New Year's Trip to Japan 2020

Preface

After getting together with my wife, we had never traveled abroad. She often went on international trips, but I had never left the country. So, we planned to take a trip abroad during the New Year holiday and chose Japan, the closest destination, to gain some overseas travel experience and prepare for our future honeymoon in Europe.

We bought the tickets several months in advance, long before the pandemic. After returning from Japan, we felt that traveling abroad was much more enjoyable than domestic trips and even dreamed of visiting Europe someday. Looking back after the pandemic, we felt lucky to have taken that trip during the New Year holiday—otherwise, it might have been years before we could travel abroad again due to the pandemic.

Since it was transitioning from autumn to winter when we went, the weather was quite cold. We originally planned to visit Izu for hot springs, but my wife suggested keeping the itinerary relaxed—after all, we were on vacation, not a rushed tour. So, we only planned two destinations: Kyoto, to experience Japanese culture, and Tokyo, to feel the vibrancy and charm of Japan’s anime culture.

Overall Itinerary

12.28: Beijing Capital Airport T2 → Fuzhou Changle (transit) → Osaka Kansai International Airport T1 → took the train to the city → stayed near Kawaramachi Gojo
12.29: Visited Kiyomizu-dera, Ninenzaka, Sannenzaka → bought figurines at a licensed Ghibli store
12.30: Fushimi Inari Taisha → Gion, Hanamikoji Street → explored adult video stores and second-hand shops on the way back → bought more figurines
12.31: Wandered through Kyoto’s alleys to experience everyday Japanese life → visited Buttsu-ji Temple (featured in Detective Conan) → celebrated New Year’s Eve at Fushimi Inari Taisha
1.1: Took the Shinkansen from Kyoto to Tokyo → stayed near Akihabara → visited Roppongi Hills at night → bought a Switch at Yodobashi Camera
1.2: Explored various art museums (Ueno no Mori Art Museum, National Museum of Western Art, etc.)—discounts available for visiting multiple museums
1.3: Explored Akihabara’s anime culture → visited Nintendo’s official store in the afternoon
1.4: Visited the Fujiko F. Fujio Museum → took a bus to Narita Airport T1 in the afternoon → stayed overnight at the airport
1.5: Narita Airport T1 → Seoul Incheon Airport T1 (transit) → Incheon → Beijing Capital Airport T3 → returned home

Pre-Departure Preparations

We packed all the essentials and planned our itinerary meticulously. However, knowing my wife’s habits, sticking to the plan was unlikely—and sure enough, apart from pre-booked attractions like Roppongi Hills and the Fujiko F. Fujio Museum, most of our schedule was flexible. For example, if we got tired while exploring, we’d head back to rest and then wander around near the hotel later.

In case of emergencies, almost all convenience stores in Japan have ATMs that support UnionPay. The exchange rate is comparable to or slightly worse than domestic rates, with a small service fee. All three major chains offer Chinese-language services:

7-Eleven: ¥110 fee
FamilyMart: ¥75 fee
Lawson: ¥110 fee

Many places offer tax-free shopping (marked as “Tax Free”). Just show your passport, and your purchases will be sealed—don’t open them until after leaving the country.

Kyoto

Airport

Our flight was at 6:00 AM, so we woke up around 3:00 AM, got ready, and headed to the airport. We flew to Fuzhou Changle first, then transferred to Osaka without retrieving our luggage:

Before the trip, we learned that Japan’s transportation system is quite complex. Upon arriving at Kansai Airport, we bought ICOCA cards on-site and took the Haruka train to Kyoto:

From Kyoto Station, we took a bus to our accommodation:

We arrived at Kansai International Airport in Osaka after 6 PM and still needed to take the light rail to downtown Kyoto. Once in the city, we had no idea how to get to Gojo-Kawaramachi. We even boarded the wrong train once—each ride cost around 20 RMB, so the two of us wasted 40 RMB. At Kyoto Station, we asked several people in English and even encountered some Chinese living in Japan, but we still couldn’t get a clear answer. Eventually, we decided to ask the bus driver when a bus arrived. Under the disapproving gazes of the Japanese passengers, we pointed to the map of Gojo-Kawaramachi on our phone and said, “Here, go?” The driver, clearly familiar with foreigners like us, replied, “Yes, yes.” Finally, we successfully reached our hotel at Gojo-Kawaramachi.

On the way to the hotel, the bus was extremely quiet. Even when multiple people were riding together, no one spoke loudly. It seems what the books say about Japanese people avoiding conversation in public is true. This probably isn’t about politeness but more of a national characteristic. Influenced by the atmosphere, I felt too embarrassed to talk to my wife, so we both played on our phones. I tested the data-only SIM card bought from Taobao—the internet speed was fast, and it was great to have unrestricted access. By the time we arrived, it was already 10 PM (including the time wasted at the station trying to find the right bus).

The Hotel

I’m mentioning this hotel separately because it was the best of the three we stayed at during our trip to Japan. The one in Akihabara was second, and the worst was the hotel at Narita Airport.

The hotel in Kyoto is called Amanek Kyoto Kawaramachi Gojo. Upon arrival, we were greeted by a very lovely female receptionist who seemed accustomed to hosting foreigners, as she could speak Mandarin with a Taiwanese accent (perhaps she was from Taiwan?), Japanese, and English. She would greet us every time we entered or left the hotel. Our room was relatively small, but the facilities were well-equipped, and it even had the legendary bidet toilet seat. When traveling, I usually avoid using seated toilets because I find them unhygienic. But somehow, I ended up sitting on that warm toilet seat. After finishing my business, a stream of water washed me—my first experience with it was surprisingly pleasant. After drying off, I wiped with toilet paper and noticed a bit of residue, so I rinsed again. Including showering, I spent about an hour going back and forth in the bathroom. The bathroom amenities gave me a sense of how meticulous the Japanese are about personal hygiene.

Kiyomizu-dera

We left around 7 a.m. to head to Kiyomizu-dera by car. Along the way, we passed a beautiful river, supposedly called the Kamo River? There were indeed quite a few ducks:

We walked to the bus stop, which was uphill:

When we arrived, there were quite a few people. We encountered a child who, judging by the accent, sounded Russian, throwing a tantrum while the grandparents and parents tried to soothe them—it was amusing.

We took many photos, and the scenery was quite beautiful, though some areas were under renovation, so we didn’t explore everywhere:

As we strolled, we reached Ninen-zaka and Sannen-zaka:

There were some interesting little shops along the way:

Then we came across a Studio Ghibli store. The main Ghibli store is in Tokyo, and since we couldn’t secure tickets on Taobao before coming to Japan, we could only buy some merchandise here:

After exploring Ninen-zaka and Sannen-zaka, we had a meal:

We both agreed in our evaluation of this meal: the rice was fragrant, but lacked flavor. My wife and I prefer heavily seasoned foods—deep-fried, stir-fried, with plenty of scallions, ginger, garlic, chili, and vinegar. The ramen we had here felt bland. First, it was under-seasoned, as if no salt had been added. Second, there was no vinegar or chili, making the experience… frustrating. Yes, that’s the word—frustrating. Our unanimous verdict: Japanese food just doesn’t cut it. Later, we tried several other Japanese restaurants, both high-end and budget, which only reinforced this impression.

Heading north, we passed many temples along the way:

Eventually, we wandered into Gion:

Gion is very close to Yasaka Shrine. Since we planned to return for New Year’s Eve on the 31st, we skipped exploring it for now and decided to come back later.

After walking so much, we realized our hotel wasn’t too far away, so we chose to walk back to soak in the everyday life of ordinary Japanese people. We strolled freely through the narrow alleys:

In the evening, we wanted to visit Kyo-no-Yakinikudokoro Hiro, the 7th-ranked restaurant on Dianping, but reservations were required, and there were no available slots for the entire week. So, we ended up eating at another barbecue place… pretty much the same, I guess:

After dinner, that pretty much wrapped up the day’s itinerary.

Fushimi Inari Taisha

In the morning, we took the subway from the station near our hotel to Fushimi Inari Station:

Following the crowd, we made our way up. It was truly impressive—rows upon rows of torii gates, quite beautiful:

After exploring, we were exhausted and headed back. On the way, my wife bought some cosmetics and picked up a few things for friends. We passed by a video store where Chinese TV dramas were being screened in Japan—cultural export, haha:

The second floor was the adult section, featuring some AV films. As we browsed, my wife and I marveled: “Japan is such a fascinating country…” We couldn’t help but feel genuine admiration for the diversity of world cultures. Some things are banned in one place yet celebrated in another. If someone shuttles between these two worlds, it’s hard not to think: “Much ado about nothing.” Then came the thought: “Any system that makes people happy is a good system.” The content was NSFW (showing cleavage but censored below), so no pictures here.

Broadening one’s horizons and gaining new perspectives instead of taking things for granted—perhaps that’s the true meaning of travel.

Afterward, we stumbled upon a second-hand shop, browsed around, bought a “Prison Break Rabbit” figurine, and returned to the hotel.

Yasaka Shrine

Originally, we planned to visit Yasaka Shrine on the 29th, our first day. But since we were also going there for New Year’s Eve on the 31st, we decided to combine the trips. Since the countdown was at night, we spent the morning wandering around:

We visited Hōkō-ji Temple from Detective Conan (unplanned earlier):

In the evening, we arrived at Yasaka Shrine. It was crowded, like a festival (which it was). The lanterns were beautiful, and there were people in kimonos—maybe because it was novel to us, everything seemed charming:

We queued up to pay our respects at midnight, but since we had an early train the next day and the temperature dropped drastically, we left around 11:30 PM, freezing, and headed back to the hotel.

Tokyo

In Tokyo, our focus was anime and fun. We mostly indulged in entertainment—bought a Switch, spent nearly 300 yuan on gachapon, visited the Fujiko F. Fujio Museum, bought some Doraemon souvenirs, and saw Van Gogh’s original paintings (my wife’s idea, not mine, haha).

Roppongi Hills

From Kyoto, we took the Shinkansen from the same station (which also appeared in Detective Conan—Sonoko’s line was: “Kyoto really feels like the hometown of the Japanese people~”):

Then we arrived in Tokyo via the Shinkansen. Yeah, it was pretty hot, haha.

After switching trains in Tokyo, we reached our hotel near Akihabara. Even the manhole covers looked fascinating:

We dropped our bags at the hotel and immediately headed to Yodobashi Camera in Akihabara, where I bought a Switch and took a photo with Super Mario:

After shopping, we returned to the hotel (Yodobashi was very close) and then went to Roppongi Hills for the night view:

Then we called it a night.

Art Museums

The next day was all about art museums. Since my wife studied art, she insisted on going, and I tagged along to soak up some “artistic bacteria.”

First stop: Ueno no Mori Art Museum, featuring original works by Monet and Van Gogh:

Next, we visited the National Museum of Western Art, just north of Ueno no Mori. My wife spent a long time there. One painting, she said, was called “The Goose” (or something like that), by a famous Italian (or somewhere else) painter. I didn’t really get it.

After visiting two places and feeling exhausted, we returned to Akihabara and started playing with gachapon machines, spending several hundred RMB on them… My wife seemed utterly addicted.

During our gachapon spree, we also spotted what appeared to be a 40-something corporate drone playing a dating sim game (the gachapon machines and arcade games were in the same area). It truly matched the descriptions from books and online—we’d encountered the legendary middle-aged otaku of Japan. Later, my wife and I discussed it and couldn’t help but marvel: Japan is such a fascinating country…

Akihabara Gacha Shopping Spree

We spent the morning continuing our adventures in Akihabara, visiting the famed “Gachapon Capital of Akihabara.” There were indeed hundreds of gachapon machines—impressive. We even noticed a designated smoking area, which looked like a storefront sandwiched between shops, clearly marked as a smoking zone with several people inside.

We browsed some second-hand stores, checking out tons of figurines. Influenced by me, my wife wanted to buy a Sakamoto figure (from Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto or alternatively translated as I’m Sakamoto, So Cool?). After searching through multiple shops without success, she even pulled up a picture of Sakamoto on her phone to show the staff. The clerk took one look, burst out laughing, and crossed their arms in an “X” while saying “No”—meaning they didn’t have it:

Next, we visited Itoya, a stationery store, but everything was too expensive. We left empty-handed and headed to Muji instead, where we bought a backpack, a small cup, and some other items.

Then we went to the Nintendo Store. Oddly, there’s one in Japan and one in the U.S., with the American one opening first. The Japanese store had only recently launched… Guess they prioritize making money from the “daddy” market first. Impressive:

We bought some Nintendo souvenirs, like a tote bag, a Switch game, and a T-Rex figure.

The day was basically a shopping spree—some items for friends and colleagues, some for ourselves, plus the gachapon figures we won. Here’s a group photo of everything:

And that wrapped up the day.

Fujiko·F·Fujio Museum

Since we’d prepaid for tickets online, today was dedicated to visiting the Fujiko·F·Fujio Museum:

The location was quite far, requiring transfers, and Google Maps’ inaccuracy nearly made us miss our ride. From Akihabara, we took a train, transferred, and arrived at a stop where a dedicated museum shuttle (decorated with Doraemon, Nobita, and friends!) was supposed to be waiting. But we couldn’t find it. With our reserved time slot approaching, we grew frantic—until a hunched elderly woman suddenly appeared. My goodness, she looked and sounded exactly like Nobita’s grandma from Doraemon! She asked in Japanese, “Doraemon?” I quickly replied, “YES!” She then gave directions in Japanese (she didn’t speak English), and though I couldn’t understand her words, her gestures suggested going straight and crossing a bridge. She even mimed a Doraemon-shaped arrow (somehow, I understood!!!), indicating we should descend the bridge after that. Miraculously, I got it. The entire exchange was in Japanese, and the only word I caught was “Doraemon.” I thanked her repeatedly (“Arigato!”) while waving goodbye. As we walked away, I told my wife, “Didn’t she look just like Nobita’s grandma?” I glanced back, but she’d already disappeared behind a building.

Looking back, it felt like Nobita’s grandma had come to guide us so we wouldn’t miss seeing her grandson!

The museum shuttle:

The ride took about 20 minutes:

While waiting in line for ticket checks, we spotted cute little Doraemon designs on the walls:

Since it’s the Fujiko·F·Fujio Museum, the exhibits focused on his life—how he entered the manga industry, created Doraemon, and balanced work with family. It was fantastic.

The “Woodcutter’s Spring,” haha:

A studious little Doraemon reading manga:

A model of Nobita’s house:

We also tried the Doraemon gacha machine, and amazingly, there were 5 different types in total. We played 5 times, with only one duplicate—the other four were all unique Doraemon designs. Coincidentally, someone nearby with a Taiwanese accent was complaining about getting two identical ones. I took a look and realized that the one he had duplicated was the one I was missing, and vice versa. So, I went up and suggested we swap! He said OK. In the end, after five tries, we collected all five Doraemon variants!

After that, we watched a roughly 20-minute documentary (or maybe an animated short—I can’t remember now).

A panicked Doraemon:

As before, we took many photos of my wife and me, but I won’t post them here~

After exploring, we took the train to Narita Airport for our flight home. The route was quite long, the transfers were complicated, and it took a while—we almost boarded the wrong train, but we made it safely in the end.

At the airport, we ran into language barriers again, and even Google Maps was useless (seriously, it’s terrible). There was actually a free shuttle from the subway station to our hotel entrance, but instead, we ended up walking across a bridge, through a parking lot, down several streets, and along a busy roadside (seemingly an airport access road with lots of private cars) for nearly 30 minutes. Still, we managed to reach the hotel safely.

As expected of an airport—just like other high-traffic areas worldwide (bus stations, high-speed rail stations, train stations, airports)—the nearby hotels were subpar. The toilet had weak water pressure and couldn’t flush properly, plus it was a Western-style seat. The room was decently sized, but the soundproofing was awful, and there was a strange odor. It wasn’t very comfortable, but since we were leaving soon anyway, we didn’t dwell on it. We just packed up and rested.

The next day, we flew to Seoul for a layover and had a meal. I have to say, Korean flavors are much closer to Chinese tastes—plenty of kimchi, chili, and such. Haha:

Closing Thoughts

With that, our trip to Japan came to an end. We encountered many challenges and reflected on a lot of new experiences. Overall, it was fantastic, and I’d love to go back—though next time, I’d pick a different destination, like soaking in hot springs in Izu, seeing Mount Fuji, or lounging by the seaside.

- EOF -

Originally published at: New Year's Trip to Japan 2020 - Xheldon Blog