Random Cake: My Ambitious Journey : Japan - Kansai (Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Himeji)

There are multiple option to go to Osaka from Tokyo:

1. By Shinkansen. It is a well known that bullet train in Japan is superfast and comfortable. By Shinkansen it takes only 2.5-3 hours with no transit from Tokyo Station to Shin-Osaka Station. The cost for one way is about 11.000-14.920 yen but sure you will save a lot of time. In our calculation, for 8 days we would need transportation cost about 15.000 yen excluding from Tokyo to Osaka covers Kyoto, Kobe and Nara. The 7days JR Pass would cost about 30.000 yen. Thus it is not a big saver I guess.  There are local train also but I am not pretty sure how to ride this.

2. By Bus. It is the cheapest way to go to Osaka. It takes 7 hours for us to reach Osaka-Namba but the ticket is only  3.650 yen and depart in midnight means would save us another money for accommodation. The bus is pretty comfortable to sleep. I was not really sleeping though. Hehehe

Osaka Castle

After heading straight to our hostel near Dobutsuen mae station, we ate and wash first. Then went to Osaka Castle. Osaka has very different vibes than Tokyo. It is not so crowded. Everyone is not in a rush. More classics and not many skyscrapers. I found more peace there. Osaka castle has a huge and beautiful garden. There are Japan Museum of History just besides the castle. 

From Osaka Castle we were heading to Shitennoji Temple, walked along the way of Tennoji Park and then found Shinsekai, a conventional shopping district. Actually at that time, we were confused. The path is unusually quiet. So we were unsure if we were in the right way. In Shinsekai, there many colossal shop but I don’t find any which not selling pork. The district is pretty interesting though. After that, just by walking ten more minutes we arrived again at our hostel. So we took a rest.

Park before Osaka Castle

At night we went to Dotonburi to sightseeing, shopping and eating. It is so crowded. The most crowded place in Osaka maybe. There is the biggest Don Quixote in Osaka which has Ferris wheel in front. The shop was pretty complete, you can find anything at affordable prices. We bought most of our souvenirs there. Don Quixote deployed many  discount coupon. You could get it easily at your hostel, restaurants or even in front of their store. It helps you when you are in a tight budget.

Next day we went to Universal Studio of Japan. The queue line is amazing, especially for Harry Potter ride. You'll need to be patient and focus on what you want to ride. It is almost impossible to try all the rides. In a day we only got to rides five kinds. For me, Osaka version is better than Singapore. In USJ you could ask the customer service to provide you a room to pray. They would allow it for 10 minutes only (IT IS ENOUGH! #happy). You would have to take ablution in the toilet nearby.

Hogwarts at noon

Hogwarts at night

At the third day, we went to Kyoto which famous for Japanese traditional temple. From Osaka, it took about one hours by train. We supposed to go to Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, but we were too tired to do more walking. So we decided to delete it and head straight to Fushimi Inari. In Fushimi, we only walked halfway to save more energy then went to Kiyomizudera. From the Kiyomizugojo station we walked about half an hour, then walked again along way to Gion and then Nishiki Market.

Kiyomizudera

It is tiresome. Hahaha. I am not complaining, it is real! In Nishiki we bought shoes and snacks. Then went to Dotonburi again. To shop ! :')

Temple just before Fushimi Inari

Gion

Kiyomizudera

Ah yeah. We buy Kansai Through Pass which covers most of the train lines in Kansai except JR. FYI there are Hanshin lines, Hankyu lines, Keihan lines, Kintetsu, Metro etc. We thought it would save the budget buuuut not really the saver if you dont go to faraway place like Himeji. Lesson learned; Just buy Suica/Pasmo card:)

The fourth day, we reconsidered our plan to go to Nara. Why? Because from what we search in Nara there only Nara Park which interesting to us. So cancelled it and head to Sawanotsuru Sake Museum in Nada Ward Kobe. We departed around 9a.m by using Hanshin Line and hop off in Oishi station. From there we walk for about 15 minutes. At 10am, Kobe is still quiet. We rarely pass anyone in the street and it amazed me. The museum is pretty interesting. It told us about how to make sake in Japanese old tradition. There was no entrance fee, love it. Hahaha. They provided us with free samples and my friend tried all the taste. She said it is tasty and bought the sake ice cream. I didn’t try because I don’t drink.

a display in Sawanotsuru Sake Museum

 From the museum we went to central Kobe. Walk to Kitano-cho district, but didn’t find any interesting spot. So we back to the station and eat Steak Land which is another restaurant that has a very long queue line. The restaurant located just right in front of Kobe Station. The steak is delicious but I prefer Gyukatsu Motomura. :)

Kobe from a temple in Kitano-cho

After that I parted ways with my friend, she said she would back to Dotonburi while I had no interest in shopping. Dotonburi sure is the shopping heaven in Osaka. I continued my journey to Himeji, the farthest city you could go with Kansai Through Pass. My battery was so low, I don’t know what get through my mind, but I still go. The journey took about 1 hour and half to Sanyo Himeji Station. I need to transfer to Motomachi station and that’s when my phone died. In that confusion I still managed to arrive at Sanyo Himeji Station by hop on any train to Himeji. Hahaha. What you need to know the Hanshin line has many types of train. There are direct limited express, rapid express and express. It depends on the station you want to take off. Direct limited express only stops in big station, while rapid express in semi big station. The express type would stop on every station. Whatever, I didn’t even know what types of train I take. Hahaha. I arrived at Himeji Station at 5p.m.

Himeji Castle

Himeji castle is bigger than Osaka Castle and full of white color. At that time, there was lampion festival for 500 yen, so I went in. The festival allowed us to take tour inside the palace which is full with light illumination. The tour last about half an hour and then I went back to Osaka. Lesson learned from previous journey so I took the direct limited train and arrived in Dobutsuen Mae at 9p.m. aaaaannndd my friend havent finished her shopping yet. Waw.

Next day we continue our journey to Minoo Waterfall. It was an exercise indeed. We need to walk for about 6km from the Minoo station, 12 kilos in totals for about 4 hours. But it was one of the best autumn spot in Japan. You can see autumn foliage along the way. I bought fried maple in the way. It was tasty, but I prefer Taiyaki next time. :)

Then shopping time in Dotonburi again. And the day after, the only thing we do is catching the flight.

Minoh Waterfall

 From those experienced, there are some lesson learned ahahha:

1. If your destination in Japan is only those 5 cities I guess we don’t need to buy any pass. Using Suica and Pasmo would be enough and flexible.
2. For Muslim, you could easily find prayer room in many famous tourist place, like Shinjuku, Tokyo Station and so on using halal trip or other application. But halal food is something very rare. Most halal restaurant is hard to find . I spend my day eating onigiri from convenience store. Sushi is not sold in many convenience store. I only find it in at Family Mart Shinjuku Bus Terminal and my friend said it is not halal.
3. Again, don’t be greedy about places. Many ambitious itinerary just wouldn’t work. Or dont do jastip if you are being ambitious.