Didn't check out the price but not gonna be cheap, at least RM 300-400.

Yes, I had Express Pass 4, worth every penny spent. I won't want to queue like there's no tomorrow for some of the rides. I went on one of the lowest peak dates in these three months but the crowd was so large, can't imagine on other dates.

Me. USJ and USS are totally different, yes one day for USJ.
I just went to USJ on 6th Nov.

Next time when Universal Studios in Beijing is opened, I will go too because BFF's house is just nearby and she already asked me to go with her.

This kind of things have to ask those Chinese and according to their reviews, 大国药 is cheaper and better with lots of choices.


I just arrived in Malaysia this morning and I miss this trip, more to I miss the companion of my BFF and I can't believe 15 days just gone!
Nagasaki gave us surprises, initially we wanted to exclude it but we were glad we didn't. Kansai has too many tourists and we are kinda sick of it. Maybe next trip won't be going back to Kansai anymore. We are thinking of Shikoku.

We didn't save on our food and our expenses were super high, don't dare to calculate.
We had few days of Wagyu and Kobe beef.

From time to time, I will drop by here. Thanks for all the pointers before I went to my trip, I appreciate them! Adios until my next Japan trip. If you need any clarification, please feel free to tag me on this thread.

What sort of review trip report? Just ask and I can try to answer.

Just wanna say if wanna enjoy Japan to the fullest then be prepared to spend. Of course, everyone values money differently, I value experience more than the monetary spending. Money can always be earned back, especially if we are employed, there's nothing to be worried about.

This time added Kyushu and didn't regret, so next one will be lesser tourists place. Again if lesser tourists means public transportation may not be that good.

For Kyoto, I highly recommend the Kyoto bus+subway pass, we bought for 2 days 1700 yen, well spent and used a lot of buses to attractions and subway back to our accommodation.

Take note of tax refund slips, click only if you can read Chinese: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid...938120582934128

My first tax refund slip was properly taped on my passport and round stamp was within the slip but subsequently after that and yesterday's spending at Rinku Premium Outlet were all stapled and half of the round stamps were stamped outside of the slips. If this happens to me as well then I'm screwed because I travel to China quite often too.

Some of the routes cannot be reached with bus pass 600 yen and need to top up money at the end of the trip. No issue with subway+bus pass.
Hahaha. How far can you go since you are bringing the entire family?
For us, we walked on average 15000 steps per day and some days over 20000 steps. These walks also included public transports in between, food we only ate normal meals - brunch and dinner. Sometimes tea breaks after long walks and skies turn dark earlier so not many places can be visited after 5 p.m., you see nothing basically. Shops close at 8.00 p.m. Also freezing cold now, Osaka was still OK but not other cities, very cold.

Food wise, yes we had better food. Even if we save for food, not like it can be compensated for other activities, because in a day you can only do that much.

If not spend on food, where else? Activities already planned and we still visited and paid for entrance fees. Shopping is on our own expenses, so that won't be counted.

I must admit we got sick of Japanese food after few days and had Chinese food, hotpot instead.

I bought jacket in Adidas Shinsaibashi and the staff taped nicely but can't say the same for Adidas in Rinku.

Yes, my previous passport (expired already) also has staples from my previous Japan trip.

Honestly, I don't see a point for them to do it. We are not doing refund anymore because it has been deducted when we purchase our stuff. It's really a waste of resources and creates more issues (like the sharing I posted earlier).

They won't check I guess but you can always carefully peel them off for peace of mind.

I know, what I mean is not needed to stick on the passport.

It's there, after passed immigration. I detached mine yesterday.

After having travelled to so many countries and did tonnes of tax refund, Japan has the easiest way to refund but also the most untidy way to do it.

Ya, we also saw the cruise ship docking and both of us were stunned. My BFF is a PRC herself also can't stand them and kept pulling me to be away from the crowd. We avoided them by going to Glover Garden.

We didn't visit any atomic site but instead we decided on Penguin Aquarium last minute, it was a perfect choice!

Summarized translation: China Visa centre declined this lady's visa application because treated her passport as invalid. She went to our immigration to apply new passport again and was told by our officers we have the rights to reject people from doing anything to our passport. Her passport is considered as "passport rosak" and had to pay RM 400 to re-apply again. RM 200 for the passport and additional RM 200 for penalty.

It's not her first time applying China visa and it's her fourth time, previous three times had no issue. Actually she also admitted her passport has a lot of staple holes and half stamps because I think she's a third party purchaser and always goes to Japan to buy stuff on behalf of others. Her advice is we shouldn't let these shops to staple, and them to tape the slips instead and also make sure the entire stamps are on the slips and not half on slips and half on passport.

My opinion is not China immigration being an anal but the truth is her passport is considered void and invalid, even our Immigration officers also mentioned the same thing. I also don't know how, I have two pages with half stamps and staple holes and I really hope my next China visa application won't be rejected.

We took public bus and it is just at opposite of JR Nagasaki station, guided by the staff in information centre where I got the tram ticket and ropeway ticket.

Well, I don't know how to ask them to put sticker on those half-stamped marks because every time I apply my visa, it is via third party (my company's appointed travel desk), so there is no way for me to communicate with them and I doubt they will entertain. Front desk and the person who sticks the visa are two different persons.

In short, just be smart with those stamps. I just shared the news for awareness, whether to listen or to follow, it is entirely up to the individual. I'm a frequent traveller to China so I seriously do not want this incident to happen to me. If it screws up during one of my business trips to China then I'm doomed.

I was in Kyoto from 13th to 16th Nov and it wasn't fully red yet, still a lot of greenish.

Next time need to plan a week later to go to Japan.

I was in Arashiyama on last Saturday, three colours are still visible - green, yellow and red.

Want fully red, I'm not sure have to wait for how long but maybe that time winter already, and leaves start to fall as well.

No advantage. ICOCA card can be bought at kiosks and if you want Kansai One Pass, then get from JR office. I got Kansai One Pass which is only for foreign tourists and has nicer design.

JR West office is just opposite of Nankai anyway at Kansai. When I was there in early Nov, it was empty. (AirAsia Express Bag tag makes a difference, grabbed my luggage and quickly rushed to JR office )

She's not a "man".

At least yours has no gender tag, so still OK la kan. Look at my case with female tag but maybe only 2/10 got my gender correct.
I'm always a dude on LYN.


By the way, for this trip I like Nagasaki, Yufuin and Beppu (the room and hot bath), not really the Hell Tour.

Already came back.

Not true. I withdrew from Seven ATM at 7-11 and it's 6-digit PIN. I used BigPay, just the additional RM 10 overseas withdrawal fees. No other additional charges.

Kansai is too packed for us. Other less tourists region next time.

Growing up by the seaside, usually destinations that involved beaches will be my last choice.