After two weeks exploring the famous (and very busy) sights of Japan and its busy cities, we traded neon lights and shrines for sunshine, sea breeze, and the beautiful beaches in Okinawa.

Leaving Tokyo was a bit of a chaos, we left our Airbnb and squeezed onto the train at Komagome during rush hour on the Yamanote line. We were all standing shoulder to shoulder, squeezed in like sardines. We got off at Hamamatsuchō Station and made to board the train to Haneda airport. As we got off, the platform turned into a sea of people, all trying to reach the escalators and stairs, all lined up. As as new trains arrived at the station, the chaos continued but eventually we got onto the train and were all pushed from behind as more and more people were trying to get on. So a quick tip, when leaving Tokyo, try not to do so during rush hour, it’s a bit crazy. 

Anyway, we finally made it to Haneda airport and checked in where we were assigned seats, three together and one by himself (me). Unlucky for me, I got the middle seat, squeezed between two fairly large people, however the flight was just about three hours so it was doable.

After landing, we caught the monorail and made our way to our hotel, the Hotel Palm Royal Resort Kokusai Street. Checked in, we left to explore the nearby Kokusai-dori street, filled with shops and restaurants. After some lunch, we wandered down the Tsuboya Pottery District, where Suz was trying to find something for Granpa. After our exploration we just happened to wander past a local craft beer brewery, Heavy Sasori Brewing where we stopped to sample the goods before returning to the hotel for a much rewarded dip in the hotel pool. 

Later that night we wandered down to the Kokusai Street Food Village where we tried some classic Okinawan dishes such as Goya Champuru, a stirfry of the bitter vegetable goya mixed with pork, tofu and eggs, quite bitter but very tasty and also tried some Umi-budō, or ‘sea grapes’, tiny green bubbles that pop in your mouth, unleashing the salty flavour of the ocean. Both of these went down a treat, specially combined with an ice cold Orion beer, the famous local brew of the island!

After dinner we wandered down Kokusai-dori street once again, where we ducked into Don Quijote, a crazy 24hour mega store that has almost everything and is found everywhere in Japan. Here we did a bit of shopping for some souvenirs to take back home. We grabbed a few different bags of KitKats in all kinds of flavours, Xander grabbed an electronically instrument called Otamatone, quite quirky, shaped like a musical note and makes funny sounds when its squeezed. Finally, Eloise and I both got personalised Hanko Stamps, with our names in Japanese script, a great memory of our trip!

We ended our night at the hotels onsen, a great way to relax and get ready for the following day where we planned to visit Keramashoto National Park.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

The next morning we made our way to the Tomari Wharf ferry terminal (by Taxi, despite to what we had read, taxis in Japan have been surprisingly affordable, especially for short rides). Here we collected our ferry tickets to Tokashiki Island, I had initially planned to visit the island of Zamami Island. However as I left it too late I missed out and instead booked tickets to Tokashiki. 

The ferry took about 70 minutes and it was a smooth ride to the island, once we got there we got onto a local bus service that took us to Aharen Beach. Upon arrival, Suz and Eloise went straight to the beach, Xander and I however decided that we wanted to explore a bit first and made our way to the Kubandaki Lookout. On our way there, we came across a small quiet cove that we had completely to ourselves and were we enjoyed the beautiful turquoise waters before we continued our exploration. Once we climbed to the lookout, we were offered with amazing views over the bay and we then joined Suz and Eloise for a well deserved swim in the ocean.

Eloise and I then got some snorkelling gear and went for a swim. Whilst the area near the beach didn’t really offer great views, it was filled with tropical fish and it was just great being back snorkelling in tropical waters.

Once we finished in the water, we wandered over to Arakaki Shoten, one of the few convenience stores in the area where we got some cold drinks (and a yummy Spam Onigiri) before we got onto the bus again and returned to the harbour and our ferry back to the mainland.

Back in Naha after a great day out, we jumped into the hotel pool and that night we headed out for another dinner with local food. Here we got to try some Mimiga which is a thinly sliced pig’s ear that is cooked and served in a sesame sauce, quite chewy but tasty and went down great with a cold beer. We also got some Agu dumplings, made some Okinawa black haired pork, some Okinawa soba noddles and some Rafute, a slow cooked pork belly, all of it delicious!

We got some dessert from Blue Seal, the famous Okinawa ice cream chain where Suz, Xander and Eloise went for ‘normal’ flavours whilst I had to try the ‘Salty Milk’ soft serve, it was creamy, salty and almost a bit of cheese flavour to it, it was ok but I would probably not have it again.

The next morning we checked out of our hotel and caught a taxi to Orix car rental where we collected our vehicle for the next few days.

Our first stop was the Former Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters, where we got to climb down into the tunnels which were dug by hand during the WWII battle of Okinawa. The narrow corridors were a sad reminder of the desperation of the war with one of the rooms still showing damage from hand grenade where officers took their own life rather than surrender. 

We next drove to the Okinawa Peace Memorial Park, a large area overlooking the sea where one of its section has the listed names of all the people that died during the war. We walked, all by ourselves, amongst the granite walls which was a surreal experience, specially since so many other areas of Japan had been filled with people.

Last on our list of areas from WWII, we visited the ruins of Urasoe Castle, where a small sign shows the area of Hacksaw Ridge, the location of one of the bloodiest battles of the war and the story that inspired the movie Hacksaw Ridge.

We left the sites of WWII and started our drive north, stopping at the American Village and wow, it’s such a tacky place, it’s a crazy mix of shops, diners and neon sighs that would look more at home in Florida than in Japan. We found a place for some tacos, because why not, and then continued our drive north.

By mid-afternoon, we reached and checked into our accommodation, the Grand Mercure Okinawa Cape Zanpa Resort, arriving just in time for their 3–6 pm free drinks and snacks, which meant unlimited beers (Orion, Asahi or Kirin), soft drinks and lollies and snacks before we walked across the road to a local restaurant, Hanagasa, where I got to try some taco rice, a very post-war fusion of cultures.

The following day we just relaxed at our hotel and used all the facilities available to us, the pool, the slides and event the inflatable water park at the beach. I took a quick trip and climbed the Zanpa Lighthouse which offered spectacular views over the ocean. After some more free beers we just had dinner at the local pool bar which offered pizzas and didn’t require us to travel anywhere for food. We again finished our night with the additional free cocktails between 9-11pm, a great way to spend a full day relaxing!

On our last full day in Okinawa, we drove to the Ocean Expo Park, a large area where we got to see large sea turtles, manatees and a dolphin show, however the highlight was the Churaumi Aquarium, which houses a massive tank where you were able to see manta rays and a whale shark swim past gracefully, absolutely beautiful, even after seeing one up close when snorkelling with them in Philippines.

On our way home, we stopped at Family Mart to enjoy some Famichiki, which at this stage had become one of our favourite snacks from the Konbini stores in Japan. We finished our last night once again at Hanagasa for our final dinner which consisted of fresh sashimi and crispy karaage chicken. Not a bad way to finish up in Japan.

Back in our room, whilst packing to leave the following morning, I got to enjoy a final One Cup Ozeki sake, which had almost become a nightly routine for me during this trip! We also had some time to reflect on our trip, with part excitement to go back home (to see our dog Toby) but also sadness that our great trip was coming to an end!

The next morning, we drove back to Naha, returned the rental and boarded our flight to Osaka where we only had two hours before we flew back to Singapore and finally touched down in Melbourne!

We have had an amazing three weeks in Japan, from beautiful and serene temples and shrines to theme parks and baseball to monuments from WWII, including Hiroshima and Okinawa, to the beautiful island of Miyajima and the craziness of Tokyo and Osaka to finally finish in a tropical island, Japan has really showed us a beautiful part of itself and we can’t wait to return!

Arigatou gozaimasu, Japan…. until next time!

After riding aboard the Nozomi Shinkansen from Hiroshima for nearly four hours, reaching speeds of up to at least 299kph (which was what I was able to clock on the GPS app), and having seen a very shy mount Fuji hiding behind some clouds, we finally reached our destination, Tokyo!

We arrived at the Tokyo station and changed onto the local Yamanote line, one of Tokyo’s most famous train lines which is also basically a city loop that circles most of the city’s major areas, passing by almost all the main attractions. This had been part of the planning when looking at accomodation and our AirBnb that was located near the Komagome Station on this very train line. 

Our AirBnb was only about five minutes walk from the train station and was located in a very local and residential area which was quiet and a perfect area to stay in. After we checked into our AirBnb we went for a walk around the local streets, stopping by and visiting the Kyu-Furukawa Gardens and stopping at a local supermarket to purchase a few items for the AirBnb (a few local craft beers among other things). That night we kept it simple and had dinner at a local Matsuya, a restaurant chain that serve simple but delicious rice bowls with thin strips of beef and covered with melted cheese (and I also ordered a raw egg to go with it). All of this for less that AUD $30 for the four of us (and that included a beer each for Suz and I). 

The next morning, our sightseeing of Tokyo truly started by a trip to the Asakusa area to visit the Sensō-ji Temple, one of the oldest and most iconic temples. As we arrived to walk along the pathway lined with vendors selling all kinds of souvenirs and foods, we discovered that we weren’t the only ones that had this idea and even though there was a slight drizzle that morning, it didn’t keep the people out. Well, we carried on making a few purchases and in reaching the temple, we drew some more fortune slips with Suz and Xander both receiving good fortunes whilst Eloise and I did not, so in order to avoid having bad fortune we both tied our slips at the local racks, left our bad luck behind and moved on.

We caught a train to Akihabara and its Electric town, a shopping area filled with electronical gadget shops and anime stores. It’s generally filled with flashing sighs however we were there during the day and the rain had stared to fall a bit harder so we didn’t get to experience it fully, however got a taste of it before we grabbed some food and visited a local brewery.

From here we moved onwards to Shinjuku where we collected our Hakone Free Passes for our day trip the following day (more about that in our Hakone blog). Due to the rain and clouds we didn’t want to spend money to get a viewpoint of the city, and decided to visit the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, from here we were able to get some amazing views over the city (and it was free as well).

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

That night we ended up at Izakaya Fukumimi, where I got to catch up with and old friend, Michael, who I had not seen for almost 20 years (since our time in Thailand). We talked, laughed, had some great skewers and many many great beers until we were told that our time slot was up and we had to leave. We said our goodbyes, promising to catch up soon again and walked back towards the local train station, wandering through the bright neon lit streets of Shinjuku, and seeing the head of Godzilla on top of a building, before heading back to our AirBnb.

The next morning we made our way to the famous Shibuya Crossing, where we crossed the intersection as everyone else and also managed to get to a get into a well known coffee shop that offered views over the crossing. We stood and watched the intersection fill with people from every direction and cross and couldn’t help thinking that it was a bit underwhelming considering how famous this crossing is.

As we had our midday tickets for Shibuya Sky, we made our way to the top where a blue sky offered us great views across the city of Tokyo.

For lunch Suz and I decided to try out Ichiran Ramen, a well known Tonkotsu ramen restaurant where you are seated in a solo booth and your food is served to you from behind a curtain. We had to wait for about 40 minutes to be seated and after customising our ramen order, we were seated and allowed to enjoy our food. Whilst Suz and I enjoyed our ramen, Xander and Eloise (who had already been fed from Family Mart) were waiting for us outside.

For the rest of that afternoon, we explored Takeshita Street in Harajuku, had a Swedish Fika at IKEA and did some shopping at UNIQLO. Later on we made our way onto the Meiji Jingu Shrine where we strolled through the large park, passing the sake barrels before reaching the shrine. 

As the sun began to set, we returned to Shibuya and the crossing once again and now the crossing was filled with hundreds of people crossing, running across to get their epic Instagram shot. We again just sat and overlooked the crossing for a whilst before we left the area. We finished our night with a dinner at a local Tendon Tenya where we had some great crispy tempura and some cold soba noodles, a great way to finish a big day!

On our fourth day in Tokyo, we made our way to the largest indoor Harry Potter attraction, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo! Here we were shown through the Great Hall of Hogwarts and through the different rooms that featured in the movies. We also walked through the Forbidden Forest and many other areas that were part of the movies. We read a lot of information about how the movies were made and were also able to participate in filming scenes in front of a green screen and also stopped to have some butter beer once again (still very very sweet). At the end, Eloise decided to get her own wand and even got it engraved with her name, a great souvenir to take home.

After spending a few hours here, we returned to our AirBnb for a few hours of rest before we returned to Shinjuku once again for another Izakaya dinner experience with Michael with lots of yakitoris and more beers, another great night!

On our last day in Tokyo, we visited TeamLab Borderless, a digital art museum where you’re immersed among lights, motion and sound in different rooms. It was a great experience and at some times, we even got a bit motion sick due to the speeds of some rooms. We did notice that Xander wasn’t feeling the best however so it was decided that Suz and Xander would be returning to the AirBnb so that he could rest a bit. 

Eloise and I continued exploring the city by making our way over to the Tokyo Tower where we explored the base area before we made our way to Odaiba, catching the monorail that glides across the city and the water before a short visit to the Unicorn Gundam Statue. We both had some lunch nearby before returning to Takeshita Street as Eloise was wanting a special souvenir that she had seen the previous day, a cats tail!

We spent the afternoon wandering the streets of Yanaka Ginza, an area filled with shopping, cafes and supposedly cats, however to Eloise’s disappointment we didn’t see any.

That night we decided to stay in for dinner whilst we packed for an early morning departure so we visited a local supermarket, grabbed a few bentos and returned to the AirBnb for the night. 

Our visit to Tokyo was everything we imagined and more, a great mix of culture, food, and fun, it was vibrant, fascinating, chaotic and relaxing! We managed to balance quiet moments at shrines, parks and gardens with the hustle and bustle of Shibuya and Shinjuku. It was the perfect ending to our mainland Japan trip!

The next morning we were off to our next stop, the island of Okinawa!

After spending a few days exploring Tokyo, we decided to slow things down a bit, leave the city and take a day trip to Hakone, a region known for its scenery, views of Mt Fuji and relaxing Onsen baths.

We got the Hakone Free Pass prior to the trip, which conveniently covers all transport in the area, the only extra we had to do was to upgrade to the express train to the area, the Romancecar. The pass covers the regular train, however the express is faster, has less stops, comfortable seats, large windows to watch the scenery and goes all the way into the area with nil changes, so at an extra 1200 yen per adult, we decided it was worth it. 

We again travelled to the crazy busy station of Shinjuku where we boarded the Romancecar and left Tokyo behind. A few days previously, as we travelled onboard the Shinkansen to Tokyo we had tried to see Mt Fuji however the clouds had hidden the mountain that day. On this occasion however, it was clear and we managed to get some great views over it from the train.

Upon arrival, we quickly got in line to catch the Hakone Tozan Bus, where we unfortunately were forced to stand the entire windy road, until we got to out destination, Motohakone-Ko. Here we stepped off and walked along the shores of Lake Ashinoko towards the famous Hakone Jinja, or Peace Torii. This is a bright red torii gate that sits in the lake and is one of the more famous points for getting photo taken. We wandered to the torii and the line was ridiculous long with everyone wanting their perfect “instagram” photo, we stepped to the side, took a few snaps and then walked back towards the lake to catch a Pirate Ship across the lake.  

As we got to the pier, Suz took Xander and Eloise across the road for some 7Eleven snacks whilst I was trying to figure out where and when the next ship was departing. I also saw that there was a very large line of people waiting to get onboard the ship, however saw that the First class or VIP section was almost empty. So, since it wasn’t all that much extra, I paid extra to upgrade and this way we were guaranteed to get on this ship, but also were able to sit at the very front of the ship.

I surprised Suz and the kids and we got onto the ship and enjoyed our unobstructed views over the lake and also of Mt Fuji, which was still fully visible against a cloudless sky, not a very common sight at this time of the year. 

From here we we caught the Hakone Ropeway up to Ōwakudani, an active volcanic area that’s well known for steaming vents and strong sulphurous smells. Once here we had to try the famous black eggs, which are said to add seven years to your life. We got a 4-pack and although I was expecting to eat at least three of them, I was surprised when both Xander and Eloise both finished their eggs, so all of us have additional years, nice!

We followed this up with some other food and then of course an ice cream for dessert, but not just any ice cream but black vanilla ice cream which turned both Xander and Eloise into Goth kids with black lips and mouths, lucky is was only temporarily. 

After lunch we continued our Hakone tour by first catching the ropeway to Sōunzan where we transferred to the Hakone Tozan Cable Car down to Gōra. While waiting for the Tozan Train, we watched a couple of monkeys approaching the station along the tracks. As they got to the platform, two young children ran towards them and the monkeys lashed out against them, causing them to run away screaming, well they are wild animals. 

Back in Hakone, we decided it was time for a some rest, so after walking up many many stairs, we finally arrived at Kappa Tengoku Onsen, a traditional Japanese hot spring bath. Suz and Eloise went off towards the ladies section (baths are separated by gender as everyone has to be naked for this). I tried to get Xander to tag along with me however he wasn’t keen and decided to sit this one out. This was out first proper onsen experience in Japan and it was very relaxing to sit in the hot water and just relax. A very peaceful and enjoyable way to end out stay at Hakone. 

Feeling relaxed, we grabbed a few cold drinks (beer for me and a Suntory Vodka/fruit drink for Suz) and got back onto the Romancecar to start our trip back to Shinjuku and Tokyo. We had a great day trip to the Hakone area and found it very easy to do, without any stress at all!

After we left the island of Miyajima, we took a train to the Hiroshima Station, again using our ICOCA cards for seamless travel. Our hotel for the night was the Sotetsu Fresa Inn, which was only located a few minutes’ walk from the train station. And again, although it was too early to check in, the staff were friendly and happily stored our luggage so we could head out and explore the city.

Our first destination was the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, a place that stands as both a memorial over what happened in 1945 and as a message of peace. We visited the Atomic Bomb Dome, the most iconic of all buildings in Hiroshima which stands as a haunting reminder of the uttermost devastation caused by the atomic bombing of the city.

We wandered onwards towards the rest of the park and passed the Children’s Peace Monument which was build to honour the memory of all the children who lost their lives and was inspired by one girl, the girl known for the paper cranes, Sadako Sasaki.

We also spent time at the the Flame of Peace, and the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims. All these sites a sobering reminder of the city’s tragic past. 

We took a break for lunch and visited a local restaurant chain called Ootoya, which serves traditional Japanese set meals which we all enjoyed, and were the only non-locals there, which made the experience feel all the more authentic compared to all the other restaurants to mainly cater to visitors. 

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

After lunch we stopped at a local brewery, the Hiroshima Neighbourly Brewing where we sampled a few of the local products before we returned to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. 

Here we now visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum which displays personal stories, artefacts, and photos that painted a vivid picture of the impact of the atomic bombing. Some of the sections were confronting and left a lasting impression on all of us.

Afterwards, we made our way back to the hotel for a bit of rest before heading out again for dinner. That evening, we found our way to Mitchan, one of Hiroshima’s famous okonomiyaki restaurants and were lucky to be seated right at the frying counter, where we could watch the chefs as they created and layered the dish, combining cabbage, noodles, and batter into the famous Hiroshima’s savoury pancake. We ordered two versions to share between the four of us, a classic version and another topped with melted cheese, both were very tasty and satisfying.

The next morning we checked out of our hotel, made our way to the train station and boarded our Shinkansen train to take us on our 800km journey between Hiroshima and our next destination, Tokyo!

Once at Hiroshima Station, we transferred to a local train which we rode to Miyajimaguchi Station where we got onto the Miyajima ferry, bypassing all the other visitors who were queuing up for tickets and again just tapping on with our ICOCA cards (everything is just so simple and so easy and it just works).

As soon as we set foot onto the island we were greeted by the many deer that roam that island of Miyajima. However, the difference between these ones and the ones in Nara is that these aren’t allowed to be fed by the public, as such they don’t get aggressive towards people and just wander randomly through the streets of Miyajima. 

Our first stop of the day was at Hotel Sakuraya, a local ryokan, however we were too early for check-in but were still allowed to drop off our luggage with them which freed us and allowed us to explore the area. 

We made enquiries about Miyajima Ropeway and the ability to travel to the top of mountain however were informed that the ropeway was currently not in operation. And based upon the fact that it was raining, we just didn’t feel like walking to the top in the rain so we skipped this option. 

We continued to the iconic Itsukushima Shrine, more known for it’s bright red torii gate that rises out of the water which is an amazing sight. On this day, we had a light drizzle that followed us throughout the day and some fog as well which made the experience slightly magical and almost breathtaking.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

After seeing the shrine (together with hundreds of other visitors to the island) we wandered along Miyajima Omotesandō Shopping Street, where we sampled some of the island’s food, including some tasty crispy deep-fried oysters, some prawn tempura and more before trying some local beer from the island brewery, the Miyajima Brewery. After this we walked along the shopping street and found some cocktails from Gebura. Now the initial drink was about 750 yen however, every refill after this cost just 200 yen. So Suz and I may have had a few different cocktails, just to try them out you know!

After this, we returned to check in at our ryokan and after settling in, in the late afternoon, when most tourists had boarded ferries back to the mainland, we walked the same streets again and it was such a difference, the streets became calm and almost empty which gave the island a completely different feel and it almost felt magical wandering through the small alleys and around the shrine with hardly anyone else around.

However, being such a popular day destination does have some problems, mostly being that almost everything closes early and finding a place for dinner took a little while to find. We eventually walked back to where the ferry docks and found a restaurant that was open, the  Miyajima Shoufuku where we enjoyed some ramen, tender grilled eel and some wagyu beef, a perfect treat to round off the day.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

That evening, I took a peaceful walk along the waterfront with almost no one else around, besides the deer that still roam the island and I had some stunning night views of the torii gate glowing in the night. I’m not lying when I say that it felt like the island belonged to just me as there was barely anyone else out and about!

Back at ryokan hotel, we ended our day with our very first onsen experience in Japan. As a westerner, the idea of getting completely naked, showering and then getting into a public bath with others is a bit daunting, however it’s something that you just get used to and having the ability to soak in the hot spring water after a day of rain and walking was very relaxing and  I believed that as a result, a very good nights sleep was had.

The following morning I got up early, got myself a coffee and walked for another last glimpse of the torii gate before we were due to leave. And my timing was perfect, the tide was low and I was able to walk all the way out to the giant torii gate, touching the massive wooden pillars and getting a few up close and personal photos. Not only that, but the weather had changed completely and the sky was now blue and the sun was out, showing a completely different side to the torii gate. 

After this, I once again returned to the ryokan where we packed our bags and headed back to the Ferry to travel to Hiroshima.

We had a great time in Miyajima, the island is beautiful and the torii gate in front of the Itsukushima shrine is impressive. However, the visit got even better in the late afternoon and early evening when most day trip visitors left the island, absolutely worth at least one night on the island.

Our second day in Osaka was reserved for a one thing, Universal Studios Japan. We ensured that months ago we got our entry passes and also some express passes and arrived at the entrance to the park around 09:00 where after passing through security and ticket checks,  we were ready for a full day of rides, shows, and fun.

We went straight to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter area where we wandered through Hogsmeade, through the shops towards the castle of Hogwarts where even though our express passes covered the ride “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey”, the line was just so short at the time that we just went through and rode it. Now since we had the express pass, and both Xander and Eloise were keen to do it again, we did, this time by breezing past the lines. 

After we completed our rides, we again wandered through the magical village of Hogsmeade where we had some butterbeer, basically a very sweet cream soda, and then looked through some of the shops which were filled with wizard wands, robes, lollies and many more magical trinkets, all in all, a great morning was had!

After we eventually left the area, we lined up for about 30 minutes and did the Jaws boat ride which was a bit of fun with a large shark circling us. From there, we made it to Waterworld to watch the show, which although we didn’t understand a word, we still enjoyed the show. Even though we sat in the ‘Splash zone’ and all of us except for Xander got soaked!

After this it was time for us to use another of our express passes, this time the Flying Dinosaur, a crazy ride where you are strapped in and then lying down along the ride. This ride further continued to twist and turn you all around, lying upside down at times, by far one of the scariest rides we have ever done!

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

We finished our time in Jurassic Park by riding ‘The Ride’, a boat ride through a park where a few dinosaurs showed up and a massive last ride ending up making a big splash… where we again got wet, it’s a good thing that it was a hot day after all. 

After a quick lunch, we made it over to the Super Nintendo World world for some nostalgia. The area is amazing however the rides are all super popular and waiting times are about 160min so we just walked around and enjoyed the atmosphere.

From there we moved onto the Minion Park where we played the ‘Villain-Con Minion Blast’ shooting game, where although Xander gave me a run for my money, I still managed to beat him and got the highest score!

To finish our day, we wandered through the New York area and decided to watch a 4D show called ‘Detective Conan”. The wait didn’t appear to be too long however once we were past the lines we then had to wait again, standing up and crowded all around, for what felt like forever before we were allowed to sit. The show itself, once again in Japanese, was just about ok, we’ve done 4D before which had more effects and was more fun.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

Anyway, after this we were all exhausted and just travelled back to the Dotonbori area where we had a dinner which included some local okonomiyaki, karaage chicken and fried squid before we wandered the streets for short while until our legs gave up on us and we headed back to our AirBnb and called it a night.

We had a great day with lots of fun rides and were absolutely exhausted by the end, but it was worth it just to see how happy both Xander and Eloise were all day!

After our arrival to Osaka, we made our way to the subway and got off at the Namba station where after a short walk, we reached our Airbnb. Thankfully, I had prearranged with the owners and we were able to drop off our bags at 11.00 that morning, even though the actual check-in wasn’t until 16.00. 

From here our first stop was Osaka Castle and not wanting to walk back to the train station we just came from, we just used the GoTaxi app and ordered a taxi. The grounds at the castle are impressive and go on forever. As we reached the castle itself, we started getting some light rain and as there was a massive line to enter the castle, we decided against it and just enjoyed the exteriors and its garden which are impressive and surrounded by a moat.

For lunch that day we picked a place called Matsunoya, here we were served some reasonably priced breaded and fried chicken/pork. Once lunch was completed, we found a subway station and made our way to Dotonbori for our first look.

Dotonbori is just as crazy as you’ve seen in photos and videos, the streets have massive 3D signs and neon boards, depicting everything from Huge mechanical crabs with its legs and arms moving to giant octopus, bowl of ramens, sushi and so much more. They are flashy, over-the-top and quite amazing. One in particular, the most iconic one, is the Glico running man which was first installed in 1935. We had just had lunch, however had to have something to snack on along Dotonbori so we purchased a 10 Yen cheese coin, a street food which is like a waffle filled with melted mozzarella cheese, doesn’t sound like much however was amazing!

After browsing the crazy isles of a local Don Quijote and having a Karaoke session, it was now time for us to check into our AirBnb so we made our way back. The AirBnb was located very close to the Namba station and had four single beds for us, plus a bonus traditional Japanese bedroom with a tatami floor which was a nice bonus.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

That night we made our way to the Kyocera Dome where we watched a baseball game between the local team, the Orix Buffaloes and the visiting team, the Chiba Lotte Marines. Once we got inside and got our seats, we got to experience an amazing atmosphere, even though we couldn’t understand a word of what was being said.  We in particularly loved the facts that we could be served beers right in our seat by the traditional beer girls. These girls carry heavy kegs on their back, different colours for different brands, and they walk up and down the isle, offering their services, so easy! We enjoyed the game, however left just before the end, to avoid the rush and find our way along the subway system which we did.

The following morning we spent all day at Universal Studios (more on that in the next blog).

On our final full day in Osaka, we had a sleep-in before we ventured to the Shinsekai area where we explored the streets and also went up the Tsutenkaku Tower for views over Osaka. From there we made our way to the Namba Shrine and also got to try a small cat café where Eloise loved feeding and cuddling the cats.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

That night we returned to Dotonbori where we wandered, eating different street foods such as takoyaki (small yummy squid balls), cheese coin, and wagyu beef skewers among other treats showing that Osaka truly lives up to its name as “Japan’s kitchen.”

That night we finished up at Round One, a massive entertainment complex where we got to try hitting a baseball in batting cages, rollerblading, shooting air rifles, playing a range of different games in the arcades (including a train driving one), and finishing with a bonus claw machine that unfortunately didn’t give us anything. However, it was a great way to end our time in Osaka. 

Onwards to Hiroshima and Miyajima.

Our trip started with a flight to Singapore where we spent a night at the YotelAir Hotel located inside the Jewel, before landing the following afternoon at the Kansai International Airport where, as expected, it was busy, and it took about an hour to clear customs and exit onto Japanese soil.

Out first task was a practical one (or couple of ones), as Xander’s phone doesn’t support esim (which the rest of us got through Airalo) we had bought an actual sim card online through “NINJA SIM Kansai” which was easy to pick up and install. After that, we got some cash from the ATM before getting our local IC cards, ICOCA cards, which we will use for trains, buses, vending machines, and also at the many kombini purchases throughout our trip.

With all that done, we made our way to the correct train platform (where Google Maps was very helpful with directions) and got onto the Haruka Hello Kitty Express train bound for Kyoto where we arrived precisely when the timetable said we would (or about 75 minutes later.

Arriving in Kyoto train station, we walked a short 5 minutes to our accomodation, the Resi Heart Stay and took a moment to settle in before wandering out for our first glimpse of the city. Being tired after a long day of travel, we didn’t stray long and had a nice first dinner at the Heso Kyoto Ekimae where we enjoyed a mix of small plates together with some cold beers, which felt like a great introduction to not only Kyoto’s but also Japan’s food scene.

The next morning, our journey to Kyoto truly started with an early morning Taxi ride to the Kiyomizu-dera Temple where we wandered along the iconic wooden stage and enjoyed some great city views. Whilst at the temple, we tried our luck with Omikuji, the traditional Japanese fortune slips that sell for 100 yen. In order to get one, you first shake a large wooden drum until a numbered stick drops out which the attendant then matches the number to the fortune. Both Xander and Eloise had a go with her being specially lucky, even getting the largest thumbs up by the lady running the stall, apparently Eloise now has good fortune.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

After we left the temple area, we wandered along the streets along the famous Higashiyama Ward where old fashioned wooden houses include plenty of different shops and tea stalls. Along the way, we tried some pickled cucumber on a stick and a very creamy matcha ice cream, made from Kyoto’s famous Uji matcha – and even joined a peaceful tea ceremony, a tradition in this region’s tea culture, where it was just Suz and I that participated (whilst Xander and Eloise sat nearby), a great experience.

For lunch, we stopped at a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant, Mori Mori Sushi, where you ordered the food via a tablet and it was delivered to your table through a small bullet train which was both food and entertainment in one.

After lunch we wandered along the very busy Nishiki Market, where Eloise tried some Tanghulu, sugar coated strawberries whilst Xander had some Wagyu beef skewers. Suz and I tried our first Taiyaki (filled with custard) before ending with some Sake, including a cherry blossom–flavoured sake.

On the way back to the hotel we stopped into at Kyoto Beer Lab, a small craft brewery along a river where we sampled some of their products before returning to the hotel for some rest and finishing that night with some dinner at the Kyoto Ramen Street located inside Kyoto Station where we ate at Ramen Koganeya, enjoying our first of many more ramen to come.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

Our second day started with a train ride to the Fushimi Inari Shrine, which is famous for its thousands of bright orange Torii gates. We walked along with all the other persons who also thought that this was a great thing to do, trying to get some great photos along the way, before about a third of the way up, Suz decided that she would sit and wait for us if we wanted to complete the loop to the top of the Mt Inari-san. So Xander, Eloise and I made the tough journey to the top of the mountain, climbing up and down at least a thousand steps (or so it felt) – taking in the beautiful scenery along the way, before we made our way back down to where Suz was waiting for us.

Back at the hotel, we enjoyed some bento boxes that we had bought from the local 7-Eleven (the convenience stores here are something else and we visited them everyday on several occasions).

Later that afternoon, we took the train to Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, wandering among the towering bamboo before wandering the area down to the the Togetsukyō Bridge where we sat by the river with Xander and Eloise enjoying some shaved ice whilst I had myself a very tasty matcha latte (told you there was everything matcha here).

Once we were rested we caught a local bus, to the Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, and wandered its ground as some very light rain began to fall which was , we wandered around the shimmering Golden Pavilion as light rain began to fall.

We finished that night with a dinner under the Tokyo Station, at the Porta Underground Mall, where we had our first Katsu pork curry which was delicious! And as always, we made a stop at a convenience store, or Kombini as they call them here, for desserts and drinks before heading back to the hotel.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

On our last day we decided to do a day trip to Nara to see the local temple but mainly to experience the local deer in the area. Upon arrival we initially only saw one or two deer before, as we ventured further, we saw hundreds of them. There were small sellers that sold deer treats for 200 yen which we got, and after reading online, decided to just hide them and walk away. We could see that people that got them and kept them in their hands were being nearly attacked by the deer as they tried to walk away.

Eloise and Xander eventually got to feed the deer who were friendly for the most and bowed to them as they fed them. On occasion the deer got a bit pushy and seemed eager to steal the treats from our hands.

Besides from the deer in Nara, we also managed to visit the Central Golden Hall of Kōfuku-ji Temple and tried some of the famous Nakatanidō Mochi, which are green rice puddings filled with red bean paste, and dusted with kinako, a roasted soybean flour. They were soft, chewy, and quite tasty!

On our way back to Kyoto we stopped at the Fushimi Ward, an area known for its sake breweries, were we visited the Gekkeikan Sake Museum. Here we not only learnt about the making of Sake brewing but we were also able to sample a range of varieties.

We had our last dinner in Kyoto at the Kyoto Tower Sando, which is more of a food hall where we could all just pick a different meal from different stalls, sometimes it’s just easier that way. We ended the night with a quick visit to the Craft Kyoto, enjoying another local craft beer and bringing the day to a perfect end. 

We’ve had a great initial trip to Japan with Kyoto offering so much to us, all the way from our first izakaya dinner, through temples, markets, bamboo forests, and even some pushy Nara deer. Kyoto was a great introduction to Japan and we can’t wait to see what else is on offer to us on this trip!

From here, bring on Osaka!

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

We arrived at Mystery Island in the early morning, whilst we were still sleeping, and the cruise ship anchored offshore, as this location doesn’t have a deep-water pier available. Whilst having breakfast at the top level of the ship, we were greeted by the sparkling turquoise waters, the beautiful beach and the lush greenery of Mystery Island.

After breakfast, we gathered our swimmers, sunscreen and snorkelling equipment and made our way to the tender boats—which we initially thought would take ages as there are so many passengers onboard, however they were well-organised, and the crew ensured everyone got onboard safely and efficiently. The ride across the crystal-clear waters offered beautiful views of the island, with pristine beaches coming into focus as we approached.

As soon as we stepped off the boat and onto the island, we were greeted by friendly locals who were performing  some traditional songs for us all (and hoping for extra donations of course). The island is uninhabited and is only really open for visitors from cruise ships, with the locals from the nearby Aneityum island coming across everyday with everything that they need to sell to the visitors and at the end of the day, they all leave as it’s believed that the island is haunted and that ghosts inhabit the island at night.

Well, the sun was well and truly shining during our visit so no ghosts for us. We walked through the main part of the island, through the local markets where we picked up a few small souvenirs, as we made our way towards the beach on the other side of the island. Once we managed to find a shady spot to sit down in, we left our towels etc and headed into the turquoise clear water. Whilst in the water, we swam and did some snorkelling, however the sand went out quite far so there wasn’t a lot to see at that particular spot. So we just enjoyed the water and relaxed on the beach whilst listening to the soothing sounds of the waves and having a few of the local beers. 

For lunch, we could either buy something simple on the island, however as the tenders were fast and easy we went back to the ship and enjoyed a lunch before we headed back to the island. Once back, I wandered off towards the southern tip of the island. Due to the compact size of the island, it’s very easy to explore on foot. 

Once I found a spot along the rocks, I was all by myself and made my way into the water for some more snokelling along the coral reefs which was filled with plenty of colourful fish that were swimming through the coral gardens.

After I finished snorkelling, I wandered around the island, swimming and snorkelling some more, I returned to the others and after some more beach and water time, we made our way back to the ship, happy with the day and looking forward to the next day where we had another day planned on the beach. However as we got back onboard, we heard that there had been a medical emergency on the ship and we would not be returning to the island as we needed to return to Noumea to drop off a passenger. 

Based on this, Eloise and I decided to return to the island that afternoon once again, as she wanted a photo taken with the local lizards on the island. We managed to get back on one of the last tenders returning to the island and were on it by ourselves. Once on the island, we got the photo we needed and then enjoyed some coconuts as well before we returned to the ship for the last time that day, offering one last look at the island!

Mystery Island was a great stop which we all enjoyed, the island is small but offered everything you could want in a tropical island. It was a shame that we weren’t able to return the following day, but these things can’t be helped!

Our first stop on our Royal Caribbean cruise was a stop at New Caledonia’s capital, Nouméa, which offers a mix of French flair, great beaches, and laid-back island vibes. 

As the ship docked at Nouméa’s port, we disembarked the ship and made our way onto land were we got onto a complimentary bus that took us to the Cruise Terminal where we were able to get our Hop on Hop off tickets ($15 AUD per person) and we set off to explore the city.

Our first destination was one of the most famous beaches in Nouméa, Plage de l’Anse Vata, where we sat down by the beach, enjoying some quiet time away from the crowds of the ship. We wandered along the promenade for a while, watching the locals having a morning dip and setting up their windsurfing gear for the day.

After our stroll on the beach, we sat down and enjoyed a local coffee and some ice cream before we caught a bus to a nearby shopping centre, the Casino Port Plaisance. Here we explored along the high-end boutiques before entering a local supermarket, a favourite thing of ours to do when we travel. We explored the aisles, seeing local items and also a lot of French items. On top of it all, we spotted some Tim Tam’s being sold at a cheaper price here than back home, go figure. 

We next got back onto a bus that took us to another famous beach area, the Plage de la Baie des Citrons, which felt more lively and had more people in the water. There were also quite a few more cafés, restaurants and bars along the promenade, making it a perfect spot to soak up the island’s charm.

We made it to a popular brewery and restaurant along the promenade, Les 3 Brasseurs, where we grabbed an outside table which offered great views over the beach and ordered in some light snacks and drinks. There were a good selection of local beers and I grabbed myself a paddle which included a wheat, a crisp lager, a pale ale and an amber beer. After our refreshment stop, we once again got back on the bus and headed back into the city centre.

After leaving Les 3 Brasseurs, we made our way to the city centre where we took a stroll through the streets, walking past its Chinatown and looking for a certain bakery that we had heard about, however were unsuccessful and instead walked into another local supermarket (enjoying the A/C and just looking around).

We eventually returned to the Cruise Terminal where we enjoyed a final cold beer, had a final look through the different souvenir shops and where Eloise found a spot for some lollies (where she certainly stocked up), before heading back on the bus that once again took us back to our ship.

Once back on the ship we stood watching as the ship left the port and another day came to an end. It was a great day all in all, we were happy to get off the ship and wander the town, happy to have visited the city!