Day 18 - Last Day in Japan - Osaka Namba Shopping District and Airport

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Checked out at 10:00 and were allowed to leave our luggage at the hotel as our plane wasn't leaving until 21:25. We thought we would take a taxi because I'd put in Osaka Airport and estimated cost was about $80, but the very helpful hotel receptionist said the cost would be about $250. I showed her what I had on Google Maps and it was then she pointed out that we had to go Osaka Kansai International, not Osaka Airport. I thought they were the same, so it was lucky I checked. She told me that the best way for us to get to the airport later was to catch a bus or taxi to Osaka Station and then an Airport Bus from there. She said they would a order a taxi for us. That sounded like a great idea. We said we'd get back at 17:00 and she agreed that should be early enough.

We made our way to Namba's Dotonbori Street which was very lively with wildly decorated restaurants and shops. Daisy and Krissy explored some clothing stores while I took Oscar for a stroll along the canal and into the Don Quijote store. Then met up again and explored the neighbouring Shinsaibashi area, which has many designer stores and a big department store, but also lots of smaller cheaper shops like a four storey Daiso. We planned to make our way back to the hotel at 16:00 but were delayed when we decided to have a late dinner (in the Namba District). So didn't leave until 16:45.
<br style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; border-color: #d1d1d1; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0� --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0� --tw-shadow: 0 0� --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0�" />We got back to the hotel at 17:25 and asked reception if they would call a taxi. After waiting anxiously for about 15 minutes and nothing happening, I went to reception again and the lady wasn't as proficient in English as the receptionist this morning, but after trying a couple of times, it appeared no-one was picking up at the taxi company. We then tried to get a large taxi for all of us plus luggage but to no avail. The fact it was raining was a factor in the difficulty of getting a taxi.

<br style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; border-color: #d1d1d1; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0� --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0� --tw-shadow: 0 0� --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0�" />We then decided to go to the original suggestion and caught a bus to Osaka Station, but it was delayed because of traffic and we had little time to make the connection as the airport bus was departing at 18:30, plus we had difficulty finding the airport bus stop in the first place. We realised we would miss it.

<br style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; border-color: #d1d1d1; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0� --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0� --tw-shadow: 0 0� --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0�" />Keeping in mind that Kansai International Airport is around one hour from Osaka Station, our plan to arrive at the airport three hours before the 21:25 take-off was shot to pieces. The next bus was at 19:20, which would make us too late for the one hour check-in cut-off at 20:25. So we changed plans again and caught an 18:53 train which was due at Kansai at 20:07 giving us 18 minutes before the check-in cut-off. Even this train wasn't straightforward. There were about four different lines coming through and passengers were lined up on different coloured paths. We couldn't work out which queue to stand on. Just as the train was coming in, Krissy noticed that only the first four carriages were going all the way to Kansai airport, so rushed over to where carriage 4 was and got on. If we hadn't done that, we may very well have missed our flight home.

<br style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; border-color: #d1d1d1; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0� --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0� --tw-shadow: 0 0� --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0�" />The train ran to schedule and we walked as quickly as possible and found the Jetstar counter easily. Daisy decided to just go straight to the counter rather than do the normal self-check-in and the young man did everything for us because he did realise we only just made it with 10 minutes to spare. Once we were checked-in, it was a great relief. I told Daisy we were safe now because the plane wouldn't leave once we'd done that. We still had to go through the usual security check, passport and customs check which all went smoothly, but Kansai Airport is very large. We still had a long way to walk to a shuttle station where a train took us to our gate (Gate 3). Fortunately, Gate 3 wasn't too far and we got there at 20:55, 30 minutes before scheduled take-off. Passengers were still queued up to board. So it was a bit of a stressful end to our holiday, but as usual, it worked out in the end. We were all very relieved and happy when we were sitting in the plane, ready for take-off.


The flight was 9.5 hours so we touched down at 8:00 but there was a long wait on the plane as we waited for a shuttle bus to take us to the terminal. Then long queues at passport check and customs. Even though there is now self passport control, families with young children go into another line where there is a manual passport check. We finally got out 2 hours after touch-down. Fortunately, Nick had volunteered to pick us up and we got home quickly from the airport.

We've really had some wonderful experiences and been impressed with how helpful many of the Japanese people have been to us, and hope that we'll be back at some time in the future as there is so much to see and enjoy in Japan.

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Comments

[Graeme Sandstrom]

End of trip
Wow what a marathon Ray. I reckon that you will be needing a holiday at this end. There were a few hickups but all in all it seemed to me that you planning really paid off and you all had a wonderful time. Oskar seemed to do remarkably were for a little bloke doing a pretty intensive international trip. It seemed like Crissie also contributed heaps with her driving and sorting out tricky situations. Congratulations and I take my hat off too you all. It will be nice to see you again.

[Bob Worsley]

Shoppping.
''explored some clothing stores'' is a coy euphemism for somehing else... Safer language Ray.