Kyoto-Nara-Osaka: 2-Day Itinerary

Tempozan Ferris Wheel, Osaka 

For tourists who are pressed for time in Japan, I usually recommend the Kyoto-Nara-Osaka tour. 

For me, these three places capture what Japan is. Kyoto was the old capital with lovely temples and shrines. Osaka is one big modern city with skyscrapers and colorful shopping districts. These two places are in perfect contrast of the old and new, the ancient and the modern. As for Nara, it's between those two places so might as well see the deer there.  

Here's a possible weekend tour of Kyoto-Nara-Osaka. I've used this a few times and recommended it too to friends who visited. They were generally happy with what they saw. However, let me clarify first what kind of traveller I am. 

I travel on a budget so I usually go to places with free entrances. 

I seldom take roads less travelled. I like sticking to popular spots.

I love history and historical places but I'm not so much into temples and castles in Japan. They look the same to me. 

I'm not adventurous with food. When travelling, I eat because I need to. 

Perhaps, my travelling style wouldn't impress the travel guide websites. My style is simple and basic. I'm a common tourist who likes to take selfies in touristy places. Then, I'd like to post these pictures on social media because I want people to know I've been to beautiful places. And I also think the places are worth sharing. 

Anyway, here's a budget-friendly 2-day trip to Kyoto-Nara-Osaka.

Note: If your place is nearer Osaka than Kyoto, you can just switch the Day 1 and Day 2 itinerary. 

Recommended Transportation: Trains

Zero Japanese, Trains are Delayed, What to Do?

credit: http://blog.fujitv.co.jp/airmail/E20111122001.html

It's been raining everyday since I got back to Japan last week. Yesterday, the rain was particularly strong. This caused the trains to be delayed and some tracks became impassable.

Now, I don't usually use the train when going to work. In my 3 years here, I've never experienced trains delays. Until yesterday.

Here's a side story: I do some business classes. On Tuesdays since June, I have to take the afternoon trains going to Iwata. So, I had to take the train yesterday. But as I've said, the weather was bad. Some parts of the Tokaido Line became impassable causing train delays, wreaking havoc to people's schedule. Mine included.

If I were in the Philippines, I'd be in fits with this delay. But I'm in Japan so just like all the other commuters outside the train ticket gates I looked like I'm patiently waiting for the trains to be fixed. I didn't show I was anxious since all the other commuters were just calm. I think Japanese people are confident that somehow all will be well.

I know the trains will be fixed in one way or another. But I don't know when and if I can make it in time for my class. The train staff at the ticket gates kept on announcing things about the train. There's also a board near the ticket gates where some announcements were written. The problem is they're all in Japanese and I can't understand whatever they're announcing. My only goal was to get in the trains and go to my class!

If you'll ever be in my shoes, here's what you can do. All these require little Japanese.

Japanese Customs I Can't Apply in the Philippines

Riding the escalator in Japan (Tokyo style)
credit: http://quest-for-japan.com/traditional-culture/japanese-customs-riding-escalator-tokyo-osaka-style/

I've lived in the Philippines for 26 years and only 3 years in Japan. Although I've lived longer in the Philippines, it still takes time for me revert to my ''Filipino ways'' whenever I visit. There are some Japanese customs that I've grown used to.

Here are some of them:

1. Automatically bowing when saying thank you. 

It's well-known that Japanese people bow a lot. Whenever I visit the Philippines, I can't stop my head from bowing whenever I say thank you. My head seemed to have been auto-programmed to bow when my mouth utters ''thank you.'' But instead of bowing back to me, people in the Philippines probably think I'm strange.

2. Flushing the toilet paper in the toilet bowl.

In the Philippines, people throw the toilet paper in a trash bin. When I shared this fact to Japanese and other foreigners, they thought it was gross and unsanitary. They've always flushed the toilet paper in the bowl. If we do this in the Philippines, the bowls will be clogged. Even though I know this could happen, there were some instances when I would flush the toilet paper in the bowl. By the time I would remember I'm in the Philippines,  it would be too late to retrieve the toilet paper.