After living in South Korea for five years, I recently moved back home to Chicago. Some might have opted for a direct flight from Incheon to O'Hare, but I decided to take a scenic route through six countries. In this blog, I want to share my travel experiences, both the good and the bad, so you can get a real feel for my journey. My first stop was Japan, where I spent three days each in Osaka and Tokyo.
I arrived in Osaka very late at night and while it was only a couple of hours in the air from Incheon to Osaka, I was exhausted! I had spent months researching and coming up with a game plan for everything that I wanted to do in Japan. I was staying in the Umeda area, not far from the Umeda Osaka Station where the Airport bus stops. Did I remember that after dragging a GIANT suitcase through Seoul for 2 days? No. So I grabbed a cab...a $125 cab. Word from the wise: do not take a cab from Kansai International Airport to Umeda.
My hotel was small but adequate. After letting everyone know I was safe, a friend advised me to take it easy and go at my own pace. I ended up scrapping my meticulously planned itinerary and spent the entire first day sleeping.
When I finally ventured out, Osaka's food scene was a delight. I tried as many must-have foods as possible: authentic ramen, a shrimp mayo bowl at Hep Five Mall, and a pineapple ice cream sandwich at Dotonbori. The highlight was the Jyuu en pan, a coin-shaped pancake filled with the stretchiest cheese I've ever eaten. As someone who hates cream-filled treats, the cheesy version was the perfect farewell to Asian cheese.
Dotonbori was a sensory overload with its elaborate restaurant signs and long lines. Despite not understanding a word, I enjoyed a river cruise and marveled at the bustling atmosphere.
A visit to Don Quijote, the famous discount store, was a bit underwhelming. Everyone insisted I had to visit the so-called "big" discount store. I went to two locations, and neither were what I'd classify as "big." However, they did cram a lot of stuff inside: stationery, cosmetics, kitchen wares, and even adult toys. Picture a large convenience store spread over multiple levels. The main attraction at Don Quijote is the variety of Kit Kat flavors. While the selection was impressive, I found the same flavors at the drugstore across the river for the same price.
I missed out on a day trip to Kyoto due to my exhaustion, The next time I visit Osaka...and there will be a next time, I plan to visit Osaka Castle, take the luxury train to Kyoto, visit Kobe for what I hope is an AMAZING steak dinner, and feed the deer in Nara. There are a lot of day trips that can be taken from Osaka that I was really interested in...next time.
Tokyo: A Whirlwind Tour
Getting into Tokyo was much smoother. I took a $16 airport shuttle and stayed at Tokyo East 21, which offered a great view of the Skytree. With only three days, I dedicated one to sightseeing and two to Disney.
The Hop-On Hop-Off bus was a lifesaver, making it easy to navigate the sprawling city. Highlights included the Sky Tree, Tokyo Tower, and various charming shops. While the bus stops were sometimes a bit far from the landmarks, I still enjoyed the experience.
Disney Dreams
As a proud Disney Adult and former PhotoPass Photographer at Walt Disney World, I was most excited for my visit to Tokyo Disney. Despite agonizing over my outfit and stressing about tickets, the weather had other plans. It rained the entire day, and there were no fireworks. My perfect Powerline Fan outfit went unseen.
Tokyo Disneyland was similar to its American counterpart, with the notable exception of the dome over Main Street. I remember anytime I worked a Main Street shift and it started to rain someone would as about the dome that we allegedly pull over the park, so I had to snap a pick and send it to all my old cast member friends. The merchandise was cute, especially the ears in every color imaginable, but I quickly realized Japanese Disney fans are more into food than stuff.
I enjoyed classic rides like Small World, Star Tours, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Jungle Cruise. The Tiki Room featured Stitch, and the Country Bears Jamboree in Japanese was hilarious, with some songs still in English.
DisneySea, though beautiful, didn't impress me as much as I had hoped. The long lines for rides and snacks were a bit much. I get it 25 flavors of popcorn, and they're like Pokémon, you gotta try them all, but I'm not about to wait 45 minutes for two scoops of matcha flavored popcorn! I left before the fireworks out of sheer exhaustion.
Final Thoughts
Despite some hiccups, I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Japan and can't wait to return. I'll visit Disney, Universal Studios, Studio Ghibli Park, and the Spirited Away Hotel. I'll try the fancy food I missed and finally see the geishas and do a kimono photoshoot. Overall, I'd rate this trip a 7.5/10!
Have you ever traveled to Japan? What were your favorite activities?
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