Introduction
We did a two-week backpacking trip in early 2024. We aimed to explore big cities such as Tokyo, Osaka & Kyoto. We stayed with other travelers in Japanese-style accommodations to keep our costs low or booked our apartment in a quiet neighborhood.
1st Day – Arrival in Tokyo
Our journey started on 15th March in the Philippines. The Japanese Embassy granted my partner Joan a Visa for two weeks. We booked a flight with the low-cost airline ZIPAIR from Manila to Narita. Before we departed, Filipinos traveling abroad had to pay a mandatory international travel tax.
We arrived at the Narita Airport Terminal in the evening with a smooth immigration clearance. We went to the bus terminal to take a Low-Cost Bus to Tokyo Station. From there, we took the Metro to Nippori Station. We checked in for one night at Hotel Harmony. We spotted this accommodation on Google Maps, and many rooms were available at last minute. The staff doesn’t speak English, but we could manage everything and had a relaxing first night.
2nd Day – Tokyo to Osaka by Shinkansen
After breakfast, we checked out of our hotel and returned to Tokyo Station to take a Shinkansen Bullet Train. The journey took approximately 2.5 hours from Tokyo Station to Shin-Osaka Station.
We arrived in the afternoon and took the local Metro to our rented accommodation one hour outside the central city. On bookings.com we found a traditional Japanese house near Suminoe-Station. We booked it for three nights. It’s a two-story house five minutes on foot to public transportation. In the evening, I bought all the groceries for three days.
3rd Day – Osaka City Shopping
We had breakfast at home every morning and prepared sandwiches to keep expenses low. Usually, dinner we ate at a canteen or restaurant. Today we went to the city to walk and buy a second-hand phone for Joan. We also planned to go on a hike tomorrow and bought warm clothes.
4th Day – Mount Kongo
We got up at 06 AM for our hike to Mount Kongo. We took an early train to Kawachi-Nagano Station to reach it on time. At the bus park, which is located at the East Exit of the train station, we took a local bus to Kongosan Ropeway. At 11:00 AM, we arrived and started to walk up to the mountain. The hike is beginner-friendly and marked. On the way, there are camping areas and restaurants. Unfortunately, they were still closed at that time. Once we reached the top, it was about 5°C. At 02 PM, we had already departed to catch the last bus at 05 PM.
5th Day – Change Accommodation
We checked out at 09 AM and went to our new accommodation near Dome-Mae Station, closer to downtown Osaka. This time, we stayed in a hostel with other backpackers. We had our bedroom on the second floor. The lodging has a shared kitchen, washing machine, and all other things a general household has.
After a successful transfer, we went to the famous Pokemon Café and visited the Namba Yasaka Jinja shrine.
6th Day – Universal Studio
Today, we dedicated a whole day to the Universal Studio. We got our passes in advance on the app Klook. With our regular tickets, access was granted from 09:00 AM until 9:30 PM. The reconstructed village Hogsmeade from the Harry Potter universe was Joan’s favorite. There was a great sense of nostalgia. One hour before the park closed, we made it to Super Nintendo World, my all-time favorite.
7th until 9th – Strolling around in Osaka
Over the next three days, we visited many more temples and strolled around Osaka.
10th Day – Kyoto
We went to Umeda Station for one day to get the Hankyu Tourist Pass. This ticket is only for tourists and allows us a fixed price to use certain railways for the whole day.
We chose to go to Kyoto and got off the train at the last station in Arashiyama. We ate snacks at a street food market and enjoyed walking along the Katsura River.
In the afternoon, we took the same Railway to Mino-o. There, we went on a short hike to Minoh Falls.
11th & 12th Day - Night Bus to Tokyo
During the last two days in Osaka, we spent time in malls and enjoyed local delicacies. On 26th March, we checked out and went to the Willer Bus Terminal near Osaka Umeda Station. We booked a night bus back to Tokyo Station through an app. During the daytime, we put our luggage in a locker and had our last walk in Osaka, where we spotted blooming Cherry blossom trees. The bus left Osaka around midnight, and we returned to Tokyo eight hours later.
13th Day – Kitakoiwa, Tokyo
At 08:00 AM, we got off the night bus and went directly to our pre-booked one-room apartment in Kitakoiwa, Edogawa City. For our last two nights, we usually ate at Matsuya. This is a Gyudon (beef bowl) restaurant five minutes from our apartment. It opens daily from 05 AM until 02 AM. They serve low-cost food but top quality. We loved it.
We also loved the quiet neighborhood with lots of playgrounds for kids. We enjoyed the beautiful weather and playing on the park bench with the kids.
14th Day – DisneySea
The last full day we spent at DisneySea. We chose Disneysea over Disneyland since it’s only in Japan. We got our tickets again on the app Klook.
15th Day - Departure
At 05:00 AM, we left the apartment, and two hours later, we checked in at the NAIA Airport and returned to the Philippines.
Expenses for 2 PAX in US-Dollars
-
Return Flight from Manila to Tokyo $790
-
International Travel Tax for a Filipino Citizen $28
-
SIM Card with unlimited data $46
-
1 Night in Tokyo at Hotel Harmony $48
-
Low-Cost Bus to Tokyo City from Narita Airport $17
-
Tokyo to Osaka by Shinkansen, Ticket & Seat $181
-
3 Nights at Japanese style home in Osaka $176
-
7 Nights in shared accommodation in Osaka $280
-
2 Nights at an apartment in Tokyo $137
-
Willer Express Bus Osaka to Tokyo $105
-
Coin Lockers in Osaka $8
-
Universal Studios 1-day pass $127
-
Hankyu Tourist Pass $9
-
Additional Check-In Bag for Return Flight $30
-
Disney Sea 1 Day Pass $140
-
Public Transportation (IC-Card, Bus, Metro & Train) $130
-
Meals at Restaurants (Dinner, Lunch, or Breakfast) $180
-
Coffee, Tea, Snacks, etc. $114
-
Groceries $153
-
Total $2'700
Conclusion
We loved how the Japanese designed the two theme parks Disneysea and Universal Studios and how unique their culture is. All spots we visited are well maintained and easy reachable by public transportation.
If you enjoy what I am doing, support my platform and enjoy exclusive content.
