Travel Journal 2023: 8-Day Free Trip to Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe

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[Travel Journal] 2023: 8-Day Free Trip to Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe

Record of an 8-day free trip to Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe in May 2023, including travel and accommodation information.

Introduction

Previously, I had only visited two Southeast Asian countries: Sabah in 2019 🇲🇾 and Bangkok in 2018 🇹🇭, both as part of a tour group.

I love the clear blue skies and the carefree indulgence of Southeast Asia.

ENFP

As an enthusiastic and impulsive ENFP, the planning for this trip took only two weeks from proposal to departure. The catalyst was my friend Huang Xingping, who happened to have a career gap and is an INFJ, the complementary personality type to my ENFP. I provided the enthusiasm and direction, while he took care of the details, and together we spontaneously decided to go.

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Pre-Trip Preparations

Fun

Since everything was quite spontaneous, I only planned to visit Universal Studios Osaka, so I bought tickets online. However, due to the short notice, everything was sold out, and I could only get general admission tickets.

Popular attractions and theme parks in Japan really need to be booked in advance. This time, I missed out on baseball tickets; there were none available on-site, so I could only do a one-day tour of the venue.

Other attractions, temples, and activities were planned on the fly.

It’s essential to exchange yen, as most temple entrance fees, souvenirs, charms, and some train tickets (if you want a reserved seat) can only be paid in cash.

I exchanged ¥50,000 and ended up with about ¥15,000 left.

Travel

🛫

With less than a month before departure, there weren’t many options left, so I went directly to SkyScanner to find a flight that matched our spontaneous pace:

Taoyuan <-> Kansai

• 5/22 EVA Air BR 130 13:35 TPE -> KIX 17:15 (actual delay of over an hour, arrived in Japan at 18:40)
• 5/29 EVA Air BR 177 11:10 KIX -> TPE 13:05

Round trip: $14,915

It seems that since last year, checked baggage has changed to a piece-and-weight system, with a limit of one piece per person, up to 23kg; anything else incurs additional charges.

Purchasing flight tickets with a credit card often includes travel insurance, so it’s advisable to buy tickets separately and check your bank’s credit card insurance details, as some debit cards may not have coverage.

You can also purchase travel insurance separately (medical, inconvenience, loss, accident, etc.). This time, I covered 8 days for about $1,500.

The Flight Tracker

I recommend installing The Flight Tracker App to input flight information and track real-time updates, including terminal, gate, and baggage claim information. (It will notify you of any changes, but it’s still best to rely on on-site information.)

You can enable the iOS Live Activity feature a few hours before the flight for real-time tracking.

📲

I purchased an 8-day unlimited SIM card directly from KKDAY for about $700; there’s also an eSIM version, but I prefer using a physical SIM card for peace of mind.

• You can keep the SIM card (including the SIM card ejector) with you and switch to the Japanese SIM card once the plane safely lands.
• Remember to enable roaming in the settings after switching and then restart your phone.
• Japan’s unlimited data plans may not be truly unlimited; speeds may be throttled after a certain data limit, so it’s best to ask the seller for details. If you plan to send or watch videos, connecting to Wi-Fi is recommended.

🚈

You can use the Suica card directly for trains, subways, or buses; some convenience stores and shops also accept it.

For iPhone users, you can go to “Wallet & Apple Pay” -> “Add Card” -> “Transit Card” -> “Japan” -> “Suica” -> and activate the virtual Suica card directly.

However, you need to use a MasterCard for topping up; I had trouble topping up with my Visa card. It’s advisable to set up and top up your card in Taiwan first; otherwise, you may find it impossible to top up in Japan and won’t receive SMS verification codes, rendering it unusable.

If you can’t use the iPhone Suica or Android, physical Suica cards are currently out of stock in Japan, and you can only buy the 28-day Welcome Suica limited card, which can be topped up and used, but it expires after the deadline and is non-refundable.

Apple Watch also supports Suica (not interchangeable with iPhone), so remember to set it up and top it up in Taiwan as well.

The iPhone transit card can be used without specifically activating the Apple Pay screen; just take out the device, and it will wake up and sense automatically.

Accommodation

I mainly used Agoda to find places close to train and subway stations.

Kyoto 2 Nights: Toyoko Inn Kyoto Shijo Omiya

Toyoko Inn is a chain hotel system recommended by friends from Northeast Asia, known for its high cost-performance ratio and reliability, plus it includes a Japanese breakfast (rice balls or curry rice).

Since I booked too late, the only available option was the Toyoko Inn at Shijo Omiya, which is about 3 kilometers from Kyoto Station:

Total for 2 people: NT$3,844

Osaka 4 Nights: APA Hotel Osaka Umeda

Again, due to late booking, there weren’t many options; we chose another chain hotel, APA, which is closer to the station but more expensive. It doesn’t include breakfast but has facilities like a swimming pool and public bath.

It’s about a 15-minute walk from Osaka Umeda Station:

Total for 2 people: NT$21,459

Pre-Entry Application (Expedited Immigration)

No special visa application is required, nor do you need to provide COVID vaccination or nucleic acid test certificates. Once your flight and accommodation are confirmed, you can fill out your entry information on Visit Japan. When you land, just connect to the internet, and you can enter directly. If you haven’t pre-registered, you’ll have to fill out a paper form on-site.

1. Register: https://www.vjw.digital.go.jp/main/#/vjwpco001

• The password rules may differ from your usual habits, so remember it or write it down to avoid forgetting it when you need to log in at immigration in Japan.

2. Select “Register Entry and Return”

3. Enter your entry flight information

Image for illustration only.

Travel name: Custom, for your reference.

4. Enter your contact information in Japan

Image for illustration only.

I entered the information for the hotel where I would stay on the first night, using Google to find the English version of the hotel address and contact number (it doesn’t need to be too precise, just ensure the hotel name is correct).

5. Register your return

Image for illustration only.

6. Select “Return Entry and Return Procedures” to continue filling out the information

7. Select “Foreign Entry Record”

8. Fill in your basic information

The number of days in the country includes the day of arrival and departure, totaling 8 days.

Final step to complete registration:

9. Select “Return Entry and Return Procedures” again to fill out “Customs Declaration Preparation”

After filling in the basic information, select “No” all the way to complete the registration:

10. Completion

Steps for entry:

• Connect to the internet and log in to the website.
• First step, immigration inspection, find “Immigration Inspection Preparation” and select “Show QR Code.”

• Scroll to the bottom of the page to find “Show QR Code.”

[Updated 2024–11–25] The “Immigration Inspection” and “Customs Declaration” QR Codes have been merged into a single “Immigration Inspection and Customs Declaration QR Code,” with no distinction between blue and yellow codes. The following content is for record-keeping and can be ignored.

• Present your passport and QR code to the immigration officer (yellow code).

• Second step, after collecting your luggage, click on “Customs Declaration QR Code” (blue code).

At the self-service customs inspection machine, scan your passport and this QR code to complete the customs entry.

Day 1: Departure

Log in to the airline’s website or email for online check-in, and you can add your ticket to Apple Pay for a fully electronic experience.

A1 Taipei Station Pre-Check-In

Since the flight is at noon, I took my time in the morning and arrived at the A1 Taipei Station at 9 AM for pre-check-in:

Pre-Check-In = You can complete check-in, baggage inspection, and baggage drop-off at A1 Taipei Station (A13 New Taipei Industrial Park also offers this service); you can go directly to the airport without queuing at the counter.

If you’re coming from the MRT, remember not to go directly down the escalator into the airport express; pre-check-in is outside the express station.

Restrictions:

• Only certain airlines are eligible; please refer to the official website for details.
• Check-in and baggage drop-off must be completed 3 hours before the flight.

Service Hours:

• A1 Taipei Station 06:00~21:30
• A3 New Taipei Industrial Park Station 09:00~16:00

Traveling Light to the Airport via Airport Express -> Terminal 2

Be sure to check the Airport Express official website for the direct train schedule to better manage your time to the airport; make sure to take the direct train.

Waiting for the Flight

I arrived too early and, with pre-check-in, had nearly 3 hours to wait after clearing immigration.

The airport was quite empty at noon.

Enjoying some Lin Dong Fang beef noodles while waiting for the flight.

Surprisingly, there was a Xingbo coffee!

Our departure was delayed by over an hour due to a late landing.

I’m not sure if it was because of the pre-boarding check, but while waiting at the airport, the ground staff made announcements calling out names to confirm who was present and ready to board.

Bye 🇹🇼

After landing and switching to a Japanese SIM card to get online, I was able to log into Vista Japan to complete the immigration and customs procedures.

Heading to Kyoto

After exiting Kansai Airport, we took the JR Kansai Airport Limited Express HARUKA to Kyoto Station, which took about an hour and a half, with only a few stops along the way.

I recommend buying tickets from the ticket machine to ensure you have a seat.

As soon as we exited the station, we saw the iconic Kyoto Tower.

We then took a taxi to our hotel (since we had luggage, we opted not to take the bus, although there is a bus that goes there); combined with the flight delay, we arrived at the hotel after 9 PM.

Toyoko Inn Kyoto Shijo Omiya

At the hotel reception, there was a friendly staff member who spoke Chinese, and I asked her for advice on how to plan our itinerary for the next day—she was very helpful!

The room was interesting; it was two single rooms connected with a shared bathroom.

Hanamaru Kushikatsu Omiya Branch

Since it was late, we dropped off our things at the hotel and went out to find something to eat nearby. We chose a kushikatsu (fried skewers) restaurant.

Plum tea rice

The skewers started at just 80 yen each—fresh, delicious, and cheap! It was an unexpected delight, and I wanted to visit again the next day, but unfortunately, the restaurant was closed. QQ

After eating, we made our usual stop at the convenience store LAWSON to buy some late-night snacks to take back to the hotel:

The soy sauce fried noodles were just okay and a bit greasy.

Day 2 (Kiyomizu-dera, Kinkaku-ji, Kyoto Tower)

We woke up early and went downstairs to pack breakfast to eat in our room:

Curry rice, which felt a bit heavy after eating; I’m more accustomed to Western or Taiwanese breakfasts.

Yasaka Shrine

After breakfast, we took the bus to Yasaka Shrine:

We walked towards Kiyomizu-dera.

The streets of Kyoto are so clean that it’s almost scary; even the concrete barriers on the roadside are spotless.

Walking from Yasaka Shrine to Kiyomizu-dera is about 1–2 kilometers, but it’s a nice opportunity to enjoy the street scenery!

Yasaka Pagoda

We stopped at a shop along the way to enjoy some iced matcha and black sugar dumplings:

And we also had some delicious sake ice cream:

Kiyomizu-dera

We arrived at Kiyomizu-dera:

The sun was bright, and there were a lot of people.

Otowa Waterfall

We queued to drink from the waterfall, making wishes for academic success, love, and health.

After visiting, we walked back down to Yasaka Shrine, grabbing a rice bowl and a cup of % coffee along the way.

In the afternoon, we took the bus to “Kaohsiung”… (just kidding, it was Kinkaku-ji)

After getting off the bus, we walked about 15 minutes to reach Kinkaku-ji:

Kinkaku-ji

On the way back to the bus stop, there were a lot of people, so if you’re feeling energetic, you can walk to the next intersection and take a different bus route to avoid the crowd, heading towards Kyoto Tower.

Kyoto Tower

We arrived at the Kyoto Tower observation deck around 5:30 PM:

You can see the vast expanse of Kyoto from above; there’s a bar downstairs. We initially thought about going down to rest and then coming back up to see the night view, but when we tried to go back up after eating, we found out we couldn’t re-enter without buying another ticket, so we gave up.

Here’s a night view of Kyoto Tower taken from outside after we left. (The weather was really nice.)

Cute little items

We stopped by a convenience store to buy some instant noodles for a late-night snack back at the hotel.

Day 3 (Arashiyama, Osaka)

On the second day, we skipped the hotel breakfast, woke up well-rested, checked out, and stored our luggage before heading to Arashiyama.

Breakfast at McDonald’s (cheaper than Taiwan by $15)

After eating, we walked across the street to catch a ride to Arashiyama.

Shijo Omiya is the starting station, and we took the train directly to the last stop, Arashiyama, which was very convenient and guaranteed us a seat.

Arashiyama

We arrived:

First, we headed towards the Arashiyama area:

You can take a boat ride to enjoy the river views (similar to a small Bitan?).

If you’re feeling energetic, you can opt for a little hike up the mountain:

We went up the mountain to see monkeys and enjoy the panoramic view; it takes about 30–45 minutes to hike from the bottom to the top, and it’s not too difficult.

There really are monkeys!

After descending, we walked back and stopped for lunch at a tempura soba restaurant:

I ordered the wrong thing; I shouldn’t have ordered the donburi, which turned out to be soba noodles plus tempura donburi.

After eating, we headed in another direction towards “Daibutsusan Tenryu-ji”:

Daibutsusan Tenryu-ji

After leaving Tenryu-ji, we went directly to the bamboo grove:

There were so many people, so finding a good angle for photos was a challenge. 🥵

Taking photos from below looking up was also beautiful.

After descending, we had ice cream and prepared to head back.

I casually bought some locally produced sake.

We returned to Shijo Omiya to pick up our luggage and prepare to head to Osaka:

The hotel is right outside Hankyu Omiya Station.

When I first arrived here, I thought it was a bit inconvenient because it was far from Kyoto Station; but later I realized it was actually great—it’s centrally located between Kinkaku-ji and Kiyomizu-dera, and there’s a direct train to Arashiyama right outside. It’s also easy to get to Osaka directly from there (about an hour).

In Osaka, I found it easy to get lost at first because there are so many exits; Osaka and Umeda are essentially the same location.

Arriving at APA Hotel

Huang Hsin-Ping

The hotel has a free rooftop pool, a convenience store inside, and a free public bath.

After dropping off our luggage, we went out to find something to eat:

Tengoku Sakaba Sonezaki Ohatsu Tenjin Street, five skewers of grilled chicken for 385 yen… cheaper than Taiwan!

After eating, we wandered around near the station.

There’s a bear in the amusement park that’s roasting itself!!

Day 4 Osaka Castle, Tsuruhashi, Nintendo

Following Google Maps, we took the train and then walked to Osaka Castle. The walking part took about 30 minutes from the station to the castle moat and then to the main castle, which is a bit of a distance.

The line at the ticket counter was very long; you can buy tickets online to skip the line and enter directly.

Osaka Castle

We climbed to the top for a panoramic view of Osaka:

Each floor has exhibits about the history of the Warring States period:

After leaving Osaka Castle, we walked around the area looking for something to eat.

Then we headed to Tsuruhashi in the suburbs to check out some small shops.

Tsuruhashi

We walked around Tsuruhashi, which seems to be a non-touristy area with very few visitors; there are quite a few Korean shops, making it feel more like a Korean town in Japan.

I just came to look for some small Korean cultural items, but later found out they are also sold in Taiwan. -_-

Nintendo

After walking around Osaka for a while, my feet were starting to hurt; fortunately, we headed back and stopped by Nintendo on our way back to Osaka Umeda Station.

Nintendo Osaka is located right next to the station in the Daimaru department store.

I went a bit crazy buying a ton of Zelda merchandise:

Everything was high quality; the badges were metal and very finely crafted.

Day 5 Universal Studios Japan

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We didn’t buy the express pass or the Super Mario World tickets, nor did we wake up early to queue; we took a laid-back approach and entered the park around 10 AM.

The park was incredibly crowded. As soon as we entered, we quickly checked the app for tickets to Super Mario World. Luckily, thanks to the amazing Huang Xingping, we managed to get entry tickets for 5 PM.

First, we wandered around the Harry Potter themed area:

Butterbeer

We queued to buy some Butterbeer (non-alcoholic and very sweet) and thought that if we were to collect it, we should get the most expensive glass.

Next stop: Jurassic Park:

We waited about 45 minutes for the ride and got to sit in the front row.

It was similar to a volcanic adventure, and at the end, we plunged down 🥵 (I’m really afraid of the feeling of weightlessness).

But I’m glad we got to experience it. Later, I saw in the news that this attraction will be undergoing renovations starting in June and will likely be closed for a few years.

After playing, we started wandering around and looking for food around noon.

The scenery inside was incredibly realistic; you’d think you were in the 🇺🇸.

NO LIMIT! Parade!

Yoshi!!

The initial excitement was unexpectedly fun, and to this day, that melody is still stuck in my head!

There were floats featuring characters from Mario, Pokémon, Sesame Street, etc., and dancers encouraging everyone to join in. At each segment, they would stop and get everyone moving! All the staff, including those maintaining order, joined in the dancing, creating a strong sense of immersion!

Super Mario World

After wandering around for a bit, we headed to Super Mario World just before 5 PM.

I have to praise the design of this area; it completely brings the game world to life, making it feel like a paradise!

Since it was close to closing time, we didn’t buy the interactive wristbands and only queued for Yoshi’s ride.

Every detail was meticulously crafted!

Farewell

Before the park closed, we took some night shots of Universal. Many places that were usually crowded became great spots for photos.

Especially in the Harry Potter themed area, where the interactive wand scenes usually had long lines, we found it empty just before closing. I saw a girl enjoying every interactive scene by herself XD.

Finally, I took a picture of the globe and said goodbye to Universal.

That night, we had dinner at an izakaya and bought some Nissin instant noodles to enjoy as a late-night snack (after trying various snacks, this one still tasted the best).

Day 6: Kobe, Dotonbori

We woke up early and took the train to Kobe.

First, we explored the shopping streets in Kobe.

We tried the famous Kobe beef croquettes.

We walked from the shopping street to Kobe Harbor.

When we arrived, we found out that the Kobe Tower was under renovation QQ.

Completion time uncertain

On the way back, we strolled through the streets of Kobe.

We found a café in Kobe to take a break:

Strawberry chocolate milkshake, delicious but very sweet.

Dotonbori

After Kobe, we headed to Dotonbori.

For dinner, we went to the famous Osaka Shinsekai Kushikatsu Ittoku.

After eating, we started our tourist itinerary, taking photos of attractions and shopping at drugstores.

Glico

When I got back to Taiwan, I realized I took the wrong photo on IG XD. There was a better photo spot if you entered through the nearby department store.

Back at the hotel, we continued to enjoy instant noodles and sake as a late-night snack.

No impression of the taste.

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Day 7: Koshien, Namba, Drugstores, Shopping

It was the last day before heading back to Taiwan, just a quick sightseeing trip.

Koshien, Failed Photo Op

In the morning, we spontaneously decided to go to Koshien to watch a Hanshin Tigers baseball game, taking the subway to Koshien Station.

As soon as we exited the station, we were at Koshien Stadium.

However, we were met with disappointment. Unlike in Taiwan, where you can always find a seat at games, all tickets for Hanshin’s games were sold out until July; you have to buy them in advance, or else you can only enjoy the area outside the stadium.

In the end, we grabbed a bite nearby, bought some Hanshin Tigers merchandise, and then went to a café for coffee before leaving.

I always thought it was called “Coffee Place.”

Hanshin Tigers stickers.

Namba

After leaving Koshien, we headed to Namba for shopping.

We also grabbed some takoyaki and crab legs from street vendors.

We might have gone to the wrong shop because it was pretty average.

We walked back to Dotonbori and headed towards the main Don Quijote store.

The only main store with a Ferris wheel.

After shopping, we returned to Osaka in the evening and found an izakaya near our accommodation for our last dinner.

We took one last look at the Osaka night view.

Day 8: Return Trip

With a noon flight, we checked out at 7 AM to head to Kansai Airport.

Today, the weather in Osaka changed; it started to rain, perfectly matching the mood of farewell.

I took one last photo of the Osaka skyline as a goodbye.

I originally planned to take the train to Kansai Airport, but dragging luggage up and down was a hassle. The day before, I checked the bus route (including the time and station location), and in the morning, I went to the bus station to see how crowded it was. Luckily, there weren’t many people in line, so we bought bus tickets to Kansai Airport and comfortably took the bus directly there.

Along the way, we enjoyed the last views of Osaka.

Upon arriving at the airport, I was shocked by the long lines at the check-in counters.

I eventually realized I was at the wrong counter. Since we had already checked in online, we could go directly to the luggage drop-off counter! This saved us almost an hour.

I really wanted to tell the people in line, “If you open the website and check in online, you can go straight to drop off your luggage and exit!”

After clearing immigration, Kansai Airport was under renovation, so there weren’t many food options or shops. In the end, I bought a pork cutlet curry toast from Shinsekai.

Waiting for the flight, heading back to Taiwan.

In the afternoon, we safely arrived in Taiwan and went home to rest! 🇹🇼

Souvenirs

I didn’t buy much; I just picked up whatever caught my eye. After comparing prices, I found that the drugstores near Kyoto Station were the cheapest (about 100-300 yen less than in Osaka), with Don Quijote being the most expensive.

The theme song from Yodobashi is really catchy; I got it stuck in my head after wandering around Kyoto.

Japan’s tax exemption policy requires a minimum purchase of 5,000 yen with a passport to qualify for tax-free shopping. They will seal your items in a plastic bag, which you can only open after returning home (the above photo was taken at home; if you open it in Japan and get checked at immigration, you might have to pay taxes, but it seems they don’t check that often. Just remember that liquids can only be checked in; if there are liquids in sealed items, you can only check the whole package).

In terms of food, aside from the famous snacks, I focused more on local delicacies from century-old shops. I can’t guarantee they’ll be delicious, but I can guarantee they’ve been around for a hundred years. The snacks everyone recommends are guaranteed to be tasty, but be prepared to wait in line and they’re not century-old XD.

In the end, my takeaway is to seek out delicious food!

Postscript

I fell in love with Japan on my first visit and started planning my next trip as soon as I got back.

Actually, I went to Tokyo again from June 7-11 😝 Stay tuned for the next travelogue!

Overall, the transportation is convenient, the atmosphere is quiet, the weather is pleasant (going in May felt like autumn in Taiwan, with cool evenings), people respect personal space and are polite; I really liked it!

Considering the current exchange rate and prices, it’s actually cheaper than Taiwan…

Accommodation and Transportation:

• The train and bus coverage is even better than in Taiwan; during my entire trip, I only took a taxi on the first day to the hotel.
• Although transportation is convenient, Japan is vast, so you need to walk a lot; I walked nearly 20,000 steps every day.
• The left/right standing rule varies; it’s left in Kyoto but right in Osaka.
• Buses wait for passengers to sit down before departing, and they wait for you to get up and exit slowly; so there’s no need to get restless before reaching your stop, as Japanese people don’t like that either.
• Hotel bathrooms are all very clean and comfortable; even the smallest ones have bathtubs.
• Almost all toilets are bidet toilets, and those in department stores even have background water sounds (to prevent awkwardness).

Steps Peak: 5/23–5/28

Culture:

• The streets are clean and have a strong sense of uniformity (e.g., all doorways look the same; if some houses have shoe cabinets, then all do, and if not, none do).
• People don’t eat while walking; they finish their food at the store entrance before leaving.
• Trash can only be taken back to the hotel, as there are few trash bins on the streets. Therefore, it’s most convenient to return trash to the store after eating.
• Store owners only accept trash from their own establishments.
• English is generally not widely spoken; communication often relies on simple phrases and gestures, or translation apps. However, drugstores and large shopping centers usually have Chinese-speaking staff.
• When buying tickets, receiving receipts, giving or receiving change, remember to place items directly on the counter or take them from the tray without touching the staff.
• Avoid physical contact and standing too close to others.
• Public transportation is generally very quiet, especially buses.
• When taking photos, try not to capture people or their faces; if uploading to social media, faces should be blurred.
• When photographing temples, take angled shots rather than straight-on.
• Attention to detail in standard operating procedures (SOP) is crucial, and it can be challenging to fully integrate into Japanese culture.
• Japanese people typically dress very formally or at least put effort into their appearance; women, in particular, are very polished.

Additionally, it’s best not to comment on others. At Universal Studios, we encountered a group of Taiwanese tourists (they had a 🇹🇼 sticker on their bags) who were loudly shouting slogans and filming videos, saying things like “Super awesome, sales are great!” Because there were already so many people, they blocked the path while a group shouted slogans, repeating their takes when they didn’t get it right. It was quite embarrassing.

Returning to Work and “Products”

From my perspective, if we want to enter the Japanese market, relying solely on advertising and marketing will likely be difficult; at most, we might attract a few curious individuals. Japan has a strong cultural unity, and to win their hearts, we need to find ways to integrate into their lifestyle and habits.

Moreover, the tolerance for errors is very low. For example, bugs or unexpected appearances of other languages; while we might think that one or two instances are acceptable or at least not frequent, I believe that for them, even one mistake could lead to a loss of trust, as it indicates a lack of rigor and respect for their standards.

— — —

👑 Lastly, here’s my most supportive travel companion, Huang Xingping

Success in Kansai!

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