My earlier trips to Japan were so focused on cars, that I didn’t bother with seeing or understand the culture of Japan, besides what my friends had exposed to me. So I am thankful my wife was more mindful about seeing some of these great places!
We were staying in Shinjuku for the next 2 days. After checking in and dropping off our stuff, we went to Shinjuku station trying to figure out how to get to Tokyo Skytree.
Jasmin figured out that the Sobu Rapid line and the change at Kin station.
Then Hamzomon subway line to Oshiage Skytree station.
A short walk and some escalator and elevators we were there!!!
There was a long line for the Skytree. Kirby Cafe, and tons of cool shopping stores!
We got up that morning and packed to leave once we get back from Kyoto. Soon, we headed for the Shinsaibashi station. We were going back to Kyoto to see a few things.
We got to Kyoto station and got on the bus. We were planned to see The Golden Pavilion, Fushimi Inari Taisa and others. After the Golden Pavilion, I think we were kinda worn out.
So instead of hopping on the bus or trains to go to other temples and shrines, we started shopping.
Fushimi Inari is one of those places you have to dedicate hours to if you want to go up the mountain. So we did not go.
When Jasmin and I got to Osaka, we went to our place of stay (not a hotel) and it felt awkward. First off, the sign on the building’s front door says no AirBnB services. Then when we got to our room, it wasn’t super clean (hair was in the bathroom, bed sheets and floor). Almost like they forgot to sweep.
I was content, but Jasmin wasn’t. So she called AirBnB. We mentioned the sign on the front door and they said take a picture. After they received it, they refunded our money and said that the host wasn’t being honest with them. This place was kinda further away from the things we wanted anyway.
Jasmin found a decent priced hotel on short notice (we were staying here for 3 days). Best Western Hotel Fino in Shinsaibashi!!!
Not only that, We were walking distance to Dotonbori!!! This is that really cool food district in Osaka!
Once we checked in and put stuff away, we decided to check out Dotonbori at night and boy was it active!!! Food places galore!
You have to have decent navigation skills and sense of direction because looking down each street… they look all the same.
At Arashiyama station, we explored Kimono Forest. It was late and we were tired from the long day in Kyoto. We covered many things and went from East to West Kyoto.
It was time to head back. I lost these pictures when I merged them on my computer and thought they were all the same (idiot move!). But we jumped on 3 systems to get back to JR Kyoto station.
Randen Arashiyama station is for the the Keifuku Randen tram system. The trams are Electric. The fare is a flat rate, I think of $2 or 220 yen. You can buy a ticket before or pay in change after.
These are historic and nostalgic since these are very few (I learned of only 2 tram lines left).
We started at Arashiyama station (A13) and needed to get Randen-Tenjingawa Station (A5).
Stock photo of Randen train
KYOTO, JAPAN – CIRCA APRIL 2016: Randen sight seeing tram from Arashiyama station.
After getting off at Randen-Tejingawa station, it is a small walk to Uzumasa-Tenjingawa station (operated byKyoto Municipal Subway). While the tram is street level, once you get off, you’ll see a small building across the street that stands out because it is some kind of peach color. That is the subway entrance.
Here we boarded the Tozai line at Uzumasa-Tenjingawa Station (T17).
credit: discoverykyoto.com
Kyoto Subway map for Karasuma and Tozai line.
We would get off at Karasuma Oike Station (K8).
At this station, we would use the other subway train, Karasuma line.
