Kansai Japan 2013

20 Feb - 1 Mar
Airasia X ticket: RM910.52
Hotel: RM922.70 (total for 9 nights)
Currency: 100yen = RM3.35
Winter: 0 to 12 degree celcius

Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Wakayama, Ikeda

DAY 1 (Wed)
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8:30 am reach Kansai International Airport
Airport Kansai Tourist Information Center / Travel Desk
- buy Osaka Unlimited Pass (2 days) 2700 Yen, Kansai Thru Pass (3 days) 5000 Yen, Universal Studio Japan ticket 6400 Yen
Nankai (南海) train - about 50 mins from Airport to Nanba Station 難波站 890 yen
Brunch - Yayoiken やよい軒 難波中２丁目店 (grilled saba set and pork katsu don set)
Leave luggage in Hotel Hillarys (3 person room RM185.90 per night)
Kuromon Market 黑門市場
Dotonbori 道顿堀 (day view)
Acchichi あっちち本舗 道頓堀店 (Takoyaki たこ焼き)
Donkihote 唐吉軻德 激安の殿堂 / Ebisu Tower えびすタワー
相合筋橋筋商店街
Sennichimae Shopping Street 千日前商店街
Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shopping Street 千日前道具屋筋商店街
3pm check-in Hotel Hillarys
Dinner - らーめん天地人 (Charcoal grilled pork don and ramen)
Sennichimae Shopping Street 千日前商店街
Rikuro Ajisan's Nanba Shop りくころあじさんの店 なんば本店 (Cheese cake and pudding)

Day 2 (Thu) - 1st day using Osaka Unlimited Pass
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Hotel Hillarys -> Hotel Nikko Osaka (3 person room average RM323 per night)
Tenpozan Giant Ferris Wheel (天保山大摩天轮)
Cruise Ship Santa Maria (帆船型观光船圣玛利亚号)
Lunch: Tenpozan Market Place - Hokkyokusei 北極星 (Omelet Rice オムライス)
Osaka MariTime Museum 浪速海洋时空馆
Osaka Museum of Housing and Living 大阪生活今昔馆（大阪市立人居博物馆）- free Kimono experience
Tenjinbashisuji Shopping Street 天神橋筋商店街
Genroku Sushi 元祿壽司 天六店 (Sushi Roll 卷寿司)
Dinner: Yodobashi Umeda Building ヨドバシ梅田ビル 8F - Tsuruhashi Fūgetsu 鶴橋風月 (Okonomiyaki お好み焼き)
Umeda Sky Building Floating Garden Observatory 空中庭园展望台

Day 3 (Fri) - 2nd day using Osaka Unlimited Pass
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Osaka Castel 大阪城天守阁
- Morinomiya Station 森ノ宮駅, Tamatsukuriguchi Entrance 玉造口, Plum Grove 梅林, Aoyamon Gate 青屋門, Gokurakubashi Bridge 極楽橋, Marked Stone Square 刻印石広場, Main Tower (Osaka Castle Museum) 大阪城天守阁, Honmaru 本丸- Picnic, Japanese Garden 日本庭園, Nishinomaru Garden 西の丸庭園 (mainly for sakura season), Otemon Gate 大手門
Picnic - onigiri 三角饭团，Oden 关东煮，pork bun
Osaka Museum of History 大阪历史博物馆
Shinsekai 新世界 (Day view)
Lunch: Yokozuna 横綱 (Kushikatsu 串カツ, free flow cabagge,, fried rice)
Tsutenkaku Tower 通天阁
Hozenji Yokocho 法善寺橫丁
Dotonbori 道顿堀 (night view)
6pm Tombori River Cruise 道顿堀水上观光船
Shinsaibashi Shopping Street 心斎橋商店街
Dinner: Matsuya 松屋 心斎橋店 (beef rice/don 牛めし/牛丼)

Day 4 (Sat) - 1st day using Kansai Thru Pass
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Keihan Line (京阪线) train - about 1 hour from Umeda Station 梅田站 to Shichijo Station 七条站 (Kyoto)
Bus to Gojō-zaka 五条坂
Chawan-zaka　茶碗坂
Kiyomizu-dera Temple 清水寺 - entrance fee 200 yen
Matsubara Dori 松原通/ Kiyomizu-michi 清水道
Ninenzaka Sannenzaka 二年坂　三年坂
* 本家西尾八ッ橋 many shop along the street provide free hot tea and testing
Bus to Gion 祇園
Lunch: ぎおん家 (Unagi don and tempura udon)
Kawaramachi 河原町
Hankyu Line (阪急线) train - from Kyoto to Osaka
Hotel
Dinner: Senba Jiyuuken せんば自由軒 長堀橋店 (Indian curry specialty 名物インディアンカレー, omelet tomato rice ハイシオムライス, sizzling hamburger steak) since 1910
Shinsaibashi Shopping Street 心斎橋商店街

Day 5 (Sun) - 2nd day using Kansai Thru Pass
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Breakfast: Yayoiken やよい軒　難波中２丁目店 (grilled salmon and natto set, chicken katsu set)
Nankai (南海) train - about 70 mins from Nanba Station to Wakayamashi Station 和歌山市駅
Take bus (0) to JR Wakayama Station JR和歌山駅
Platform No. 9 in JR Wakayama station walk to Kishigawa Line (貴志川線)
Kishigawa Line 1 day pass 650 yen
- Ichigo (Strawberry) , Omocha (Toys) and Tama trains (not operating)
Stop at Idakiso Station 伊太祁曾駅 - Tama Shop
Stop at Kishi Station 貴志駅 - Tama Cafe & Museum (Station Master Nitama on duty)
Strawberry 700 yen
Lunch: Coco Ichiban Curry House カレーハウスCoCo壱番屋　和歌山ＪＲ駅前店 (pork katsu curry rice, chicken curry rice, potato salad)
Take bus (0) to Kōenmae 公園前
Wakayama Castle 和歌山城
Wakayama Park Zoo 和歌山公園動物園
Nankai (南海) train - from Wakayamashi Station to Nanba Station
Hotel
Dinner: Marugame 丸亀製麺 北心斎橋店 (udon, fried food, rice ball)

Day 6 (Mon) 
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Ikeda Station 池田站
The Instant Ramen Museum インスタントラーメン発明記念館
Lunch: Instant cup noodle
Sakaemachi Shopping Street 栄町商店街
American Village アメリカ村
Cheese takosen たこせん 200 yen
Hotel
Hotel Nikko's free shuttle to Shinsekai 新世界 / Tsutenkaku 通天阁 (night view)
Dinner: 新世界串や本店 (Kushikatsu benton, free flow cabagge, fried kimchi rice)

Day 7 (Tue)  USJ Operating Hour 10am-5pm
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10:30am Universal Studio Japan

Sesame Street 4-D Movie Magic™ (Show)
Space Fantasy - The Ride
Terminator 2:3-D® (Show)
The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman™  - The Ride
Lunch: Studio Star Restourant (hamburger steak set 1490 yen, fried prawns and creamy croquette set 1490 yen)
Back to the Future®  - The Ride
Backdraft® (Show)
Splashdown Snacks (turkey leg 790 yen)
Universal Wonderland - Hello Kitty's Cupcake Dream, Hello Kitty's Ribbon Collection

Missed Out
Ride Attractions:
Jurassic Park - The Ride (don't want to get wet in winter)
JAWS® (not operating http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bHhBJWJBWc)
Hollywood Dream - The Ride (not operating)
Big Bird's Big Top Circus
The Flying Snoopy

Show Attractions:
Any outdoor show, street show/performance
Shrek's 4-D Adventure™ (should be same with USS)         
Universal Monsters Live Rock and Roll Show™ (should be same with USS)               
Animation Celebration® (no idea)
WaterWorld™ (was late for the last 3pm show, should be same with USS)

Others (for kids):
Peppermint Party's Stunt Ride
Snoopy's Sound Stage Adventure (indoor playland)
Elmo's Imagination Playland (indoor)
Sesame Central Park (outdoor playland)
Snoopy Great Race Ride

Universal City Walk
Dinner: Daimaru Department Store (fish benton, 蓬莱 sweet and sour pork benton)

Day 8 (Wed) 
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Hanshin (阪神) Line train - 30 mins from Nanba Station 難波站 to Sannomiya Station 三宮站 (Kobe)
Kobe City Loop 1 day pass 600 yen
Start at [Stop 6] - Sannomiya Center 三宮センター(阪神前)
[Stop 10] - Kitano Ijinka Street 北野異人館街
Andre (栗子 chestnut and cream crepe 450 yen)
[Stop 16] - Motomachi Shopping Street 元町商店街
Lunch: Kobe Fugetsudo 神戶風月堂 (benton set, udon set, cake)
Nankinmachi 南京町 (China Town)
[Stop 1] - Kobe Port Tower
[Stop 2] - MOSAIC モザイク
Back to [Stop 6] - Sannomiya Center
Hanshin Line train - from Sannomiya Station (Kobe) to Nanba Station
Dinner: Hanshin Department Store (benton set), Daimaru Department Store (sushi roll)

Day 9 (Thu) 
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Shitennoji Temple 四天王寺
Hankyu Higashi Shopping Street 阪急東通商店街
Lunch: Hakata Ippudo 博多一風堂 梅田店 (Special Ramen 特製ラーメン, Shiromaru Motoaji Ramen with rice & dumpling set 白丸元味, mentai & soft-boiled egg rice 明太子ごはん温玉のせ)
HEP shopping mall
Hankyu Department Store (Moncher swissroll 堂島ロール , Yoku Moku white chocolate cheese & orange mille crepe )
OPA shopping mall
Hotel
Suminoekoen Station Station 住之江公園站 - hot spring なにわの湯 (did not enter), Suminoen Sports Village
Dinner: Zen-ya 膳や なんばウォーク西店 (grilled beef set, grilled saba set, pork steak 豚テキ膳）
Daiso (Shinsaibashi Shopping Street)

Day 10 (Fri) 
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7:00am Check-out hotel
Nankai Train 980 yen - Shinsaibashi Station 心斎橋站 (Hotel) -> Nanba Station 難波站 -> Kansai Airport
8:40am reach Kansai International Airport
10:10am onboard
11:00am flight departure