Kansai: A Spontaneous Trip Triggered by All Nippon Airways' Bargain Airfare

My first attempt at writing a travelogue, so let's start with Japan.

In July 2013, after graduating from graduate school and starting work, I gradually began to have 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 what clicked, 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 the different cultures of the world.

So after 2014, I planned a trip every year. Although the three years of the pandemic put a stop to that, it gave me many opportunities to see the great rivers and mountains 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 travelogues to exercise my thinking and leave some traces for the future. When I get old, I can still look back at the places I’ve been and the thoughts I had at the time.

Back to the main topic. Because this is a travelogue that’s six years late, many details are fuzzy. I can only rely on photos and my old WeChat Moments to reminisce about Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, and Kobe.

2017 was my first trip to Japan, and I was full of curiosity about the country. Putting aside national sentiments, I really wanted to see what this economy that rose rapidly after World War II looked like and what its people were like.

I went during the May Day holiday. A colleague snagged a bargain airfare on All Nippon Airways (I can’t remember the exact price now). Speaking of which, I still think I’m 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, and end up just waving my hand and calling out...

ANA’s service was indeed good. When I asked for a drink, they gave me a whole can. The meal was simple Japanese cuisine and very tasty (it was also because in the early working years, I was thrifty 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, watching Detective Conan movie edition while eagerly awaiting landing in Osaka.

We landed at Kansai Airport in Osaka in the early morning, rushed 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, there were no other trains running. Fortunately, our hotel was only three subway stops from Namba Station. So my colleague and I dragged our suitcases and walked to the hotel using Baidu Maps. This actually gave me an up-close experience of Osaka’s streets late at night, and thinking back, it still feels very atmospheric, as if I could smell the city’s original essence.

It took about half an hour to walk from the subway station to the hotel. Since we were mostly on main streets, I didn’t feel scared (maybe because I had a little trust in Japan’s public safety). Passing by a small izakaya on the street, it was lively inside. I searched just now and found that the hotel we stayed at was called Rihga Place Higobashi.

The next day, we set off for Universal Studios Japan. We bought a Kansai Three-Day Pass. For Universal, we bought Express Pass in advance for a better experience, so except for the Flying Dinosaur ride (which had a queue of about 90 minutes), we didn’t queue for other rides. I personally really liked the Hollywood Dream roller coaster—it wasn’t too fast and gave a great view of almost the entire park. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was truly surprising. Now that there’s also Universal Studios in Beijing, people can experience it more conveniently and closely.

We spent the whole day at Universal. Let me tell you: if you don’t buy the Express Pass, taking the single rider line can also get you on rides faster! One regret that day was that after we finished the Harry Potter area and returned to the castle for the light show, there were already too many people, and we were a little hungry and wanted to eat. So we left the Harry Potter area, but then we couldn’t go back in. We missed the night light show. However, because of that, almost no one was queuing for other nighttime attractions, and my colleague and I rode many other rides, which was a pleasant surprise. By the way, there was a hot dog stand in the Hollywood area that was delicious and not expensive; we ate there. Sitting by the lake eating hot dogs was very pleasant.

On the third day, we went to Kyoto. My colleague booked a one-day tour in a business van. It picked us up at the hotel door early in the morning (around 8 am). Then we drove all the way to Kyoto, passing by the Kamo River, and the driver gave us introductions. The driver was a Chinese immigrant to Japan and very hospitable. Along the way, he also picked up four Chinese friends in Kyoto, making six of us in total.

First stop: Fushimi Inari Taisha. To be honest, I went to Kyoto hoping to find traces of the Tang Dynasty, so I preferred to admire the architectural style. The continuous rows of torii gates were indeed impressive. It turns out that the themes of prayers in various countries are all about people’s livelihoods and food.

After visiting Fushimi Inari Taisha, we went directly to Kinkaku-ji (said to be the place where Ikkyu lived). When we got off at Kinkaku-ji, I happened to see on a nearby mountain a big character “大” (large). The driver said it was the famous Daimonji (Great Character) festival in Japan. Suddenly I thought, Ah! Is this the scene from anime coming to life? Even though it wasn’t night and there were no torches, I naturally started to imagine that scene.

Kinkaku-ji had many visitors. We followed the crowd taking photos and checking in. The golden pavilion in the middle of the lake really gave a feeling of being transcendent and independent, like saying “Ikkyu” by the waterside.

After visiting Kinkaku-ji, the driver took us to lunch. I can’t remember the name of that place now; it was also a famous street with many snacks. But at that time, we couldn’t decide what to eat (I think we had takoyaki). So we walked around twice and suggested heading directly to Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka.

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

At the end of the slope was our third stop of the day: Kiyomizu-dera. It is said to be very effective for praying for romantic relationships. My colleague closed her eyes and walked in a circle there. Legend says that if you walk from start to end with your eyes closed, you will find your partner. I didn’t try it lightly; maybe that’s why I haven’t found a good match? Haha (awkward laugh).

But I have to say, Kiyomizu-dera is really, really beautiful!

The last stop in Kyoto was Hanamikoji Street. We bought Uji matcha ice cream and strolled along the street, feeling relaxed and comfortable. Kyoto is truly a beautiful place.

In the evening, back in Osaka, we queued at Dotonbori for Ichiran Ramen. Later, when we went to Sannomiya in Kobe, we also saw Ichiran Ramen and could walk right in without waiting! But to be fair, Ichiran Ramen is really tasty. I liked the matcha almond tofu.

Since Japan isn’t very big, we traveled quite leisurely. We basically slept until 9 am, then took the subway to neighboring cities, and returned to central Osaka in the evening to stroll around Shinsaibashi, Umeda, etc., shopping at drugstores. So I won’t write about shopping here because we basically did it every night.

Day four is the one I remember most from this trip. That day was the wedding day of my cousin who grew up with me, and also the day we visited what I think is the most beautiful place—Nara. That morning we rested, then went to Umeda for okonomiyaki at noon, and set off for Nara in the afternoon. We arrived in Nara around 3 pm. The small city of Nara itself is a big attraction! Every step and every corner is a scenic view. We didn’t bring deer crackers, but the deer still followed us. I wasn’t afraid at all; the deer looked cute. Later, as we walked toward the shrine, it was getting dark. Honestly, I was a bit scared. In my words, it felt like exploring at night like Shikamaru Nara from Naruto—thrilling and scary. We later entered an old wooden shrine. It looked very ancient. After walking around, I got really scared and headed back with my colleague. But Nara is so beautiful that I still plan to come back to Nara on my next trip to Japan!

On the fifth day, we went to Kobe to see the famous million-dollar night view (haha, I have to say, Shanghai's night view is much more beautiful). We took the subway to Sannomiya. We originally wanted to eat Kobe steak, but when we looked at the menu by the roadside, it was too expensive! So we ate at Ichiran Ramen without waiting. On the way from Sannomiya to Kobe Port Tower, Baidu Maps led us in circles a few times, causing a small argument about directions. Eventually, we made it to Kobe Port Tower, climbed to the top, and saw the night view decorated with star-shaped lights. I also dropped a postcard I bought in Kyoto into a mailbox on a Kobe street (I have a habit of sending postcards when I travel; first come, first served for likes on WeChat Moments—it’s a way to share joy).

On the way back to Osaka, I posted on WeChat Moments while on the subway, and the location showed “KOBE” instead of “神户” in Chinese. I initially thought it was Kobe Bryant, but later I learned that the city Kobe is actually called “KOBE.”

On the last day, we returned. My colleague got up early that morning to visit Osaka Castle. I was too lazy and rested at the hotel. Then I went with her to Shinsaibashi for sushi before heading back. During the day on the subway heading to Kansai Airport, I realized how beautiful that stretch was—the train seemed to fly over the sea. So I chose a window seat at check-in to take one last look at Osaka Bay.

This first trip to Japan left a deep impression on me. First, the writing was very friendly. Subways, street signs, etc., all had Chinese characters. I couldn’t help but marvel at how profound China’s influence on Japan has been, and I also reconsidered the phrase “a narrow strip of water.” I don’t want to raise it to any high level, so I won’t mention politics, but I still hope that China and Japan can be friendly, and that our nation can revive and influence those around us again. Japan’s streets did look very clean. In Kyoto, we had to carry our trash the whole way because we didn’t see any trash cans.

The deer door plaque I bought in Nara still hangs on my door at home. The omamori I bought in Kyoto still hangs on my bag and has accompanied me to many places.

Many things brought back from Osaka have more or less been used up. But this memory remains. Six years later, when I decided to start writing my travelogue and recalled through photos and WeChat Moments, I found that the places I’ve been really stay there forever, even if I forget the details. I still remember their beauty and that they existed. Just like a line in Spirited Away: “Once you meet someone, you never really forget them. It just takes a while to remember.”

I hope to develop the habit of keeping a travelogue to help myself remember.

I found the itinerary I made back then. Here’s a supplement:

- Arrived at Kansai Airport at 21:35, left the airport after 10 pm, took the escalator to the second floor to ride Nankai Airport Express to Namba, then transfer to the Yotsubashi Line to the hotel. (When we arrived at Namba, there were no other subways; we walked for half an hour to the hotel, and I still find those half hours unforgettable and beautiful—the charm of the night.)

- Left the hotel at 9 am, took JR to Universal Studios Japan. Returned from Universal at 9 pm.

- Bought a seven-item Express Pass for Universal to avoid queues.

- There was a hot dog shop in the Minion area of Universal that was very tasty and cheap. Dinner was a pizza set for less than 100 RMB.

- Entered the Harry Potter area after 5 pm and left after 8 pm. (The Harry Potter area can only be entered once; pay attention.)

- Used a rechargeable transit card for these two days; you can top up and use it immediately, and it can also be used at convenience stores.

- One-day tour booked on Ctrip; the driver took us to major attractions in Kyoto. Overall, it was very good. Picked up at the hotel at 8 am, sent back to Osaka at 6 pm.

- After returning to Osaka, you can ask to be dropped at Dotonbori to eat and shop at drugstores and enjoy the night view.

- (This day we followed the tour directly; after returning to Osaka and shopping, we only used the transit card once when returning to the hotel at night.)

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

- At 2:30 pm, set off for Nara to visit Nara Park (the entire Nara Prefecture is a park; just walk around and have fun), avoiding crowds. Nara’s night view is also beautiful. At 9 pm, took the Hanshin Line back to Osaka.

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

- At 3 pm, set off for Kobe via the Hanshin Line to Sannomiya, strolled around, 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; make sure to go up—the night view is beautiful. At about 9 pm, took the Hanshin Line back to Osaka.

- Check out before 11 am. Originally planned to visit an outlet, but was too lazy.

- There was a Starbucks opposite the hotel. Checked out at 10:30, had food at Starbucks, then took Nankai Airport Express from Namba to the airport. Shopped at the duty-free shops. Returned to Shanghai.

- Sat by the window on the plane, with a full view of Osaka Bay!

- For the last three days, used the Kansai Thru Pass (three-day). It was very convenient—can ride any train except JR and limited express trains. Could reach anywhere. Our hotel was very convenient: three subway stops to Namba, one stop to Umeda. Exit 2 of Higobashi Station was right at the hotel. The room was clean and had everything.