Kyoto

Kansai 2023: UJI – Do-It-Yourself Half-Day Tour Around Kyoto’s Green Tea Heaven + Kyoto Side Trip [April 2023]

Early this year, I flew to Japan for a week for the first time since the pandemic and since I flew to Fukuoka in 2019. I did not make any concrete plans on where to go or what to do. I went there to enjoy being in the country again after not visiting it for over 3 years.

In case you missed it, I already shared a few details about this trip. I talked about my domestic flight experience with Peach Aviation here: Flight Report: PEACH AVIATION MM 158 – Fukuoka to Osaka Kansai – Future-Proof & Efficient Japanese Domestic Low-Cost Flight. I also shared some photos of Osaka and Nara here: Kansai 2023: OSAKA & NARA Photoblog.

One of the new places I explored during this trip is Kyoto’s green tea heaven, Uji. Allow me to share with you what I did and where I went on this half-day trip to Uji. I will also share photos and details of my side trip to Kyoto on the same day.

I have been to Kyoto a few times in the past. I went there last October 2015 during my first trip to Japan. I re-visited the city again in 2016 during my 13-day expedition around Nagoya, Kansai and Hiroshima. In 2019, I spent a day in Kyoto from Osaka with my sisters and explored the city highlights.

Uji

Uji is a small city nestled between Kyoto and Nara. The city became a beneficiary of developments during the Heian Period when Byōdō-in Temple and Ujigami Shrine were constructed.

Today, the city is famous for its quality green tea products. It is one of Japan’s most important green tea production and distribution areas; it is also the place-to-be for green tea and matcha lovers.

Transportation & Access

Going around Uji is easy and tourist-friendly. The best way to get around the important sights is by foot. The city center is so small to the point where you can walk around the center in one morning or one afternoon. The city’s tourist information center suggests a typical walking route to see and explore the city’s attractions in one loop.

The city is connected to the rest of Japan through two stations: JR Uji Station in the Nara Line (south of the Uji River) and Keihan Uji Station in the Keihan Uji Line (north of the Uji River). JR Pass holders are advised to get off at the JR Uji Station, while IC card holders can take the Uji local train line. Both stations are connected to other major train lines in Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka.

Places Visited in Uji

I took the local trains from Osaka and got off at Keihan Uji Station. I dropped by the tourist information center and asked for the recommended walking loop, and I was given a map with the best possible route. I went to the following places:

UJIGAMI SHRINE

Ujigami Shrine is a Shinto shrine on the north side of the Uji River. It is believed to be one of Japan’s longest-standing shrines and is linked to the Byōdō-in Temple. The shrine was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1994.

UJI SHRINE

Uji Shrine is another Shinto shrine found lower than the Ujigami Shrine, also on the north side of the Uji River.

UJI RIVER

The Uji River is a beautiful river that flows through the city. River cruises and traditional fishing activities happen on this river during peak seasons.

ASAGIRIBASHI BRIDGE

Asagiribashi Bridge is a walking bridge that connects the northern part of the city to Kyoto Prefectural Uji Park.

KYOTO PREFECTURAL UJI PARK

Kyoto Prefectural Uji Park is an island park with scenic views of the city and a 13^th-century stone pagoda. The park is on two islands – Tachibana Island and Tō-no-shima Island.

UJI CITY MUNICIPAL TEA HOUSE TAIHOAN

After crossing the river and walking around the park, I walked to the municipal tea ceremony house (taihoan) to witness a traditional tea ceremony. I had a wonderful experience watching the tea ceremony. The ceremony has a ¥1,000 fee, and it includes mochi and a high-quality Uji green tea. Photos and videos were not allowed during the ceremony.

BYŌDŌ-IN TEMPLE

Byōdō-in Temple is a Buddhist temple built during the Heian Period. This UNESCO World Heritage-listed site is also the temple found at the back of the 10-yen coin. Entry to the temple grounds costs ¥600 per person.

AGATA SHRINE

Around 100 meters from Byōdō-in’s exit is Agata Shrine. It is a Shinto guardian shrine of Byōdō-in.

MATSUSAKAYA KAHACHI

I randomly came across this local tea shop named Matsusakaya Kahachi. I was invited by the two old gentlemen to go inside their shop and was taught how to make a hot sencha green tea drink from dried tea leaves.

They offered me three small cups of sencha tea. They do not speak English but tried their best to converse with me using their hands and gestures.

I liked their sencha tea product and bought both sencha tea leaves and matcha green tea powder from this shop. I had a beautiful and heartwarming experience with these two old gentlemen. I want to visit them again in the future and buy lots of green tea leaves and matcha powder from their shop.

PS. I asked for their permission to post their photo on my website.

UJI BYODOIN OMOTESANDO

Uji Byodoin Omotesando is the city’s green tea and matcha heaven. This 300-meter street is full of wooden houses and merchant shops selling green tea leaves, matcha powder, and everything green tea or matcha.

I came across this unique restaurant that serves ramen with matcha noodles. I tried it for lunch and paired it with their signature Uji matcha gyoza. It was weird at first, but okay for the experience.

TSUEN TEA HOUSE MAIN BRANCH

On the way back to Keihan Uji Station, I dropped by Tsuen Tea House’s main branch and tried their sakura matcha soft serve ice cream. I had one of the best and most flavorful soft-serve ice creams in this store!

The soft-serve iced cream costs ¥380. Customers can choose between matcha only, sakura only, or sakura matcha (mixed) flavors.

SURUGAYA KEIHAN UJI STATION

I also dropped by a local confectionary shop named Surugaya and tried their ¥100 green tea mochi sticks.

Kyoto Side Trip

After spending 4-5 hours around Uji, I took the local from Keihan Uji Station to Gion-Shijō Station in Kyoto. I spent the remaining 3 hours walking around Gion, and I visited Nishiki Market, Ponto-chō, Ninenzaka, and the Instagram-famous Hōkan-ji Temple. Here are some photos of these famous Kyoto spots.

NISHIKI MARKET

PONTO-CHŌ

NINENZAKA

HŌKAN-JI TEMPLE

After my quick trip to Kyoto, I took the train back to Osaka, dropped by the supermarket to get some food, walked back to my hostel, had dinner, and called it a day.

This sums up my long but fun day around Uji and Kyoto. Do you have any questions about anything mentioned above? Feel free to post them in the comments section below. You may also send these questions to me via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s blog. I hope you stay tuned for more Japan-related content in the future. I hope you can also visit and follow my social media pages –Facebook & Instagram! Thanks again and see you in the next one.

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

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.

Going Solo in Japan Series: KYOTO & OSAKA

After spending 3 days in Nagoya & 2 days in Hiroshima, it’s time to move to the next city – Kyoto. I already visited Kyoto with my high school friends in 2015 but the city is so beautiful I didn’t mind going back.

I took a 7-hour Willer Express night bus ride from Hiroshima to Kyoto. I arrived Kyoto around 6:45 am the following day & I immediately walked to the hostel to leave my things & freshen up.

It was also in Kyoto where I met my good friend & colleague Rona who has been going around Osaka while I was in Hiroshima. We decided to meet & go around in Kyoto & Osaka for 3 days before she heads up to Tokyo & meet another set of friends.

With my Kyoto-Osaka buddy & good friend Rona

Accommodation

I loved my previous stay in Backpacker K’s House Kyoto I decided to stay there again for this trip. Rona & I decided to stay in a mixed dormitory room to cut down expenses & also to meet & talk to other travelers. Each night stay in a 6-bed dormitory room costs ¥2,900. Not bad, right?

The hostel’s 2nd floor common bathroom

I really like this hostel. The staff were so nice they allowed me to use the shower & toilet even before check in; they also allowed me to use the common lounge area while waiting for Rona. They also kept our luggage while we walked around the city (check-in time was 3:00 pm).

Backpacker K’s House Kyoto Communal Lounge & Dining Area

Also, this time we had some spare time to meet & hang out with the other hostel guests in the on site bar. We even met a group of Filipino guys who are now based in Brisbane, Australia. What a small world!

Places We Visited

Just like the 2015 Japan trip, we only spent 1.5 days in Kyoto. Given the limited time, Rona & I only chose the places to visit. We went to the following places:

Arashiyama Bamboo Forest

The Arashiyama Bamboo Forest – what a beautiful view! 😍

A trip to Kyoto will never be complete without a visit to the bamboo forest. Just like last year’s itinerary, this beautiful place came first. We wanted to make it different by taking the Sagano Scenic Railway trip but all the seats were sold out. Oh well, another reason to go back to Kyoto. (No entrance fee)

Access: From JR Kyoto Station, take the JR Sagano line to JR Saga Arashiyama Station & walk for 10-minutes to the bamboo forest. You can also visit the nearby Tenryū-ji, a Zen temple located beside the bamboo forest.

Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)

Kyoto’s most beautiful temple 😍

As mentioned in my past Kyoto blog, this Golden Pavilion Temple is the most famous & the most beautiful temple in Kyoto. The autumn colors of the leaves added beauty to the temple surroundings. (Entrance fee: ¥400 per person)

Access: From the bamboo forest, walk to the Randen station of the Keifuku Randen Tram Line. Take the local tram to Kitano Hakubaicho station & walk up for 10 to 15 minutes to Kinkaku-ji. If you still have more time, you can get off Omuri-Ninnaji Station & check out the temples (Ninna-ji, Myōshin-ji & Ryōan-ji) on the way to Kinkaku-ji. Note that you need to board different buses in between these temples; make sure to avail the 1-day bus pass for this.

Kiyomizu-dera Temple

The 3 storey pagoda before upon entering the Kiyomizu-dera Temple grounds

After going back to JR Kyoto Station, we hopped on to Bus 206 to go to Kiyomizu-dera Temple. This Japanese Buddhist temple is located in the hills east of Kyoto. Famous for its autumn & spring sightings, the temple grounds provide beautiful sunset & city view. This temple was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.

Tip: The temple grounds tend to get busy during sunset. Make sure to go there early if you want to secure a good spot while watching the sunset.

Gion

After waiting for the sunset in Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Rona & I decided to walk 15 minutes down to Gion area. Our main purpose here was to hunt for geishas. We went back to same street & geisha house we went to in 2015 & luckily we saw a handful of them. Mission accomplished!

Nearest train station: Gion-Shijō Station of the Keihan Main Line

Fushimi Inari Taisha

The iconic torii gates of Fushimi Inari Taisha

The following morning, Rona & I went to Fushimi Inari Taisha. This shrine is famous for its torii gates up to the top of Mount Inari. Again, we did not bother going up to the top of the mountain due to limited time. (No entrance fee)

One of the small shrines in Fushimi Inari Taisha

Nearest train station: Inari Station of the JR Nara Line

Tōfuku-ji Temple

Located 10 minutes by foot from Fushimi Inari Taisha is Tōfuku-ji Temple. This Buddhist Zen temple is famous for its spring & autumn colors. This temple is also dubbed as one of the great five Zen temples of Kyoto.

One of the smaller halls in Tokufu-ji Temple (forgot the name, sorry!)

Nearest train station: Tōfukuji Station of the JR Nara Line | From Fushimi Inari Taisha, turn right & walk for about 10 minutes to reach Tōfuku-ji Temple.

Tip: Make sure to check out the garden near the Tsutenkyo Bridge. It’s at its best during autumn. (Entrance fee: ¥400)

OSAKA

After our brief stay in Kyoto, Rona & I took the 29-minute train ride to Osaka. Yes, it’s my 2nd time in Osaka. Since I’ve been to this city before, I decided to just walk around & relax a bit. I needed to take my time because the past few days were really tiring.

With Rona in Mikkabozu Kamoshi, a known local ramen joint in Osaka

Accommodation

Due to Majo’s last minute decision to join the 2015 Japan trip, my friends & I ran out of accommodation choices. We stayed in an Airbnb flat somewhere in Namba area. For this trip, I decided to book early & stay in what was supposed to be our 2015 Osaka accommodation – the Osaka Hana Hostel. Yes, it is also part of the Hana Hostel / J-Hoppers Hostel Group. [Update – Osaka Hana Hostel has ceased operations.]

The hostel is located in the Chūō Ward, a few minutes walk from the Shinsabashi shopping street. The nearest subway exit is Exit 7 of Shinsaibashi Station. I spent 3 nights here & decided to stay in a 6-bed male dormitory room.

Slept in this bed for 3 nights in Osaka Hana Hostel

Just like any other Hana Hostel branch, each bed includes its own reading light, pillow & sheets, curtains, curtains (for privacy), universal plug & a storage box beside the bed. Toilets & bathrooms are shared by guests per floor. I paid ¥3,100 per night (¥9,300 for 3 nights) because it was peak season. It’s still affordable in an expensive city like Osaka.

The hostel people were one of the nicest people I met on my trip (shout out to Kazzy!). They helped us in all of our questions; they even recommended good places to visit & eat. The hostel has a spacious kitchen, lounge & dining facilities on the 2nd floor & 5th floor – a good place to meet & hang out with other guests.

Osaka Hana Hostel’s 2nd floor communal dining, kitchen & lounge area

Osaka Hana Hostel is definitely a good accommodation choice in Osaka. It has the most affordable rates per bed or room, the most convenient location, the nicest staff & the best facilities you can have in a hostel.

Tip: The hostel staff will give you a coupon for the sake bar in the first floor. Make sure to try the different flavors of sake + alcoholic drinks. Good stuff.

Places to Visit / Things to Do

Since I’ve been to Osaka the past year, I sort-of took advantage of my 4 days there. Aside from taking day trips to Nara & Kobe, I just stayed in the Chūō area.

Dōtonbori

Always a busy night in Dōtonbori

Dōtonbori is one of the busiest tourist destinations in Osaka. It is the home of the famous Glico Man signage & the Dōtonbori canal. It is also the home of famous takoyaki shops, ramen places (like Ichiran!) & Don Quixote.

Dōtonbori canal at night.

Shinsaibashi-Suji Shopping Street

Shinsaibashi is Osaka’s largest shopping district. Home to different specialty stores & brands, tourists flock this area almost every day. The perfect time to walk around the shopping street is during lunch time where there are less people. Make sure to go to check out the big GU store in the middle of the shopping arcade.

Hozenji Yokocho Alley

Located behind the Hozenji Yokocho Temple is an alley of local bars, izakaya & restaurants. I walked along the alley to just see what’s in there. Looks like the bars, izakaya & restaurants offer authentic Japanese meal experience. I would love to go back & try some restaurants there. The alleys gets a bit busy during night time, so make sure to go there around 6:00 in the evening.

Tip: All these places are located a few minutes walk from Midōsuji Line’s Shinsaibashi Station Exits 5 & 6.

Umeda Sky Building Floating Garden

View of Osaka from the 39th floor of the Floating Garden Observatory

The floating garden observatory is located in the 39th, 40th & the rooftop floor of the Umeda Sky Building. The observatory is the ‘bridge’ that connects the 2 sky buildings. It offers a 360-degree view of Osaka.

The best time to go is during night time where you can see the beautiful city lights of Osaka. Note that it can also be really crowded during night time; but that is only before the elevator access. Entrance to the observatory costs ¥1,000 per person. You can stay as long as you want to.

Tip: We got our tickets from the hostel at a discounted price of ¥900. Ask your hostel / hotel; they might have discounted tickets too. Also, the Willer Express Bus Terminal is located in the 1st floor of the east tower.

Access: Get off at Osaka Station & walk for about 7 to 10 minutes to the Umeda Sky Building grounds.

Ichiran

The. Hype. Is. Real. The. Hype. Is. Real.

Ichiran is definitely a must try when are in Japan. The ramen chain originated in Fukuoka, the birth place of tonkotsu (pork bone broth) ramen. Ichiran ramen is probably the best ramen I’ve ever tried – rich & creamy pork bone broth, perfectly cooked noodles, tender pork slices & red pepper sauce all in one bowl. It was really good I ordered another serving (yes, you can do that) of noodles. I went to their Dōtonbori branch twice – one for dinner with Rona & the other one for brunch.

Ichiran is the place to be! 😋

Tip: Plan out what time you’ll visit this ramen chain. People usually line up outside & wait for their turn. If you’re staying nearby, then you won’t have any problem because they are open 24/7.

Pablo

Pablo signage you’ll see outside the Shinsaibashi shopping street store

Pablo is known for the freshly baked cheese tarts. People line up in their Shinsaibashi branch just to buy boxes & pieces of these heavenly cheese tarts. I believe it is also something worth trying when in Osaka.

Oh Pablo cheese tart, why so good?

The Pablo branch here in Manila has mixed reviews; if you want to know the real taste of the cheese tarts, make sure to head to their Japan stores. I’ve also tried another famous cheese tart store in Japan named Bake (tried it in Fukuoka because the Osaka branch is far from where I stayed). I believe Bake’s has better crust, but Pablo’s filling is a stand out. Both cheese tart shops are worth the try.

Pasalubong shopping in Don Quixote & Daiso

Pasalubong shopping is always part of the itinerary when a Filipino is out of the country. The perfect places to buy goodies & treats in Osaka are Don Quixote & Daiso – located both in Dōtonbori / Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade. Both stores have everything you need – from chocolates, to noodles, clothes, accessories & even house stuff.

Some of the Kitkat chocolates you’ll get in Don Quixote 😋

Don Quixote offers tax-free shopping for purchases more than ¥5,000 provided you have your foreign passport with you. Daiso on the other hand is famous for their ¥100 (+ tax = ¥108) goodies. Your ¥10,000 will have a long way to go in both shops. Make sure to head over these stores before going home to the Philippines, okay?

The Kyoto & Osaka leg of this trip had almost the same itinerary as that of last year’s with some additional sightings like the Kiyomizu-dera & Tōfuku-ji Temple in Kyoto & the Umeda Sky Building Floating Garden in Osaka. It was mentioned above that I did 2 separate day trips from Osaka – one day in Nara & another day in Kobe. Those 2 cities will actually be the topic of the next part of the Going Solo in Japan Series. Stay tuned!

The beautiful autumn colors of trees in Tokufu-ji Temple 😍

Make sure to also check how I conquered the <₱50,000 challenge in going around 7 Japan cities for 13 days. Click here to know more. If you are planning to apply for a Japan tourist visa soon, I also posted a blog about the 4 easy steps in applying for it.

If you have any questions, feel free to comment below or send me an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. You can also send me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

Arigatou gozaimasu (ありがとうございます) 🇯🇵 & have a nice day! 😃

PS. All photos above were shot using my HTC Re & HTC One M8.

Going Solo in Japan: 13 days & 7 cities for less than ₱50,000

Last October 2015, my friends & I went for a 9-day x ₱40,000 (each) journey around 3 key Japan cities. We enjoyed our first 5 days in the very busy Tokyo, literally walked around the ancient capital Kyoto & sort-of relaxed in the hippie city of Osaka. Towards the end of the trip, I kept on telling my friends that I will go back to the country really soon.

It didn’t take long until the next Japan trip happened. 3 months ago, I went on a 13-day solo Japan trip around 7 cities. I met 2 friends along the way, but I was on my own most of the time. It was a life-changing experience! I want to do it again.

Deer selfie at Nara Park

In 2015, I only spent ₱40,000 for the whole 9 days in Japan. For the 2016 trip, I challenged myself to try to fit in ₱50,000 (all in!) for the whole 13 days in. That’s additional 5 days & 4 nights, but only an additional ₱10,000 from the last budget. I may not have someone to share the cost of getting a pocket Wi-Fi, but not buying tickets for theme parks like DisneySea & Universal Studios Japan helped stretch the budget for a few more days.

The Japanese Yen (¥) to Philippine Peso (₱) exchanged rate changed from ₱0.39 in 2015 to ₱0.45 last year. This change in the currency rate affected the budgeting a lot; but it was all good. I was able to fit in ₱50,000 for the whole 13 days (including tickets); I even managed to hoard some chocolates & treats for my family & friends back home.

Hiroshima’s Shukkeien Garden

Let me elaborate below how I conquered the challenge. The discussion will be divided into 6 parts – Plane ticket, Bus pass, Route / itinerary, Accommodation, Pocket Wi-Fi & Everyday expenses.

Plane Ticket

It was late January 2016 when I came across a Cebu Pacific Air seat sale to all their destinations. I randomly checked possible dates of a Japan trip; I found a round-trip ticket for November for less than ₱5,000 (fare only). With no hesitations, I booked the said Manila-Nagoya-Fukuoka-Manila ticket. The trip was 13 days long; it includes 2 weekends & 1 Philippine holiday. What made me more excited is that my trip coincides with the peak of autumn in most places in Japan.

Round-trip Japan ticket for less than ₱6,000 was definitely a bargain!

I added baggage to my ticket a few days before my departure to & from Japan. Overall, I paid ₱5,907.87 for my round-trip ticket. A normal ticket Japan would cost around ₱15,000; so getting a ticket at this price is such a bargain.

Note that a Philippine passport holder is required to pay a travel tax worth ₱1,620 before leaving the country.

Visa

The Embassy of Japan in the Philippines does not accept personal visa applications. All applications should go through their accredited travel agencies. I submitted my requirements to Reli Tours & Travel Agency in Dusit Thani Hotel, Makati City. Visa handling fee costs ₱950.

It only took 3 working days before I got my passport back. The Embassy of Japan in the Philippines granted me a 5-year multiple entry visa valid until October 2021. Good stuff.

Willer Express Japan Buss Pass

Given I fly in to Nagoya & fly out from Fukuoka, I had to plan out my route from one city to the other. I was checking the bus routes of Willer Express when I saw their Bus Pass promotion.

The bus pass allows you to book up to 3 rides per day for 3, 5 or 7 days days at a certain amount. I took advantage of this promotion & got myself the ¥10,000 3-day bus pass which can be redeemed Mondays to Thursdays. I took 3 overnight rides & 1 night ride using the bus pass. It saved me around ¥8,000 & 3 nights of hostel accommodation.

Kobe’s iconic tower

Route

If you think about it, 13 days is quite a long trip; so I told myself I must visit as many cities / places as I can.

Note: I will not talk about where I went in these cities; watch out for the 4 separate entries about these 7 cities.

I flew in to Nagoya & stayed there for 3 days & 2 nights. People normally skip this city because they believe there isn’t much to see. To be fair, they actually have scenic temples, parks & gardens. On the 3rd night, I took a 3-hour bus to Osaka, then another 6-hour overnight bus to Hiroshima.

European vibe in the middle of Nagoya – inside Noritake Garden

Genbaku Dōmu / Atomic Bomb Dome – UNESCO World Heritage Site in Hiroshima

The following morning, I met with my friend Michiko at the Hiroshima JR Station. We spent 2 days & 1 night in Hiroshima Prefecture; we visited Miyajima Island, then walked around the historical city & ate the best okonomiyaki in the area. On the 5th night, I took a 7-hour overnight bus to Kyoto.

With my friend Michiko before in Hiroshima

Upon arrival in Kyoto, I went to the hostel & waited for my friend Rona. We went around Kyoto for 1.5 days; we’ve been to the bamboo forest, plus temples & shrines. We also went to Gion to hunt for some geisha. We also met some cool people (Japanese, Dutch & some Filipinos based in Australia) at the hostel bar & enjoyed a night of drinking & sharing stories.

With Rona in a local ramen restaurant before she left for Tokyo

After another morning of temples & gardens, Rona & I boarded the 30-minute local train to Osaka. Rona stayed for a night (before she left for Tokyo) while I stayed for 3 nights. I went to some new places in the city – those I missed when I was there in 2015. I also met some amazing locals in Osaka plus a few tourists from Malaysia, South Korea & Germany. I also took day trips to Nara (with Rona) & Kobe (all by myself) which were both 1-hour local train rides from Osaka.

A beautiful sunny day in Nara Park

Dōtonbori – Osaka’s busiest place at night

On the 10th night, I took a 9-hour overnight bus all the way to the port city of Fukuoka. My final 3 days & 2 nights were spent here. Some parks & temples basically made up my last days in Japan. There were also awesome nights of drinking & walking around with some new friends from Singapore, Argentina, France & the US.

Ōhori Park – a place of scenic beauty in Fukuoka

I made a good choice of staying 2-3 days per city; I was able to visit most of what each city has to offer.

Accommodation

I’ve mentioned in my How I enjoyed a 9-day Japan trip for less than ₱40,000 all in blog post that Japan has one of the most expensive accommodation rates in Asia. To save some money, I decided to stay in hostels. Daily rate per bed in a dormitory room costs around ¥2,700 – ¥3,200. Each bed includes free Wi-Fi, a bed sheet, a pillow, a universal plug & a reading light. Also, these beds have curtains around so you still have your own privacy.

My dormitory bed in Osaka Hana Hostel

Hostels in Japan are generally clean & quiet. Dormitory rooms have common & clean shower areas & toilet. Hostels also provide free shampoo & soap. All properties have common lounge areas & kitchen facilities where you can meet fellow travelers.

Backpacker K’s House Kyoto Communal Lounge & Dining Area

I’ve stayed in 5 different hostels for 9 nights (3 nights were spent in overnight bus rides). The Hana Hostels / J Hoppers Group gives a ¥300 yen discount for every 3rd night stay in their hostels. I was able to get 2 x ¥300 yen discounts. I’ve provided a table for a summary of my accommodation costs:

The average daily rate would cost around ₱1,320 per hostel bed. It is a bit expensive if you compare it to the hostel rates in other Asian cities, but they are pretty affordable & reasonable in Japan. Also, all the hostels I stayed there are near subway stations & have excellent reviews online.

Pocket Wi-Fi

Given I will be on my own most of the time, I got myself a pocket Wi-Fi to help me navigate around each city / place. It also helped me check on the train schedules to different places.

I got my 3G pocket Wi-Fi from Japan Wireless for ₱3,268.15 for 12 full days. The package was delivered directly to my 1st hostel in Nagoya. The package included an extra battery bank, a pouch, charger & an envelope (to be used when sending the package back). I returned on my last day by dropping it in the nearest post box (can be dropped anywhere in Japan). I recommend getting a pocket Wi-Fi every time you go to Japan to prevent from getting lost.

Arashiyama Bamboo Forest – a must-see place in Kyoto

Daily Expenses

Just like the 2015 Japan trip, I gave myself a daily budget to cover all meals, transportation costs, entrance fees & beers (lol). I raised the daily budget to ¥3,500 per day (higher by ¥500 from the last year’s daily budget) because I was on my own & I don’t have anyone to share my meals & expenses with. There were also times where I splurged on food, like when I ate at Ichiran Ramen twice! Their ramen was soooo good I had to go back. I also had a kobe beef lunch set in Kobe which was also gooood!

Ichiran ramen was sooooo good! Too bad we don’t have one here in Manila

Kobe Beef’s melts-in-your-mouth goodness!

Instead of getting daily breakfast from 7-Eleven or Family Mart, I drop by the supermarket before going home at night to buy my own bento meal. Most supermarkets offer discounted food at night because they need to sell all cooked food before the stores close. I store these packed meals at the hostel fridge & just reheat them the following morning.

One of the many bento breakfasts I had

I also had some spare money from the daily budget which I used to buy some chocolates & treats for family & friends back home.

Summary

All expenses are in. Let’s have a look how much I spent all in for this 13-day trip. Note: Exchange rate during my trip: ¥1 = ₱0.45 (doesn’t include items paid via credit card -> pocket wi-fi & bus pass)

See? I made it! I survived a 13-day Japan trip around 7 cities for less than ₱50,000. It may not be as super affordable as travelling in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City or Kuala Lumpur; but Japan offers a different kind of experience you wouldn’t want to miss.

I know I’ve said it in my previous Japan blog, but I will say it again here. Travelling to Japan isn’t that expensive as many people think. There will always be ways to make it really affordable. I’m telling you, next time you see a cheap round trip ticket to any city in Japan, go ahead & book it. It’s a trip you’ll never regret!

Watch out for the specific blog posts about the experiences I had in the 7 cities mentioned above. It will be posted here in the coming weeks. If you have any questions, feel free to comment below or send me an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. You can also send me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

Autumn colors in Meijō Park, Nagoya 😍

PS. All photos above were shot using my HTC Re.

The Japan Series | 2 of 3: KYOTO

Welcome to the 2nd installment of the 3-part blog series about our Japan trip last October 2015. After spending 5 days in Tokyo, Majo, Junelle & I decided to go down to Kyoto, Japan’s ancient capital via night bus.

Kyoto is known for its breathtaking landscapes, beautiful heritage-listed temples & rich history. Most people go to Kyoto only for a day trip from either Tokyo or Osaka but we opted to stay for 1 night to cover as much as we can.

Japan ’15 crew @ Arashiyama Bamboo Forest

I will keep this blog informal & perhaps discuss it part by part – from where we stayed, how we went around Kyoto, what we did & where we went.

Where We Stayed

We’ve read reviews of the best places to stay in Kyoto; we found Backpacker’s K House Kyoto as one of the most affordable & well-recommended accommodation near JK Kyoto Station. It is about 10 minutes walk from the main station.

Since we were a group of 3 with big bags, we decided to get a triple private room with shared bathroom for around ¥3,200 each (¥9,600 per night). The room consisted of a bunk bed & a single bed. If you are travelling by yourself & you want to meet other people, the hostel also offers bunk beds for a more affordable rate.

The hostel has a spacious reception area. It also features a 2nd floor large common area. It has couches, computers, outdoor terrace, common dining & kitchen area. It also has a common traditional Japanese bathroom & toilet. There is also a bar & restaurant, called Zen Cafe, at the ground floor beside reception.

The hostel allows both incoming & outgoing guests to use the facilities in the common area while waiting for their room access (which starts at 3:00 in the afternoon) or their night buses or flights. Given we arrived in the morning, they allowed us to use the bathroom & toilet in the common area to freshen up & then had our bags stored in the luggage room.

Spacious hostel lounge area

I recommend staying in Backpacker’s K House when in Kyoto. The hostel is centrally-located & offers great amenities plus really nice & helpful staff. Make sure to book your rooms / beds early because they are usually fully booked.

How we went (or to go) around Kyoto

Apart from having a JR Pass, there are other ways of going around Kyoto. As mentioned in my Tokyo blog, we each got an IC card which is valid in almost all train lines all over Japan. We opted to use our IC cards for that day. We took the JR train to Arashiyama, boarded the local tram & city buses to the different temples & went to Gion & Inari via local subway all using the IC card.

A cheaper alternative is to get the 1-day Kyoto bus pass for ¥500 or the 1-day Kyoto Tourist pass for around ¥1,000+. The bus pass gives you unlimited access to all city bus routes for a day. This option is cheap but one thing you need to know is that lines can really be long in different bus stops (especially the buses leaving from Kyoto Station). The tourist pass gives you unlimited access both to the city buses & local subway lines.

Each bus ride / subway ride costs around ¥200 yen to ¥240 yen, except the JR line to Arashiyama which costs around ¥400+. Come think of it, the 1-day bus pass is really a good deal. It will save you some cash but just make sure you are not in a hurry. Both passes are available at the Kyoto Bus Information Center in front of JR Kyoto Station.

View of Kyoto Tower outside JR Kyoto Station

What We Did & Where We Went

Given we had limited time in Kyoto, we carefully planned our itinerary for our stay. Too bad we were not able to cover everything but we managed to visit as much temples & places as we can.

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove – This place is famous for the famous scenic bamboo forest. It is a short passageway full of bamboos on both sides. Make sure to go up to the end to take pictures with lesser people in the background. It would also be better to go there around 8 in the morning to avoid the crowd. (No entrance fee)

Taken towards the end of the Bamboo Forest where there were less people

Tenryū-ji – This is Arashiyama’s most famous & most important temple. This white zen temple is also listed as a world heritage site. It features a landscaped garden with central pond surrounded by rocks & trees. (Entrance fee: ¥‎500 per person – for more information about the temple, click here)

Right outside the main temple building

Ryōan-ji – This is a temple famous for its rock garden. Viewed from the Hojo Building (former head priest’s residence), the garden consists of pebbles & rocks laid out in portions of moss. People are advised to keep quiet while inside the building. The temple grounds also feature a park & a pond; one of Kyoto’s most beautiful spots during spring & autumn. (Entrance fee: ¥‎500 per person – for more information about the temple, click here)

View from the Hojo Building

Ninna-ji – This is another world heritage-listed zen temple famous for its temple buildings & beautiful gardens. It also features a five storey pagoda, which you can immediately see upon entering the temple grounds. Just like Ryōan-ji, this is another famous spot for cherry blossoms every spring. (Entrance fee: ¥‎500 per person – for more information about the temple, click here)

Ninna-ji’s 5-storey pagoda

Kinkaku-ji (The Golden Pavilion) – This is the most famous temple in Kyoto; I reckon also the most beautiful I’ve seen that day. The golden temple features a pond in front & a garden at the back. Seeing its reflection in the water on a sunny / clear day makes it even more beautiful. Make sure to also go early to get decent photos & also to avoid the crowd. (Entrance fee: ¥400 per person)

Stunning view of the Golden Pavilion

Gion – This is the Kyoto’s famous geisha district. It is full of traditional Japanese restaurants & tea houses, modern cafes & shops. Make sure to head over to Hanami-Koji Street & it’s alleys to try your luck with spotting geishas. My friends & I gave it a try & we saw around 10 of them (real ones). We even identified one of the many geisha houses in the area.

We weren’t able to see all temples & shrines on the same day so we moved the visit to Fushimi Inari Taisha the next morning. The temple is in the foot of Mount Inari & is famous for the big & small torii gates. These torii gates lead you up to the forests of mountain as well as to the peak. We had limited time here so we did not bother going up that far from the main grounds.

Just like any other famous place in Kyoto, I recommend that you go here before 8:00 in the morning to enjoy the place by yourselves. As far as I can remember, the place is open for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so you can go there as early as you can. (No entrance fee)

Inside the row of torii gates

We’ve been to a lot in our 1.5-day stay in Kyoto but I reckon we haven’t covered most of it – only some of the major ones. If ever you are to visit Kyoto soon, make sure to stay here for a few days (not just the usual 1 day tour) to see more of what this beautiful city has to offer. Kyoto is one of my favorites in Japan; I will definitely visit this place again soon.

Just in case you missed it, click here to read about our first 5 days in Tokyo. I also blogged how I spent less than ₱40,000 for this Japan trip. You want to know how? Check this out! I will talk about our last stop, Osaka, in the final installment of this 3-part Japan Series in the coming weeks. Thank you for reading! 😊

PS. Thanks again to Junelle for allowing me to use some of her photos.