Showing posts with label PeiPei 7-year-old. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PeiPei 7-year-old. Show all posts

Saturday, June 9, 2018

Okinawa (Japan) Free & Easy Self-drive Trip with Children 6D5N Itinerary

Okinawa, the southern most prefecture of Japan, is quite different from other parts of Japan. It is influenced by Chinese and American, and it has a special culture of its own. After spending 6 days in Okinawa, I would say that it is a nice place for family with children to visit! 

Here is our 6D5N free and easy self-driving itinerary for our Okinawa trip in June 2016:

Day 1

The first thing that we did when we arrived at Naha International Airport was to find these! They are free travel magazines with many discount coupons! You can get them at the Visitor Information counter at the Arrival Hall.



From Naha International Airport, we walked a short distance to the domestic airport where is linked to Yui Rail - the one and only one monorail system in Okinawa!



Yui Rail is similar to LRT in Singapore. We find it more convenient to travel in Naha area with Yui Rail as compared to driving. In addition, the parking fee is very expensive in this area!




If you are travelling via Yui Rail at least 3 times within a day, getting a one-day pass (700 yen for adult, 350 yen for child) would be value for money.



The first hotel that we checked in was located near Omoromachi station. Then we had our dinner at Apple Cooper Town, which was just a few minutes walk away from the hotel. I was stuffed with the lobster with sea urchin meal, and Blue Seal ice-cream! And I began to lose my voice after that... 

Just opposite the hotel is a big shopping mall called Naha Main Place, where we bought the sliders from Daiso, to prepare for our trip to the playground with long slide!


Day 2




One of the most memorable experiences that we had in Okinawa - slide down a 90-meter slide at Urasoe Park!



Whenever I was behind the wheel, we would get lost! After we had great fun at the park, I drove double the distance to reach our lunch place even with the aid of GPS in the car and Google Map on my smartphone! 

The children had their first experience to visiting a Japanese shrine - Futenma Shrine, and it was our first time visiting a lava cave! We only needed to travel to one place to see two things!



AEON Rycom is a new shopping mall in Okinawa. One reason for visiting a shopping mall was that it was raining heavily, we had to skip some other outdoor places that we planned. Another reason for visiting this shopping mall is this melon bread with ice-cream!




Day 3



It was our relaxation day - just stay in the hotel! I was too sick to move around, but the children had great fun in the indoor swimming pool and children playground!




Day 4


Rizzan Sea-Park Hotel Tancha-Bay is thoughtful that the breakfast coupons can be used for lunch instead! So we could relax in the morning and have lunch before we checked-out.

We were thankful that the rain stopped for a while when we reached Cape Manza, so that we could take some photos. It started to rain heavily when we walked back to the car park.



Our plan for the day had to be changed because of the rain! We wanted to visit Busena Marine Park, where we could look at the sea creatures at the underwater observatory and glass-bottom boat, but the park was closed due to the strong wind! What a pity! So we decided to drive up to the north to visit Okinawa Aquarium and Ocean Expo Park.

The weather was really weird. It was very windy and was raining when we reached Ocean Expo Park, but the sun appeared when the dolphin show started!

The children enjoyed watching the whale sharks swimming in the big tank!




Day 5



The weather was weird again, it rained heavily as I drove to Yohena Ajisai (Hygrangea) Garden, but it stopped when we reached the place! I was totally amazed by the sea of flowers, and I thought I was the only person in the family who enjoyed this place so much.



The rain came intermittently as we drove further north to Kouri-jima. Sigh, we didn't get to witness the clear blue sky with the turquoise sea. We only managed to look at the Heart Rocks and had lunch on the island.



Poor DaDi had to drive more than 90 km to head back to the south, as the other driver (that's me) was too sick to drive, and the children were against the idea of me behind the wheel as I keep losing our way even with the aid of GPS and Google Maps!

Before we returned our car, we stopped by Urasoe to do some shopping. The children's grandparents asked us to help them buy some health products from Phiten. Initially I have no idea what it is all about, until now then I know that the products are almost half the price in Japan as compared to Singapore (ok, nothing new...)!



Day 6
  • Kokusai-dori
  • Pick up luggage at Toyoko Inn Naha Omoromachi
  • Naha International Airport - Transit at Hong Kong - Singapore

We took Yui Rail to Makishi station, where the famous shopping street Kokusai-dori is located. Our first stop was the post office!



The postcards look so nice!



There were some cute rubber stamps at the counter, and I was thick-skinned enough to borrow the stamps.



I personally feel that Kokusai-dori was not really a good place to get the souvenirs, as the price is higher than supermarkets. Even the the products at the famous Don Quijote - a 4-level shop -  are not the cheapest in town. So in conclusion, if you are getting food as souvenirs for family, friends and colleagues, go to the supermarket!

We had some food at Pablo, First Makishi Public Market and Calbee Plus, before we took Yui Rail back to the hotel to pick up our luggage.


Our Expenditure for 6D5N (2 Adults + 2 Children)

If you ask me, is it expensive to visit Okinawa? I would say that it depends on your preference, for example, it would be more costly to stay at seaside resorts as compared to budget hotels. As you can see from the breakdown of our expenditure below, 1 night at seaside hotel = 2 nights at budget hotel! When it comes to food, I personally don't mind to spend a little more to enjoy nice food!

Cathay Pacific air tickets for 2 adults and 2 children = about SGD2500
Toyoko Inn (2 nights) = 8640 yen x 2 =  about SGD220
Okinawa Grand Mer Resort (1 night) = 16830 yen = about SGD210
Rizzan Sea-Park Tancha Bay Hotel (1 night) = 23132 yen = about SGD290
Yugaf Inn Okinawa (1 night) = 12600 yen = about SGD160
Car rental including insurance & petrol (4 days) = 23985 yen = about SGD300
Toll fee (1 way from North to South) = 960 yen = about SGD12
Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium admission tickets = 3010 yen = about SGD38
Car park at Rizza Sea-Park Tancha Bay Hotel for 1 day = 500 yen = about SGD6
Wi-fi router rental = 2000 yen = about SGD25
Shopping, food and miscellaneous = about SGD660
Total damage = about SGD4420

[Note: This is based on the conversion rate of 100 yen = SGD1.25 in June 2016]


 Our Post-trip Reflection

Mission accomplished! We survived from our first self-drive trip, and the children survived from their first visit to Japan!

Self-driving provides the convenience to travel from one place to another, and the flexibility to stop wherever you can find car parks, and we do not need to check the transport schedule at all! But it can be quite tiring for the driver(s) to drive over long distance, thanks to DaDi who made the trip successful as the poor MaMi fell sick!

It was a pity that I was sick throughout the trip, and it had been raining. Perhaps this gives us the reason to visit Okinawa again!


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Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Okinawa (Japan): What to Buy

When we travel overseas, we do not usually spend much time on shopping. But... but... Japanese supermarket and post office are just too interesting! My auntie shopping mode was turned on once I stepped into those places in Japan!

You may have heard of the famous shopping street Kokusai-dori (国際通り) in Okinawa. Honestly, I don't find this place attractive for shopping, because the price is more expensive! You can find some of the products in supermarkets!

The shrimp crackers are slightly spicy, but they are very tasty! The children love them!



Okinawa brown sugar is especially popular among the ladies for its high iron and calcium content, and is used for remedy for anemia. I like to drink hot water with Okinawa brown sugar to ease the discomfort during the "monthly event"!



Every time I visit Japan, I would look for Kit Kat! This is the limited edition in Okinawa - beni-imo!



Very convenient way of making toast! Just like using toothpaste! We bought the melon bread spread and garlic butter spread. The melon bread spread is very sweet, it gives the crispy texture like "bo lo bao" after it is baked in oven. I prefer the garlic butter spread, which gives out nice fragrance!



Ok, this one is not for the children. Orion is the popular beer in Okinawa, there is even a beer factory with free factory tour and free beer tasting in Nago. We actually saw Orion beer in some supermarkets in Singapore, but I like this special design which is currently available only in Okinawa!



Okinawa soba in instant form cannot be compared to the freshly prepared ones, but it is quite tasty and filling. Similar to some other Japanese cup noodles, there is a slice of meat inside!



One of the specialty in Okinawa is 35 coffee, which is roasted with weathered coral. I wanted to get the coffee powder, but I accidentally took the cookies instead! Anyway, the cookies are very delicious, the moment we opened the packaging, we could smell the fragrance of coffee!



I was attracted by the packaging! The biscuits come in three flavours - brown sugar, beni-imo and sea salt. Oh well, the words "limited edition" work on me sometimes.



Potato chips with shikuwasa flavour, which tastes like lime, do you dare to try? This was bought from Calbee Plus. More information about Calbee Plus in our post "What to Eat in Okinawa".



Oh yes, there is one more place that you can do your shopping - post office!



We bought a postcard with Shisa and stamps with Sanrio characters! So cute!



We also bought some children's clothes from Uniqlo at AEON Mall Okinawa Rycom (read our experience at this shopping mall). They were not really cheaper than those in Singapore, but some designs were not sold in Singapore.

In Japan, there is a chain of shops that sells baby and children clothing and products called 西松屋 (Nishimatsuya). We heard that the price is affordable, but we didn't manage to explore this shop.


Money-saving tips:
Currently, the consumption tax in Japan is 8%, and the tax-free purchase amount at the same store in a single day is more than 5000 yen. Even consumable items like food and beverages are eligible for tax-free procedure! Take note that the general items and consumable items are considered for tax free separately. Check Japan Tax-free Shop for the list of tax-free shops!

Take note that in order to enjoy tax-free for consumable items, you cannot consume them before you leave Japan. The consumables are packed in a transparent sealed bag like this:


So if you are going to buy a lot of delicious food like what we did, consolidate all your shopping at one tax-free store!


Our Okinawa Travelogue


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Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Okinawa (Japan): What to Eat

Please read this post after your meal! We are sharing some of the food that we had during our trip to Okinawa (Japan)!

Okinawa Makishi Public Market (那覇市第一牧志公設市場)

Okinawa Makishi Public Market is coined as Okinawa people's kitchen. It is similar to wet market in Singapore, but it is air-conditioned and is very clean! There are two levels - wet market at level 1, eateries at level 2. You can choose your ingredients at level 1, and then bring to the eateries at level 2 which would prepare the cooked food at 500 yen per person (3 dishes).



There is a famous saying by Okinawa people that "every part of the pig can be eaten, except for its voice"! How true it is! There is also the skin of the pig's head available in the wet market!



The part of the wet market that caught my eyes was of course the row of seafood stalls! Look at the fresh seafood!



Do you dare to eat puffer fish?



I have heard of this yakougai (夜光貝), and I finally get to try it!



I chose a small yakougai, which cost about 1500 yen, quite expensive though. I also ordered uni (sea urchin), which cost 1000 yen.



However, DaDi had stomach upset after eating the Pablo cheese tarts, so I had no choice but to finish the sashimi ALL. BY. MYSELF! This sea urchin was the cheaper type, it was creamy and not too bitter, but to be honest, it can be quite a torture to finish the whole plate of sea urchin because of the strong after taste! I was glad that the strong taste was "neutralised" by the freshness of the yakougai. The yakougai offered two textures, part of it was soft, and the other part was crunchy.

Okinawa Makishi Public Market
Website: http://kousetsu-ichiba.com
Address: 沖縄県那覇市松尾2-10-1
How to get there: By Yui Rail, alight at Makishi (牧志) station, walk a few minutes


Grilled Lobster with Sea Urchin Sauce

One of the must-try food at Okinawa is the grilled lobster with sea urchin sauce! It is available in some fish markets by the sea, however, we didn't manage to visit those fish markets, and in the end, we had this dish at a restaurant near our hotel in Naha city. 



The set meal cost 2980 yen, and it comes with a few slices of sashimi, chawamushi, pickles, soup and rice. The lobster was a bit too tough in my opinion, but the sauce was quite delicious.



海産物料理市 ICHI
Address: 沖縄県那覇市おもろまち３－３－１　あっぷるタウン２Ｆ
Website: https://www.hotpepper.jp/strJ000989935/ (Click on the orange button クーポンと地図 for discount coupons!)
How to get there: By Yui Rail, alight at Omoromachi (おもろまち) station, walk 15 minutes. Or by driving, there are outdoor parking lots at the shopping mall


Ice-cream

You can see Blue Seal ice-cream outlets in many places. We tried Okinawa salt cookies and beni-imo (Okinawan sweet potato), very yummy!


Blue Seal
Website: http://en.blueseal.co.jp


Another must-eat ice-cream in Japan is Creamia! The soft-serve ice-cream is so creamy and rich in milk flavour. Unlike the usual cone, this cone is so crispy and tastes like cookie! At the price of 500 yen, I know it is quite steep, but it is really delicious!


You can find Creamia at Naha International Airport, in a cafe near the departure gate.


Okinawa Soba

We had Okinawa Soba a few times during our trip. Although it is called "soba", it is not the same as the soba that we usually have. Okinawa soba is made of flour, instead of buckwheat, it is thick and the texture is similar to that of udon. 

We had our first Okinawa Soba at Tedako (てだこ), after we visited the long slide at Urasoe Park. The children had their first experience of sitting on tatami floor to have their meal!

The three popular dishes are Okinawa soba with pork belly (沖縄そば三枚肉), Okinawa soba with pork cartilage (ソーキそば) and gyoza! The pork slices and pork cartilage were soft and tasty, and the gyoza were very crispy.




In our few encounters with Okinawa Soba, I think Tedako serves the best Okinawa Soba!

Tedako (てだこ)
Address: 沖縄県 浦添市 仲間 1-2-2
Mapcode: 33 281 290
Car park: A few slots in front of the restaurant, free parking (must be patient because there are many patrons!)


Ishigaki Beef (石垣牛) & Agu Pork (あぐー豚)

They are the premium meat in Okinawa and are quite pricey! Initially I thought of visiting a BBQ restaurant, but DaDi was afraid that we would "damage" the meat if we cook the meat ourselves! So we had Ishigaki steak and Agu Pork cutlet don for lunch at a restaurant called Sakurana さく来奈 near the sea side resort hotel that we stayed (Rizzan Sea Park Hotel Tancha-Bay).

It was a pity that the Ishigaki steak that we had was slightly too well done, even though we ordered medium. It was the cheapest Ishigaki steak that I could find in Okinawa, but I think I would rather pay more for one with better quality.



Agu pork cutlet was the best pork cutlet I have ever tried during the trip! The outer layer was crispy and not too thick, and the meat was very tender due to the presence of fats, but it wasn't too oily.



Sakurana さく来奈
Address: 〒904-0414 沖縄県国頭郡恩納村前兼久８６６−１
Mapcode: 206 096 626*46
Website: http://www.sakurana.com/index.html
Car park: A few slots in front of the restaurant, free parking
Sea Grapes (海ぶどう Umi budo)

The sea grapes were bursting in our mouth as we tried to chew them! Taste wise, they were quite salty, and I think it would be nice to have them with rice. Other than restaurants or izakaya, you can get them from supermarkets too.




Mozuku Seaweed

It is said to be a healthy food, but the it was served with some sauce that tasted too sour to our liking. Nevertheless, it was quite an interesting experience to try Mozuku seaweed!




Grilled Garlic Shrimps

I read some Taiwanese blogs, and almost every one of them raved about this - Shrimp Wagon!



Located at Kouri-jima, a northern island in Okinawa, it would take about 1.5 hour to drive from Naha city. Not to be worried about where you can eat the food, we had our meal at a sheltered cafe next to the van.

We ordered Original Garlic Shrimp Plate (1000 yen) and Garlic Shrimp Butter & Lemon (1200 yen). Yes, not very cheap, but the grilled garlic shrimps were succulent! It was rather oily though.

Be mindful about the waiting time, we were the third in the queue when it opened, and we waited for about 20 minutes, I heard that the waiting time can be as long as 1 hour!

Shrimp Wagon
Address: Japan, 〒905-0406 Okinawa Prefecture, Kunigami District, 今帰仁村古宇利３４８ー１ ブルーガーデン内 ブルーガーデン
Website: http://shrimp-wagon.com/english/



Milk (玉城牧场牛乳)

I chanced upon this brand of milk at a supermarket. The moment I opened the packet, I almost fainted because of the strong "cow smell"! But the moment I drank it, it was so delicious! So my suggestion is to hold your breath while drinking it!




Izakaya (居酒屋)

Izakaya are casual drinking establishments in Japan. In most izakaya in Okinawa, non-smoking seats are not available, so if you have concern about smoking environment, then you may have to think twice before going in.

We had two dining experiences in izakaya near the hotels that we stayed, because it was raining and we didn't want to drive out to have dinner. We finished our meals as fast as we could as the izakaya became quite smoky when other patrons started to smoke after their meals. But it was quite an eye-opener for the children when they witnessed the Japanese gatherings, like those that we watch on Japanese drama series, the Japanese took turn to make a speech, then the rest applauded and drank!

One of the izakaya we visited was Yukino (ゆきの) next to Yugaf Inn Okinawa located in Nago. Although we had to queue in the drizzle for a short while (there was no space inside), this was compensated by the nice food at reasonable price. We got the opportunity to sit on tatami floor again. One plus point is the self-service free-flow hot and iced tea.

Look at the presentation of the set meals! Isn't it appetizing?



Yukino ゆきの
Address: 沖縄県 名護市 字宮里450-8
Website: http://tabelog.com/en/okinawa/A4702/A470201/47004700/


Calbee Plus

As a great Calbee fan, I was determined to try the freshly fried fries! I wanted to order the sweet potato one, it was a pity that it was not available during our visit! Anyway, we ordered Poterico Salad, which was very delicious too! The children cleared the whole cup within a few minutes even though the fries were piping hot!



Calbee Plus
Address: 沖縄県那覇市牧志3-2-2
Website: http://www.calbee.co.jp/calbeestore/shop/


Pablo Baked Cheese Tarts

There was a craze over baked cheese tarts in Singapore some time ago, but we didn't join the queue. We had our first baked cheese tarts in Okinawa!




We prefer the red potato one to the original one. The red potato cheese tart is available only in Okinawa!

Pablo
Address: 〒900-0014 沖縄県那覇市松尾2丁目8-19 ドン・キホーテ１階
Website: http://www.pablo3.com/



Our Okinawa Travelogue



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