The weather greeting our arrival in Japan could not have been more perfect. A straight week of rain in Tōkyō had stopped just mere hours prior to our arrival. Indeed, the clouds remained thick and the ground was drenched even as we touched down after minor delays on landing in Tōkyō. By the time we were on our connecting flight to Ōsaka, the clouds had cleared and the sun was out. We were glad to be back in Japan.
Seoul
Hongik University Station, AREX
Just as we’d arrived in Seoul, we took the AREX to the airport. While both of Seoul’s airports were on the same line, this time we were headed to Gimpo International Airport, which cut the travel time in half.
Honggik University is a major interchange for travellers changing from the AREX line. These luggage carousels that transport luggage up and down stairs while avoiding escalators amused us.
The travellators calculated the number of calories one could burn by walking the distance instead.
Many of Seoul’s subways had signs that they were ‘lightly air-conditioned’, but it seemed one could not get a carriage at an alternate setting.
Gimpo International Airport
Gimpo International Airport, 886 Banghwa-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
The airport was a fair walk from the subway station, while the Angel-in-Us on the way had a Vietnamese sandwich on offer.
Daecheongmaru was an area in the airport where one could enjoy various different types of foods. However, at the end of March 2023, the majority of the airport remained closed.
While we waited for the check-in counter and departure gates to open, we enjoyed this Walker’s Classic Cola with Black Tea that we picked up from the basement of the Lotte Department store. The cola notes came through initially with a more notable craft cola acidity than the sharpness of mainstream cola, while the malty, floral notes of the black tea emerged in the finish. It was a very enjoyable twist on cola, that was more sophisticated than a coffee cola blend and without the emphasis on herbs in craft cola.
Jeong Table
정테이블, 3F International Terminal, Gimpo International Airport, 886 Banghwa-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Just as on the landside, there was a dearth of food options available airside. We settled on Jeong Table, which seemed the biggest of the handful of options (there was an udon shop catering to Japanese tourists, as well as a gimbap and fish cake store).
Jeyuk with Rice (12,000 won). D enjoyed the spice of the pork, which was well-marinated.
Mushroom with Vegetable Rice Porridge (11,000 won). Nursing an upset stomach overnight, I opted for porridge for easy digestion. It was less wet than congee, but the rice grains were more broken than in zosui, perhaps closer to okayu. The nutty flavour of the sesame oil carried the dish, which was otherwise hearty and perfect for recovering from an upset stomach.
The bins at Gimpo International Airport were in the shape of a hard suitcase.
Seoul, Korea to Tōkyō, Japan
While we waited to board our flight to Tōkyō, the emergency services had a training operation in the background. Well, we assumed as much because they were spraying water at a quiet and empty corner of the tarmac that seemed not to be under any threats.
Seoul to Tōkyō was about a 2-hour flight. Ours coincided with lunchtime.
The bag contained a Dean & Deluca sandwich, a box of Maison Kayser caramel biscuits, Sunkist orange juice, and a wet wipe.
The Dean and Deluca Yangnyeom Chicken Sandwich was juicy and tender with a sweet and spicy sauce. Though fried, it was no longer crisp and was a bit soggy from the sauce. The cabbage added an enjoyable crunch, while the brioche bread was tender and soft. All in all, it was an enjoyable sandwich inspired by Korean flavours and one of the more enjoyable meals we’ve had on a plane.
We were also offered the choice of consomme as a drink to accompany our meal. It was a first for us, and it tasted like instant chicken stock.
Tōkyō, Japan
Haneda International Airport
The rain was just clearing with the ground still drenched as we touched down at Haneda International Airport.
We had a two-hour layover before our flight to Ōsaka. Getting through customs and transferring between terminals went smoothly, despite the worrying stories we’d heard prior to our trip. That said, we were meticulous about making sure we had all the documents submitted and approved ahead of time, which seemed to help us bypass the less prepared crowds and queues.
Tōkyō to Ōsaka
The skies are clearing by the time we leave Tōkyō, with Skytree in the distance.
Just as ANA had their Sky Time Kiwi for domestic flights, we enjoyed JAL’s Sky Time Peach & Grape MIX on our flight. The tart berry notes and the juicy sweetness of peaches came through for a refreshing beverage.
From above, we could see the cherry blossoms dotting the mountain side.
Ōsaka, Japan
Itami Airport
大阪国際空港 (伊丹空港), 3 Chome-555 Hotarugaike Nishimachi, Toyonaka, Ōsaka 560-0036, Japan
By the time it was time to land in Ōsaka, the sun was well and truly out.
iroHA
2F 大阪国際空港 (伊丹空港), 3 Chome-555 Hotarugaike Nishimachi, Toyonaka, Ōsaka 560-0036, Japan
We spotted an iroHA pop-up at Itami International Airport. We’d previously enjoyed the daifuku (from Shiga Prefecture) when we encountered their pop-up store in Kumamoto in 2019.
Sakura Daifuku (¥130, inc tax). The mochi exterior was soft and springy, while the white bean paste inside was smooth with delicate floral notes and a subtle savoury quality from the salted cherry blossom leaves.
Muscat Daifuku (¥130, inc tax). The mochi exterior was similarly enjoyable, while the white bean paste carried the fruity tropical sweetness of the muscat without artificiality. iroHA daifuku remain delicious!
Airport Limousine Bus
It was relaxing to know we were in familiar territory upon arriving in Japan. Everything is easier when one can take a step back and give our overstimulated senses a bit of a rest after being in a wholly new environment in South Korea.
Kyūshū Ramen Kio
らーめん亀王 難波ＮＧＫ前店, 10-13 Nanbasennichimae, Chuo Ward, Ōsaka, 542-0075, Japan
Kyūshū Ramen Kio is the ramen restaurant we try to revisit every time we’re in Ōsaka. Their speciality is ramen using ripe tomatoes from Kumamoto Prefecture.
Tomato Ramen (¥780, inc tax). It was every bit as satisfying as we’d remembered, with the fresh tomatoes giving the soup a rich umami depth that soaked well into the noodles.
Tomato Tsukemen (¥780, inc tax). The tsukemen featured a piping hot dipping soup that was several times more concentrated in flavour than the ramen. It was a touch too salty on its own, but with the noodles, the thicker soup generously coated the noodles with rich tomato flavour.
Gyōza (¥290, inc tax). We enjoyed these very much, from the crispy bottom to the thin skin, that emphasised the pork and cabbage filling.
The chilli oil was in this cute turtle jar.
Namba Walk
なんばウォーク, 1 Chome Sennichimae, Chuo Ward, Ōsaka, 542-0074, Japan
Namba Park
なんばパークス, 2 Chome-10-70 Nanbanaka, Naniwa Ward, Ōsaka, 556-0011, Japan
Lupicia
ルピシア なんばパークス店, 5F なんばパークス, 2 Chome-10-70 Nanbanaka, Naniwa Ward, Ōsaka, 556-0011, Japan
For dessert, we headed to Lupicia to try their tea-inspired ‘Glaces and Sorbets’, a first for us.
Lupicia Glaces & Sorbets Earl Grey (¥450, inc tax, 120 mL).
The bergamot flavour was bold with a subtle bitterness while the layer of blood orange marmalade on top amplified the citrus element.
Hōjicha ‘oni no baisen’ (¥380, inc tax, 120 mL)
The hōjicha came through with a deep fragrance and rich sweetness, while complemented by the bitterness and crunch of the mini dark chocolate chips.
We love the gelato at Ice Kirin Bar and Gacha Gacha Plus in Sydney, but the taste and texture of Lupicia’s gelato surpass both those stores just based on these two flavours. Not to mention it was cheaper than a single scoop in Sydney.
Sotetsu Fresa Inn Ōsaka Namba-ekimae
相鉄フレッサイン 大阪なんば駅前, 1 Chome-6-5 Nanbanaka, Naniwa Ward, Ōsaka, 556-0011, Japan
Our hotel in Ōsaka could not be more convenient. The bus stop for the airport limousine was quite literally outside its front door, while Namba Station was just across the road.
The hotel had moved to self-check-in kiosks during the pandemic, which also scanned passports without staff intervention.
We were glad to see that hotels in Japan continued to offer amenities in the lobby without additional charge.
The hotel room was a typical size but was sufficiently comfortable with a springy mattress and plush comforter. The pillows, as usual, were rather flat and hard.
The bathroom was clean with updated facilities, and housekeeping exchanged the towels daily.
The hotel had a coin laundry facility and we are pleased that the machines now had instructions in English.
To finish the evening, we enjoyed the Asahi Mitsuya Wakayamaken Nankoume. The drink carried the sweet tart notes of ume with a refreshing carbonation. It would be the drink we try to find again elsewhere in Japan.
Seoul to Ōsaka – Namba was Day 0 of 8 for the Japan 2023 trip. Day 1 would see visiting Ōsaka Castle, Umeda, and TeamLab Ōsaka Botanical Garden.