Week 108: November 20-24, 2023
Day 749: November 20, 2023
Monday – 4-Day Osaka Solo Trip D3
It was a cold Monday morning here in the town of Kumatori (熊取町) in Osaka Prefecture, and today I had an appointment at the Philippine Consular Office to file the "Report of Birth" documents for Kai.
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| Hineno Station |
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| I'm boarding this train to Osaka City |
After breakfast, Mr. Toshi drove me to Hineno Station, and we arrived a little past 8 AM. Confident that I still had plenty of time before my 10 AM appointment, I mistakenly boarded the “Regional Train,” which stops at every station. When I recalculated the trip using Google Maps, it showed I would arrive at the consular office exactly at 10 AM.
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| Osakajokoen Station |
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| From here, I have to walk for about 1 kilometer to reach the Philippine Consulate General |
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| Crossing the Osakajoshin Bridge |
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| The Philippine Consulate General is on the 24th floor of TWIN 21 |
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| The Philippine Consulate General in Osaka |
Around 9:40, I reached Osakajokoen Station and walked briskly to the consular office. I arrived sweaty and tired, but still five minutes early. The Filipino staff, though strict in tone, was very kind and helpful. The entire process took about an hour. With my main task done, I had plenty of time at my disposal.
I decided to explore Osaka City (大阪市). Here are the places I visited:
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| Detective Conan Bronze Statues |
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| The statues are installed outside the Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation (YTC ) Building |
🏯 Detective Conan Bronze Statues
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| Osaka Castle Park |
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| I got takoyaki from a yatai in the park grounds |
🏯 Osaka Castle Park
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| Osaka Hokoku Shrine's torii gate |
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| Osaka Hokoku Shrine |
🏯 Osaka Hokoku Shrine
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| Toyotomi Hideyoshi Statue |
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| Sakuramon Gate |
🏯 Osaka Castle
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| Miraiza Osaka-Jo |
🏯 Miraiza Osaka-Jo
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| Morinomiya Station |
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| Boarding the subway to my next destination |
After exploring the castle grounds, I headed to Morinomiya Station to board the train going to my next destination...
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| Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel |
🏯Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel
🏯 Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
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| Tempozan Park |
🏯 Tempozan Park
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| Mt. Tenpo |
🏯 Mt. Tenpo
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| Minamimido |
🏯 Minamimido
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| Saint Marc Café |
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| Inside Saint Marc Café |
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| I ordered some drinks so that I could charge my phone |
When I arrived at Shinsaibashi Suji, my phone had died, so instead of exploring this famous shopping street, I focused on finding a place to charge it. After nearly an hour of searching through the main street and its side alleys, I finally found a café that allowed customers to charge their devices—Saint Marc Café in Minami-Kyuhoji. While my phone powered up, I also enjoyed their excellent coffee.
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| Okashi no Depato Yoshiya Shinsaibashi |
Exploring Shinsaibashi Suji
Once my phone reached at least 60 percent, I left the café and continued exploring Shinsaibashi Suji. I managed to pick up two unique KitKat flavors at Okashi no Depato Yoshiya Shinsaibashi.
These are the other places that I visited in the area:
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| Daimaru Shinsaibashi |
🟡 Daimaru Shinsaibashi
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| Pokemon Center Osaka DX |
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| Pokemon Cafe |
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| Would you try a Pikachu Curry? |
🟡 Pokemon Center Osaka DX and Pokecafe
🟡 Dotonbori
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| Hozenji |
🟡 Hozenji
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| Tennoji Station |
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| I bought some pasalubong for my Japanese family at Mr. Donuts in Tennoji Station |
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| Kumatori Station |
I walked from the temple to Namba Station to catch the train back home to Kumatori. I boarded at Tennoji Station and bought donuts for Karin before transferring to the train bound for Kansai International Airport. My plan was to board down at Kumatori Station and then ride the bus back to Mr. Toshi's house; however, just as I settled in, Mr. Toshi called to let me know they would pick me up at Kumatori Station and then go grocery shopping.
Icora Mall Izumisano Post-war Diorama
From the station, we drove to Icora Mall Izumisano in Izumisano City (泉佐野市). Mr. Toshi showed me the Post-War interactive diorama on the second floor, and I was truly impressed by it. I also had plenty of bonding time with Karin as we explored the mall while Mr. Toshi and family were doing the groceries.
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| Mr. Toshi made us dinner |
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| Like always, we had an amazing time chatting |
We returned home around 7 PM. For dinner, Mr. Toshi cooked nabe, which, as always, was delicious. His simple yet heartfelt cooking is one of the reasons I love returning to Osaka. After dinner, we enjoyed our usual late-night chats. Before calling it a day, I carefully packed and finalized my baggage in preparation for my flight home the next day.
Day 750: November 21, 2023
Tuesday – 4-Day Osaka Solo Trip D4
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| It's a beautiful morning here in Kumatori. It would have been a great time to go on a trip, but today's my trip back to Hokkaido |
Today marked the end of my Osaka adventure. The morning began with bright sunshine, a welcome change from the gloomy weather of the previous day. Although a road trip sounded tempting, my departure was imminent, with an 11 AM flight scheduled.
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| Thank you, Mr. Toshi, for the breakfast |
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| Bye for now, Kameyama residence. See you next time! |
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| Mr. Toshi and his family drove me to the airport |
Mr. Toshi surprised me with a delightful breakfast, setting a warm and cheerful tone for the day. My Japanese family kindly drove me to Kansai International Airport’s Terminal 2, where we said our goodbyes. Grateful, I boarded flight MM105 to New Chitose Airport in Chitose City, Hokkaido Prefecture.
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| Kansai International Airport Terminal 2 |
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| It's time to board the plane to Hokkaido |
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| Osaka as seen from the plane |
Unlike my previous flight, this one was smooth and turbulence-free. Landing around 1 PM, I took some time at the airport to pick up omiyage for my family and explore the New Chitose Airport Pokémon Center. |
| I'm back in Hokkaido |
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| New Chitose Airport |
With souvenirs in hand, I navigated trains to Takuhoku Station and walked to my friend’s house to pick up Ruru. A note on my windshield reminded me of my parking mistake—a spot reserved for a school staff member. Lesson learned, I corrected it and continued my journey.
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| Someone left me a note saying that this parking is for the school staff only. Ooops sorry! |
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| Finally back home! Hello, Kai! I missed you! |
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| Omiyage I got from my Osaka trip |
Leaving Sapporo City at 3:30 PM, I arrived home in Rumoi City by 6 PM. The evening was filled with quality family time, laughter, and shared moments that warmed my heart. As the day drew to a close, I reflected on the memories made and the journey taken. Tomorrow brings a new chapter, but today, in the comfort of home, I bid farewell to the fleeting moments in Osaka, grateful for the warmth of both the weather and the hearts that accompanied me on this adventure.
Day 751: November 22, 2023
Wednesday – Rumoi
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| Rumoi High School 11.22.23 |
Fortunately, it was exam week, which meant a break from the usual team teaching collaborations. The day had a different rhythm as I assisted my Japanese Teaching Colleagues (JTEs) in correcting and proofreading students’ essays.
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| Our dinner tonight |
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| For the win! |
As the workday ended, my wife and I embraced a different kind of challenge—a Cooking Fever tournament. Through teamwork and strategy, we clinched first place for the first time. The victory brought not only a sense of accomplishment but also a haul of 300 diamonds, a delightful reward for our digital culinary efforts.
Day 752: November 23, 2023
Thursday – Labor Thanksgiving Day
Woke up to a chilly 9-degree morning here in Rumoi City. Today is Labor Thanksgiving Day, a perfect excuse for family adventures. With no work ahead, we decided on a spontaneous road trip.
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| Off to Ishikari City |
Our destination was Ishikari City (石狩市). Despite looming responsibilities for tomorrow, my wife suggested a quick detour for grocery shopping, and off we went to explore.
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| 2nd Street Ishikari |
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| COSTCO Ishikari |
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| Grocery shopping at COSTCO Ishikari |
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| We didn't miss the chance to eat our favorite pizza |
Our first stop was 2nd Street Ishikari, where we browsed seasonal items and picked out some charming mugs to replace our old ones. Next came the highlight of our trip—COSTCO Ishikari. We stocked up on groceries that will probably last us two months, as icy mid-winter roads will make future trips difficult.
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| Banya no Yu |
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| Yukichan - the capybara mascot of Banya no Yu |
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| We're all feeling fresh from our onsen dip |
Our final stop was Banya no Yu, famous for its unique onsen and a cute capybara named Yukichan. Watching her enjoy her little onsen added an adorable and memorable touch to the day.
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| Time to head back home. Bye for now, Banya no Yu |
We left Ishikari around 6 PM, accompanied by rain on our drive home. By 9 PM, we arrived safely, resisting the temptation to stay up late with work and school responsibilities looming. This might be our last road trip in Hokkaido for the year, with rumors of snowfall this weekend reminding us that winter is near. Until the next adventure, we’ll treasure the memories of this delightful day.
Day 753: November 24, 2023
Friday – Tomamae
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| It's 6:44 AM, and it's still very dark |
It was a beautiful, clear Friday morning in Rumoi City. Today, I was heading to Tomamae Commercial High School for my only school visit of the week. This marked my 20th visit for the 2023–2024 school year. For this trip, I used my 1-day Moekko Free Ticket.
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| It seems like the snow is finally here to stay this year. |
Since it was Exam Week, we skipped the usual 2nd and 3rd period collaboration work. Instead, we visited different classes during those periods to read texts for the students’ listening tests.
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| Tomamae Commercial High School 11.24.23 |
Around 11 AM, the clear skies suddenly darkened, and heavy snowfall began. In less than an hour, the once green fields of the school were covered in white, along with the trees on the nearby mountains. By the time I left Tomamae Commercial High School in the afternoon, the snow was already ankle-deep, and visibility had worsened, sometimes allowing me to see only about 50 meters ahead.
Overall, I’m grateful that we were able to complete the important trips this week before the snow arrived. If the snowfall continues, the next few weeks will likely be spent enjoying the warmth of home, with only occasional trips to the grocery store or the onsen to break the monotony. Stay warm and safe, everyone!
Read more:
Japan Diaries 4: Weekend 108
Japan Diaries 4: Day 749
Japan Diaries 4: Day 750
Japan Diaries 4: Day 752
Osaka Hokoku Shrine
Osaka Castle
Osaka Castle Revisited 2018
Osaka Castle Revisited 2019
Tempozan Park
Mt. Tenpo
Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
Pokemon Center Osaka DX
Dotonbori
Dotonbori Revisited 2019
Hozenji
Hozenji Revisited 2023
Pokémon Store New Chitose Airport
Banya no Yu
Moekko Free Ticket 15th Season
First Timer's Guide to the Japanese Onsen
My Collection of Unique KitKat flavors
Japan's Awesome Manhole Covers
10 Things to Do in Osaka City
10 More Things to Do in Osaka City
10 Things to Do in Kumatori
10 Things to Do in Chitose City
10 Things to Do in Ishikari City
Hokkaido 179
Japan Diaries 4: Summary
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Japan Diaries 4: Week 107
Japan Diaries 4: Weekend 107
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Japan Diaries 4: Week 109
Japan Diaries 4: Weekend 109
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