Second Trip to Osaka (Nara + Universal Studios + Kyoto)

This July, my bestie and I spontaneously decided to meet in Osaka with our daughters (they had already been to Tokyo and Kamakura). Our 4-day itinerary was packed, walking over 20,000 steps each day.

My last visit to Osaka was in May 2016, where I spent three days eating and shopping, staying at the Marriott near Tennoji (very convenient for travel and shopping). Now the Marriott’s price has doubled, so I decisively gave it up.

On the first day, we took the 8:00 AM Juneyao flight and arrived in Osaka around 11:00 AM (Japan time). There was no queue at immigration, and we cleared customs and picked up luggage in 5 minutes.

In the past, when I came to Japan, I bought point-to-point single tickets for the subway. This time, we bought two IC cards that can be topped up anytime (deposit 500 yen each), and they also work on buses.

Google Maps is very convenient for travel in Japan, offering multiple route suggestions (different colored lines with different travel times and costs).

Due to the flight time, we didn’t rent a Wi-Fi egg this time (worried about not having time to pick it up at the airport). So I bought a Japanese SIM card for Kimi (5 days, 1GB data per day, total 32 RMB, works very well). I used Shanghai Mobile’s network directly, which was fast enough. I could open all common apps except Google Maps. So the navigation task fell to Kimi. At first, she was confused because there are so many subway lines. We wanted to take the Nankai Main Line but ended up on the JR platform. Fortunately, we asked a helpful station staff member who corrected us in time (we also got on the wrong platform later; when returning from Nara to Osaka, the staff member kindly led us to the right platform).

This time we chose the Hotel Royal Garden Osaka Midosuji, located between Honmachi Station and Yodoyabashi Station, close to Dotonbori and Shinsaibashi (one subway stop). We booked an executive double room with breakfast for two at 1,268 RMB/night (much better value than the Marriott’s standard room at 2,800 RMB/night). Breakfast was served on the executive floor, quiet with a nice atmosphere.

On the first afternoon, after meeting at the hotel, we headed to Nara. Not long after stepping out of the subway, we saw deer. There were many tourists and deer in Nara Park. Kimi bought a pack of deer crackers (200 yen) and hid them in her bag. When she held a small piece in her hand, deer came to ask her for crackers.

We walked and fed them all the way from Nara Park to the top of Mount Wakakusa. Mount Wakakusa has a large lawn with few people and many deer, perfect for photos.

Kimi interacted with the deer for a long time. When the deer discovered she had crackers in her bag, they started nudging her bag and biting her skirt. Kimi almost got angry, muttering, “How can they be so rude?”

After returning to Osaka from Nara, we got off the subway at Dotonbori to eat street food. But Dotonbori was packed with people. After a short wait for some food, we went back to the hotel to rest.

The next morning, we set off early for Universal Studios. We got lost again while transferring at Umeda, asking for directions all the way. We arrived at the park at 9:30 AM. Most people had already entered, so we got in quickly. Drinks and crackers were allowed in. We had bought tickets and Express Passes (4 items, including a ticket to Super Nintendo World) two weeks in advance. The times for Harry Potter and Mario attractions were reserved (both in the afternoon).

When we entered, Doraemon had a 70-minute wait, and Spider-Man had a 50-minute wait. At Universal Studios Osaka, wait times are listed for both groups and single riders. Spider-Man had a 50-minute group wait but only 5 minutes for single riders. The four of us chose single rider (splitting up and pairing with other families) and finished the first ride quickly. Then we watched a stage show, “Sing,” which had strong air conditioning, so we could rest a bit. After that, we rode a roller coaster (waited about 20+ minutes).

At 11:00 AM, we entered the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It had the same layout as the one in Beijing. We queued to buy “Butterbeer” (a very popular trendy drink). On the second ride of Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, I still felt dizzy and unsteady on my feet, while Kimi was excited and said it felt a bit different from the one in Beijing.

At 1:30 PM, we watched a WaterWorld show. Kimi thought this live-action stunt show was fantastic.

In the afternoon, we went to Super Nintendo World. We bought a special Power-Up Band for the kids (about 210 RMB). It was used for many interactive activities (like hitting blocks). The background music in the park was all the game sounds, which felt very familiar. But it didn’t resonate much with the post-2000s kids.

Using the band required the Universal Studios app, which could be found on iPhones but not on Huawei phones.

Around 5:00 PM, a heavy rain fell. The Jurassic Park ride was temporarily closed. There were fewer people queuing for the Flying Dinosaur. My bestie went on the single rider line alone and finished in 5 minutes. She said it was thrilling (haha, I wouldn’t dare).

In the evening, we used the last Express Pass item: Jujutsu Kaisen 4D. Since I hadn’t watched the anime, my experience was just average.

The park closed at 8:00 PM. We returned to the hotel. The subway wasn’t crowded at all, probably because of frequent trains.

On the third day, we visited Fushimi Inari Taisha and Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto. Near Kiyomizu-dera, we found a kimono rental shop. The package included a kimono and hair accessories, costing 5,000 yen for the day. There were many small shops near Kiyomizu-dera selling various snacks and ice cream. When we got tired, we could find a café for afternoon tea. It was lovely and perfect for a girls’ trip.

On the fourth day, it was all about shopping. In the morning, we went to Shinsaibashi. After checking out in the afternoon, we went to Rinku Premium Outlets (there is luggage storage right outside the subway station, 300 yen per piece). Besides tourists, many Japanese people were shopping there, so buying local Japanese brands was very affordable. For example, the commonly used Thermos vacuum flask (350ml, less than 90 RMB each) and Onitsuka Tiger casual shoes.

Finally, let me mention the food in Japanese supermarkets. Finding delicious desserts and drinks at Lawson, FamilyMart, and other convenience stores was something Kimi loved doing every day. In her words, it was like the joy of opening a blind box.

This trip was a bit rushed due to limited time, but we still created many happy memories.