JR Stories Kansai 🛫⛩🚅

We entered Japan via SQ672 SINNGO because SIN-Osaka red-eye flights were too full/expensive. SIN-JPN red-eye flights are usually filled with VFR traffic, or travellers who prefer not wasting the day. Entering Nagoya is an alternative entry point for travellers planning to ply the Golden Route. In fact, Nagoya is also the ideal gateway to UNESCO World Heritage historic villages of Shirakawago and Gokayama.

Arriving slightly ahead of our STA of 0905, we brisked through immigration (PS: another benefit of using a less busy airport) and collected our baggage before hopping on a short 35min train ride (¥870) at the Access Plaza of Chubu Centrair International Airport. More travel options out of airport can be found here.

As we have decided to visit Shirakawago and Gokayama on another trip, we headed straight for Osaka on the Shinkansen. for . You can opt for a regular one way fare at ¥5940 for a non-reserved seat or around ¥6500 for a reserved seat. Tag JR Cafe . More transportation options between Nagoya Station and Shin-Osaka Station can be found here.

**Images adapted from Agoda and Hotelscombined

For our stop in Osaka, we stayed at Dormy Inn Premium Namba ANNEX Natural Hot Spring hotel, conveniently located just a stone’s throw away from Dotonbori 道頓堀. Where possible, Dormy Inn is our de facto hotel as they are an extremely affordable onsen hotel chain with nearly 80 properties in major Japanese cities in close proximity of tourist spots. Even though we arrived well ahead of the check-in time, we simply deposited our luggage at the hotel front desk before heading to Dotonbori.

For the Kansai segment of our itinerary, we found it more efficient to hub out of Osaka than to relocate to Kyoto. It is extremely easy to make day-trips to Kyoto with the Special Rapid service on the JR Kyoto Line getting you to Kyoto station in under 30mins for just ¥560. Our time in Kyoto was brief. Perhaps we should should revisit Kyoto again?

Kyoto 京都 ~ Fumiya 🍜 富美家 << Fumiya 70 Year Old Udon Eatery IG Post

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Kyoto 京都 ~ Shoraian 🥢🌳 松籟庵 << Shoraian Tofu Kaiseki IG Post

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Kyoto 京都 ~ Kanno Coffee Kyoto ☕ 神乃珈琲 << Kanno Coffee IG Post

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The 3 days we spent in Osaka was truly the wet dream of any glutton. From ramen you can customise level of fatback at Zundo-ya to multiple raids of Kuromon Ichiban Market, Osaka is truly the highlight of our pilgrimage.

Osaka 大阪 ~ Zundo-Ya ずんどう屋 The Heart-Stopping Ramen << Zundoya Ramen IG Post

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Osaka 大阪 ~ Kuromon Ichiba 黒門市場 << Kuromon Ichiba IG Post

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Osaka 大阪 ~ Kuromon Ichiba 黒門市場 🐙🐡🦀 海鮮 <<Kuromon Ichiba Seafood IG Post

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Osaka 大阪 ~ NIKUHOSHI 肉星 << Nikuhoshi Meat Grind Post

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Osaka 大阪 ~ King Crabs 🦀 帝王蟹 << King Crab Feast Post

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Osaka 大阪 ~ Fatty Otoro 🐟 おとろ 刺身 << Fatty Otoro Post

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On the last night, we took an overnight bus to Tokyo. We booked the Tokyo Tokkyu New Star from Japan Bus Online. Yet another efficient strategy, it’s overall cheaper and efficient as you save travelling time on your waking hours and a night of accommodation. Depending on the bus you select, you can look forward to free WIFI, sleeping amenities, comfy reclining seats, and in-seat charging points for your mobile devices. It would have been cheaper than ¥8600 but we made the mistake of not realising that the fare displayed on the site is not the lowest fare ‘live’ for remaining seats but rather the lowest fare available, and we took too long to decide on our bus tickets. Overall, it is still a very positive booking and travel experience on Japan Bus Online, and we will definitely reuse their services.

https://japanbusonline.com/

Our Kanto segment begins at 0515 when we disembarked outside Tokyo Station. After freshing up, we made our way to Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu for a traditional Japanese kaiseki breakfast at Shunsai. Sited on the 25th floor of Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu, you get to enjoy a magnificent view of Shibuya’s skyline and a bird’s eye view of the famed Shibuya Crossing. Menu and operating hours here

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