The Backpack Adventures

Day 752: November 23, 2023 Thursday – Labor Thanksgiving Day x Ishikari We woke up to see that we've won the Cooking Fever Tournament It was a chilly 9-degree morning here in Rumoi City ( 留萌市 ) . Today, being Labor Thanksgiving Day, a national holiday in Japan , gave us another chance to take a short family road trip. Although tomorrow is still a workday, we wanted to make the most of the break, so we decided to visit a familiar place, Ishikari City ( 石狩市 ) . My wife also asked if we could include grocery shopping in our itinerary, and I gladly said yes. It's Labor Thanksgiving Day , and we're off to Ishikari City 2nd Street Ishikari Team Nicerio drives south to Ishikari City Our first stop was 2nd Street Ishikari , a secondhand shop we often enjoy visiting. The store had plenty of new seasonal items, but we ended up buying only a few mugs, simple but satisfying finds.  COSTCO Ishikari Grocery shopping From there, we headed to the highlight of the trip, COSTCO Ishikari . G...

Day 750:  November 21, 2023 Tuesday –  4-Day Osaka Solo Trip D4 It's a beautiful morning here in Kumatori Today marked the final day of my Osaka adventure. The morning greeted me with bright sunshine, a refreshing change from yesterday's gloomy weather. Although a road trip sounded tempting, my departure was scheduled for 11 AM. Mr. Toshi prepared a delicious breakfast Until next time! Thank you, Kameyama family , for letting me stay at your place. Kumatori manhole cover Mr. Toshi surprised me with a delicious breakfast, carefully prepared and beautifully presented, which immediately set a warm and cheerful tone for the day. The meal was more than just food; it felt like a heartfelt send-off, filled with the comfort and care that had made my stay so memorable. After breakfast, my Japanese family kindly drove me from their home in Kumatori ( 熊取町 ) to Kansai International Airport’s Terminal 2 .  Mr. Toshi and Ms. Taeko drove me to the airport Arrived at the domestic term...

Day 749: November 20, 2023 Monday – 4-Day Osaka Solo Trip D3 Hineno Station Time to hop on the train to Osaka City It was a chilly Monday morning in the quiet town of Kumatori ( 熊取町 ), Osaka, as I set out on an important trip to the Philippine Consular Office to file Kai’s Report of Birth documents. Mr. Toshi, ever the gracious host, kindly drove me to Hineno Station after a hearty breakfast, and we arrived just past 8 AM. Feeling confident knowing my appointment wasn’t until 10 AM, I relaxed—until a small hiccup occurred. I had accidentally boarded the “ Regional Train ,” which stopped at every station. Thankfully, a quick check on Google Maps reassured me that I would still arrive at the Consular Office right on time. Inside Osakajokoen Station Osakajokoen Station The view from the Osakajoshin Bridge Osakajoshin Bridge The Philippine Consulate is located in TWIN 21 The Philippine Consulate is on the 24F of the building It was 9:40 AM when I arrived at Osakajokoen Station . From ...