Tag: Nagoya

Going Solo in Japan Series: NAGOYA

Three weeks ago, I shared to you how I conquered the ₱50,000 x 13-day Japan trip challenge. I went around 7 different cities in the southern part of Japan. I mentioned there that I will blog about the 7 cities I visited in 4 different posts. So yeah, here’s the first one!

European vibe in Noritake Garden

The first 3 days & 2 nights of the trip were spent exploring the beautiful & laid-back city of Nagoya. Nagoya is the capital of the Aichi Prefecture & is also one of Japan’s famous port cities. People normally skip this city because they say there isn’t much to see compared to Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka; but I am here to debunk that notion. This city has some of the most beautiful gardens I’ve been to in my whole trip. Let me elaborate below on where I stayed & what I did in my short stay in Nagoya.

Meijō Park near Nagoya Castle grounds

Accommodation

It’s not a secret that accommodation is one of the most expensive in all of Asia. Just like my previous Japan trip, I stayed in hostels. You still get a your private space (beds with curtains) in a room for 3-6 people at a very affordable rate. I stayed in 7-bed dormitory room in Glocal Nagoya Backpackers Hostel in Nakamura Ward. It is a 5-10 minute walk from the JR Nagoya Station & also near to both Willer Express pick-up & drop off points. The hostel is also located near different convenience stores & local restaurants. You won’t have any problem looking for food in the middle of the night. 😉

My dormitory room in Glocal Nagoya Backpackers Hostel

The hostel staff were really nice & helpful. I remember one of the staff told me he loved the Philippines when he visited a few years back. He also wants to fly back soon & explore more places / provinces. The hostel has an on-site bar & restaurant in the ground floor where you can meet & interact with local people & tourists. It also has a communal dining & lounge area in the 3rd floor exclusively for the guests. The property also offers free Wi-Fi to all guests. If you ever plan to go to Nagoya, I recommend that you stay in Glocal Nagoya Backpackers Hostel. The hostel also has private rooms for those who do not want to stay in dormitory rooms.

Transportation

Going around Nagoya is not difficult. The city has numerous JR & local subway lines that take you to almost all tourist attractions. Transfers between train stations & lines are convenient & tourist-friendly.

I didn’t get the Japan Rail Pass or the 1-day tourist pass during my stay; I only re-used my IC card from last year’s trip. I added credit & used it in every train ride. I also used this IC card in convenience stores, fast food restaurants & other shops.

Places Visited in Nagoya

Atsuta Jingu

Atsuta Jingu entrance

Atsuta Jingu is one of Japan’s most important Shinto shrines in all of Japan. This is somewhat similar to Tokyo’s Meiji Shrine. Each entrance to the shrine grounds has a torii gate. I went there on a Sunday & there were many Japanese families spending some quality time in the shrine grounds. Anyway, the shrine can be reached by a 5-minute walk from Meitetsu Nagoya Line’s Jingumae Station or Meijo Line’s Jingunishi Station. (No entrance fee)

Shirotori Garden

Shirotori Garden is a traditional Japanese garden with pathways around ponds & streams. This garden is also home to different events & fairs. Luckily, there was an organic food fair the day of my visit. The garden can be reached by a 5-minute walk from the Atsuta Jingu Shrine. (Entrance fee: ¥300)

Beautiful morning in Shirotori Garden

Noritake Garden

Noritake is one of the world’s leading tableware brand that originated in Nagoya in the 1900s. Noritake Garden was built in the former production grounds of the company. It has a craft center where you can see & experience how these wares are being done. There is also a museum which houses the exceptional crafts of Noritake through the years.

Inside Noritake Garden

The garden & recreation area provides a European vibe making you think if you are really in Japan. This is one of my favorite places in Nagoya; I will definitely visit again when I go back. (Entrance fee: Garden grounds: free | Craft center: ¥500)

Peaceful yet beautiful walkways around Noritake Garden

Osu Kannon Temple & Osu Shopping Street

Osu Kannon Temple is Nagoya’s most famous Buddhist temple. The temple’s center of attraction is the wooden status of Kannon, the Japanese goddess of mercy & pets. I went to the temple grounds during night time I wasn’t able to get a decent photo of it. (No entrance fee)

Beside the temple is the Osu Shopping Street. Compared to Tokyo’s Akihabara District, it has hundreds of shops specializing in electronics, anime, cosplay & Japanese goods. This shopping street is a good place for buying souvenirs . (No entrance fee)

Osu Shopping Arcade at night

The Osu Kannon Temple & Shopping Street can be found a few steps from Tsurumai Subway Line’s Osu Kannon Station. Alternatively, you can go down at Kamimaezu Station, a common station of Tsurumai & Meijo subway lines.

Sakae Ward

Afternoon stroll at Nagoya Central Park

Sakae is Nagoya’s downtown district. Department stores, specialty stores & restaurants are all located in this area. The local party scene can also be found here. It is also in this area where you will find 2 iconic Nagoya landmarks – the Oasis 21 & Nagoya TV Tower plus their own version of Central Park.

The futuristic Oasis 21 in Sakae Ward

Nagoya TV Tower from the Central Park

This area can be accessed by going down at Sakae Station or by a 20-30 minute walk from JR Nagoya Station.

Meijō Park

Don’t get me wrong, my initial plan was to go & see the Nagoya Castle. When I walking at towards the entrance, I saw a park full of red, orange & yellow leaves. Since I already know how Japanese castles look like (from my visit in Osaka Castle in 2015), I opted to just go to the nearby Meijō Park. Autumn was definitely at its peak when I went there. I enjoyed walking around, sitting on different wooden benches, observing people & thinking about random stuff. I tell you, it was the best decision I made that day.

The Meijō Park can be found a few meters walk from Meijō Kōen Station (nearest) or Shiyakusho Station (other station; this one is near Nagoya Castle). (No entrance fee)

Best decision I made that day – skip Nagoya Castle & walk around Meijō Park 😍

You might notice I didn’t go to so many places in Nagoya. Um… Yes. To be honest, I wanted the itinerary to be as flexible as possible. I didn’t plan on where to go or what to do; I only asked a few suggestions from the hostel staff & people I met plus check some online sites. I took my time in exploring & enjoyed every single minute I spent in these places.

Also, I missed a number of notable places in Nagoya like the Tokugawa Garden, Nagashima Spa Land, Nabana no Sato Flower Park, Toyota Automobile Museum & Shirakawa-go in Gifu Prefecture.

3 days (or strictly speaking 2 full days) are not enough to explore the beautiful city of Nagoya. The city has so much to offer I want to go back there soon!

It was also announced last year that Legoland Japan will open a theme park in Nagoya. It will be the 8th in the world & the first in East Asia. Legoland Japan is expected to open to the public next month, 1 April 2017. Another park to add in the list for my next visit!

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.

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

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.