Solo Osaka Japan Travel in 2021

I’m sure everyone has dreamed of a solo overseas travel adventure. I for once was very fortunate to experience that and I will love to redo it again soonest. The reason for this blog post is basically correlated to the Covid-19 pandemic and that its obstructing my passion for travel. Thus, I decided to take a walk down memory lane and reminisce my past most favorite travel journey and had the privilege to share it with my fellow readers.

Hang in there with me on this journey as it’s been some time ago since this happened, and this is a recollection of memories rather than a yesterday’s walk in the park. I have been known to make spontaneous decisions especially of those that is going to give me an enjoyable experience, and that’s exactly how this Japan trip kicked off.

It was the beginning of June 2017 where AirAsia had just announced their free seats promotion and my friends were talking about absurdly cheap flight tickets to several destination, one that intrigued my interest was Osaka. So, without wasting anytime I got on to the computer and booked my flights to Osaka on the following week barely 10 days away and decided to go alone as its always been on my bucket list.

I went home and told my parents that I’m going for a vacation to Osaka, Japan alone in 10 days as how I told my boss and he was equally shocked as I had purchased the flight tickets prior to getting my leave approved which I got anyways as it was my first vacation for that year. They were surprised at first as it was unannounced and just came out of nowhere. When I was asked about the weather season there, I was not too sure as I hadn’t done my homework and just decided to leave.

Since I was looking forward to my solo trip to Japan and wasn’t so prepared, to my luck my colleague had just returned from a trip herself a month ago and she was nice enough to share all her experience and knowledge with me on where to stay, eat and travel. I heeded her advice and I took off as the 10 days arrived sooner than expected. I took a flight from Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur on the 13^th June 2017 and I decided to have a plate of Nasi Lemak at the Airport before my flight to Japan which was on same night just that it took of past midnight on 14^th June 2017 and since it was an overnight flight I managed to get as much rest as possible for my next day’s adventure. The flight landed in Kansai Osaka on the 14^th June 2017 at 8 am.

I got off the plane and went through immigration's and headed straight to the travel booth to get my Osaka Amazing Pass which granted entrance to most of the sights and the subway train network which was my designated mode of transportation. I was slated to spend 4 days in Osaka, since it’s a city and I was told its more than enough to get around to all the famous sights which was true, but I always felt I should’ve stayed longer. Since I was so excited and obtained a decent amount of sleep in the plane, I decided to head to the famous Osaka Castle straight away before even going over to my hotel. I had my basic needs attended to and then I got myself a bottle of coffee and I was off on my Osaka Japan adventure all alone, this feeling along had me so riled up that I was literally so pumped I couldn’t sit still.

I took the Kansai Line out of the Airport straight to the interconnecting Namba Station, from there I switched to the Subway Line and was off to Shinsaibashi and to my destination Tanimachiyonchome Station, where I had to get off and walk to the Osaka Castle entrance. To my awe, it was indeed a mesmerizing sight that I couldn’t stop grinning as I made my way from the airport to my first destination with the help of google maps and the local public transportation by myself without having the need to ask for directions or once stood blank looking which way to go. At this point I decided I’m going to do this again soonest as it gave me an exhilarating feeling and it was delightful.

The Osaka Castle is one of Japan’s most important landmark and is filled with numerous artifacts and antiquities since the early 1600. Its surrounded by an outer moat and has large central tower which is the Castle. This castle has a Sky-deck where the whole city can be seen since it offers a full 360-degree view as per the video clip attached below. This view shows the diversification and how heritage is guarded as the city is scaled with towering corporate buildings and here stands a 16^th century castle surrounded by a park and a moat in the middle of a bustling city.

Since I had a cultural start to my trip, I decided to carry on with it and my next destination was also a shrine namely the Shitennoji temple which happens to be centuries old where it was constructed with bamboo and wood.

I got so carried away with my first day’s travel that I missed lunch which could’ve partly been due to the difference in time zone which was an additional hour later than back home.

I was done with the spiritual and heritage journey for my first day and headed off to the big city, since Japan is very famous for their electronic gadgets and me being a tech savvy person I was off to Yodobashi Camera Multimedia in Umeda which is one of the largest retailers of electronic gadgets in the whole of Japan. This specific outlet is 7 stories high filled with the latest electronics and some that are unique only to Japan. I was in that store for close to 4 hours and did some decent amount of shopping getting my hands on a Made in Japan Frogman G-Shock which is also of my bucket list. 

The sun was setting, and the famous Japanese rush hour was onto me, so I took off to another spot to enjoy the view of the sun set at Umeda Sky Building which to my luck was nearby to the store. The Umeda Sky Building was chosen as one of the top 20 buildings in the world for its unique architecture, it had two enclosed escalators going from one tower to the other on the exterior of the building situated right at the top.

As I quoted earlier, since I was rushing to not be part of the famous Japanese rush hour I couldn’t wait to watch the sun set in the Land of the Rising Sun, I rushed to the Umeda train station to head back to my hotel as I’ve been out and about since I landed in Osaka to get a much needed bath and change of clothes before going out for my late lunch which at this point of time was approaching to dinner. I got still tangled in the subway rush hour which I was told wasn’t too bad, but I still had to wait for 2 trains as they were already filled to the brim and I wasn’t prepared to literally rub shoulders with those onboard already.

After some time waiting, I got onto the 3^rd train which was not so packed with fellow Japanese returning home after a long day at work. I reached my hotel, took a few minutes to unwind and freshen up and I headed out to get my first proper meal for the day which was scrumptious. So, the day was coming to an end and I had my second day planned out already, but I’ve always had the habit of partaking in the nightlife of every country I visit on the first night I’m there. Without further a due I finished my meal and I found my way to the infamous Doutonbori Street and Soemon-Cho exploring for a nice place to have a few drinks that are native to that place where in this case was Sake and a large pint of cold refreshing Asahi Beer. The best part of going out partying is meeting people which in this case is often fellow tourists from different countries, to my luck I met a Singaporean and the rest was history as we drank till the place closed talking about what’s good to see, eat and go to in Osaka, Kyoto and Nara. My first day in Osaka Japan was so remarkable that it’s still so vivid in my memory and I’m just waiting for the international borders to open so I can be off on my next adventure. Signing of with a picture of myself enjoying Osaka at its finest going for a river cruise on the Doutonbori River.