Month: May 2019

Japan Highlights 2019: KYOTO – Japan’s Ancient Capital In One Day

The whole 9-day Japan trip is starting to take its full shape. My first 36 hours was spent in Tokyo with my family. Then, I took the off-beaten path & spent 48 hours in the mountainous area of Nagano. After my stay in Nagano, I headed to Osaka to be reunited with my sisters for a few days. Our 1st day in Osaka together was spent being ‘kids’ again at Universal Studios Japan.

After spending a fun day in USJ, my sisters & I allotted one day to visit Japan’s ancient capital, Kyoto. It was their 1st time in the country so a visit to Kyoto (at least the highlights) was on our list. I already wrote a few articles about Kyoto in the past in this website. I’ve been to Kyoto in 2015 & 2016 so I was their tour guide for that day. We only had a day here so we only chose the major sights & carefully planned our route.

Kyoto Route

In my past visits, my friends & I decided to stay in Kyoto during our visit. This time, my sisters & I decided to base in Osaka. From our accommodation, we started our Kyoto journey by taking the train to Hankyu-Arashiyama Station. We walked around Arashiyama & then took the local railway from Randen Arashiyama Station to Kitano Hakubaicho Station. Then we walked for about 15 minutes to reach Kinkaku-ji or the Golden Pavilion. From there, we took the local bus to Kyoto Station for lunch.

After lunch, we went to the nearby Higashihonganji Temple. We walked back to Kyoto Station & took the local train to Fushimi Inari Taisha. After going up (or at least half of the mountain), we walked down to Fushimi-Inari Station of the Keihan Main Line & took the express train back to Osaka.

We planned our route well up to the point where we won’t go back & forth certain places. We started off in Arashiyama & finished our Kyoto visit in Inari area with a short stop in the center.

Let me share to you the specifics of each area we visited.

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Arashiyama

  • Katsura River
  • Random street in Arashiyama

My recent Arashiyama visit was different from my previous trips. This trip started off in Hankyu-Arashiyama Station where we walked along Arashiyama Park, Togetsukyo Bridge & Katsura River. We then headed to Tenryu-ji, Arashiyama’st most important zen temple. The temple features a landscaped garden with a central pond surrounded by rocks & trees. An entrance fee of ¥600 is collected from each visitor. My sisters & I bailed out knowing there’s an entrance fee.

  • Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

We continued walking to Arashiyama’s main attraction, the Bamboo Forest / Grove. This must-see scenic place stretches through an easy uphill path. We went up to the very end of the way thinking there will be lesser people. Unfortunately, there were even more people in that part. Luckily, we found some spots where there were close to no people.

  • More of the Bamboo Grove
  • Local Randen Railway

Kinkaku-ji

After about 1.5 hours around Arashiyama, my sisters & I went to Kinkaku-ji via the local Randen railway & a few minutes walk. Kinkaku-ji, commonly known as the Golden Pavilion Temple, is Kyoto’s most beautiful & famous temple. This temple is the number 1 attraction in Kyoto & is flocked by millions of tourists every year. It has a pond in front & a garden at the rear. We were there during a cloudy day but we still saw a reflection of the temple in the pond. [Entrance fee: ¥400]

Kyoto Center

Right after a short visit in Kinkaku-ji, we took the local bus to Kyoto Station. We first had lunch at Sukiya, a local restaurant chain in Japan. I got my favorite gyudon dish topped with melting cheese. I ate it with their signature pickled radish & cold Japanese tea.

After lunch, we walked to the nearby Higashihonganji Temple. This temple served as the center of Buddhism in Kyoto. Admission to the temple is free. We leisurely walked back to Kyoto Station & went to our next destination.

Fushimi Inari Taisha

From Kyoto Station, we took the JR Nara Line to Inari Station, then to Fushimi Inari Taisha, the temple famous for the thousands of orange torii gates. This shrine is dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. We went up to half of Mount Inari, to where there were more torii gates & less people & took photos of ourselves. Entry to the shrine & up Mount Inari is free of charge.

We then made our way back down & headed to Fushimi-Inari Station of the Keihan Main Line. We took the next express train back to Osaka, had dinner in Shinsaibashi & went back to our accommodation.

It was a day full of walking & sort-of hiking around Kyoto. We may not have been to as many places as we can but we surely covered the highlights of Japan’s ancient capital.

Have you been to Kyoto in the past? How did you find the city? Are there other places that I need to visit when I go back? I’ve been to this city 3 times & I feel like I still need to go back & to explore more. Don’t be shy & share your suggestions in the comment section below. You can also send those suggestions to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.  Arigatou. ✌️

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Japan Highlights 2019: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS JAPAN – A Theme Park That Brings You Back To Being A ‘Kid’ Just For A Day

After spending 48 hours in cold Nagano, I made my way to Osaka where I met my sisters. We spent a few days around Osaka & Universal Studios Japan was the 1st in our to-do list. I’ve been to Universal Studios Japan in 2015 but hey, nothing wrong in going back for the 2nd time.

Universal Studios Japan (USJ) is 1 of the 4 Universal theme parks in the world & the only one in East Asia. This theme park has different areas patterned to shows created by NBCUniversal. Two of the most famous ‘lands’ of Universal Studios Japan are Minion Park & The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. USJ has become a popular destination for Filipinos (& other nationalities) coming to Japan for holiday. This is the same reason why my sisters & I decided to visit this theme park during our Japan visit last February.

Access & Operating Hours

Universal Studios Japan is very accessible via public transportation. The nearest station to the theme park is Universal City Station on the Yumesaki Line. This train line can be accessed by changing in Nishikujo Station of the Osaka Loop & Hanshin-Namba Lines. If you are coming to Tokyo, there are express buses that go directly to the theme park. These buses run on a daily basis. The theme park is also connected by buses coming from Kansai & Itami Airports.

The theme park is open everyday from 9:00 in the morning to 8:00 or 9:00 in the evening. The closing times vary depending on season & weather. Feel free to check the Universal Studios Japan official website for the update operating hours on your preferred date.

Park Tickets

Tickets are required for every person to enter the theme park. As of April 2018, an adult day pass which includes access to all rides & attractions cost from ¥7,400 including tax. If you want to spend 2 days in the park, a 2-day adult day pass costs ¥14,700 including tax. Children aged 4 to 11 years old pay ¥5,100 including tax for a day pass & ¥10,000 for a 2-day pass. Senior citizens only pay ¥6,700 for a day pass. 2-day passes are not available for senior citizens. Kids below 4 years old can enter the park for free. These tickets can be purchased in the ticket booths outside the theme park. For the updated ticket prices, feel free to check the official theme park website.

Alternatively, tickets are available for advance purchase via authorized online platforms such as Klook, KKDay, TripAdvisor, Voyagin & Traveloka. These platforms sometimes offer entry tickets for a lower price. These online tickets need not to be exchanged into physical tickets. They offer direct entry to the theme park via a unique printed or digital QR code. We booked our tickets via Traveloka & even got a discount for our ticket.

Universal Express Pass

The Universal Express Pass is a special pass that allows one to skip the long queues & to have a shorter waiting time for selected attractions. This pass also guarantees the pass holder a viewing spot in the parade. The express pass cost varies on the number & selected attractions included in the pass. This pass can be purchased on the day of visit at the park or in selected online platforms. Daily express pass allocations are limited & easily get sold out. For more details & prices about the Universal Express Pass, feel free to check the official theme park website.

My sisters & I didn’t avail the express pass during our visit. We only chose a handful of attractions to try that day.

Rides We Tried & Attractions We Visited

Universal Studios Japan is a very big theme park with different sections – Holywood, New York City, San Francisco, Jurassic Park, Minion Park, Universal Wonderland, WaterWorld, Amity Island, The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter & Super Nintendo World. Even with a Universal Express Pass, it is impossible for someone to try all rides or attractions in one day. My sisters & I went to every corner of the theme park but only tried few rides. Most of our time were spent lining up to these attractions.

Hollywood Dream

Hollywood Dream is a steel roller coaster that allows the riders to choose their own music from a pre-selected list. This open air roller coaster goes around the Hollywood section of the theme park.

The Flying Dinosaur

The Flying Dinosaur is another steel roller coaster but is located in Jurrasic Park. This ride puts the guests into a flying position & openly roams around the theme park. This ride is one that must not be missed when visiting Universal Studios Japan. Believe me, it’s worth the wait.

The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter

One unique section that can be found in Universal Studios Japan is The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter. This Harry Potter-themed section of the park has its own Hogsmeade, Hogwards Express & Hogwards Castle. This section also has attractions to try & shops to visit. The famous Butterbeer can only be purchased here.

Note that there are days when this section requires a timed-entry ticket. These timed-entry tickets can be redeemed somewhere near the Hollywood section. Make sure to check this as soon as you enter the theme park. We were there on a weekday & the park administration didn’t issue timed-entry tickets to the Harry Potter World.

Harry Potter & The Forbidden Journey

The Harry Potter & Forbidden Journey is Universal Studios Japan’s top attraction. This motion-based ride takes guests to some of the scenes from the movie & the book around Hogwarts Castle. You get to face the dementors & even join a Quidditch match in this attraction. This attraction has one of the longest queues in USJ but I tell you, it’s worth queuing up. Don’t ever miss this ride during your visit.

Minion Park

One of the relatively new sections of Universal Studios Japan is the Minion Park. It is an area dedicated to the Despicable Me movie series, particularly to the world-famous Minions. Everything in this park is so cute & delightful to see. Its main attraction is Minion Mayhem. Unfortunately, we ran out of time in this area. We chose the winter illuminations of the Harry Potter World over this ride.

Food & Souvenir Shops

There are a number of restaurants, canteens & food halls inside the theme park. In fact, every section has a food hall. Food may be a little more expensive than a usual Japanese meal but it’s just alright. There are also food carts located around the theme park for random nibbles & snacks. Don’t forget to try the famous turkey leg. Outside food is not allowed inside the park (at least as per the guidelines) but they really don’t check the guests’ bags.

Souvenir shops & stalls are scattered throughout the theme park. These shops sell anything you can think of that is related to characters under Universal. You can find Harry Potter wands, Minion goodies & candies, Spiderman items in these shops.

This basically made up our day in Universal Studios Japan. We were not able to try a lot of attractions but at least we’ve been to the major & exciting ones. My sister was able to try the Butterbeer for the first time! It was a perfect break from the usual sightseeing day; a perfect day to be like a ‘kid’ again just like the old times.

We left the theme park close to 8:00 in the evening (closing time that day) & dropped by the Gap Factory Outlet (I went shopping) before going to Ichiran Ramen in Tennoji for dinner. Nothing beats having the best ramen in the world after a long, tiring but fun day at Universal Studios Japan.

Have you been to Universal Studios Japan? Were you able to try the Minion Mayhem? Which was your favorite section or attraction? Feel free to share your thoughts & experiences in the comments section below. Do you have questions about the theme park? You can send those questions to contact@thewkndtravel.com. I’ll respond as soon as I can. Make sure to follow me & please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. 

Thanks for reading today’s post. Watch out for the article about our 1-day Kyoto adventure!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.