SVong-Along

If you are a lover of cup noodles, and have more spare time in Osaka than Yokohama, I recommend visiting the Cup Noodle Museum ! The highlight was the MyCupNoodle Factory experience - drawing my own cup and choosing my own flavors.  How to get there: From Umeda Station - about a half hour train ride north on the Takarazuka Main Line to Ikeda. One way was ¥280. We went first thing in the morning, and there was still some schoolchildren on a weekday.  The exterior was glass and the building was not very assuming. In the lobby the clerk informed us the museum was free, but to make a cup noodle would be ¥500 (and cash was helpful) and then pointed to the direction of the CupNoodle Factory (where to make), but there were a few other things to see. I figured it was better to do the Factory before the line got long, but children had already started so we leisurely perused our way to the Factory. A large cup noodle cross-section!  There was a theater that showed the perspect...

I only spent 2 days and 2 nights in Osaka and it was still a highlight of Japan and I definitely want to re-visit!  Best tip for first-timers in Osaka - get the Osaka amazing pass [especially for 2 day pass]!  (image taken from internet) Includes attractions such as Osaka castle ￥600 and you can skip the line (saving 15 min to sometimes an hour wait)  other highlights: Tombori River Cruise ￥1,500, Kuchu Tien ￥2,000, Tsutenkaku ￥1,000 Includes transportation (subway lines all covered- each ride would've been ￥190- took it at least 4-6 times each day)  I bought a 2 day pass for￥3,600 (in Feb 2024, around $24 USD), and while it is now ￥5,500 for 2 days- I'd still recommend it as the convenience alone of showing it and saving time and the tourist center taking Visa credit card so I didn't have to exchange cash all made it a great purchase.  Picking up the pass: Super-easy - tourist center in Osaka JR station was easy to find after getting off JR/Shinkansen, directio...

I stayed at the Sheraton Tokyo Bay which is in the Tokyo Disney Resort area and a 5 min away monorail ride from the Disney Parks (Disney Sea).  (as seen from Google Maps streetview) TL/DR - I had a bad experience where the room facing the ocean was noisy with wind and they were unable to fix it so it was hard to sleep with two nights of high winds and they only gave me 10,000 points in compensation.  I'd only recommend if:  You are chasing/have Marriott status  It is a better deal than staying at a Disney hotel and you don't care about 15 min early entry (might be a low chance at a deal if you are using points for 5 nights - but cost wise didn't make sense for me). You want to stay on resort but really can't afford staying at a Disney hotel Pricing:  Besides convenience and proximity, it was also decently priced at 72000 for 3 nights, or around $160 USD a night at the time or at today's exchange rate closer to $150 a night. While I'd generally recommend for Marr...

Tokyo Disneyland might be my favorite Disneyland after visiting every Disneyland! Although a lot of the rides of the same as in Anaheim- several things stand out:  Beauty and the Beast ride is amazing (definitely buy Disney Premier Access as soon as entering the park) Food/snack culture  i.e. popcorn buckets, cute and exclusive items 3. It just feels cleaner and more civilized than Anaheim Disneyland  I went to rope drop - waiting at the gates over an hour.  Entered around 8 AM  (What the entrance is like later in the afternoon on a Tuesday: Refreshment Corner Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast - 10/10 and one of the best Disney rides!  Ice Cream break  Small World  Huey, Dewey & Louie's Good Time Cafe  Cinderella Castle  Theme in February is Minnie's Funderland Stitch Encounter - the experience was all in Japanese, and a cast member tried warning us- but we still went to get a break from the warm-ish day and it was still fun! Ba...