Namba Parks, Osaka
〒556-0011 Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Naniwa-ku, Nanbanaka, 2−10−70
Sunday, June 15, 2014
2014 May: Japan: Osaka: Namba Parks
Travel Date: May 18, 2014 Sunday
Namba Parks, Osaka
〒556-0011 Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Naniwa-ku, Nanbanaka, 2−10−70
Namba Parks, Osaka
〒556-0011 Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Naniwa-ku, Nanbanaka, 2−10−70
2014 May: Japan: Kyoto: Toei Studio Park
Travel Date: May 18, 2014 Sunday
Toei Kyoto Studio Park Japan
〒616-8161 Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto, Ukyo Ward, Uzumasa Higashihachiokacho, 10
9:00am-6:00pm ・March-July,September(Sat,Sun&Holidays)
Admission: 2200yen
Map: http://www.toei-eigamura.com/en/pdf/parkmap_en2014.pdf
From Nijo take the San-In line, drop by Uzumasa. There is only one exit and has a sign going to TOEI Studio Park.
The area is big, but you can spend half a day or 3-4 hours to enjoy and see what's worth of the entrance.
Toei Kyoto Studio Park Japan
〒616-8161 Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto, Ukyo Ward, Uzumasa Higashihachiokacho, 10
9:00am-6:00pm ・March-July,September(Sat,Sun&Holidays)
Admission: 2200yen
Map: http://www.toei-eigamura.com/en/pdf/parkmap_en2014.pdf
From Nijo take the San-In line, drop by Uzumasa. There is only one exit and has a sign going to TOEI Studio Park.
The area is big, but you can spend half a day or 3-4 hours to enjoy and see what's worth of the entrance.
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| Anime Museum |
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| Hero Land in Padios |
2014 May: Japan: Kyoto: Kawaramachi Catholic Church
Central terminals are really confusing. Due to sudden change of itinerary, it took me more time to figure out the name of the line and which platform in Kyoto is going to Kyoto-Shiyakusho-mae station.
Arriving at the station and taking exit 1, it took around 10-15minutes to reach the Roman Catholic. Starting May 2014, English mass will only be on 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month.
Kawaramachi Catholic Church (Kyoto Diocese Cathedral)
Kawaramachidori-sanjoagaru, Nakagyo-ku, KYOTO, 604-8006
Patron Saitn: The Holy Mother of the Capital
2014 May: Japan: Kyoto: Mimuroto-ji Temple
Travel Date: May 18, 2014 Sunday
Location:
Mimuroto-ji Temple, Kyoto Prefecture 611-0013, Japan
三室戸寺 21 莵道滋賀谷 Uji,
Open: 8:30 to 16:30 (until 16:00 from November to March)
Admission ends 30 minutes before closing time; Admission: 500 yen
Aside from Umeda in Osaka, there is another option to reach Kyoto. I took Keihan Line from Yodobashi station to Chusojima. Then, exchange to Uji line going to Mimurudo station.
In early weeks of May, you'll see full bloom of azaleas in Mimuroto-ji Temple. It is about 20 minute walk from the station.
Check if you can see the signage and directions while being covered by the branches.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
2014 May: Japan: Kobe: Flower Road
Travel Date: May 17, 2014
Location: Flower Road, Kobe, Japan
Summary of 3 days itinerary in 2014 Spring Osaka, Okayama, Kobe, Kyoto, Trip:
Location: Flower Road, Kobe, Japan
Traveling solo makes me listen to what I see, I just love to spend sometime making a stop and watch these people as they make music.
Flower Road gives a promising and untiring walk even for more blocks. It is well maintained with varieties of flowers and lighted streets at night.
Summary of 3 days itinerary in 2014 Spring Osaka, Okayama, Kobe, Kyoto, Trip:
Day
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Places to see
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Food and Restaurants
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Where to Sleep
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Day 1
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Go to Okayama by train
Wake Wisteria Park, Wake Folk Museum Go to Kobe by train Western-style buildings in Kitano area Walk along Flower Road | ||
Day 2
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Go to Kyoto by train
Mimuroto-ji Temple (Azalea) Kawaramachi Catholic Church TOEI Kyoto Studio Park Return to Osaka by train Namba Parks |
Hotel IL Cuore Namba
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Day 3
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Hotel IL Cuore Namba
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2014 May: Japan: Kobe: Kitano-Cho
Kitano-cho (北野町, Kitanochō) is a city district at the foot of the Rokko mountain range where many foreign merchants and diplomats settled after the Port of Kobe was opened to foreign trade in the second half of the 19th century. More than a dozen of the former mansions, known as Ijinkan, remain in the area and are open to the public as museums. [Read]
Guide Map: http://feel-kobe.jp/_en/guidemap/index.html
Arriving at Sannomiya Station, from Tourist Information Center it will take 15 minutes walk going to Kitano. I was able to pass by the old English architecture of Starbucks.
In Kitano-cho Plaza, glad to catch a simple street circus entertainment.
Artists near the Weather Clock house.
Sunday, June 8, 2014
2014 May: Japan: Okayama: Wake
Wisteria, a flower that is more sensitive than cherry blossom and flourish in a shorter period - mostly during Golden Week or last week of April to first week of May.
It took almost 3 hours and 4000yen from Osaka to Okayama, with the following transfers:
Tip: Look at the screens, every 10-15 seconds, it will change from Japanese to Romanized, to guidelines on which platform you'll wait.
From Wake station, took a cab going to Fuji park - Wake-cho 1386-2 Fujino.
藤公園 和気町藤野１３８６－２ 【問い合わせ先】和気町役場産業振興課 TEL：0869－93－1126
It took almost 3 hours and 4000yen from Osaka to Okayama, with the following transfers:
- Midosuji line: Namba to Umeda
- Tokaido lineL Umeda to Himeji
- Sanyo line: Himeji to Aboshi
- Sanyo line: Aboshi to Aioi (Banshu-Ako)
- Sanyo line: Aioi to Kamigori
- Sanyo line: Kamigori to Wake
Tip: Look at the screens, every 10-15 seconds, it will change from Japanese to Romanized, to guidelines on which platform you'll wait.
From Wake station, took a cab going to Fuji park - Wake-cho 1386-2 Fujino.
藤公園 和気町藤野１３８６－２ 【問い合わせ先】和気町役場産業振興課 TEL：0869－93－1126
Terribly disappointing because the blooming season is over by 17-May. Instead of falling petals, there are a lot of hairy caterpillars that brings itchiness (Filipino: higad). From the image below, the left photo was taken from a small closed shop or ticket booth, that is what I was expecting to see. However, the right photo was the reality, very few flowers that you can catch on.
2014 May: Japan: Oishi (Delicious), Itadakimasu! (Let's eat!)
Your Japan trip can be inexpensive if you know where to find an affordable meal. It is a balance between being thrifty and having the Japanese experience.
Convenience stores - Bento boxed meals or rice covered with seaweed are available in Mini Mart, 7/11, Family Mart, etc.
Supermarket - Few minutes before closing, supermarkets would offer dimsum or suchi for half of its price. You could also buy cheaper drinks and omiyage in supermarkets. [Read more tips]
Street Food – Try toasted dumplings. Just like Kenshin. Mitarashi dango is a traditional rice dumpling with sweet soy glaze and is normally skewered on a bamboo stick.
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| TOEI Kyoto Studio Park |
2014 May: Japan: Osaka: Hotel Il Coure
Arrival at Kansai International Airport (KIX)
It is my second time to arrive at Kansai International Airport (KIX). Since I'll always be out for the earlier time of the day and can't wait for the opening of foreign exchange in Namba, I decided to exchange most of my USD on the counter outside the terminal near the ticket machines for Nankai.
It is my second time to arrive at Kansai International Airport (KIX). Since I'll always be out for the earlier time of the day and can't wait for the opening of foreign exchange in Namba, I decided to exchange most of my USD on the counter outside the terminal near the ticket machines for Nankai.
Instead of using the ICOCA machine reload, I went to the ICOCA office for them to do the reload on my behalf. (Before hand, I already have the computation of my estimated train expenses. In total, I’ll spend 10000yen (5000php, 2014) for my 4days-3nights stay in Kansai.)
Going to the Accommodation
From the airport station, I took the Express Rapid Train (yen). Arrived at Namba Station and took escalators going to Swiss Hotel exit gates. It is just nearby Subway Exit 5 and main pedestrian crossing going to Hotel Il Coure Namba.
Price: Average - For walk-ins, it would cost 9000 yen. So try look for early bird discounts. I got my 3 nights stay for 20000 yen (8500 php, 2014)
Location: Superb - Very accessible from Namba Station. Take subway exit 5 or exit going to Swiss Hotel. Staying in Namba means you have direct access from and to the airport, you can take Midosuji Line and Sennichimae Line. You can also see Namba Parks and Takashimaya. There are a lot of convenient stores and restaurants around the area.
Saturday, March 22, 2014
South Korea: Jade Garden
The reason I wanted to go back to Korea, to see
this place from That Winter, The Wind Blows, SBS and Love Rain, KBS.
On my way to Incheon last month, I was able to finish the movie, You are My Pet (last scene is also taken there).
English Boarder and Italian Garden:
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| Love Rain - KBS 2012; That Winter, The Wind Blows - SBS 2013 |
Sunday, March 16, 2014
2014 Feb: South Korea: Seoul Food
There is nothing to worry when it comes to food – I
did not plan anything for lunch or dinner, since good food is anywhere in Seoul.
Restaurant found on the second floor open until 2am (near
GS25, Myeongdong Exit 8)
Food: 9 out of 10
Value: Affordable
Atmosphere: 9 out of 10
Location:
near GS25, Myeongdong Exit 8
Glad that this decent restaurant is still open to welcome us on our first midnight in Myeongdong. I love the man-made cherry blossom tree inside.
Underground Hole in the Wall Japanese Restaurant
Food: 9 out of 10
Value: Affordable
Atmosphere: 9 out of 10
Orders:
Location:
Seolleung station Exit 1, turn left before Posco, on the third block, take the
stairs to go underground of Italian Bistro (along Teheran-ro 78-gil, Daechi-dong,
Gangnam-gu)Unique experience that reminds me of Gion, Kyoto - we were actually seating on the floor while eating. I miss it.
2014 Feb: South Korea: Seoul: Drama Cafes
It’s been two years when I last stepped at Korean peninsula, and
with that I have gathered the places I wanted to visit from the dramas and realities
I have been watching. Let’s
start with coffee shops I wanted to try.
Café De Chocolate
Food: 9 out of 10
Value: Average
Atmosphere: 9 out of 10
Orders: Orders= White hot chocolate (5,200 KRW = 208 PHP), Real dark hot
chocolate (5,800 KRW = 232 PHP), Hotdog (7600 KRW = 304 PHP)
Location: Chungmuro Station Exit 3
Drama: That Winter, The Wind Blows (2013).
I did not bother to research on which store they used on the
drama, but the one I visited is in Chungmuro Station Exit 3. We got inside still a bit dark, welcomed our
orders and but the service strictly started at 9:00am.
Cozy
and offers a lot of magazines and books to read. They also have a separate room for the
smokers.
Sunday, March 9, 2014
2014 Feb: South Korea: Seoul: K-pop Residence
My fouth time in South Korea, third time in Seoul and third time to have the base camp in Myeongdong.
Taking an AREX for the second time is less expensive than taking a bus, but I personally prefer the bus since I don’t want line transfers and its hard to bring luggage in stairs (2011-2012). Unexpectedly, the plane is delayed on its arrival fro 2 hours to pick-up passengers in Manila hub. That makes our arrival in Incheon delayed from 20:05 to past 22:20. We still need to take the shuttle train going to main terminal, queue at the Immigration, wait for the luggage, and we can no longer take the airport bus 6015 going Myeongdong.
I still wonder for a while if there is a possibility to take a night bus, until with a snap I got to process my thoughts immediately - "I need 10000 each (thanks to the extra won we have from our previous trips), I need our old T-money." Rushed to 7-11 to top-up, get down to lower ground take the connecting walkalator, rushed to the train entrance (not sure if I did take AREX, but looks like not, it is an all-stop train going to Seoul Station. We were able to find our way out and we were literally running, Im pushing our 2 4-wheel luggage to speed us up. When we get on the station entrance, there are already guards, I said "to Myeongdong Station", and they let us pass - this is the last trip from Seoul Station for Line 4 going to Myeongdong.
This year (2014) on Exit 8, there is already an escalator, but because it already passed the operating hours it is no longer moving, we still have to take the stairs. After crossing 3 sub streets, we were able to find our hostel.
K Pop Residence II Myeongdong
4-2, Myeongdong 2(i)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
Price: Average for an accommodation in the middle of Myeongdong. If you prefer cheaper accommodation outside shopping district, there are lot to choose from.
Location: Good – On the side street of Myeongdong, it is the 4th and 5th level of the building, just above Kang Ho Dong’s Baekjeong BBQ restaurant. Just outside the main street, you’ll immediately see Etude, Face Shop, farther left, you have Forever 21, and GS25 (25-hour convenient store).
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