roommate, Paul warned us about the three-hour hike up the mountains at the Fushimi Inari Taisha but we decided to take on the challenge anyway. We thought it'd be easy peasy lemon squeezy but noooo, it almost brought Nic and I to death. Luckily for the boys they've literally just climbed Mt Everest the week before, so it was peanuts to them (my friends are so cool). The Fushimi Inari Taisha is known for its thousands of torii's (large bright orange/red Japanese gates) and kitsune (fox) statues. It's a mesmerizing view from the top (therefore the achievement pose in the above picture). Also, nothing beats a carton of piping hot takoyaki after a 4km hike. Nothing.

It was our last night in Kyoto and we sought refuge from a Manga/internet cafe named MediaCafe Popeye and boy I didn't regret. For ¥1980($24.27)/pax, we were provided with a "flat seat" room that can accommodate for two, free showers, free flow of beverages, free access to manga/internet, a TV and a computer and even free shower amenities.

MediaCafe Popeye
  B1, 42-6 Ebisu-cho, Sanjō agaru,
  Kawaramachi, Nakagyō-ku
  Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
  http://www.mediacafe.jp/branch/sanjokawaramachi/index.html (JP)
    Flat seat room, ¥1980($24.27)/night

Day 5:
The Kiyomizu-dera temple was undergoing massive construction work so I didn't get to take much pictures of the place. But I took the opportunity to snap secret shots of other tourists in rented Kimonos. Trust me, it's not easy to get one of them to take a picture with you or pose for your camera. Also, there was this talented old man who was painting landscapes of the place like it was his hobby. He just sat there, along the sides of pathway, doing his thing while everyone else crowded around him in amazement. I've noticed how people in Japan are constantly displaying the culture of art, regardless of age or occupation. I'd love to immerse myself in such a society.

Took the WillerExpress coach (http://willerexpress.com/) from Kyoto to Osaka in the afternoon for only ¥500($6.13) and we were hoping to catch a long nap but it ended up as an early arrival. Osaka felt different, definitely much more city-like, so I guess the level of hostility increased accordingly as well. But thankfully we ran into two kind youthful-looking ladies who kindly led us to the train station when no one else would. Grabbed a quick dinner at this amazing curry house near a mall called DD House before we retreated back to yet another MediaCafe Popeye in Osaka. Osaka's outlet is much more costly (approx 1.5x more) so we opted for a cheaper alternative there, which was the single-seater, meaning that only a table, chair and computer was provided. The experience was interesting but horrible. Do not compromise on your money for a bad night's sleep. (P.s. if you still wanna try it out, it's located at B1F of DD House)

Day 6:

Finding our hostel in Osaka was a tough job. Peace House Showa was located amidst the narrow allies of a quiet road, which made it difficult for us to recognise the turns or to ask for directions. Didn't expect the area to be a "no talking" zone. I'm not even exaggerating; there were signs for it. We made a swift check-in, set up our futons (Japanese mattresses) and left our backpacks there before we scooted off to make full use of the hours we had left before dawn. What else could have been a better plan than a soak at the onsen in a chilly weather like that? Naniwanoyu Onsen was our onsen of choice and it was only ¥800($9.81) per pax for unlimited hours! Plus the facilities weren't too bad at all. Nic and I brought our friendship to a whole new level soaking in the onsen naked together, hiak hiak. The Sakura pink pool was my favourite (mainly because it was opaque so that made things less awkward for us but also mostly because it's pink).

Peace House Showa

  2-8-4 Sanno, Nishinari-ku, 

  Osaka, Osaka Prefecture 557-0001, Japan

  http://www.osaka-guest-house.com/en/

    5-bed mixed dorm, ¥2500($30.65)/night

Naniwanoyu Onsen

  1-7-31 Nagaranishi Kita-ku, 

  Osaka, Osaka Prefecture 531-0061, Japan

    Unlimited hours, ¥800($9.81)/pax

Day 7:

Surrounding the Osaka Castle are ancient citadels and gates, accompanied by a beautiful trail of Sakura trees (perks of travelling during the Sakura season). There are eight stories in total and each tells a tale about the history of the Osaka Castle in chronological order, from up to down. Also, aren't we kawaii in our checkered shirts together? ^_^v

For night activities, we explored the Dotonbori shopping street. Expect lotsa small eateries (esp for okonomiyakis) and Japanese snack stores. That's where you'd wanna find good food and souvenirs at.

To be continued...