Wolf Money/Bargain(Osaka and Kyoto)part2
The prices in general have climbed significantly in Japan. Where are the bargains then? Read on
Attraction
Nara Park
One of my top picks is Nara Park. Nara is one hour train ride away from Osaka. If anyone is looking for the great outdoor experience, the park is an excellent choice. Visitor can buy a deck of peanut cookies at ¥200 to feed the deer. Once the deer see you holding onto the biscuit, you can be sure a herd will be forming around you to grab a bite. The biscuit will be gone in a minute. The deer, like the Japanese, are well-mannered. They will bow to the visitors to get a biscuit. Remember to be constantly on the move before one gets sworn by many deer. The deer are cute, but they can get aggressive. No ticket is required for this attraction. One could spend a full morning looking at those fascinating animal.
Street of Uji
Uji is just 20 mins from Kyoto. The city is the centre of green tea. In this city you can find modern and traditional tea houses. We were on hand to try out some of the finest green tea in Japan. A tea set with a piece of Azuki cake cost ¥1400. The tea is one of the finest that we have tasted. It doesn’t have the bitter aftertaste associated with most green tea brews. The red bean cake goes very well with the tea. Sometimes you wonder is drinking tea in Uji the life we always wanted? No stress, just beautiful scenery and a bowl of matcha.
Nintendo Museum
The Nintendo museum in Kyoto opened in late 2024. It is one of the newest attractions for visitors coming to the city. This exclusive experience was made possible by my wife, who had asked a third party to get us some very expensive black market tickets as the normal route of buying tickets online is close to impossible. I would have put this attraction on the top of my list if the ease of ticketing was available.
The normal way of getting a ticket goes by indicating their interest 3 months in advance. After which a balloting exercise will be conducted to pick the winners. Once picked, you have to navigate a host of registrations with a valid account to buy the tickets. Keying your passport numbers and name correctly. The museum could refuse entry if the name on the passport doesn’t match up with their database blah blah …..blah….security check and more checks at the gate, bag check and metal detector. Blind me, the entry to the museum is more secure than a nuclear facility.
A trip to the museum can’t end without getting some exclusive merchandise on the way out. We finished the day with a meal at Hatena burger. If you are a hardcore fan of Nintendo or Super Mario. Do whatever possible to get yourself a ticket. The experience is worth every penny.
Kyoto Railway Museum
The exhibition is very well put together. Visitors can trace the history of Japan Rail Co. There are plenty of retired trains on display, including the first Shinkansen train that dated back to 1964. Visitors can get onto a steam train to appreciate those grandpa trains. Tickets cost ¥1500 for adults and children below the age of 12 get a concessionary rate of ¥500. Separate tickets are required for the steam train ride.
Shopping
The convenience store is one such place where I spend a good amount of time looking for gifts. There are limited edition merchandises only available in Japan. They are popular with locals and tourists. I have to search high and low for some limited-edition socks.
Shopping shouldn’t be the only itinerary, but if your wallet is burning a hole in your pocket, head down to Dotonbori, Osaka. Parco, Daimaru and many shops selling electronic items , souvenirs and luxury goods are within the Shinsaibashi shopping street. I am sure there are something for everyone.
Standard Products, part of Daiso, offers value for money items. I am mostly drawn to their household goods due to their good design and low prices. For those salarymen looking to stretch their dollar, a haversack with laptop compartment costs just ¥1000 about SGD $8. The quality and the minimalist design are suitable for every occasion.
Before shopping at any departmental stores head straight to the customer service desk. Departmental stores offer an additional 5% for tourists on certain items if you register with them at the information counter. Tax refunds are a breeze, they are usually located at the highest floor. I had a great time looking at some locally made travelling case. In general, branded goods are at least 10% cheaper in Japan. I had my travel case wheels fixed in Takashimaya for ¥22000 within 30 mins. The service was top-notch at Rimowa. My appreciation goes to the staff for fixing up the wheels in double quick time.
Food
We had a lot of ramens and curry rice during our trip to Osaka and Kyoto. Most of them are pretty good, but one eatery that stood out was an unassuming Chinese restaurant tucked away in an obscure corner off the main shopping street of Nara. The prices are reasonable, the vibes in the restaurant are incredible. The taste of Mapo tofu and fried rice are off the chart. We had Gyoza and Chicken Karaage too. They were equally impressive with the service.
Tokyo Taxi(movie)
If anyone is flying Singapore Airlines this month. I suggest watching this movie. Tokyo Taxi staring Takuya Kimura. It was a remake of a French-Belgian movie “Driving Madeleine.” The movie’s plot centred around a taxi driver who barely earned enough in Tokyo to feed his family. Bread and butter issues constantly plagued the family. During one of his rest days, he was tasked by a fellow driver to drive an 85-year-old lady to her nursing home in Yokohama. During the ride, the old lady was taken to many places in Tokyo where she recollected her childhood memories and life stories. They developed a genuine friendship with each other. The plot struck me as something very relatable. The struggle and their personal problems of living in a city is so poignant. The genuine conversation between the driver and the passenger adds so much depth to the movie. I wouldn’t disclose the ending. Catch it if you can. One of the better movies I saw this year without a big budget. By the way, I like travelling in their Toyota Taxi. They are comfortable and spacious. Their taxi is the equivalent of the London Cab.
Ending note
For the 11-day trip, we spent close to SGD $3500 or ¥440,000 per person on accommodation, airfare, attractions, food and some moderate shopping incorporated into our budget. After my past experience of going to their theme parks, I wouldn’t recommend going USJ in Osaka or Disneyland in Tokyo if you want to make your time and money worthwhile. Both parks are a victim of their own success. There are way too many people in the theme parks to be able to enjoy the experience fully.
Through the eyes of a Singaporean, I find my recent trip to Osaka and Kyoto an eye-opener. Japan is a country full of beautiful scenery. The people are well organised and friendly. The local seem to be more accommodative to tourists that do not know the local norms. Behind the pleasantry, will they ever get frustrated with the influx of tourists to their city? Affecting their way of life, driving up the prices of their essential goods. Osaka is a city of contradiction. On one hand, many heritage attractions are well preserved, making it a perfect city for any tourists to visit. On the other, there is a dark side to the city. Many youths are paddling sexual services along the dark alleyways of Dotonbori. With the rising popularity of right wing politics in Japan, will future trips to Japan be met with hostility of a Butsukari Otoke(shoulder bump)? I hope not. Enjoy Japan for what it is, Osaka and Kyoto are great examples of cities that never try to impress, which makes them more impressive than it looks. God bless this beautiful country.
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