Japan - Day 2 : Osaka-Kyoto-Osaka (Asahi Beer, Fushimi Inari Shrine, Shinsaibashi)

Rise and shine!

Today we have an appointment with Asahi Beer at 11 o’clock. We arrive earlier than the schedule, so we have to wait for a bit outside. 

Asahi Beer is one of the oldest and most successful Beer Manufacturing Industry in Japan.

The product is easily find in every supermarket and also in almost vending machine all around Japan. 

ASAHI BEER 

When I go inside the building, it doesn’t feel like a beer industry, because the atmosphere is really neat, calm, and clean.

With the Asahi Beer front-desk employee 

(Sorry, in some places no pictures allowed, especially inside the factory, so I don’t take so many pictures)

First, we watched a short video in English in the auditorium about the Asahi Beer history from year to year. 

Then, the employee of Asahi Beer guide us around the museum and explain to us the step to make beer, and also show us the leaves to make the beer. 

After that, the employee guide us into the factory where we can see the process of making the Asahi Beer from the beginning until the packaging.

Asahi Beer produce their product mostly by machine. Inside the factory, you’ll only see few people around. Even in the packaging process, they already use machine. Asahi Beer has another factory besides in Osaka. If I’m not mistaken, in total there are 8 factories in Japan.

We're having a tour around and we can also touch the leaves to make the beer!

Inside the museum

Beer display from all over the world! Can you spot Bir Bintang from Indonesia ? :)

The Beer is process with this large white tube!

In the end of the tour, we gather around the hall of Asahi Beer, and we can try the Asahi Beer “Super Dry”, The black one, and also the original Asahi Beer. If you cannot drink Beer, they also provide other drinks such as apple juice, and so on.

Believe me, you should try the Beer. It really tasty and good ! My favourite is the Super Dry one.

If you have time, just visit Asahi Beer. It’s an interesting place to go! ;)

FUSHIMI INARI SHRINE - KYOTO

After having some beer, we go back to the bus. Our next destination for today is Fushimi Inari Shrine, which is located in Kyoto. 

Kyoto is like 1-2 hour from Osaka, so at the bus, we chit chat with our tour leader, eat lunch and also get some rest.

Our lunch! Yummy!

Finally we arrived at Fushimi Inari Shrine ! 

From the parking area, we need to walk approx. 10 minutes to get to the Shrine. You’ll pass through the houses, crossing the train railway, and also passing some souvenir shop and some food stalls.

I don't know if I can take pictures or not... this is one of the souvenir shop near Fushimi Inari Shrine

The main approach to Fushimi Inari Shrine

If you found a food stall that sell Fish Cake, that means you already close to the shrine. 

You must try the fish cake, because fish cake is really famous in Japan. I try the red bean > the most famous one, I think. 

The taste is so-so, but it’s worth it and must try, because we’re in Japan, hahaha !

Me, eating the Red Bean Fishcake!

Like other shrine, Fushimi Inari Shrine has a very warm atmosphere. A lot of tourist go to this place just to see around, or maybe to pray. 

What makes Fushimi Inari different from the other Shrine is it has 1000 thousand of gate. So you’ll see a lot of gate along the way. 

It’s very beautiful and a must place to go in Kyoto!

Fushimi Inari Shrine!

Before entering the shrine, you must clean yourself first

Posing near the 1000 gate ;)

Meet this Kawaii girl with Kimono!

Food Stall Near Fushimi Inari Shrine

A random pict of me! Narcism Never Ends..hahaha

SHINSAIBASHI - OSAKA

From Fushimi Inari Shrine, we got back again to Osaka by bus.

On 5 p.m, we already reached Osaka and go to Shinsaibashi to shop ! Shinsaibashi is really crowded and it’s really alive in here! 

There are lots of digital advertisement around and it’s also surrounded by huge buildings. Oh my, one day is never enough to go around this place! x.x

International and also local brand can be found here. So yeah, let’s go around!

Shinsaibashi in the afternoon

Around Shinsaibashi

Around Shinsaibashi

Very delicious and famous cheesecake, you can found this in Shinsaibashi!

Eat Tonkotsu (Pork) Ramen for dinner! 

COMPLETE GUIDE JAPAN TRIP : 

Day 1 : OBKG, Osaka Mint (Sakura!), Osaka Castle, Umeda
Day 2 : Osaka-Kyoto-Osaka (Asahi Beer, Fushimi Inari Shrine, Shinsaibashi)
Day 3 : Nissin Instant Ramen Museum, Shinkansen to Tokyo, Shinagawa Aquarium (Meet with Kaze and Midori!)
Day 4 : Asahi Shimbun, Tokyo Stock Exchange, Ginza
Day 5 : Nissan, Waseda University, Shinjuku Government Building
Day 6 : NHK Studio Park, Takeshita Dori, Asakusa Temple, Tokyo Sky Tree
Day 7 : Tokyo Disneysea 
Day 8 : Ikebukuro, Asahi Archery (Otsuka), Akihabara, Roppongi (Tokyo Tower)
Day 9 : Meiji Shrine, Odaiba
Day 10 : Shibuya (Hachiko Statue), Doraemon Museum, Cirque Du Soleil - See you Japan!!

BONUS : 11 UNIQUE FACTS ABOUT JAPAN

Thanks, reader(s)!

[Megan Faustine]

Add me in Snapchat for Live Updates!

meganfaustine

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Japan - Day 1 : OBKG, Osaka Mint (Sakura!), Osaka Castle, Umeda

Finally, YEAH I’M IN JAPAN!! That’s the first thing across my mind ;) 

Inside the Airplane

Before entering into my journey, let me give you some interface. 

Actually, I’m going to Japan with my friends in the same University Major, which is International Business Management (IBM).

So, IBM has an event called International Study Excursion (ISE) for students in semester 6.

This ISE will be in 7 days (14 April - 20 April 2014), when the Sakura season is almost ended - but there’s still some sakura - in Japan. 

Moreover, all of my friends and I decided to extend our trip until 23 April 2014, which we’ll go and arrange it on our own. 

Our flight to Japan is on 13 April, and our flight back is on 24 April. 

In the ISE program, sorry if I didn’t provide any directions / how to get to the place because mostly I went with the Bus from my tour guide. You can check how to go to the place on your own, believe me, it will be easy! 

But relax, in our extended trip from 21 April, I’ll provide guidelines on how to get to the place ;)

So, Let’s begin the journey !!

OSAKA 

Since it’s the first day, we booked a hotel near the Osaka airport, because we arrived at Osaka nearly at 1 p.m 

That is why, the first thing we do in the morning is that we check out from our first hotel near Osaka Airport, and headed to Osaka City.

Our first hotel near the airport

Walking around the hotel while waiting for the bus

OBKG - LANGUANGE SCHOOL IN OSAKA

The very first place that we’ll visit along the way is OBKG, one of the best language school in Osaka. 

OBKG also has some branches in Surabaya, and will soon open some language school in Surabaya.

When we arrived at  OBKG, we changed our shoes into the school sandals and went into a classroom.

In the classroom, the OBKG teacher who can speak Bahasa Indonesia teach us some useful Japanese language and also promoting their school, OBKG.

Inside OBKG class, studying little Japanese

Thank you OBKG ! (The right one is the OBKG Vice Headmaster)

After OBKG, we have lunch near OBKG. It’s the first time I ever try the real Japanese Okonomiyaki.

To be honest, I don’t like it because I think it contains too much vegetables inside. 

Okonomiyaki

This one is like an egg mix with seafood

Near the Okonomiyaki's restaurant

Near the restaurant, there’s a stall that sell Takoyaki, and I buy it.

The Takoyaki is super delicious! I really love those tiny thin things (the brown one) above the Takoyaki.  

In front of the Takoyaki stall

OSAKA MINT PARK

Feeling full, we headed to our next destination, which is Osaka Mint Park, where the Sakura is still booming and in its mature time. 

Even though today is Monday, The Osaka Mint Park is really crowded. Bunch of people want to see the Sakura. 

Osaka Mint Park has a long road ahead, so you’ll feel surrounded by people, and of course, Sakura. 

The Sakura is really really beautiful !! If there are only a few people around, I believe it will be more beautiful.

A closer look to Sakura!

OSAKA CASTLE

Finish admiring the Sakura, we went to Osaka Castle. 

Osaka castle has a really long way to go before you can reach the main castle.

But don’t worry, along the way you’ll find lots of beautiful things to capture and you can enjoy the very clean and calm atmosphere there. 

Found sakura on the way to the castle 

Unfortunately, when I reached the main castle, it’s already closed :’( 

But some of my friends has already gone inside the castle. Oh my, I really envy them! 

They told us - who didn’t get into the castle - that inside the castle is really beautiful, even they can try to put on a Samurai clothes and Kimono !

Us, who can't go inside the castle because it's already closed

Jump pose in front of the Castle !

Anyway, while waiting my friends who’s going inside, I look around the Castle and also go to a souvenir shop. 

When I walk around, I found a vending machine that sell Haagen Dazs, yeah really, a Haagen Dazs vending machine!

I bought the Green Tea one because in Indonesia Haagen Dazs doesn’t sell any. 

The taste is pretty good :d

Haagen Dazs Green Tea

UMEDA

Our last place to visit today is Umeda. It’s like a shopping centre and you can find this huge electronic store that provide almost everything!

Not only that, in Umeda there’s also Umeda sky building (but I don’t find the place, because the time is really short) that has a gorgeous view (you can google it later on guys!) 

Umeda at Night

On 7.30 pm, we go back to our meeting point because the bus can be operate only until 8 p.m. Also, we need to do the hotel check in today. 

Because we haven’t eat dinner, when we finished arranging our hotel room and stuffs, we went outside the hotel to get some food. 

I try the Soyu Ramen, it’s like the basic ramen that famous in Osaka, and the taste is super yum!

Japanese Ramen has a different and also better taste compare to Japanese ramen in Indonesia. 

My day 1 has been awesome, let’s go to day 2 ! 

COMPLETE GUIDE JAPAN TRIP : 

Day 1 : OBKG, Osaka Mint (Sakura!), Osaka Castle, Umeda
Day 2 : Osaka-Kyoto-Osaka (Asahi Beer, Fushimi Inari Shrine, Shinsaibashi)
Day 3 : Nissin Instant Ramen Museum, Shinkansen to Tokyo, Shinagawa Aquarium (Meet with Kaze and Midori!)
Day 4 : Asahi Shimbun, Tokyo Stock Exchange, Ginza
Day 5 : Nissan, Waseda University, Shinjuku Government Building
Day 6 : NHK Studio Park, Takeshita Dori, Asakusa Temple, Tokyo Sky Tree
Day 7 : Tokyo Disneysea 
Day 8 : Ikebukuro, Asahi Archery (Otsuka), Akihabara, Roppongi (Tokyo Tower)
Day 9 : Meiji Shrine, Odaiba
Day 10 : Shibuya (Hachiko Statue), Doraemon Museum, Cirque Du Soleil - See you Japan!!

BONUS : 11 UNIQUE FACTS ABOUT JAPAN

Thanks, reader(s)!

[Megan Faustine]

Add me in Snapchat for Live Updates!

meganfaustine

FOLLOW ME:

 INSTAGRAM | GOOGLE+ | TWITTER

11 Unique Facts About Japan !

Hello guys! I just got back from my International Study Excursion with my university program (IBM) + Holiday in Japan :)

So before I post my travel journey from 13 until 24 April 2014, I’d like to share you some unique facts about Japan - in my version.

1. Japanese like to bow until it feels awkward for both of us

One night, I called the room service to repair my toilet’s sink. An old man came in and repaired it. When he finished and I know that I must respect the one who’s older than me, I bow to him and said “Arigato”. Then, he bow back. I bow back again, and he do the same thing. I bow again for the third time, even lower than him, and he bow back again. In the end, I smiled at him and he smiled at me too. The end of the story, because my friend close the door. 

They love to help others, even when they can’t speak english - yeah, they use body language

There’s a time when my friends and I struggle to find this one place called Asahi Archery near Otsuka. So we asked a policeman there, and he helped us until he even open his map and show the way for us. Thanks policeman!! We asked lots of help for direction to the local people. Some of them didn’t help, but some of them were really nice even though they can’t speak English fluently.

2. Time = Priceless 

When you’re in Japan, especially Tokyo, you’ll see almost all Japanese walk really really fast, ignoring their surroundings. Not only their walking habit, they also eat super duper fast with a very calm gesture! If you think that you’re a fast eater, then try eating next to a Japanese.

Not only that, when you buy groceries in a supermarket, you have to pack your things by yourself to save more time!

People pack their things themselves after paying in a supermarket

3. They eat while standing! 

As I said, that time is priceless, there are several stores in Japan that don’t provide seats, so you can eat while standing. Guess what? The food is a cold food. I guess they are providing cold food so you’ll be faster in chewing the food. I ever try to eat in this kind of restaurant, and I can’t finish my food. In my opinion, the noodle taste a little bit weird because the soup and the noodle is cold.

One of Soba restaurant in Shinagawa Station

4. Eating alone is not a problem

That doesn’t mean Japanese don’t eat together, they still are. But lots of Japanese, especially employee / businessman, eating alone. That’s why they can eat fast and save time. 

They all don't know each other and eating alone. 

 

5. Every man employee wear suits

This is the unique thing. Even though you’re not a boss or manager, if you work inside a company, you will wear a suits! A very formal and complete one, with a hand carry on your hand.