Japan Trip Day #11 Osaka : Umeda & Dotonbori

Japan Trip

Day #11 02/06/14 Monday

My eleventh day on Japan trip! I didn't have much time left in Osaka. The next day, I should leave Osaka for Seoul, and I had planned days in Osaka would be my chill relax time.

I woke up late because there were no sounds in the corridor at all. People are not allowed to use the alarm on the phone. So that they provide alarm in some kind of radio and I had to wear earphones to hear my alarm. I didn't like that so I decided to wake up late instead :p. 

The corridor was always dark and silent, creating a private and formal ambience. There were only the humming sounds from air conditioner. I felt lonely. It was my first accommodation with private room. Sometimes it was nice, but sometimes I felt lonely. :(

Luckily Manuel and Dominic (friends I met at JAM Hostel Kyoto) messaged me that they would arrive in Osaka that night! So we arranged a meeting for dinner in Dotonbori.

Japan Trip Day #10 Osaka : Dotobori

Japan Trip

Day #10 01/06/14 Sunday

I felt a bit melancholic because that day was my last day in Nara. I had to leave Nara for Osaka. Before I left Hide's house, I finally tried the okonomiyaki cooked by Hide's Mum. おいしい ! It was a simple but tasty one! I was wondering if I can buy the flour and cooked it by myself at home. I heard that Osaka was famous for its okonomiyaki too! I couldn't wait to do culinary in Osaka! :))

So Hide's Mum dropped us at the nearest station to take train to Osaka. I was so touched with Hide's family kindness. They were so caring and funny, made me think about my family a lot :( . I hope I will meet them again to show gratitude in Japanese! :)

It took 1 hr 20 min from Nara to Osaka. I stopped at Namba station, because my hotel was located in Namba area. The hotel name was 'First Cabin Midosuji Namba', I booked it via booking.com.  It was quite a new experience for me. I got my own 'cabin', like a capsule hotel but bigger one. Its concept is all room designed with theme like in a plane so people can feel that they are staying as a first class passenger on plane. I got slippers, and changing clothes everyday (nightwear). The most notable one was the public bathroom! It was like a sento or public bath in Japan. So everybody should get naked together while washing ourself. What an experience!

Beside that, they provide superb facilities. Clean and new furniture, full set of bathroom and skin care amenities, washing machine (coin operated), library, vending machine.

The location was perfect too! It was in the downtown area and near the iconic Dotonbori area, and located right next to the station. I paid 7120 JPY for 2 nights, more expensive that the other guesthouse, but it was all good. 

First Cabin Midosuji Namba inside the Namba Building.

Japan Trip Day #9 Nara

Japan Trip

Day #9 31/05/14 Saturday

I and Hide went to Nara Park / Nara Koen ( Koen is Park in Japanese). The park is famous for its hundreds of deer, and that became Nara's icon, it is believed as a messengers of the gods in Shinto. The unique thing was everybody can play with the deers freely, mostly play run and feed, because the deer will continuously ask for some foods you bring. 

This is how to get to Nara Park :

Look at those friendly eyes ♥ .

 

How to get to Nara Park (www.japan-guide.com)

I thought that the deers will have long and big antlers,in fact they didn't. The kind of deer looked similar with the deers in Kebun Raya Bogor (Bogor Botanical Garden). I was not that surprised about the animal, but the fact that I could touch them freely was a nice thing!

Japan Trip Day #8 Kyoto & Nara

Japan Trip

Day #8 30/05/14 Friday

This day was my last day in Kyoto, and it was a super happy and lucky day!! 

First of all, I managed to find and did the maiko henshin (maiko cosplay) at Yumekoubou studio in Gion (http://www.yumekoubou.info/english/). I saw the other Yumekobou studio on the way to Kiyomizudera temple before, and it was full booked for the next 3 days. So, I was really glad that I could do the cosplay that day without reservation. 

All the experience was priceless! The staffs were so helpful and very nice. The studio was neat and complete. Beside becoming pretty with the costume, it gave me a new knowledge about the techniques of wearing full set kimono and the accessories of maiko. 

I took the walking plan in which I could take a walk outside the studio with the costume. During the walk, one crew helped me to take pictures as many as I want with my own camera. We took a walk to a photogenic old district near the studio. There were some people wearing the costumes. Looked like I was a fake maiko with the biggest eyes and tan skin! hahahaha.

A full set of Maiko costume ;) . 

Ready for strolling around Gion with the costume.

Japan Trip Day #7 Kyoto : Arashiyama, Gion

Japan Trip

Day #7 29/05/14 Thursday

One of Kyoto's must visit place is Bamboo Grove Arashiyama. It's one of the most photogenic object, along with red torii at Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine. But for me -like every place on earth- no picture can describe the astonishing feeling standing in the middle of bamboo grove. The greenest green in harmony with the brown soil and the whisper sounds of the leaves. I felt divine. Definitely one of must visits in Kyoto!

Kyoto's must visit place: Arashiyama Bamboo Grove.