Kon'nichiwa!
Greetings from Osaka, Japan!
I'm delighted and excited to have you join in my past week's adventures. Three countries in a week!
How are you? How was your past week? How has your weather been? I hope it's been better than the cool, cloudy and sometimes wet weather we've been experiencing!!
Japan is a country experience unlike any other destination I've been to. I think the service experience in a JR ticket office in any train station is indicative of the general service experience. The ticket agents are polite, patient, knowledgeable and thorough when you are purchasing your train ticket. They confirm what you want including seat preference (window/aisle) if you buy a reserved seat. The agent then presents you with your ticket(s) explaining/confirming your purchase along with identifying the platform you should be at to board your train. They perform this level of service with every customer.
In hotels, the reception staff ask your permission to photocopy your passport. The trains are clean and quiet as you're requested to put your phones on silent mode when traveling and to use the area between carriages (use the phone vestibule, if available) if you want to use your phone. Passengers, if talking, are going so with hushed voices. There is a sense of consideration for others throughout the country unlike other countries I've visited.
You'll also find there interesting contradictions in Japan like cash only for noodle house purchases. Train tickets are paper based. I buy a train pass online and receive an email confirmation I take to selected train stations to present and receive a paper pass the same size as a train ticket. Never, and I mean never, lose your train pass. They are irreplaceable - yes, you need to buy a new pass! Conversely, I use my IC card throughout Japan to access the metro system or board a local bus. Japan is a country where you need to have cash on hand for your travels.
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Glico Running Man
Osaka iconic destination!
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A diversion of travel specific to discuss my relationship with my smartphone. I now think I've given up much of my independence through my Samsung phone and its Android functionality. I've watched how the phone pings my location every few seconds when I have location services turned on. The phone humors me with updates that it automatically does if I fail to act in a timely manner. There is functionality on the phone that I can only disable or, in many instances, I'm unable to make any changes. Google and Apple have been totally invasive in our lives, freely capture an inordinate amount of data, while claiming to respect our privacy. Time to switch to change my lifestyle that is supported by a 'dumb' phone that limits Big Brother's constant and unwanted companionship. Food for your thought...
One last tidbit about hotel costs. I'm unsure what has caused hotel costs in the Toronto area to almost double since I left in January. I've been looking for hotel space when I return in September. For example, the Mississauga Holiday Inn Express I stayed at in January is now asking $245/night Cdn for September reservations. For comparison purposes, in Japan I'm currently paying about $130 Cdn/night fif I stay in a four star hotel that includes breakfast. An average nightly rate in a good hotel is about $100 Cdn/night. Wow! I'm rethinking where I might stay if these prices persist.
May the universe bring endless blessings and moments of magic 🦄 to you and your loved ones in the week ahead. 🙏
Travel Administration
Remember to have cash on hand when traveling in Japan! Ramen house meals are prepaid in cash only! Charging/recharging your
IC Travel Card, a must-have when traveling in Japan, is cash only! Interestingly, you can pay for your bus fare with cash and be provided the correct change!
Travel Update
I connected with John, a friend I met when I was living in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, about potential destinations in Türkiye. John, who is originally from in Türkiye, had offered his assistance in October 2025 when I shared a travel presentation with the brothers in my Eau Claire Masonic lodge. I've also identified the July 18th flight I'll book to take me from Mongolia to Almaty, Kazakhstan (en route to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan) to meet up with my friend Jane. It's simpler to fly from Almaty to Bishkek, than flying from Mongolia to Kyrgyzstan! I'll be back in Kazakhstan the week of August 2nd for about two weeks.
Travel Maps
The past week's travel required me to re-enter Taiwan for one night, then hop on a plane to Kansai International Airport which services Osaka and the Kansai region. I'm also enjoying being back to using the Japanese public transit system - buses, trains (local and limited express regional trains), plus I'm anticipating the occasional ride on the Shinkansen (bullet train). The transit system runs on time, clean and quiet (no talking on mobile phones in the carriages!).
Palau: May 27 to June 1, 2026
Intercountry Travel: Koror, Palau to Osaka, Japan (via Taipei) - June 2
Japan: June 2 to June 28, 2026
Palau
Well, the weather remained cloudy and cooler with a strong enough wind to hamper snorkeling excursions. Unfortunately, I missed my opportunity to go snorkeling mainly because I left scheduling the excursion to my last two days. Here's a summary of failed attempts to book a snorkeling excursion:
- I was dissuaded from signing up with my initial choice through a combination of two factors. 1) I received advice from a fellow traveler I met while walking to sign up who was dissatisfied with her snorkeling experience with the company. 2) I spoke in person with the company agent who advised the Sunday excursions were on a best efforts basis given the weather forecast. Snorkelers would have to understanding if there were limited options.
- I connected with the company that my fellow traveler recommended. Their response was discouraging for a weak swimmer like myself. While they accommodated snorkelers, their excursion's priority was divers. Fair enough to have the heads up; I'd like more attention given my unease in the water.
- The final excursion company I contacted only had half day excursions going on Sunday afternoon - minimum of two people.
My next idea was booking a flight to witness the beauty from the air. Good news was one of the two companies offering flights had availability; bad news was the $300+ USD cost for the 30 minute flight. I'll satisfy myself with enjoying the country's beauty through photos taken by others!
I'm grateful for the experience of traveling to Palau. My thanks to Simone for mentioning the destination and triggering my interest. My highlight was overwhelming hospitality I experienced with everyone I met in my five night adventure. That said, I'd encourage anyone considering this destination to carefully assess the benefits versus the costs. I'm unlikely to revisit Palau knowing the less expensive destinations I can visit that are better suited for what I want.
Food
My amazing food discovery on Palau was
siopao. a Philippine steam bun with various fillings. The bun is served with a small ziplock bag of special sauce that I chose to pour over the open bun. The
Kumangai Bakery and Emaimelei Restaurant baked this tasty delight daily. Make sure you get to the bakery around 9 am as these morsels are gone in a flash.
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| Where the steaming is done |
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| My heavenly culinary delight |
Goodbye
I did take a few aerial photos as our plane flew over the islands on our way to Taipei.
Japan
Hello Japan! I reached Kansai International Airport, just outside Osaka, on Tuesday afternoon after overnighting in a hotel near the Taoyuan International Airport which is just outside Taipei, Taiwan.
I've decided to start my adventure in Kobe with an overall focus to exploring the south central region on Honshu Island including the Japanese Alps. I'm also aiming to visit Ise where my friend Samuel lived for three years. It's in the same general area. I have a general curiosity about experiencing places where people I know have lived. I've found the familiarity changes, in a positive way, the nature of future conversations. I'll slowly work my way towards Tokyo, hopefully intersecting with a clear day so I can see Mt. Fuji in all its glory!
Kobe
I'm revisiting Kobe because I had a good first impression and wanted the chance to explore the city just a little more. I learned during my visit Kobe was where managers working in Osaka would live whereas the employees would live in Osaka. It's a less intense city, a good vibe, that is situated between the sea and mountains. Everything works, good transit system, easy to walk around (level sidewalks) and clean.
The universe blessed me with the most extraordinary gift during my three night stay. My front tooth (a crown) which I had a dentist recement after it dislodged while I was in New Zealand in January 2025, came loose once again on Thursday evening. I went to a dental office near my hotel on Friday morning to see if I could have a dentist recement my tooth. The universe was shining its benevolence on me that morning! The reception team, after consultation with their colleagues, advised they would fit me that morning, reminding me that their regular patients took priority. Thank goodness for Google Translate as the office staff knew limited English and I know less Japanese! The dental hygienist was a gift from the universe. Using her limited English and her tablet translator, she explained what she/the dentist were about to do at every step of the recementing process. I was in the office at 8:15 am to request help, I was out of the office, with my tooth recemented, by 9:30 am. I also went to an ATM in that 75 minute period to get cash to pay for the procedure. The cost was about 1/6 of what I paid in New Zealand. I am grateful and blessed! 🙏
City Hall
Interesting fact about both Tokyo and Kobe - their respective civic government buildings have observation floors offering panoramic views of the area, free of charge. Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building has observation floors in both towers at the 202m (~663 feet) which offer you, on a clear day, the beautiful sight of Mt. Fuji. Always good to check out the government buildings in the Japanese cities you're visitings if you're looking for free panoramic views!
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| Kobe Port |
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| Kobe |
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| 'Mountains' surrounding Kobe |
Waterfront park with clean open space in the port area, with a Starbucks to satisfy your refreshment desires.
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| Plaza plus water fountain |
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| Plaza looking south |
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| Kobe Marine Museum/Port Tower |
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| Obligatory city sign |
'Kobe Port Tower was born in 1963 with the idea of creating a landmark worthy of Kobe Port, which represents Japan. Its beautiful appearance, resembling an elongated drum due to its hyperboloid structure, earned it the nickname 'Beauty of the Iron Tower', and it has been beloved by the people of Kobe for nearly 60 years.'
My memorable moment here was the young woman who worked at the Tower helping me to buy a ticket. She was proactive to ask me if I met any of the three conditions, including 65+, for a half price ticket. She completed all the required actions at the electronic ticket machine, all I needed to do was pay with my credit card. The gift of amazing service is gratefully omnipresent in Japan!
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| Me trying to be artistic! |
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| Kobe Port |
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| Port |
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| I originally thought this structure was a shrine. Not! |
Chinatown
Kobe experienced a major earthquake in 1995 that devastated the city and, sadly, killed far too many people. Many areas had to be rebuilt. I'm making the broad assumption that this Chinatown area was such an area.
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| Entrance |
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Quiet day. Notice the clean, level
sidewalk! 😊 |
Sone Jazz Club
I guess I harbour some sentimentality as I wanted to revisit this jazz club where I had a great experience last year. Many thanks again to my friend Samuel for his original recommendation to seek out jazz clubs in Kobe, a city known for its jazz music pedigree.
Great jazz for the three sets. The majority of songs were sung with English lyrics with a couple songs in French. Different experience from last year when the musicians were more engaging after their last set. This year the musicians finished their last set and disappeared for the night. The other difference from last year was the after gig conversation I had with a young couple who were in the audience. This year's performance was more of a solitary experience. Interesting about the expectations I implicitly carried with me into my evening of jazz music.
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| Jazz club |
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| He truly had great passion |
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| He shared the pianist's passion |
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| An accomplished drummer! |
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| She had a fabulous singing voice! |
Small aside, which lead to my museum experience, before I share my Art Museum experience.
The registered letter I posted to Canada from Taiwan appears to be lingering in Vancouver. I decided I should try posting a registered letter from Japan to see if I can have better success. The letter's contents is of some importance, however lower on the urgency scale. What a delight to have my request efficiently and effectively handled even with the postal agent's limited English. I sent a regular side envelope, by registered mail, to Canada for about $6.50 which I think is considerably less expensive than Canada. Fingers crossed this letter arrives at its destination.
Back to the museum story. I decided to keep walking past the post office to see what I might find in this neighborhood. This contemporary art museum was my first major discovery. I love contemporary art museums because the art inside typically challenges my thinking and my sensibilities. I admit there are many times when I fail to get even a hint of understanding from what I see. But, I guess that's ok too. Do click on the link above if you want to challenge your perception of reality!
I enjoyed witnessing this artist's creativity. I am fascinated by how others see the world so differently from what I see. Contemporary art reminds me how limiting and constrained my view of the world can be. The perpetual challenge is moving beyond my comfort zone to embrace the universe in new and exciting ways!
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| Museum entrance, on right, at end of walk. |
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| Up close and personal |
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| Disappearance and Appearance |
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Interesting immersive art you walk
into and sit on chairs to enjoy the view |
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| Explanation of immersive art |
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| Yokoo Tadanori - the artist |
There it was. The zoo. Almost right across from the Art Museum. Why not visit since it's so close? Harsh reminder how cruel zoos can be for wild animals. And both the koala and panda were off on the day I visited.
I did do a good deed during my visit. I offered to take a photo of a young family of five in front of an elephant. It took a minute or so for my phone to connect to the network so Google Translate could do its work to explain what I was offering. I had one very happy family when the mom and dad realized I wanted to take their family photo!
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| Entrance |
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| Polar bear I thought was in distress |
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| Cardboard images while animals are on a break |
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| Napping |
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Probably one of the saddest animal moments
in my life |
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| Hanging/crawling about |
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| Ring tailed lemur |
Osaka
Due to my penchant for last minute planning, I ended up booking three nights in Osaka so I could use it as a base for day trips in the region. I had successfully avoided visiting Osaka prior to this point as I thought what the city offered was at odds with what I was looking for. This visit reinforced my thinking that I was right in staying away.
BTW - Osaka is Japan's 2nd largest city with a similar pace to Tokyo; maybe just a tad less intense. Lots of tourists everywhere! Busy, busy, busy which I dislike.
Dotonbori, located along the canal of the same name, is a street in the Namba district of Osaka’s Chuo ward that epitomizes the city’s nightlife. The colorful area is an explosion of neon lights, mouth watering street food, retro vibes, clubs, stores, and bars.
While in Rome, do as the Romans - so the saying goes. I ventured to Dotonbori, a key Osaka tourist destination, on a Friday night around 6:30 pm. Try to imagine how crowded the Metro was with all the people leaving work combined with the tourists going in the same direction as me. Whenever I get into these crowded spots I'm extremely cautious about my wallet and my phone. The memory of being pickpocketed on the Bangkok Metro is omnipresent in crowded spaces.
I think my photos below give you a sense of the hustle bustle I experienced. Simply a wall of people in every direction! Amazing place for watching people! I went, I saw, took a few photos and I left early!
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| Entering Dotonbori |
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| So many people... |
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Oh look, there a break in the wall
of people |
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| Lots of lights and energy |
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| Flashing signboards everywhere |
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| Canal |
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| Even more people |
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Glico Running Man
A must see destination in this area! |
Food
I love Japan for its noodle houses! I could eat noodles in broth every day! What was different about this noodle house was they used a fish based broth that was equally delicious. The other distinguishing factor was the 'artistry', ceremony and precision the chefs took in preparing your noodles. What a visual spectacle!
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| Yummy! Ramen noodles in fish broth |
Tottori
I bought a five day train pass that allowed me unlimited travel within the area I had paid for. Unfortunately, I had to rely on the JR Ticket Office staff to book my tickets as I forgot how to use the ticket machines to book my rides. JR Ticket Offices can be very busy so it's advisable to avoid any last minute scheduling as you may be disappointed.
Pro tip: I discovered here are three different ticket offices in the Shin-Osaka station - one for the bullet train tickets, a second ticket office which I'm still unsure of what it provides tickets for and the JR West train ticket office near the East Gate.
Lesson learned from my train ride experience. I failed to notice the destination on my return ticket (booked by a most friendly train station agent) was Osaka Station vs Shin-Osaka Station where I wanted to get off at as it was near my hotel. Nothing life threatening, however it was incredibly inconvenient. It took me about 15 minutes to work my way from the train platform to the subway platform for the four station ride to Shin-Osaka. Osaka Station is a wall of people on the move plus there are enormous shopping centres that attract even more people! You need to catch the right wave of people to make your way through the crowds to your destination. Swimming upstream in a mass of people is an interesting experience! Avoid getting trampled, ok!
On my way
There was a TV monitor in my carriage that was delivering a real time image from the front of the train. Got me wondering what happens with the camera if the train encounters an unexpected obstacle on the train tracks??
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| Proverbial 'There is light at the end of the tunnel' |
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| Two images to give you the stereo effect - hahaha! |
Tottori Station
Do remember to stop by the Tourist Information Centres located in/near the train station when you're traveling throughout Japan. You can usually find at least one staff member who is fluently English - either you'll be directed to that person (like I was in this instance) or a wicket will have a sign indicating an English speaking employee. The woman helping me armed me with the appropriate maps, advice and bus schedules to ensure I had a positive experience! She achieved her objective cuz my visit was effortless!
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| Obligatory destination sign. Notice the 'sandy' color! |
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Interesting art
installation |
Tottori Sand Dunes is one of Japan's largest sand dunes and among the most famous tourist attractions in Tottori. Its many highlights include the magnificent “Umanose" (“Horse’s Back”) that stands at a height of 47 m, the beautiful wave-like patterns that the winds create on the sand's surface described as “fu-mon" (wind patterns), and the stunning views of the Sea of Japan that spread out before you once you reach the top of the dunes.
Welcome to my day trip from Kobe to Tottori Sand Dunes. I learned about these sand dunes from fellow travelers (from Florida, USA) while traveling on the train between Osaka and my station stop at Kobe. I was interested in visiting, however the dunes were considerably out of my way. The one way train ride is about three hours with the blessing of staying on the same train for the entire journey.
A twenty minute bus ride (remember to tap on/tap off with your Easy Card - unlike me) delivered me to the dunes. A three minute walk from the bus stop brings you to the staircase you climb to reach the sand dune entrance. Ideal day for walking the dunes - sunshine with a touch of coolness. Great way to spend an hour or two on a nice day. Loads of places to shop and eat near the bus stop. Imagine this - there is a sand museum. Sorry, nothing to share as I skipped the visit.
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| Sand dune facts |
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| More facts for those who need the details |
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| Looked important! |
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| Stairway to dunes |
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Dunes from top of stairway. Think this dune
is referred to 'Umanose' |
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| Off I go to explore the sand |
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| That's a steep slope to the beach! |
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| Looking north from dune |
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Beach at bottom of steep slope.
No swimming allowed! |
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| Looking south - Pacific is on the right! |
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| Top of Umanose (Horse's back) |
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| Entrance in the distance - from top of dune |
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| Looking south across the dunes |
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| Looking south |
The woman at the Tourist Information Centre suggested stopping by these ruins on my way back from the Sand Dunes. She added the two km walk from the ruins to the train station might be good way to explore the city. The ruins restoration is a work in progress - will be for years to come!
Tottori Castle Ruins is a mountain castle built atop Mount Kyusho. Constructed during the Warring States period, it was renowned for its excellent defensive capabilities.
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| Says Tottori Castle Ruins |
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| Walkway over moat to entrance |
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| Moat on the opposite side |
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| Moat |
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This castle and its walls
are enormous! |
Tottori Streets
If you enjoy walking like I do, you'll appreciate the walkway in the photo below. These types of sidewalks are thankfully common throughout Japan. I have lamented about the walking surfaces in the different countries I've previously visited. These sidewalks, plus the decorative manhole/waterway covers, are one of the many delights contributing to my love of Japan!
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| Clean, level, and even paving stones |
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| Why not make these covers decorative? |
Friends
I was blessed with meeting several wonderful people throughout the week. I had a chance to speak with the hotel staff in both Palau (Ohid and his wife Jannat from Bangladesh) and Kobe (Nepal/Italy). Ohid has seriously influenced my view of Bangladesh as a potential destination - outside of Dakka, that is. The country has a vast range of beautiful mountains with the tourist infrastructure to make them enjoyable (at least my version of enjoyable)! My recent visit to Nepal gave me common ground to chat with the Nepali hotel employees. Teresa, from Venice, had been in Japan for eight months studying Japanese along with working to support her academic studies! I've been to Venice two times so there I had some familiarity with the city.
Richard and Kelly
Please meet my newest friends from Auckland, New Zealand, who had plans to be in Japan for a month with Kobe as their home base. Richard had recently retired so was adjusting to his new lifestyle. He was particularly enthused by my plans to visit Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan; visiting the 'Stans' as he phrased it. The 'Stans' were high on his bucket list so he was curious about my destinations. Ironically, the 'Stans' only appeared in my travels because of wonderful people (Meruyert and her mom in Maldives - Kazakhstan; Jane in Nepal - Kyrgyzstan) I met in my current travels. After speaking with him, I now think I'm onto something very important in visiting the 'Stans'!!! 👍
Next Week
I travel to Kanazawa for three night return visit, then I'm boarding a coach on Thursday afternoon for a two hour trip to Takayama for a three night visit. I want to revisit an unique cafe in Takayama where I had the most delightful dessert experience ever! I watched the cafe co-owner masterfully create a dessert that I was simply afraid to eat because of the effort he put into making the dessert and its beauty! Yes, I'm talking about a dessert! Beyond the dessert, the city is nestled near the Japanese Alps.
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