Japan - Shinkansen, Osaka & Hotel 88 Shinsaibashi

Day 1 - 11/12 January 2019

The long awaited official honeymoon before the official wedding is here!

Our first Japan trip together was so wonderful, we had to go back again. This time, we visited the Kansai area, Tokyo, and an impromptu add-on to Hakone. We went with Singapore Airlines to Haneda Airport at around S$1000 per person including their travel insurance. 

Our flight was at night, and so we left on the 11th and arrived on the 12th. The first impression of the plane was that the space between the seats seems quite tight with not much leg room. I had a good flight nonetheless, starting the Korean drama "What's wrong with secretary Kim" inflight. This drama has a really good plot and is so funny!

We were by the window with 3 seaters, and when the passenger at the side left for the toilet, the cabin crew quickly came to congratulate us on our marriage and honeymoon. Being Mrs Wong still feels surreal. We got a delicious chocolate cake and champagne because the husband requested something :P. But we were also thinking how the crew will manage if we all decided to queue for the toilet when the passenger at the side leaves. You know, we try as much not to inconvenience others since she has to stand up to let us out.

I finally requested a Singapore Sling this time, which is really on the sweet side.

Arriving at Haneda International Airport - 6.30am

We did not get a JR pass because a 14-day one would not be worth it given the cost being around the same after calculation. It will be better if there is no restrictions because we have to take non-JR lines too. The final transportation cost turned out to be slightly less than what we would have paid if we chose the JR pass option. 

Instead, we went to the Tourist Information Centre to buy a 24-hour Tokyo Subway pass (800 Yen) and a Pasmo card. You can use the Pasmo card almost everywhere, except that you can only do the refund in Tokyo. Having a transport card like this is so much more convenient than buying your tickets every single time.

We took the Tokyo monorail to Hamamatsucho, and changed to JR line for Tokyo station. It looks the same as 2 years before! At Tokyo station, we walked to the Shinkansen area to buy our bullet train ticket to Shin Osaka (14 450 yen for Nozomi). The staff will request for your Pasmo card to reset because we were not required to tap out. We bought the next best timing which provided adequate time for us to purchase our bento set. That bento shop was so crowded, and there is so many different set to choose from. But anyway, the food looked better than they taste - only the rice ball, which was not our main course, turned out tasty.

It was our mistake to decide on a seat right at the front as the window view is a bit blocked. The area also looks more squeezy. Unfortunately, the Shinkansen cannot really accomodate large luggage. Only a medium sized luggage can be placed above the luggage holder. My husband's large sized one can only be placed in front of us, which gave us really limited leg space. Other than that, the 2.5 hour train ride on fast Nozomi would be quite comfortable.

Make sure you prepare to leave the train before the stop arrives so as not to fumble and rush. The train will start moving off after a brief stop, especially for those less popular stations. At Shin Osaka, we headed to Namba station via the metro.

Hotel 88 Shinsaibashi

Hotels in Japan are quite expensive and we were debating on quality versus price. Some cheaper ones have more negative reviews and we did not want to take the risk.

We found Hotel 88 Shinsaibashi to be quite positive and located in the Dotonbori area. It is not located at the heart of the busy street, so it is relatively quieter. Also, the hotel is so beautiful, giving off an artistic and cosy ambience. The nightly rate is about S$190 but we decided that it was okay to spend for the honeymoon. 😆

And I tell you, we were really impressed and happy with our choice! When we checked in, the staff made us feel very welcomed. There is a drink station for the guests and we could take whatever we wanted. There are also massage chairs for free use! As we were staying for 8 nights, they gave us 8 complimentary onsen bombs (bath bombs alike), which we did not even finish. The staff was kneeling by the table as he explained the usage of the bath bombs and letting us choose the type (ginger, peach, lemon) we want. His English is considerably good, and he tries his best to answer to our questions. 

Once again, the husband requested for something special and they prepared a lovely couple chopsticks for us! We happened to see it at one of the customised chopsticks store that chopsticks represents the union of a couple and it is a good gift for newlywed.

We managed to check in early around 1 plus even though the official start time is 3pm. The staff helped us with both our luggage and he literally chiong-ed his way through, so as to prepare the lift before we arrived. While we were amazed, we were also worried about our luggage moving so quickly lol. Our room was located at the annex, which is like a separate building from the main one, but it was just right beside. 

As we arrived at the room, the staff even carried our luggage near the bed (there are steps) and gave us a brief introduction of the room. To be honest, this level of service has exceeeded our expectation. We were not expecting a boutique-like, not-so-atas hotel to provide such wonderful service. 

Exploring the room, I like the fact that their toilet, bathroom and sink area is separated. They have so many hooks for our clothes as well. The sink is so huge and so good for any washing. Even the head of the tap can be pulled out like a hose. The pillows are firm and the bed is comfortable. And the water boiler is the expensive Tiger brand hahaha.

After the long flight and travelling, we took a nap before our dinner.

Snack at Luke's Lobster; Dinner at Ichiran

I have heard about the famed Luke's lobster and wanted to try it! I love seafood. We ordered one lobster roll, in US size, and added on for a master set (2786 Yen). There is an area down the lane where we can eat the food. I would say that the lobster roll is delicious but I was kind of expecting it to be hot. The lobster bisque is nice, but I did not like the salad and french fries. Overall, this might not be something I would queue for. 

We stroll through the lane of Ebisu Bashi-Suji shopping street and then went to queue for the always- popular Ichiran. The queue was quite okay, maybe around 20 minutes. We ordered through the machine and waited for our seats. This time, we know that we can collapse the screen in between so that we don't feel too lonely.

I do not like Ichiran's soup base without the chili because it can be very 腻. But just by adding half amount of chili into the soup, it seems transformed into an appetizing bowl of goodness. The noodles are firm as well. Overall it was quite a good experience, even though I remembered to be better. The self-service system and serving staff hidden behind the scene is still something really interesting.

We passed by Strawberry Mania and decided to spend 500 yen for this daifuku. It is so damn good. Chewy chilled mochi together with a really sweet tasting strawberry is just a fantastic combination. Fruits are just amazing in Japan. The people behind us were exclaiming how they came specially for  this and there were just a few pieces left!

Dotonbori was so vibrant and filled with people. It is recommended to walk inside the shopping street, because we were freezing outside with the cold wind. We bought a box of hydrating Minon amino moist face mask back to the hotel for a pampering session. The dry weather will definitely take a toll on our skin. We should start our trip right!