Kansai: A Spontaneous Trip After Snagging an All Nippon Airways Discount Ticket

This is my first attempt at writing a travel journal, so let's start with Japan.

In July 2013, after graduating with a master's degree and starting work, I gradually began to earn an income and slowly integrated into the magic city of Shanghai. My first trip abroad was in September 2014, when my department organized a team-building trip to Phuket, Thailand. At that time, I don't know which meridian in my brain was activated, but I told myself to live and work well, and visit at least one country each year to see the world, letting both my mind and body experience different cultures around the globe.

So after 2014, I planned trips every year. Although the three years of the pandemic brought a pause, it gave me many opportunities to explore the vast landscapes of my own country, which was also a blessing.

Over the years, I've really enjoyed making travel plans, but I'm not good at expressing myself in writing. So I want to use travel journals to exercise my thinking, and also leave some traces for the future. When I'm old, I can still look back at the places I've visited and my thoughts from those times.

Back to the main topic. Since this is a travel journal delayed by six years, many details are blurry. I can only rely on photos and my old social media posts to reminisce about Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, and Kobe.

In 2017, I visited Japan for the first time, filled with curiosity about the country. Setting aside national sentiments, I really wanted to see what this economy, which rose rapidly after World War II, looked like, and what its people were like.

I went during the May Day holiday. My colleague came across a discount ticket from All Nippon Airways (I can't remember the exact price now). Speaking of which, I still feel quite unsophisticated—after flying for so many years, I still don't know how to use the various buttons on the airplane seat, how to call the flight attendant without waving or shouting... All Nippon Airways' service was indeed good; they gave us a whole can of drink when we ordered, and the meal was simple Japanese cuisine, very tasty (also because in my early working years, I was frugal and always flew with Spring Airlines, which doesn't provide meal service—later I realized Spring wasn't worth it). I remember on the plane, while watching the movie version of Detective Conan, I eagerly awaited our landing in Osaka.

We landed at Kansai Airport in Osaka around midnight, dashed to the subway station, bought tickets, and caught the last train to the city. The terminal station at that time was probably Namba. When we arrived at Namba, no other trains were running, but fortunately, our hotel was only three subway stops from Namba Station. So my colleague and I dragged our suitcases and relied on Baidu Maps to walk to the hotel. This gave me a close-up experience of Osaka's streets in the dead of night. Even now, I still find it very atmospheric, as if I could smell the city's true essence.

It took about half an hour to walk from the subway station to the hotel. Since we were mostly on main roads, I didn't feel scared (maybe I had a little trust in Japan's public safety). We passed by small izakaya (Japanese pubs) along the street, which were bustling inside. I just looked it up; the hotel we stayed at was Rihga Place Higobashi.

The next day, we set off for Universal Studios Japan. We bought a Kansai Three-Day Pass. To enhance our experience at the park, we purchased express passes in advance, so we didn't have to queue for most rides except for the Flying Dinosaur (which took about 90 minutes). I personally really enjoyed the Hollywood Dream Roller Coaster—it wasn't too fast, and you could see almost the entire park from it. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was truly delightful. Now there's also a Universal Studios in Beijing, which makes it more accessible and convenient for people to experience.

We spent the whole day at Universal Studios. A tip for everyone: if you don't buy an express pass, using the single rider line can also get you on rides faster! One regret that day was that after finishing the Harry Potter area and returning to the castle for the light show, it was already too crowded, and we were a bit hungry. So we left the Harry Potter area to get food, and then we couldn't re-enter. We missed the nighttime light show. However, because of that, the other nighttime attractions had almost no queues, so my colleague and I went on many other rides—a pleasant surprise. By the way, there's a hot dog stand in the Hollywood area that serves delicious and affordable hot dogs. We ate there, sitting by the lake, enjoying our hot dogs—it was very relaxing.

On the third day, we headed to Kyoto. My colleague had booked a day tour with a minibus. It picked us up at the hotel entrance early in the morning (around 8 AM). We drove all the way to Kyoto, passing by the Kamo River, and the driver, a Chinese immigrant to Japan, was very enthusiastic and introduced the sights along the way. He also picked up four other Chinese travelers in Kyoto, making our group of six.

Our first stop was Fushimi Inari Shrine. Honestly, I had come to Kyoto hoping to find traces of the Tang Dynasty, so I was more interested in the architectural style. The long rows of torii gates were indeed stunning. It made me realize that folk prayers everywhere revolve around daily life and food.

After visiting the Inari Shrine, we went straight to Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion, said to be where the monk Ikkyu lived). When we got off at Kinkaku-ji, I noticed a large character "大" (dai) on a nearby mountain. The driver said that was the site of the famous Daimonji Gozan Okuribi festival. I thought, "Ah! Could this be the scene from anime that has become reality?" Although it wasn't night and there were no torches, my mind automatically imagined the scene.

Kinkaku-ji was very crowded; we followed the flow of people to check in at the temple. The Golden Pavilion in the middle of the pond truly gave an impression of detached elegance, like a recluse, evoking the phrase "Ikkyu, on the other side of the water."

After visiting Kinkaku-ji, the driver took us to lunch. I can't remember the name of the place now, but it was a famous street with many snacks. However, we couldn't decide what to eat (I think we had takoyaki). After walking around for a bit, we suggested heading straight to Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka.

There, I bought a Japanese doll, which still sits on my doll shelf.

At the end of the path was our third stop: Kiyomizu-dera Temple. It's said to be very effective for prayers about love and marriage. My colleague even closed her eyes and walked in circles there; rumor has it that if you can walk straight to the end with your eyes closed, you'll meet your soulmate. I didn't try it myself—maybe that's why I haven't found a good match yet? Haha (bitter smile).

But I must say, Kiyomizu-dera is absolutely beautiful!

Our last stop in Kyoto was Hanami-koji Street, where we bought Uji matcha ice cream and strolled along the path. It was very relaxed and pleasant. Kyoto truly is a beautiful place.

In the evening, we returned to Osaka and queued for Ichiran Ramen in Dotonbori. Later, when we went to Sannomiya in Kobe, we saw another Ichiran Ramen and walked right in without queuing! To be fair, Ichiran's ramen is quite tasty, and I especially liked the matcha almond tofu.

Since Japan is not very large, our trip was quite relaxed. We usually slept until 9 AM, then took the subway to nearby cities, played around, and returned to Osaka's city center in the evening to shop at Shinsaibashi and Umeda, hitting up drugstores for cosmetics. So I won't go into detail about shopping here, as it was a nightly routine.

The fourth day was the most memorable for me on this trip. That day was the wedding of my cousin, who grew up with me, and it was also the day I visited Nara, which I found to be the most beautiful place on this trip. We rested in the morning, then had okonomiyaki for lunch in Umeda, and set off for Nara in the afternoon. We arrived in Nara around 3 PM. The small city of Nara is a scenic spot in itself! Every step, every corner is a beautiful view. We didn't bring deer crackers, but the deer still followed us. I didn't feel scared at all; they were very cute. As we walked toward the shrine, it gradually got dark. Honestly, I was a bit frightened—it felt like something out of Naruto: Shikamaru Nara's night exploration, both thrilling and scary. We entered an old shrine built entirely of wood, which looked very ancient. After wandering around, I got too scared, so my colleague and I turned back. But Nara is so beautiful that I still plan to visit again on my next trip to Japan!

On the fifth day, we went to Kobe to see the famous "million-dollar night view" (ha, I have to say, Shanghai's night view is much more beautiful). We took the subway to Sannomiya Station in Kobe. We wanted to eat Kobe beef, but the menu prices were too high, so we ended up having Ichiran Ramen without queuing. On the way from Sannomiya to Kobe Port, Baidu Maps led us in circles, causing a small argument about directions. Eventually, we made it to Kobe Port Tower, climbed to the top, and enjoyed the night view adorned with starry lights. I also mailed postcards I bought in Kyoto from a mailbox on a Kobe street (I have a habit of sending postcards from different places—first come, first served to those who like my social media posts, as a way to share joy).

On the subway back to Osaka, I posted on social media with a location tag that showed "KOBE" (I initially thought it was Kobe Bryant's name... and then I switched to the Chinese name for Kobe. Later I learned that Kobe City is just called "KOBE" in English).

On our last day, we returned. My colleague got up early to visit Osaka Castle. I was too lazy and stayed at the hotel to rest, then went with her to Shinsaibashi for sushi before heading back. During the daytime subway ride to Kansai Airport, I realized how beautiful the route was—the train seemed to fly over the sea. So I chose a window seat when checking in, just to catch another glimpse of Osaka Bay's scenery.

This first trip to Japan left a deep impression on me. First, the language was very friendly—subway signs, street signs, etc., all had Chinese characters. It made me marvel at how profound China's influence on Japan is, and also gave me a new understanding of the phrase "a strip of water" (meaning close neighbors). I don't want to elevate this to any political level, so I'll avoid that topic, but I do hope for friendly relations between China and Japan and for our nation's rejuvenation to once again influence those around us. The streets in Japan indeed looked very clean. When we were in Kyoto, we had to carry our trash the whole way because we couldn't find any trash bins.

The deer-shaped doorplate I bought in Nara still hangs on my door at home. The omamori (charm) from Kyoto still hangs on my bag, accompanying me to many places.

Most of the items I brought back from Osaka have been used up over time. But the memories remain. Six years later, when I decided to start writing my travel journal, recalling through photos and old posts, I realized that the places I've visited truly stay with me. Even if the details are forgotten, I still remember their beauty and the fact that they existed. It's like a line from Spirited Away: "Things that happen once are never forgotten, just sometimes we can't remember them."

I hope to develop a habit of keeping travel journals to help me remember.

I found the itinerary I made back then, and I'll add some notes here:

- Arrived at Kansai Airport at 21:35. Exited after 10 PM. Took the escalator to the second floor to catch the Nankai Airport Express to Namba, then transferred to the Yotsubashi Line to the hotel. (There were no other trains at Namba, so we walked half an hour to the hotel. Those 30 minutes remain unforgettable and beautiful to me—the charm of the night.)

- Departed the hotel at 9 AM, took the JR line to Universal Studios Japan. Returned from the park at 9 PM.

- Bought a seven-item popular express pass for the park to avoid queuing.

- There's a hot dog stand in the Minion area of Universal Studios that's delicious and cheap. Dinner was a pizza set for under 100 RMB.

- The Harry Potter area opens after 5 PM and must be exited by 8 PM. (You can only enter the Harry Potter area once, so be careful.)

- Used a rechargeable subway card for those two days; it can also be used at convenience stores.

- A day tour booked through Ctrip: the driver took us to famous attractions in Kyoto. Overall a good experience. Pickup at 8 AM at the hotel, drop-off back in Osaka at around 6 PM.

- After returning to Osaka, you can ask to be dropped at Dotonbori for shopping and dinner.

- (This day we just followed the tour; after returning to Osaka and shopping, we used the transit card once to get back to the hotel.)

- Slept in, left at 10 AM for Umeda to have okonomiyaki, then shopped at department stores.

- Left at 2:30 PM for Nara, visited Nara Park (the entire Nara Prefecture is like a park; just walk around and enjoy). Avoid the crowds; the night scenery of Nara is also beautiful. Took the Hanshin Line back to Osaka at 9 PM.

- Slept in, left at 9 AM to visit Osaka Castle Park, if needed, continue shopping at Shinsaibashi.

- Left at 3 PM for Kobe, took the Hanshin Line to Sannomiya, explored Sannomiya, ate. Then went to Kobe Port to see the night view (Japan's million-dollar night view). Kobe Port Tower is open until 8:30 PM; be sure to go up. The night view is beautiful. Took the Hanshin Line back to Osaka around 9 PM.

- Checkout was before 11 AM. We considered going to the outlet mall but were too lazy.

- There's a Starbucks across from the hotel. We checked out at 10:30, ate at Starbucks, then took the Nankai Airport Express from Namba to the airport. Shopped at the airport duty-free. Returned to Shanghai.

- Sat by the window on the plane, enjoying the panoramic view of Osaka Bay!

- For the last three days, we used the Kansai Thru Pass, which is very convenient—it allows travel on all trains except JR and limited express. The hotel was very convenient, just three subway stops from Namba and one stop from Umeda. The Higobashi subway station exit 2 was right outside the hotel. The room was very clean and fully equipped.