Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Japan free & easy - 5th to 14th Mar 2019 : Prelude

It had been some time since my long holidays, now this time would be to the land of the raising sun, Japan.

The prefectures selected, Osaka and Kyoto, or the Kansai region.

After searching thru the airlines, seemed that Cathay Pacific was the cheapest. However, it does came with Hong Kong transit, so the total flight time would be around 10 hours plus. In addition, the timing was midnight flight to Kansai Airport and early flight back to Singapore. It would seemed that reaching Japan early sounded like a good idea with half day extra to spend, but in reality, very taxing. The flight back was like 8:25am, meaning needed to be in airport by 6+am (Totally forgotten that Japan is one hour ahead, so in reality it was 9:25am flight), meaning that we needed a stay just around the airport.

For travel insurance, my colleague recommended FWD, after comparing the cost and the benefits, decided to go with FWD.

As for our stay, decided to go with hotels instead of AirBnb, maybe next time. The breakdown would be 4 nights in Kyoto, 4 nights in Osaka and finally one night in the town near the Kansai Airport

The final cost breakdown:


Flight

Cathay Pacific

Takeoff

Reached

Cost per pax

Total

SIN-JAP

1:25am

1:30pm (+1 hr)

 $ 675.70

 $1,351.40

JAP-SIN

9:25am (+1 hr)

6:20pm

Travel Insurance

10 days Japan

Couple

 $ 72.00

Total

 $1,423.40


Day
Prefecture
Hotel
Cost per night
Total
1-4
Kyoto
Daiwa Royal Hotel Grande Kyoto
 $  117.87
 $  471.47
5-8
Osaka
Dormy Inn Umeda Higashi Natural Hot Spring
 $ 99.48
 $ 397.91
9
Osaka - Izumisano
Kansai airport Spa Hotel Garden Palace
 $ 146.32
 $  146.32
Total
 $1,015.70


For the iternary, decided to do a rough guide first, but after reaching, the whole plan changed, hahaha. I would just post my before and after iternary for you all to compare.

Planned



Day
City
Places to go
Cost (Yen)
1
Kansai Airport
Kyoto Station
 $ 3,600.00
Kyoto
Daiwa Royal Hotel Grande Kyoto

Fushimi-Inari Taisha Shrine
 $ 140.00
Shimbashi in Gion
 $ 210.00
Back to Hotel
 $ 210.00


2
Kiyomizu-dera Temple
 $ 230.00
Sannen-zaka, Ninen-zaka

Shoren-in Temple
 $ 230.00
Nishiki Market
 $ 230.00
Nijio Castle
 $ 230.00
Back to Hotel
 $ 140.00


3
Arashiyama
 $ 240.00
Sagano Romantic Train
 $ 620.00
Tenru-ki Temple

Bamboo Forest

Okochi-Sanso Villa

Kinkaku-ji Temple
 $ 820.00
Daitoku-ji Temple
 $ 230.00


4
Ginkaku-ji
 $ 730.00
Back to Hotel
 $ 230.00


5
Osaka
Kyoto to Dormy Inn Umeda Higashi
 $ 770.00
To Shoping area, Shinsaibasi
 $ 180.00


6
To Osaka Castle
 $ 180.00
Osaka Castle
 $ 600.00
Osaka Garden
 $ 200.00
Osaka Aquarium
 $ 2,300.00
Tempozan Ferris Wheel
 $ 800.00
Universal Studios Japan
 $ 7,000.00


7
Himeji Castle
 $ 1,660.00


8
Nara



9
To Kansai Airport Spa Hotel Garden Palace
 $ 780.00
Total
 $22,560.00
Total for 2
 $45,120.00
Total in SGD : 1 SGD = 81.6 yen
 $ 552.94


Actual



Dates
City
Places
 Cost (Yen)
5th Mar
Kyoto
Bought ICOCA & HARUKA card to travel to Kyoto straight from Kansai airport
 $ 3,600.00
Relax and explore Kyoto Station



6th Mar
Bought 1 day bus pass
 $ 600.00
Sanjusangendo (三十三間堂, Sanjūsangendō)
 $ 600.00
Higashiyama District

Yasaka Pagoda

Kiyomizudera (清水寺, literally "Pure Water Temple")
 $ 400.00
Nishiki Market (錦市場, Nishiki Ichiba)



7th Mar
Went Kameoka to take the Sagano Scenic Railway (嵯峨野観光鉄道, also known as the Sagano Romantic Train or Sagano Torokko)
 $ 620.00
Bamboo Groves

Tenryuji (天龍寺, Tenryūji)
 $ 500.00
Togetsukyo Bridge

Kinkakuji (金閣寺, Golden Pavilion)
 $ 400.00
Nijo Castle (二条城, Nijōjō)
 $ 600.00


8th Mar
Fushimi Inari Shrine (伏見稲荷大社, Fushimi Inari Taisha)

Ginkakuji (銀閣寺, Silver Pavilion)
 $ 500.00
Yasaka Shrine (八坂神社, Yasaka Jinja), also known as Gion Shrine

Gion (祇園)



9th Mar
Osaka
Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan (海遊館, Kaiyūkan)
 $ 2,300.00
Dotonbori

Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade



10th Mar
Nara
Todaiji (東大寺, Tōdaiji, "Great Eastern Temple")
 $ 600.00
Nigatsudo Hall

Kasuga Taisha (春日大社)



11th Mar
Osaka
Bought Osaka 2 days amazing pass
 $ 3,300.00
The Umeda Sky Building (梅田スカイビル)
Pass
HEP FIVE Ferris Wheel
Osaka Castle Museum
Tombori River Cruise


12th Mar
Himeiji
Kansai one day pass
 $ 2,300.00
Himeji Castle (姫路城, Himejijō)
 $ 1,040.00

Kokoen (好古園, Kōkoen)
Osaka
Tsutenkaku Tower
Pass 


13th Mar
Osaka - Izumisano
Special rapid transit extra
 $ 520.00
Basic train
 $ 560.00
Rinku Premium Outlets

Total
 $ 18,440.00
Total for 2
 $ 36,880.00
Total in SGD : 1 SGD = 81.6 yen
 $ 451.96


Do take note that some of the bus rides and subway rides were not included into this cost calculation, but the majority of the costs had been factored in already.

Oh yeah, the amazing pass of all the pass items actually came up to be 4300 yen, more than the pass itself, I would say quite worth it.

One last thing, decided to get ChangiWifi for data usage after comparing the sim card options and Klook. However, the wifi router charging starts from the day you collect till the day you return. Hence for mine, it was from 4th to 14th Mar, total of 11 days at a total cost of $37.50. Normal rate was $5 per day for Japan, but during my time there was a promotion code, that's why the reduced total amount.

With most of the things taken care of, it was time for holidays !!!!

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