Japan

After 43 days of nomadic lifestyle, I finally settled in London.

As a 4-time traveller in Japan, I have come to appreciate the efficiency and reliability of the railway system. However, navigating the Japan Railways (JR) ticketing system and station layouts can be challenging for foreign travellers like me. Recalling the first time I travelled to Japan. We got overwhelmed in Shinjuku Station, the busiest railway station in the world. Its complex floor plan, multiple levels, and numerous lines and companies operating on each level can feel like navigating a maze. Finding the right exit can be challenging, with over 200 exits leading to different parts of the surrounding area. We stood in the indoor space. The GPS systems of our mobile phones weren’t available. After a few minutes, we realised that the JR system works differently from the Hong Kong railway system – passengers are not charged for exiting at the same station they entered. Approaching a particular location can be as simple as passing the paid area. ...

If all goes well, I should be in Hida Takayama when this blog post is published. Two months ago, We planned to visit Japan. We originally planned to stay in Nagoya throughout the whole journey. After a few days of browsing the information, we found Hida Takayama was much more attractive. Thus we focused on Hida Takayama instead of staying in busy cities like Nagaya. Many things have changed since the last time I travelled outside Hong Kong. Many facilities and shops in the Hong Kong International Airport and Kansai International Airport were closed due to reconstruction or lacking customers. Before the pandemic era, we always ate at Burger King at the Hong Kong International Airport. We also ate at one of the “Big Three” beef rice gyudon restaurants at the airports in Japan. However, all of them are closed in business. A friend advised me to have meals before entering the airport. ...