My train trip through Japan part 8/8 [October 2019]
Before I travel towards the final destination of my roundtrip through Japan, I decide to spend a leisurely morning in Hiroshima. I've discovered an old garden nearby my hotel that I want to explore. It's lovely not to have to get up super early to catch a train:) Of course there will be some traveling in the afternoon when I have to make my way to Osaka, from where I'll be flying home the next day. But first let's go on a lovely stroll!
Day 9: [Monday, October 14, 2019]
Shukkeien Garden - Hiroshima
It's my last hotel breakfast in Japan. This hotel in Hiroshima also has that very handy card for single eaters, that you can use if you need to get up for seconds;) Yes, those are chicken nuggets and fried potatoes, omnomnom. Great pastry too!
I check out, but leave my luggage at the hotel and walk across the pedestrian bridge nearby.
I cross the river and follow the signs to Shukkeien Garden (and the signs NOT to the garden, haha:)
This sign to warn you about powerlines seems a little too cute for its purpose.
When I enter Shukkeien the first sight is an immidiate reminder of the horrid history of Hiroshima. The garden is about 1.3 kilometers from the epicenter of the 1945 A-bomb and was completely leveled as a result of the bombing. A large number of people took refuge here, but died before receiving medical care. Their remains were interred within the garden.
The garden was designed in 1620 by Soko Ueda for Lord Asano. Its name means shrink-scenery garden and is a collection of scenic views in miniature, modeled on the gardens in Hangzhou, China!
In the center of Shukkeien is Takuei Pond, with islets of all shapes and sizes. The bridge in the middle is called Koko-kyo (Bridge between Heaven and Earth)
I loved the Bamboo Grove, such fascinating trees!
Beautiful shadows all around and I saw lots of Koi fish...
... and a turtle and a shrine!
I wander around for about an hour, before I have to leave. It was a very relaxing stroll.
I walk back to the hotel to pick up my bags and go to the trainstation for the 11:54 Shinkansen.
My trusted Japan Rail Pass is ready for its final trip and so am I:)
I bought a bag of tiny maple sirup cakes and hot lemonade for lunch:)
View from the Shinkansen (bullettrain) from Hiroshima to Shin-Osaka. See how it speeds up, woohoo!
Traveling to Osaka
First glance of Osaka. My Shinkansen takes me to Shin-Osaka in 90 minutes, from there I catch a local JR train to Osaka Station.
Tadaah!
While I'm trying to find the right exit out of this massive station, I come across the Water Clock monument. My camera couldn't focus on the water for the full recording, but I still wanted to share this video, because this clock was so much fun to watch!
The map doesn't look too confusing, but I do indeed once again manage to get a little lost when I try to find my hotel (it's the one in a straight line above the faded You Are Here point, at the top edge of the map). Fortunately there are cool man hole covers to distract me from the slight and usual panic.
A folded crane welcomes me in my very fancy room. The robes are the cutest I've seen on this trip.
Osaka looks like the most modern city on my trip; only office buildings here. It's also feels like the shady part of town, mostly because of the surprising amount of 'sexy' clubs. I'm not easily spooked, but this was not a pleasant place to walk around.
But Osaka does have a very nice man hole design *grins*
And I do manage to see some beauty as I find my way around the station area. I also discover a tiny restaurant with my favorite machine-ordering system. From the pictures outside I pick a combo of tiny bowls for dinner. When I go to the counter with my ticket there is a little bit of confusion on my end when the lady asks what noodles I prefer, which I don't understand until she very kindly calls the cook to have him show me the options. People are so nice <3
The two "small" bowls turn out to be HUGE! It's delicious noodle soup and a spicey curry rice dish. I make a brave effort, but it's the first time during this trip that I'm not able to eat all the food I ordered. But look how I handle the noodles! *victory lap*
This dinner filled me up good! I explore the station a little more, mostly to figure out how to easily get to the right platform early in the morning.
Then I make my way back to the hotel through the loud streets of Osaka before I soak in a bubble bath for the last time. *happy sigh*
Day 10: [Tuesday, October 15, 2019]
From Osaka to Amsterdam
I check out around 06:30 (need the roomkeycard to use the elevator, to me that is indeed a sign that the area is a bit shady;) and walk to the station.
Bye Osaka. I do love your clear rules and smoke-free sidewalks.
Thanks to last night's exploring, I walk straight to the station this time and I can also easily find the right platform for the train to the airport. I hardly even pay attention to the signs.
It's crowded, but I manage to grab a seat in car number 6 with a great view! I'm so glad I can sit down and relax now, all the way to the airport...
Somewhere along the way other tourists on this train suddenly get restless; as it turns out, this part of the train is not going to the airport! Apparently at one of the next stops the train will be divided and a bunch of people with huge suitcases try to make their way to the front. Because I only have a small backpack I manage to manouvre through the crowds on the train to get to the right cars.
It's standing room only in this part of the train, but at least I will get to my destination. Did you notice the warning on the stairs earlier? On every station along the way there are clear signs that only the first 4 cars go to the airport, haha!
I have a good view of the train being split; imagine if I hadn't noticed in time and saw the right part disappear in the distance. Such an adrenaline rush early in the morning!
Made it! First thing I do is sit down with my yoghurt and 'melon' bread for a late breakfast. (Had only taken a little snack in the hotel, but obviously wasn't able to eat on the train, I could barely move in that crowd!)
I spend my last Japanese money on this awesome souvenir snack boxes, I pick one with a green macha theme (mom and I had fun with this for weeks after:)
The airport is huge; to get to the gate you get on a tiny train!
Ready to go! I finally remembered to film the take off:
I always get a little emotional, just from the sheer awesomeness of flying.
I mean: look! We're above the clouds!
I never forget to take a picture of my food :-p I chose rice with fish.
Another meal, I've lost all sense of time, this is tagliatelle.
I love to keep an eye on the satellite tracker <3
Ahw, home sweet home. Well, Schiphol airport in Amsterdam. From here it's about a 90 minute journey to get home. On an another train, yay!
Thanks for traveling along with me, y'all. I do hope to be able to return to Japan one day, because I felt this was only a snippet of what it has to offer. What a wonderful trip it was:)
The End.
Previous travel reports: Part 1: Traveling to Japan | Part 2: Temples in Tokyo | Part 3: Nikko
Part 4: From Tokyo to Kyoto | Part 5: Nara | Part 6: A stormy day in Kyoto | Part 7: Hiroshima & Miyajima
J.
X-posted from https://beelikej.dreamwidth.org/558755.html
Day 9: [Monday, October 14, 2019]
Shukkeien Garden - Hiroshima
It's my last hotel breakfast in Japan. This hotel in Hiroshima also has that very handy card for single eaters, that you can use if you need to get up for seconds;) Yes, those are chicken nuggets and fried potatoes, omnomnom. Great pastry too!
I check out, but leave my luggage at the hotel and walk across the pedestrian bridge nearby.
I cross the river and follow the signs to Shukkeien Garden (and the signs NOT to the garden, haha:)
This sign to warn you about powerlines seems a little too cute for its purpose.
When I enter Shukkeien the first sight is an immidiate reminder of the horrid history of Hiroshima. The garden is about 1.3 kilometers from the epicenter of the 1945 A-bomb and was completely leveled as a result of the bombing. A large number of people took refuge here, but died before receiving medical care. Their remains were interred within the garden.
The garden was designed in 1620 by Soko Ueda for Lord Asano. Its name means shrink-scenery garden and is a collection of scenic views in miniature, modeled on the gardens in Hangzhou, China!
In the center of Shukkeien is Takuei Pond, with islets of all shapes and sizes. The bridge in the middle is called Koko-kyo (Bridge between Heaven and Earth)
I loved the Bamboo Grove, such fascinating trees!
Beautiful shadows all around and I saw lots of Koi fish...
... and a turtle and a shrine!
I wander around for about an hour, before I have to leave. It was a very relaxing stroll.
I walk back to the hotel to pick up my bags and go to the trainstation for the 11:54 Shinkansen.
My trusted Japan Rail Pass is ready for its final trip and so am I:)
I bought a bag of tiny maple sirup cakes and hot lemonade for lunch:)
Click to viewView from the Shinkansen (bullettrain) from Hiroshima to Shin-Osaka. See how it speeds up, woohoo!
Traveling to Osaka
First glance of Osaka. My Shinkansen takes me to Shin-Osaka in 90 minutes, from there I catch a local JR train to Osaka Station.
Tadaah!
While I'm trying to find the right exit out of this massive station, I come across the Water Clock monument. My camera couldn't focus on the water for the full recording, but I still wanted to share this video, because this clock was so much fun to watch!
The map doesn't look too confusing, but I do indeed once again manage to get a little lost when I try to find my hotel (it's the one in a straight line above the faded You Are Here point, at the top edge of the map). Fortunately there are cool man hole covers to distract me from the slight and usual panic.
A folded crane welcomes me in my very fancy room. The robes are the cutest I've seen on this trip.
Osaka looks like the most modern city on my trip; only office buildings here. It's also feels like the shady part of town, mostly because of the surprising amount of 'sexy' clubs. I'm not easily spooked, but this was not a pleasant place to walk around.
But Osaka does have a very nice man hole design *grins*
And I do manage to see some beauty as I find my way around the station area. I also discover a tiny restaurant with my favorite machine-ordering system. From the pictures outside I pick a combo of tiny bowls for dinner. When I go to the counter with my ticket there is a little bit of confusion on my end when the lady asks what noodles I prefer, which I don't understand until she very kindly calls the cook to have him show me the options. People are so nice <3
The two "small" bowls turn out to be HUGE! It's delicious noodle soup and a spicey curry rice dish. I make a brave effort, but it's the first time during this trip that I'm not able to eat all the food I ordered. But look how I handle the noodles! *victory lap*
This dinner filled me up good! I explore the station a little more, mostly to figure out how to easily get to the right platform early in the morning.
Then I make my way back to the hotel through the loud streets of Osaka before I soak in a bubble bath for the last time. *happy sigh*
Day 10: [Tuesday, October 15, 2019]
From Osaka to Amsterdam
I check out around 06:30 (need the roomkeycard to use the elevator, to me that is indeed a sign that the area is a bit shady;) and walk to the station.
Bye Osaka. I do love your clear rules and smoke-free sidewalks.
Thanks to last night's exploring, I walk straight to the station this time and I can also easily find the right platform for the train to the airport. I hardly even pay attention to the signs.
It's crowded, but I manage to grab a seat in car number 6 with a great view! I'm so glad I can sit down and relax now, all the way to the airport...
Somewhere along the way other tourists on this train suddenly get restless; as it turns out, this part of the train is not going to the airport! Apparently at one of the next stops the train will be divided and a bunch of people with huge suitcases try to make their way to the front. Because I only have a small backpack I manage to manouvre through the crowds on the train to get to the right cars.
It's standing room only in this part of the train, but at least I will get to my destination. Did you notice the warning on the stairs earlier? On every station along the way there are clear signs that only the first 4 cars go to the airport, haha!
I have a good view of the train being split; imagine if I hadn't noticed in time and saw the right part disappear in the distance. Such an adrenaline rush early in the morning!
Made it! First thing I do is sit down with my yoghurt and 'melon' bread for a late breakfast. (Had only taken a little snack in the hotel, but obviously wasn't able to eat on the train, I could barely move in that crowd!)
I spend my last Japanese money on this awesome souvenir snack boxes, I pick one with a green macha theme (mom and I had fun with this for weeks after:)
The airport is huge; to get to the gate you get on a tiny train!
Ready to go! I finally remembered to film the take off:
I always get a little emotional, just from the sheer awesomeness of flying.
I mean: look! We're above the clouds!
I never forget to take a picture of my food :-p I chose rice with fish.
Another meal, I've lost all sense of time, this is tagliatelle.
I love to keep an eye on the satellite tracker <3
Ahw, home sweet home. Well, Schiphol airport in Amsterdam. From here it's about a 90 minute journey to get home. On an another train, yay!
Thanks for traveling along with me, y'all. I do hope to be able to return to Japan one day, because I felt this was only a snippet of what it has to offer. What a wonderful trip it was:)
The End.
Previous travel reports: Part 1: Traveling to Japan | Part 2: Temples in Tokyo | Part 3: Nikko
Part 4: From Tokyo to Kyoto | Part 5: Nara | Part 6: A stormy day in Kyoto | Part 7: Hiroshima & Miyajima
J.
X-posted from https://beelikej.dreamwidth.org/558755.html