Most of the downtime I (and I assume Claire, too) had during the latter half of 2016 was spent on planning and worrying about our Japan trip last November. The eight-day adventure in the Kansai area was special for the both of us because we've always wanted to visit Japan, and it was a trip that we had full control over. We planned the trip from scratch, pooled our resources together, processed our visas, got antsy over our lack of Japanese language (and geographical/navigational) skills, pored over the Google Sheet file for our itinerary for months on end, and come November 8, threw caution to the wind.
It was worth it.
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Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan
8-12 November 2016
November 8th was such a terrible day for Philippine history. We were already at NAIA waiting for our flight when news broke that a certain dictator had been allowed burial at the LNMB. And so on we hopped to our flight, looking forward to forgetting the self-destruction happening in the Philippines, even for just a little while.
Arriving about 10 PM at the rainy Kansai Airport, we bought two passes to help us navigate Osaka more conveniently, with access to both mass transportation and popular tourist sites. We got the Kansai One Pass and the Osaka Amazing Pass from the Tourist Center, whose staff were all very accommodating.
We took the Nankai train straight from KIX, which got me a little too envious of Japan so early in the trip. (A train directly to the international airport!) We got seated next to a retiree Canadian so eager to tell anyone who would listen to him about his travel woes. He told us about the terrible Airbnb he booked in Hong Kong, his long flight from the US, and his uncertainty about where his Airbnb in Osaka was. He chatted with us for the whole duration of the ride until we reached Namba, where we were also headed. Since the information office where we hoped to seek assistance from English-speakings staff was closed, a kind uncle volunteered to help the Canadian. Meanwhile, Claire and I found our way to the train line we had to take to get us to our own Airbnb.
Tired from the flight and the adrenaline rush, we settled for the night and prepared for our trip to Universal Studios the following day.
Day 1: Universal Studios Japan, Osaka
Even if we've read and watched tons of entries about USJ, and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in particular, we were downright overwhelmed with the fact that we were finally able to visit Hogsmeade and Hogwarts, with a bit of the Forbidden Forest on the side. The cold weather, with alternating sunny and overcast skies, added to the experience, too. It was amazing. ♥
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| Hello, childhood dream. :') |
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| I know I was just a consumer of this fabricated, materialist reality. But darn, I loved every single minute of it. :D |
There was still a huge crowd at the park even if it was a Wednesday, which was no less than what we expected. We were, in fact, among the first few hundred who had to run to get inside WWHP without the need for timed-entry tickets. Aside from the lines for the attractions, we also had to deal with the language barrier. Almost everything was in Japanese, though I personally didn't really mind.
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| Gladrags Wizardwear and The Three Broomsticks |
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| Kids trying out robes at Wiseacre’s Wizarding Equipment :') |
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| Such lovely details in the interiors |
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| Ollivander's! All the wandsss. |
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| The view of the castle across the Black Lake :') |
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| My meal at the Three Broomsticks ♥ |
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| I had Butterbeer. Everything was beautiful and nothing hurt. |
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| Bear! :D |
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| I loved how these banners are so in-character. :)) Encouraging Hufflepuff. Assertive Slytherin. Indifferent? Ravenclaw. Hardy Gryffindor. :)) |
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| (Costly ðŸ˜) Confectionery Dreamland |
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| The details were so amazing. |
We spent the whole morning (and then some) solely inside the WWHP. In the afternoon, we attempted to try going out to the other parts of the park.
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| Arya at Amityville! |
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| Quaint brownstones and hidden alleyways |
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| While wandering around the rest of USJ, we chanced upon the starting location of the park's parade. The energy was contagious. :)) |
Well, the keyword was "attempted." After probably an hour, or maybe two, max, we were back again in Hogsmeade. :))
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| That's not the castle you're looking for, Arya. |
We just took the Forbidden Journey ride again, and just marveled once more at the magical world we were (temporarily) in. It was a good call that we decided not to get the Express Pass, firstly because the lines weren't 3-4 hours-long and, secondly, because we dedicated more than ample time for our stay in WWHP. It was an altogether different experience to see Hogsmeade and Hogwarts light up in the evening.
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| The Howler is Mrs. Weasley chastising Ron, in Japanese, of course. |
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| ♥♥♥ |
The park was truly more beautiful at night. If we had a choice, we would have stayed there for a week more. However, we had to leave at around 7PM to make sure that we still had a train to catch.
Were were exhausted from all the walking and the queues. We didn't even have the energy to look for a nice dinner, and so we had our first meal care of the friendly neighborhood convenience store.
But we went back to our room with happy and fulfilled Potterhead hearts, with Hedwig's theme still playing in our heads as we drifted off to sleep. :))
(More of the photodump under the cut)
