Kansai 2017 — First Time Visiting Japan
Hi everyone, こんにちは ! It’s me again, but in this time I don’t want to talk about experience, though or opinion on technology that related to software engineering field. But, I want to share my travel experience when I visited Japan for the first time. Back then in 2017, I went to Kansai in early October about 5 days for holiday.
I can say that I am Japanese lovers. Maybe because I grew up with a lot of Japanese cultures like anime, manga, J-dramas, J-music, and etc. It brought me to learn Japanese in senior high school, and also made a band that covering J-songs for a performance on Japanese festival in my city.
Then, I have a dream, I must visit Japan to experience it directly what I see all this times. But, it’s not easy. For people who comes from a developing country, I can say going to Japan is expensive. Because I can count it by fingers, how many of my friends who successfully went to Japan for holidays.
Sure, it’s hard but nothing impossible. I keep dreaming, working and saving. I don’t really remember when I started to keep this cycle, but finally, I got that chance. In the middle of 2017, I saw some promotions from AirAsia. Yeah, as the title for this story, the promotion including flight from Yogyakarta to Osaka. And the price for return flight was IDR4,500k exclude meals and baggage because of AirAsia is LCC airlines.
Hmmm, I know it’s not cheap. However, flying from Yogyakarta is a little bit difficult compared to other big city in Indonesia. We have limited option, although I can fly from another city, but I have to go there first. And it will take extra time and money. The conclusion, okay, I will buy this ticket. But … I don’t have a friend to start this adventure with me. My closest friends seem to be having difficulty to join this trip. And I don’t want to go with a stranger. After thinking for a while ... OK! Let’s going alone!
Sooner or later, that day would come. Yeah, the day I should be going to the airport and started the journey. My flight should be transit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. After several delay, I landed at KIX safely. Since passed the immigration check, the next step was going to central Osaka, looking for my hotel.
I chose Nankai “Rapi:t” for my transportation. Because it’s cool (lol). The train looked awesome. And the important thing was the route through Shin-Imamiya station, which was close to my hotel location. If I’m not mistaken, my ticket was for reserved seat, so the price is around ¥1,480
After traveling for about 40 minutes, finally I arrived at Shin-Imamiya station!! I am really excited finding the exit gate. And … I am so touched I could see Japan directly, feel the air and step the land. Achievement unlocked! This feeling was a little bit different when I’m in the airport or train. I could say it’s the first moment I’m in Japan physically.
After leaving Shin-Imamiya station, I’m started to look for my hotel. I already reserved the hotel for 4 nights in Osaka. The name was Hotel Chuo Oasis (https://chuohotels.jp/oasis/en/). I’m using Traveloka (https://www.traveloka.com) for booking this hotel, which is could be paid using Indonesian rupiah (IDR). It was really helpful, because I didn’t have any credit cards at that time. And the price was interesting, for 1 private room with bathroom inside, it’s costs IDR380K /night.
The room was also clean, although it’s small, but still cozy. We would get mini fridge, television, hair dryer, air conditioner etc. If we can’t speak Japanese, don’t worry. The receptionist can speak understable English. And why I chose this hotel, because this hotel very close with a station called Dōbutsuen-mae station. I always went to this station, just spent 2 minutes on foot. With Osaka Amazing Pass and Kansai Thru Pass, we will be getting unlimited ride according to day limit of card for this line. ( I can’t find my Kansai Thru Pass, so I can’t take the photo, lol)
I think it’s enough for this part, I will continue another experience in Japan on another story! Hope you like it! どうもありがとうございました !!
