Tag: Hiroshima

Going Solo in Japan Series: HIROSHIMA

Four weeks ago, I started the Going Solo in Japan Series & talked about my 3-day stay in Nagoya. I’ve been to beautiful parks & gardens & enjoyed the peak of autumn in a laid-back & chill city.

After spending 3 awersome days in Nagoya, I headed down south to Hiroshima. I took a 3-hour Willer Express bus ride to Osaka, then another 6-hour night bus to Hiroshima. I had a 3-hour layover in between trips but I just stayed in the bus terminal. Upon arrival in Hiroshima, I went straight to the only fast food restaurant open at 6:0 am – McDonalds to have breakfast. It was also the same time when a 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck off Fukushima Prefecture. I was so relieved I was 1,000+ kilometers away from the epicenter.

With my friend Michiko in Shukkeien Garden

Michiko, a good friend of mine, decided to join me in my 2-day trip around Hiroshima. She is currently working somewhere in Fukuyama (about 1.5 hours away from Hiroshima). I waited for her to arrive in the train station before we headed to the hostel to drop off our things.

We only had limited time in Hiroshima but we made sure we’ve done as much as we can. Let me give you the details on where we stayed, what we went & what not to miss in Hiroshima.

Accommodation

As mentioned in my Going Solo in Japan summary blog post, I stayed in Hana Hostels / J-Hoppers Hostels because of excellent reviews & also to avail their discount every 3-night stay. I only had 1 night in Hiroshima so I decided to stay in Hiroshima Hana Hostel. [Update: Hiroshima Hana Hostel has ceased operations.]

Hiroshima Hana Hostel is a well-rated backpackers hostel located a few minutes walk from the JR Hiroshima Station. I stayed in a 4-bed male dormitory room while Michiko stayed in a 4-bed female dormitory room. Each hostel bed has it’s own reading light, pillow & sheets, curtains (for privacy) & universal plug. I paid ¥2,800 for a night’s stay. Affordable, right?

Hiroshima Hana Hostel’s 5th floor common area

The hostel features common lounge, kitchen & dining facilities. There is also a common rooftop terrace (with laundry facilities) where you can hangout & drink with other guests. Since there were only a few guests during my stay, I had my solo drinking session in the rooftop (Michiko fell asleep! Haha).

Note that the hostel is located near the main train station in Hiroshima; you will hear every train that arrives & leaves the station. Good news is the hostel reception provides free ear plugs for guests who wish not to be disturbed by the train noise. I would recommend staying in Hiroshima Hana Hostel; it is centrally-located & it has everything you need.

Hiroshima 3-Day Tourist Pass

This is how the tourist pass looks like

Michiko & I went to the tourist information center to ask for a map & to ask for the best way around Hiroshima for 2 days. I ended up getting the 3-day Hiroshima Tourist Pass (Small Area) for only ¥1,000. The pass includes unlimited rides to city buses, trams & a round-trip ferry ride to Miyajima Island. Good deal, right? Make sure to have your passports (Michiko forgot hers!) with you because the pass is only sold to foreigners.

One of the modern trams in Hiroshima!

Places We Visited

Just like any other city, there are lot places to see in Hiroshima. Michiko & I decided to go to start with the farthest then to those just within the city. We went to the following places:

Itsukushima

Itsukushima, more popularly known as Miyajima Island, is a famous small island in Hiroshima Bay, about an hour away from the city. It is famous for the torii gate which is submerged in water during high tide. This structure also marks the entrance to the Itsukushima Shrine.

Itsukushima Shrine “submerged” in water

The island has different temples & forest walking trails. It also has freely wandering deers & monkeys. The best way to explore the island is by foot. We spent around 5 hours walking around the island.

How to go to Miyajima Island:

  • Fast route: Take the Sanyo Line from Hiroshima Station to Miyajimaguchi Station (around 20 minutes for ¥410) then take a short walk to the port. Board the JR Ferry (around 10 minutes for ¥180) to Miyajima Island. This route is recommended & free for all JR Pass holders.
  • Slow route: Take Tram Line 2 from Hiroshima Station to Miyajimaguchi Station (around 45 minutes for ¥260) then walk to the port. Board the Matsudai Ferry (around 10 minutes for ¥180) to Miyajima Island.

Enjoyed the autumn colors while walking around the island 😍

If you are not in a hurry, I recommend taking the slow route just like what we did. We passed by different Hiroshima sightings along the way plus the tram experience was nice.

Genbaku Dōmu / Atomic Bomb Dome

The Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome is one of the remains of the former Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall when the bomb exploded in August 1945. The dome is part of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.

The Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome from the Motoyasu River side

Access: From Hiroshima Station, take Tram Line 2 or 6 & get off at Genbaku-Domu Mae Station. A one way ride costs ¥160 & takes about 15 minutes.

Hiroshima Dreamination (only from mid November to early January)

Hiroshima Dreamination is a decorative street feature along Peace Boulevard where trees are decorated with colorful illuminations & giant monuments & characters. The bulbs are lighted from 5:30 pm to little past 10:00 pm every night.

One of the very few photos I took when we went to see the dreamination

Access: The dreamination structures are a short walk from the Peace Memorial Park. It is something you check out when you are in Hiroshima during autumn & winter. (No entrance fee required)

Shukkeien Garden

Shukkeien Garden is a historic Japanese garden located in the middle of Hiroshima City. The garden features scenic ponds, beautiful tea places, pavilions & a rainbow bridge.

Spent a few hours walking around the peaceful Shukkeien Garden 😍

Access: The garden is a 15-minute walk from Hiroshima Station. Alternatively, you can take Trams 1, 2 or 6 to Hacchobori station then transfer to Tram 9 to Shukkeien-mae station. The garden has an entrance fee of ¥260 per person.

Hiroshima Castle

Also known as the Carp Castle, the Hiroshima Castle is one of the few castles built literally in the middle of a city & not on top of a hill. The original castle was destroyed during the atomic bomb explosion in 1945 but was eventually rebuilt in 1958. What I like about this castle is its simple design & its wooden exteriors.

Outside Hiroshima council – its wooden exteriors made it look beautiful 😍

Access: Hiroshima Castle is 10 minutes by foot from the Shukkeien Garden. Entrance to the castle grounds is free but entrance to the castle building costs ¥370 per person.

What Not To Miss In Hiroshima

I ate some really good food / snacks in Hiroshima which you must not miss when you visit the city. Check them below:

Momiji Manju

Momijis everywhere in Miyajima Island; you can buy per piece or per box.

Momiji manju is a Japanese maple-leaf shaped steamed bun that originates in Miyajima Island. It features different fillings like green tea, cream cheese, custard, red bean, chestnut, chocolate, etc. My favorite fillings are custard & cream cheese. Please take note that these steamed buns should be consumed 5 days from the time it was bought. Too bad I wasn’t able to bring some back home.

Okonomiyaki

Reichan’s Okonomiyaki – Yum!~

Okonomiyaki is one you should not miss in Hiroshima. It is the famous pan fried food made of cabbage, batter & anything you want in it. We tried Reichan, located in the 2nd floor of the JR Hiroshima Station.

Meiji Green Tea Ice Cream (!!!!!!)

Literally freaked out when I saw this in Lawson. Wish we have this here in PH! 😋

In my recent 2-week trip in Japan, I only saw this Meiji Green Tea Ice Cream in Hiroshima. I found it in Lawson convenience store near JR Hiroshima Station. The last time I saw this was in a 7-Eleven Convenience Store somewhere in Taitō, Tokyo. It’s a must try in Japan! I wish we have this here in the Philippines.

How I wish I stayed longer in Hiroshima but I had leave for Kyoto to meet another friend who is travelling in Japan. I would love to go back & explore more of what the city has to offer.

Hiroshima is a city one should not miss when visiting Japan. It may not be as busy as Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka but it is definitely as beautiful as any other Japanese city.

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.

Thank you for reading! 😊

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.

2016 Recap: Going Solo

In less than 25 hours, another year will come to an end. Before I start another calendar year in my life, I believe it is a good time to look back where this year took me.

2016 was mostly about solo travel. After years of travelling with various sets of friends, I finally had the courage to go on my own, (re)discover old & new places, experience different cultures & meet new friends.

Let me give you a recap of how this year of solo (& some of not-so-solo) travels went.

Yangon, Myanmar

I initially planned this as the first solo trip of the year but my friend Geof tagged along. There are no direct flights from Manila to Yangon; so we had to book tickets to Bangkok, then onwards to Yangon. We had a 16-hour layover in Bangkok so we took the chance to go out of the airport, stay in a hostel over the night & see the Grand Palace in the morning.

           Team Philmar at the Yangon Amazing Games 2016

Then, we took the afternoon flight to Yangon & spent the rest of the trip there. We joined the Amazing Game Yangon & attended the Global Village 2016 Program, both organized by AIESEC in Myanmar. We also went around the city by foot, discovered different temples & pagodas & experienced Chinese New Year in Yangon Chinatown. We went to different markets, tried their street food & watched football (with beers) with our roommates in the hostel.

                   A visit to the Shwedagon Pagoda

Of course, a visit in Yangon will never be complete without visiting the Shwedagon Pagoda. It’s definitely a place to visit in Yangon.

Koh Lipe, Thailand

This should have been a beach trip to the Gilis in Indonesia or a weekend in the forests of Luang Prabang, but plans changed when Carl, the Brit guy we met in Ao Nang last year, recommended Koh Lipe. This place is also known as the Maldives of Thailand.

It was my first international solo trip, to an island unknown to all people I know back home. It took me 2 flights (Manila to Kuala Lumpur, then to Langkawi) & 1 ferry ride (Langkawi to the island) to reach Koh Lipe.

                 Walking at the shores of Koh Rawi

I had the most relaxing 3 days of my life there. I literally walked around the beautiful island, sipped some fresh fruit shakes while sitting on the shore, enjoyed some quiet time in paradise, got sun-kissed in the scenic beaches & met some cool new friends in the hostel & in the island tour.

Koh Lipe is truly a paradise; it’s a place I will definitely go back to in the future.

      With my sister in the grounds of Petronas Twin Towers, KL

I had a one night stopover in Kuala Lumpur before I flew back to Manila. I dropped by to visit my sister who was assigned there for work. We heard mass & had lunch together; also made a quick visit to the grounds of the Petronas Twin Towers.

Pangasinan

For the 2nd year in a row (& maybe for the last time), my friends at work decided to have a beach weekend trip somewhere far from the metro. We, a group of 16 fun people, went to Pangasinan for a weekend last May.

           View from the Governor's Island, Hundred Islands

We spent the first day around the Hundred Islands in Alaminos City. We walked around a crowded island, went to caves & jumped over a cliff. We then went to a lighthouse, a beach, another cave & into a market on the 2nd day.

                      With the best colleagues!

The road trip was really long, we enjoyed each other’s company.

Boracay Island, Aklan

This trip pushed through just because I didn’t want to waste the cheap roundtrip tickets I booked. I went to Boracay all by myself, stayed in a party hostel & ended up having a great time up to the point I didn’t want to leave.

                 Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay's pool

The weather wasn’t that favourable during my stay. Good thing, Mad Monkey Hostel had a swimming pool & a bar / restaurant. I found myself staying in the hostel all throughout the trip, talking to different people from all parts of the world, drinking with new-found friends & exchanging travel stories with everyone.

                           Boracay Beach

It was also one of the days where I had too much alcohol, passed out & woke up in my bed the next day not knowing how I went back the night before.

El Nido, Palawan

Just like the Yangon trip, this was supposed to be another solo trip. Days & months after, my high school travel buddies joined, making it a reunion trip for the 4 of us. The last trip the 4 of us were complete was way back in Singapore 2 years ago.

           With my highschool travel buddies / constants!

El Nido is place I will never get tired of visiting. It was my 3rd time to visit the paradise & I still am in awe of how beautiful the place is. I took my friends to Nacpan Beach twice (Yes, twice!) then joined them in the famous Tour A (Lagoon Tour).

                    Small Lagoon, Miniloc Island

It’s one of the trips where we made great memories together & enjoyed each other’s company.

Bangkok, Thailand

This is the best trip of my 2016. I wasn’t able to see much of what Bangkok has to offer but I surely had fun drinking, socializing & partying.

   One of those nights in Khao San Rd with 10 other solo travellers

I flew to Bangkok with a roundtrip plane ticket, a hostel booking & no plans at all. The only ‘tourist-y’ I probably did there was to go on a day tour in Ayutthaya. The rest was all about meeting people, eating ฿40 pad thai on the streets, drinking Chang beers & partying in Khao San Rd.

           A game of cards turned into one big party group!

I also met & hangout with a lot of people from all over the world – England, United States, Canada, The Netherlands, Poland, India, Gibraltar & a lot more.

Japan

When I went to Japan last year, I made a promise to myself that I will definitely go back to explore more. It didn’t take long for me to book tickets back to Japan; thus this trip was born.

      European city vibe in a middle of a Japanese City (Nagoya)

This 13-day trip brought me to the beautiful gardens of Nagoya, the historical sites of Hiroshima, the ancient temples of Kyoto, the busy shopping streets of Osaka, the friendly deers of Nara, the tender beef cuts of Kobe & the delicious ramens of Fukuoka.

                   Arashiyama Bamboo Forest in Kyoto

I was able to experience the Japanese culture again but this time with the luxury of time.

                          Deer selfie ;)

That sums up all my travels for this year. I may have explored fewer places & countries this year; but I surely made awesome memories with different people.  I might not have anything booked or planned as of yet, but I look forward to another year of solo (& maybe not-so-solo) travels for 2017!

*Yangon photo credits to Geof & Nappark photo credit to Danielle.