Episode 2 Without further ado, the appointment day arrived.

Ah, I almost forgot! Another must-have is a portable Wi-Fi device. While Japan has many free Wi-Fi hotspots, having your own is highly recommended. This is especially important for checking train schedules, which is crucial for traveling around Japan. Additionally, it allows you to post those amazing photos and share your experiences with the world. Plus, you can use it to find great places to eat and visit based on recommendations.

From episode 1, we have made a rough plan...oh, I forgot...another thing, this trip we stayed at Drop In near Osaka Station for all 4 nights. It's not more than a 10-minute walk from the hotel to the train station. Exit through the north gate of the station, turn left, and walk straight ahead. Cross the road, cross the railway, and you'll be there. It's easy to find, just use GPS.

The room we stayed in was a capsule-style room, similar to a sleeping car on a train, divided into individual compartments on two levels. There were separate sections for men and women. This type of room is not the only option, as there are also private rooms available. The bathrooms are separate, and there is a dedicated room for gamers. Access to the rooms is via password, and there is no need to worry about the safety of your belongings, as there are lockers available if you are still concerned.

This is a picture of the common room. Everyone will come to eat, sit and eat in this room because food is not allowed in the room. There is a refrigerator available for you to keep your food. Hot water, washing machine are available. Bathroom, toilet, even though it is a shared room, it is clean and convenient to use. Don't worry. Anyone interested can search by this name. This place is quiet and not crowded. Mostly foreigners come to stay here.

Don't worry, the staff here can speak English. You can also book through famous online systems. I don't need to recommend them, you probably know them already (just a hint, Agoda, something like that).

The day we were going to travel finally arrived. We flew with NokScoot and arrived at Kansai Airport in Osaka in the evening. We went through immigration as usual and walked out.

Standing there for a moment, wondering where to go next. The first thing we did was connect to the Wi-Fi. What else? Once that was done, we needed to pick up our JR Pass, which we had purchased back in Thailand. To get there, we went up to the 2nd floor and walked towards the connection to the train station that goes to the airport. If you're confused, just follow the crowd.

The picture may not be clear. Turn right, walk up the escalator to the 2nd floor, and then walk outside. Walk straight ahead, turn right, and you will see a lot of people walking towards Exit 1 of the building.

After walking for a while, we will see a lot of people waiting to receive their tickets and buy new ones. For those who have already bought their tickets, you can go straight to the second floor. To receive your tickets on this floor, for those who are dragging luggage, there is a luggage locker service available, so don't worry. Or if you are with a friend, you can ask them to watch your luggage because you don't have to go up a lot. If you are alone, you can receive your ticket.

Exit Gate 1 to buy tickets, pick up the tickets we bought, go straight to the crowded area, and it's also a connecting path to exit the airport. When we receive the JR Pass, let's continue.

For this trip, we didn't take the train from the airport. Instead, we booked a limousine.

...where tickets are sold and the boarding point to leave the airport. Since we bought tickets from Thailand, we just walked to wait for the bus.

This is... the ticket we bought. Show it to him and tell him where we're getting off. Tell him we're getting off at Osaka Station and he'll give us the ticket stub.

This is the limousine I was talking about… Simply put, it's like our tour bus. The ride is long, but it doesn't take too long. You can just sit and relax, or if you don't like taking the train, you can go out.

Upon reaching the drop-off point, we disembarked and walked to our accommodation, which was not far away. There was no need to spend money on a taxi. Feel free to explore on foot. If I were to provide detailed directions, it might be confusing. Just use GPS.

Roughly... to walk to the accommodation, you can do anything to get to Osaka Station, then walk to the north exit. There will be a sign. When you find it, walk out the door and turn left.

As soon as you turn left, you will see a public transportation stop on the right-hand side, as shown in the picture. The stop offers services to various destinations, as indicated on the service channels. You can check the available routes there.

Then walk to the end of the building, you will find a crosswalk. Cross the street and continue walking. We will cross the street 2 more times and cross the railway. If you cross all the way, walk a little further and you will reach your accommodation.

The train tracks we will cross, our accommodation is on the opposite side…

The accommodation is located near a restaurant, Sakket. As you walk to the accommodation, you will notice the Osaka Umeda Sky Building, which offers panoramic views of the city. If you have time, you can visit it. This time, we didn't go, but we walked past it every day. It is open and closed at certain times. If you want to go up, there is an entrance fee, which is not expensive. If you are in Japan, you can take the entrance fee out of your shopping budget. I recommend that you don't miss it, because we missed it. You can walk to it from the accommodation.

Upon arrival and settling into your accommodation, why not head out for some sightseeing? There's a scenic viewpoint near our lodgings, perfect for those who want to take in the sights. If that's not your cup of tea, you can always explore the area around Osaka Station, where you'll find a plethora of shops and restaurants. However, keep in mind that things close early here, with most establishments shutting down by 2-3 pm, leaving little to do in the evening. If you're feeling adventurous, you can hop on a train to Namba, a popular district with the iconic Glico Man sign and vibrant nightlife. It's open late and bustling with people. We'll be heading there ourselves later on, so stay tuned for more details.

As for us... let's just walk around the station and find something to eat.

The first restaurant we went to was a Japanese-style eatery with several branches near Osaka Station. We ended up at this particular one after wandering around. It also has a bar area, but be warned that smoking is permitted, which may be a deterrent for some.

The first meal of the day, hot food in the cold weather, this restaurant is mostly for working people who are on their way home and stop by to eat before going back. So most of them will stand and eat, finish eating and go back, not sitting and talking much. How to order, just point, because they can't speak English and we can't speak Japanese. Sign language can be understood. They will have pictures in front of the shop and prices. Just point and you will get it.

Full stomach... This morning we still have tasks to do. We should go back to rest.

Little tip... Japan, water is easy to find... there are vending machines everywhere, so you can just go and put in some money. But since we are tourists, we don't want to put in too much money. We put in 1 bottle, and then we don't have to throw it away. We can keep it to refill with drinking water. Some restaurants don't have water to refill all the time, so it's good to have your own. And another thing, trash cans are rare, there are very few. It's like putting money in a vending machine, pressing the button for water, and then throwing the bottle away there. Something like that.

The end... for the first day of travel.. Tomorrow we are preparing to travel to Kyoto.