Showing posts with label Kyoto Station. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kyoto Station. Show all posts

Friday, 20 June 2014

EXPO 2005 AICHI COMMEMORATIVE PARK, AICHI, JAPAN

愛・地球博記念公園 . 아이・치큐하쿠 기념공원 . 爱知世博纪念公园


Today, we left Kyoto for Nagoya.
I was excited to meet Aunty Chihiro in Nagoya again!
 
Back to Kyoto Station for breakfast
Breakfast @ Café Du Monde カフェデュモンド and Mister Donut ミスタードーナツ, Level 2

We were taking the 11.33am Hikari shinkansen ひかり新幹線, so we had some time for shopping at Kyoto Station.
 

Mom bought lots of Kanbanyashi tea 上林直営小売店 from JR Istean 京都伊勢丹
 
Finally, time to board the shinkansen for Nagoya!
I was so excited because it was my first time taking a shinkansen!
 
Finding our way to Platform 11
Shinkansen regular one-way (KYO-NGO) ticket prices - Adult 5070円 / Child 2530円
37 mins later, we reached Nagoya
Bye bye super fast train!

After we checked into our hotel near Nagoya station 名古屋駅, we had lunch first before taking another train ride.
 
Grandma had saba set 650円, Mom had kitsune udon 350円, I had katsu tamago teishoku 690円
 
Mom said we were going to the Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park 愛・地球博記念公園, also known as the Moricoro Park モリコロパーク, which was a special and memorable place for Mom because she was working at the Expo for about 4 months in 2005. I asked Mom if she lived in Nagoya before I was born, and what an Expo was...
 
From Nagoya station, take the Higashiyama line 東山線 to...
...The last station - Fujigaoka Station 藤が丘駅 (30 mins) and go to Exit 3 ...
... Down the steps to the Linimo リニモ station
Linimo train stops and fares (numbers below are child fares)
This MAGLEV train has no driver
At the Expo Aichi Commemorative Park Station 愛・地球博記念公園駅 14 mins later
Head to Exit 5, where you will see this panel
View of the park from Exit 5

It was a very hot day today, and Mom said we would take the FREE park shuttle bus 園内無料バス to tour the park, as well as go to our destination later.
 
Next to the Linimo station was the Global Citizen Centre 地球市民交流センター Gymnasium

Buying Yakult first for the hot day; 2 bottles for 90円


Waiting for the park shuttle bus in the shade, near the convenience store
Looking out at the large park
Shuttle bus bus stand circled in red

Shuttle bus timing and route can be found here
 
At 2.50pm, the bus moved off with 5 passengers inside, including us.
 
Ice skating rink アイススケート場
Expo Museum 愛・地球博記念館
Unfortunately, not enough time to pop in for a visit
Flower Square Lounge 花の広場休憩所
Ferris Wheel 大観覧車
Amusement rides at the Ferris Wheel
I was so hoping to go to the Children's Plaza - Water Area こどものひろば-水のエリア,
but Mom said she did not bring any change of clothes
 
Ice Skating Rink アイススケート場 and Heated Swimming Pool 温水プール

Kaede Pond かえで池
And this is our stop about 20 mins later - Japanese Garden 日本庭園

Continue to read about our visit to the Satsuki and Mei's House サツキとメイの家 in the park!
 
 
 
Mom's Notes
  • Check the Shinkansen time schedule here
  • Note that separate train tickets need to be bought to take the Linimo, and IC cards like Manaca マナカ, Toica トイカ, one-day rail passes cannot be used here. Linimo has its own one-day train pass (Adult 800円 / Child 400円) and the train schedules can be found here
  • Taking the shuttle bus is the best way to move around the large park, or otherwise, a bicycle can be rented at the cycling station near the park entrance
  • Commentary is provided onboard the shuttle bus, but in Japanese
  • With lots of possible activities in the park, a day-trip would be more fulfilling, and during summer, bring along lots of water, slap on sunscreen and a hat as the sun and the heat was really scorching and there were few shady areas to take a respite from the heat
  • I was told the park gets very crowded during the weekends and school holidays, so please take that into consideration when planning a visit there
  • Click through for the park map (Japanese) or park map (English; somewhat fuzzy)
  • To learn more about the World Expo that took place in Nagoya in 2005, click here (English) or here (Japanese)
 
 
     Address:    〒480-1342 愛知県長久手市茨ケ廻間乙1533-1
     Tel:           0561-64-1130
     Directions: As above. Or, take the Meitetsu Bus 名鉄バス and alight at the Expo 2005
                     Aichi Commemorative Park Station 愛・地球博記念公園駅
     Opening Hours:  Apr-Oct 8am - 7pm
                             Nov-Mar 8am - 6.30pm
                             Click here for the timings of the other facilities in the park
     Admission to the park is free. Fees apply for some facilities within the park.
 
 

Thursday, 19 June 2014

NISHIKI MARKET, KYOTO, JAPAN

錦市場商店街 . 니시키 시장 . 锦市场购物

We left Wakayama this morning, and took the JR Haruka train 特急はるか (75 mins) from the Kansai International Airport to the JR Kyoto Station 京都駅.
I was amazed that the train station was so big!
 
Feeling sleepy
Another commemorative stamp



Porta ポルタ
Kyoto Tower Hotel 京都タワーホテル
in front of the exit
Hotel Granvia ホテルグランヴィア京都, beside the Kyoto Station
Has a huge Family Mart convenience store beside it

After checking into our hotel, we went to buy the one-day bus pass from the Kyoto Tourist Information Centre in the Kyoto Station.
 


Child 250円 / Adult 500円
 
     Address:           JR Kyoto Station Building 9F
     Tel:                  075-344-3300
     Business hours: 10am - 6pm
                             (closed on 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month, Dec 29th - Jan 3rd)
 
 
First stop was to the Nishiki Market 錦市場商店街, also known as Kyoto's Kitchen, for shopping and lunch! We got off at the Daimaru bus stop, and had a short walk to the start of the market.
 
Start here
Many snacks and food to buy
120円 - 150円 for one senbei (rice cracker)
All green tea snacks for 200円 each






Mom said this was how they grind it to become green tea powder

Fish cake, all below 260円



Grandma bought 1 small pack of bonito for 300円
So many sweets! Mom bought me one for 350円


 
 
This is what a fresh wasabi plant looks like!
 
Nearing the eastern end of the market @ Teramachi 寺町-dori


Teramachi-dori had shops selling cloths, shoes, pharmacies etc

Stomach growling... lunch @ Nishiki Mochitsukiya 錦 もちつき屋!
 
Mochi in various forms and combinations
Yuzu juice set 770円
Somen Set 840円
Udon Set 880円


       Address:           京都市中京区錦小路通柳馬場東入ル東魚屋町175
     Tel:                  075-223-1717
     Business hours: Weekdays 11am-5:30pm / Weekends and Public Holidays 11am-6pm
 
 
After lunch, we walked towards the Shijo 四条 exit to take the bus to Kinkakuji Temple 金閣寺.
 

Mom spotted the Tea House Lipton ティーハウス リプトン on the way to the bus stop
 
 
Mom's Notes
  • FYI, back tracking our route to start from KIX for Kyoto seemed to be the more convenient, shorter and cost-efficient way, and we could take full advantage of the ICOCA & Haruka package that we bought from the Kansai Airport Station (note that kids pay the same price, and they get one free sticker sheet)
  • The Shiokoji-dori 塩小路通 side of the Kyoto Station exit seemed to be where the main buzz of activities are, plus the bus terminal is also located here. Do take note when looking for a suitable hotel
  • We bought lots of snacks, but always bear in mind that Japanese snacks typically cannot be stored for long
  • Along the Nishiki Market alley, we came across very few places that offered a sit-down lunch venue, but I think there were more options along Teramachi-dori
  • Interesting and fun place to visit, and worthwhile allocating about 3 hours here, especially if you plan to have lunch here
  • Lunch at Nishiki Mochitsukiya was not fantastic, largely because accompanying noodles with grilled mochi was a weird combination, and Marcus found it tiring to keep chewing the mochi
  
     Address:    京都市中京区錦小路通 寺町西入←→高倉間
     Tel:           075-211-3882
     Directions: Take City Bus 市バス 5 until Shijo Takakura 四条高倉 stop (in front of

                      Daimaru Department Store 大丸百貨店) and walk for 2 mins; OR
                      3-min walk from Shijo Station 四条駅 on Karasuma subway line 烏丸線
     Opening Hours: Generally 10am - 5pm