Friday 18 March 2016

Yume's First Japan Trip / DAY ONE & TWO

Can you believe that it was amidst the most important and hectic time of my life when I decided to risk it all and go on a short trip? 

Yes, it was the year of my O'level examination. My first paper is scheduled to be in the following month, April. When I bought my first plane tickets to Japan.

Well, you might think that I am crazy for even having the thought to travel overseas when I am supposed to focus on the upcoming paper that would somehow or somewhat determine my entire life? 

You might think I am further exaggerating when I mentioned entire life? 

If you think it logically, the school and course you choose to pursue in polytechnic or junior college would highly determine your career path and the standard of lifestyle you wish to have? Provided one does well in his/her O's and get into their desired school and course of his/her choice. 

So pretty much, everyone who knew me deemed me as an incomprehensible being when I decided to gamble my future by sacrificing that one week instead of studying. 


But, well who gets to tell me what to do, other than myself right? 


 
In the washroom before flight!!

 
Meanwhile, myself got praised by two Korean guys for looking like a Korean (yay~)

Also, my cousin and I had Subway before the flight!! because we're famished. 
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Inside the waiting area for the plane arrival, 
we had nothing to do, therefore, SELCA TIME~ 
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In flight.

View from the window.

Yessssssuuu, SUPPER!! was already feeling hungry when our saviour finally made an entrance.

 The food was not bad!! Chicken meat was slightly on the sweeter side because of the yellow sauce>w< 

What's late night movie without dessert right?? 
Happy girl because they gave me my favourite, Strawberry ice-cream <3

That's all for the first night!! Time for us to rest by take our little nap~ 
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Having woke up from our short nap. 

We had a short stopover at Hongkong~ yayyy~
Food provided by the Japan Airline. 
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DAY TWO

Finally arrived at Kansai Airport, we then took the terminal train.
A beautiful view from the train window. 
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The first place we head to upon arrival was the information centre. 
At the information counter service, we made our purchases for the necessary survival for the following week.
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Our bus tickets
The view outside the airport, waiting for the bus services.
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More scenic beauty of Japan. 

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AIRBNB CHECK IN
Heading to our next destination would be finding our apartment!! 
Following would be a few snapshot showing off the apartment we booked.
Little snacks provided by the apartment owner.

Corn Chips




Chocolate Corn Biscuit. 
A full view mirror
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FOOD HUNT / LUNCH
As a hungry duo, my cousin and I went food hunting after placing all our stuff at the apartment.

The first restaurant we came to was called ANAGAKI.
Inside the shop, we had trouble placing order as we couldn't read Japanese character at all HAHA ( its embarrassing but i can only speak the most basic japanese but i can't read at all ) 

UNAGI!!! It was so authentic and tasted real amazing!!
The best part was the miso soup, loved it so much!! 
Tempura meal set.
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NEXT UP: FOOD HUNT / DESSERT
Dessert hunting was our next food hunt destination. 
YESSSS, ITS CREPE!! 
Strawberry icecream cheese cake crepe!! <3 
In comparison to the ones sold in Singapore. This crepe from Japan tasted 100% way better. 
That's because the crepe texture is soft and easy to chew and it has a great combination with the toppings. A taste of heaven for sweet tooth lovers <3 

Meanwhile, the crepe sold in Singapore, often taste overly crisp or burnt? and the topping isn't as (大方) generous? Well, I don't mean to flame my country's crepe but they really need to up their games? 

THE CREPE WAS SO GOOD!! Words cannot describe or emphasise how delicious this crepe was. 
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Satisfied with all the food we had. We decided to go for a walk and looked around as to what they have around the station. Done with the window shopping. It was time to find our way to the next destination. 
OSOMATSU!!!!!! I WAS FREAKING EXCITED UPON SEEING THE POSTER!! 
Wanted to bring the poster back so much. 
#ICHIMATSU IS BESTBOI 
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GETTING TO DONTONBURI.
Moving on to our afternoon travel destination...
I REALLY NEED TO RANT about my bad experience. :((

Basically, we spent an entire hour walking from station to station just to find the supposed train or direction we are required to take to get there. 

The first stationmaster we seek for help was from the Midosuji Line, and apparently, my cousin was speaking to him in ENGLISH. 

The reason was that the station masters were all too stubborn to even provide proper direction or help us out because we're foreigners and not locals. 
It only worked out in the end when I attempted at speaking broken Japanese to the station master at Midosuji after walking an hour round and returning back to the starting station.

Didn't had a great experience at midosuji but it was okay! I wouldn't let this one bad experience cloud my judgement for the rest of the days in Japan ^^
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Inside the station toilet. I took some full body shot hehehe
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At Dontonburi
It was still the early afternoon so the district wasn't very crowded and the atmosphere was rather friendly;)


The lanterns displayed as part of the store design was extremely eye-pleasing so I took photos of it!!
Along the crowded street.
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GETTING TO : SPA WORLD
To get to the location, we were required to walk passed the crowded street and climb a bit of stairs to come into this view, as shown in the photo taken below.
Upon entering this sight, we continued down the almost empty path.   
In the middle, there is an enterance to the popular spaworld. 
The enterance!!
Then, we bought ourselves a ticket into the spa heaven~ 
High recommend everyone who goes to Japan to experience the public bath. It is not just relaxing, also, the spa helps to cure one's fatigue after a long day. 

You can see my face glowing after coming out from the spa.
A non-edited photo of my backview !! 
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NEXT UP:
we stopped by a takoyaki shop as we were getting hungry!!
THE TAKOYAKI SIMPLY TASTED BEYOND OUR EXPECTATION!!
IT WAS SO GOOD!! TOTEMO OIISHI DESU!! 
#non-edited takoyaki upclose photo. 
p.s. for the poor lighting 

TRAVELLING FOR FOOD / DINNER
Inside the train.
The structure and design is extremely different in comparison to the train in Singapore. The sofa design are of fabric whilst, the seats in Singapore are mainly made using solid mixture of plastic. 
The most impressive part of the train would be the map. If you haven't realise, on the top left hand corner, there is a small television displaying the visions of the stations as the train travel. Which is not seen available in Singapore.

FOOD HUNTING / DINNER
Alighted from the train, we went out to the local streets.
A huge mall infront of the traffic crossing.
The animal plate were extremely cute so I had to take a photo!! 

 The Kabuki Theatre.
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At a certain Oknomiyaki Store
The queue was rather long so my cousin and I decided on this store!!
 
 The fake food sample!! 
Bullet tin board displaying photo of the store's menu.
The entrance.
A selfie of us taken outside the store while waiting!!
After a long wait, there was finally a table!!
Meanwhile, the group of people seating behind my cousin was having a goukon HAHAHAH
Menu in English version.
The oknomiyaki was rather average? The sauce was on the saltier side however, the pairing with the plain vegetable turned out to be a good combination. 

However, in terms of my own preferrence, the food wasn't to my taste. 
The yakisoba tasted rather normal than I had expected? Overall, the food tasted was alright!
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SELFIES TAKEN WHILE WAITING FOR OUR FOOD TO BE SERVED.
 
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Individual Selfie



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That's all for Day one and two!! Thank you staying till the end of the post^^