Hi…everyone! This is my first traveling review. Actually I have been to many places but I don't have idea of what to write.

Normally I gather information from various blogs. So, this review is aimed to share it with everyone.

Start with flight ticket. I fly with the red tail airline (AirAsia). I won't mention about price since I get staff price (My husband works here). Save a lot of money.

Land at Osaka as airline doesn't have direct flight to Nagoya …..


I arrive very late at night. Since next morning I have to move on to Nagoya, I find hotel near airport. I don't wanna sleep at airport (last time I tried and woke up without energy to travel).

So, I book a room at Kansai Airport First Hotel at Izumisano. Finish with customs and receiving luggage, I go directly to hotel by Nankai train. The train is available till late. Hotel is very close to station. Walk just a second.


Next morning I return back to airport for buying railway ticket. This trip I use Kintetsu rail wide pass 5 days at JPY5,860. (Suitable for people going to Nagoya, Mie, Nara and Kyoto. Very worthy!)

You can freely ride Kintetsu train, Iga train, Mie bus and Toba Shi Kamome bus for 5 days.

You can buy at counter on ground floor where also provides other tickets.


This is how ticket look like.


Manual is also provided.


Apart from that, you will also get 5 coupons. Two of them will be used for traveling between Kansai airport - Namba station and Namba station - Kansai airport. Take Nankai line. It can be used with all except limited express.

The rest 3 tickets is reserving seat for limited express of Kintetsu for free. Very worthy.


After that I move to downtown. For going to Nagoya, I get on Kintetsu line at Osaka Namba station. Use the free reserve seat ticket in order to go faster (only round trip from Nagoya to Osaka is already worthwhile).


While on the train, I pick out the meal I buy at station to eat. Mine is sushi without any shoyu or wasabi. So, it's tasteless.


This one is my husband's. Yummy.


There is toilet on the train, so no worries. It is moderately clean (in Japan, there are toilets everywhere).


Now I am at Nagoya ... Find lodging first. I choose UNIZO INN Nagoya Sakae in the middle of city center and next to Sakae station. Only 2 minutes walk from exit no.2 (At first I can't find exit, so I ask from staff. He tells me to go to exit no.12 which is extremely farrrrrrr.)


View from hotel.


Lobby is on second floor where ground floor is Family mart and coffee shop (no worries about food, haha).


My room is on 13th floor. The highest one.


Inside the room is not large but not uncomfortable either. Toilet is small but still ok. (Those are by husband's gloves.)


Start the journey. First destination of Nagoya is ….

For journey in Nagoya, I use Subway pass 1 day.

Let me start with Nagoya Castle. Get off at Shiyakusho station, exit no.7. It takes around 10 minutes walk from station to castle.


Sideways.


Here's the entrance. The fee is JPY500 per person. Open hours 9.00AM - 4.30PM.


Walk around. During the way, you will find beautiful trees with nice ambiance and fine weather. Very relaxing. ^^


Samurai statue. I don't know its history.


Before reaching to castle, there is a house . I assume it is a house of samurai while he's still alive, or something like that (I don't know. Walk in with blurring.)


Inside contains gorgeous wall sculptures.


Coming out from the house is the castle. I'm so excited. However, looks like it is partly closed for renovation. So bored!!


Let's go inside ….


The castle is consisted of 7 floors but elevator ends at 5th floor. On 7th floor is view point and souvenir shop which you have to walk up.

Other floors are history of it. I leisurely walk around.

Landscape from 7th floor.


Variety of souvenirs.


Manhole cover at Nagoya. Attractive.


Leaving from castle, I move on to Osu Kannon shrine following by shopping. I travel here till late. This area is commercial district. Take exit no.2 and walk along.


Turn left when you see 7/11.


Leaving from temple, I shop at a breath and find something to eat. I'm starving.


While walking in narrow street, I find small shrine. Don't know its name. There is a fox.


Then I find something to eat. Some say coming to Nagoya gotta eat chicken, haha. So hungry. Walk slightly further. I see Nagomidori restaurant. According to logo, it definitely sells chicken. LOL


Observing from atmosphere and menu list, I assume it's gotta be yummy. I order chicken miso while my husband has original and pupolar dish.


It is as delicious as I expect. I'm feeling overjoyed. Chicken miso is moist with sauce. The original one is equally tasty but in different style. Writing about this makes me want to eat again.

There is department store selling second clothes. Some of them are brandname products.


After that I return to hotel and take some rest. This is night view in front of hotel.

Next day I wake up early because I will go to Mie by using Kintetsu and reserve seat coupon again. Two hours of journey. Unfortunately It rains today and very cold. I can't turn back, so have to go on. I buy umbrella at Mie station at JPY550.


Atmosphere at the station. Unclear sky with drizzling rain all day. T^T


Com out from Ise station. (If you take Kintetsu line, use JR exit. Because is you use Kintetsu exit, you will walk towards wrong direction.) My first destination is Ise shrine. Walk from the station by following the signs or follow others. Most of people go to same direction because this shrine is counted as ancient site of Japan.

For journey in Ise, I take a bus. In case you use Kintetsu rail pass wide, like me, you can get on for free (very worthy). If you don't have the ticket, you can buy one day pass for bus at station's exit. It's around JPY1,000.

It still rains during the way to shrine, so I can't take many photos. I have lunch at one ramen shop opposite the shrine.

Drink tea to make myself warmer.


I can't read the menu. So, I choose from image which there are only few.

This is my meal. (Don't know what it is. I guess it some kind of fish entrails. The taste is good.)


Another dish is steam rice with sashimi. There are tiny fish as well. Strange but tasty.


There is a heater while we eat. (Want to take it home.)


Now I'm full ... Get ready to face with coldness and wet T^T


Area to wash hands before entering the shrine. (No one wash since it's very cold.)


Ise shrine is consisted of 2 main shrines; Naiku (inner shrine) and Geku (outer shrine). I'm going to Geku.


Though it rains, there are still lots of people coming. Everyone comes with strong faith to the shrine.

After walk inside. (I didn't take photos because it is too wet. I have to put camera away at the moment.) I sit at provided area in order to drink hot tea because I barely handle with the coldness.


Go out from Geku at the same entrance. Cross the road and get on bus, second line, in order to go to Naiku.


Upon entering, walk cross the bridge. It is very gorgeous. (However, it would be nicer if the rain stops.)

Finish from Naiku, I move to Oharaimachi market. Walk among drizzle.


I am heading to cat shrine. Area near the shrine is equipped with grilled shop. Superrrrr delicious!! Mutsuzaka beef is very soft. I'm so pleased. The price is classified into 3 range; JPY500, JPY800 and JPY1,200. I try the JPY500 one. It is excellent.


Then I move on to cat shrine in order to buy lucky cat, haha.


The shop provides gamble circulating to get color stone. I receive jackpot, blue stone (equals to third prize). I get big cat at JPY500 (price for each game).



Then I return back. I actually want to travel at Ise more but it doesn't stop raining. And I'm unbearable. So, I decide to go back to Nagoya.

The third morning I originally plan to go to Nara but let me visit another temple at Nagoya this morning first. It is an important temple for Thais. Wat Nittaiji hosts statue of King Rama 5. His majesty has given a portion of holy relic to be an idol for Buddhists in Japan. He personally gave by himself at Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall and also gave bronze Buddha image with the age of over 1,000 years.

Get off at Kakuozan station, exit no.1. Then you'll see Starbucks at the corner. Turn right into the street.


While walking ... I'm lucky today. There is market fair on sideways, same as in Thailand. (I don't know if it opens daily or every Sunday) There are lots of people at the market. Mostly are adult aged people. ^^


Arrive at Wat Nittaiji.


There is statue of Buddha on both side of entrance door.


There is market fair inside temple.


Finish from the temple, I directly go to Nara.

And as usual, I use Kintetsu Line ticket with reserve seat. Journey takes approximately 2 hours.

My accommodation at Nara is Toyoko Inn Kintetsu Nara Ekimae located near Kintetsu Nara station. It is also close to attractions, so I can save transportation cost.

After check-in, I continue traveling. My plan is visiting the first place I find, wherever it is.


First temple I find is Kofuku-Ji.


Keep going. I get to see lovely deer coming to say hi but I'm afraid sometimes, haha. There is a warning board.


Bus at Nara is cute.


Continue with large temple called Todaiji. There are lots of deer at the entrance. You can buy senbei to feed them. Only you have snack, they will be surrounding you.


There is museum of the temple.


Entrance fee is JPY500 per person.


Let's go inside!!


They believe if you can pass through this pillar, your wish will come true.


Walking out from Todaiji will find small shrine on edgeway.



Return to Osaka … This is the second time at Osaka. I stay at the same accommodation, Shin Imamiya, due to ease of transportation and cheap price.

First site is Sumiyoshi Taisha, no entrance fee. It is 5-10 minutes walk from Sumiyoshi Taisha station (Nankai Main Line. Use east exit and turn left.


This joss house is famous for making wishes regarding commerce come true.


Prominent point is drum bridge (Sorihashi bridge). Since it is a very curved bridge, when look at reflection in water, it looks like drum.



Let's pass through the door.



The second temple is Shitennoji. This temple has long history of thousand years. It is considered as primary Buddhist temple in Japan. Get off at Shitennoji-mae Yuhigaoka station. Take exit no.4 and walk for 5 minutes.

Follow the way.


There is graveyard close to the temple.


I'm at temple now …. Unfortunately the temple is partly closed for renovation.

Then I return back to hotel to grab my stuff before going to Rinku outlet.

Thank you everyone for reading. There may be less detail or some mistakes because it is my first review. See you next review.

^^

Wanaporn Wattanasinchai

 Monday, July 4, 2016 3:28 PM

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