My last day in Osaka. Tourist sights in Osaka and a quick review of the luxury ferry to Beppu (Kyushu).
This morning was my last day staying with Sawa. It’s typical for guests to give Omiyage, or gifts, to people who invite you to their home. So I prepared a little something to give to Sawa’s family. They prepared me a Japanese breakfast for my last day, salmon, rice, and miso soup. Although it might sound simple, it was so delicious. I managed to pack up most of my stuff in preparation for my trip to Kyushu later in the day and Sawa and her mom dropped me off at the station.
For the rest of the day until I had to leave for the ferry, Hinako and I had plans to enjoy some of Osaka’s tourist spots! Our first stop was the Tower of the Sun where there is a famous statue made for Expo 1970. Surrounding the statue is a vast, beautiful park with flowers, trees, and rivers to enjoy. It was really hot, but the trees provided some shade. We took pictures with the sunflowers and finished our walk just in time for lunch time.
For lunch, Hinako suggested Sanuki Udon, a chewy udon noodle soup, and we had it served cold. It is now my favourite noodle of all time. Does your country have any chewy foods? I couldn’t think of any chewy American or Canadian foods… Since it was a big meal, we walked around the mall to window shop and find a cafe for dessert. We ended up going to my one of my favourite cafes, Nana’s, for matcha! I had soft serve in a match latte.
Beppu Ferry
Soon, it was time to leave the mall and catch the train to the ferry terminal. It was about an hour from the city centre to the ferry terminal and there were lots of transfers, but I’m glad Hinako was able to drop me off. The ferry I boarded took me straight from Osaka to Beppu on a 13 hour, overnight trip. It is a place of luxury.
Here's a list of a few things I wish I knew ahead of time.
Technically, there’s Wifi on board, but it doesn’t work with my US iPhone or Laptop. The reception desk told me it won’t work for everyone and the connection is pretty spotty, so don’t expect to have access to the internet at all.
There’s dinner served on board, but not like a restaurant, it’s a buffet. Make sure to come with an empty stomach or you might not be able to enjoy the food.
However, if you aren’t interested in paying ¥2,300 or about $23.00 for delicious Japanese food, then consider bringing something ahead of time. The convenience store at the ferry terminal didn’t have any food left, so prepare in advance. The ferry has a basic kitchenette with a microwave, sink, ice, and vending machine drinks, but the only food on board is the buffet or the souvenir shop.
When it’s time to take a bath after dinner, there’s an onsen. However, if you have tattoos, like me, you are only permitted to use the personal shower room. You don’t need to bring a towel, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush, or hairdryer because they are all provided for you.
Luckily, there are free coin lockers on board for your bags and some refrigerated coin lockers available for ¥200.
I would bring your own earplugs if you want more peace and quiet, but it was very quiet!
Most services are offered in Japanese or with foreign language options (I'm pretty sure the staff speaks English too). There weren't a lot of foreigners, but most services on board are self serve, so it is easy for everyone to use.
A quick tour of the ship.
Buffet selection!
My dinner! Udon noodles again!
In conclusion:
Unless you really want to be somewhere on the same day, I would highly recommend this ferry for use across all of Japan. They even have sailings available to Okinawa. I received this recommendation from Tokyo Ryokan owner Kenichi san, so I’d like to share the information here as well. This is the same price as the Shinkansen (bullet train) from Osaka to Kyushu, but the Shinkansen is just a seat on a train, and there aren’t any luxury accommodations available. The trip is so easy and I’m sure it would be fun for families and solo travelers since you can choose a room to suit your needs.
Good night Beppu! I’ll upload this when I get Wifi again.