Lost in Seoul

April 10, 2024May 9, 2024 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

For our last two days in Seoul, we didn’t have any concrete plan. We just walked aimlessly hoping to find something new and interesting. This day, we walked towards Insadong and found a very aesthetically pleasing cafe that served amazing sandwiches. Then we found a pretty traditional tea house and tried 팥빙수 (Bingsu) with Jujube tea. The shop lady said, we were sat at a very famous place where a scene from Guardian, a very popular South Korean television series, was filmed. For the K-Drama fans out there, apparently, I was sat where Kim Go-eun was sat as shown in Episode 11. The Korean Traditional Ice cream was really good though!

However for the evening, it was decided that we will spend our last evening in Seoul by the Banpo Bridge, something that we’ve missed last time because we ended up in Hanggang Bridge. It was so pretty and lively! Watch the reel here.

We continued walking aimlessly the next day before heading to the airport for our 21:40 flight to Helsinki. We passed by familiar places but also found new ones. We saw many office people walking back to their offices after lunch carrying iced americano. We saw many restaurants where the locals go, passed by lots and lots of interesting cafes, a supermarket selling strawberries and muscat grapes, an empty Gyeonghuigung Palace that was free to enter, Cherry blossoms turning into leaves…. Seems like we’ve experienced the first bloom, full bloom and the falling petals during this trip.

We ate spicy noodles at a local restaurant then had our last Bingsu at a Traditional Tea House with Citrus Tea. It was the end of this holiday and time to say goodbye to Seoul. You can watch the reel here.

Lastly for the ever repeating tips:

Good walking shoes are important. I don’t have to say more!
Carry cash! You will not regret it as some places only take cash.
TMoney is a must-have when using public transport! (IC Card in Japan)
Make use of Naver Map or Google Map for route and transportation schedule.
Having a pocket Wifi with us all the time was very good. I highly recommend it and it was not costly at all!
Buy your flight tickets early as prices tend to spike up.
Book accommodation that has free cancellation. At least, I did many cancellations in this trip.

I felt like coming back to South Korea made me do what I missed doing last year. I must also say that I’m not planning to go back to South Korea anytime soon, except if a miracle happens, like being able to go to a Kpop concert. I’m always thankful to South Korea for its great music, good food, efficient and affordable public transport, kind and helpful people, cleanliness, for making me feel safe and for allowing me to use the little Korean that I know. But Japan is still in my list. I would not mind going to Gunma (again), to visit Kanazawa and to take the train to Fukui. I would go back to relax at an Onsen and look for Eki stamps. Hopefully, this will come true! I will be posting my travel journals as soon as I can here. And the very last reel is about food, the very essence as to why I travel!

Again in Seoul

April 7, 2024April 30, 2024 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

After a few wonderful days in the Kyushu region of Japan, we flew back to Seoul. This time we stayed in Ikseondong. It was fun to see familiar places from last year. However, I felt that there were many more people. I guess the restrictions last year made the place less crowded. The Cherry Blossom has also arrived in Seoul. So the next day, we took the train to Wonmisan Mountain to see the Azaleas with the Cherry Blossom in the background. We didn’t just go to Azalea Hill but we climbed the summit of Wonmisan Mountain. It was a great, unexpected challenge but we did it! The Azaleas were breathtaking. It’s hard to imagine how the Azalea Hill actually looks like unless you are physically there. It was a vast ocean of pink and purple. So pretty! Check out the reel here.

For the evening, we had to visit the N Seoul Tower again. It was so foggy last year so we wanted to go again on a sunny day with the Cherry Blossom adorning the Namsan Park. After too much climbing in Wonmisan Mountain, we decided to take the cable car going up to the Tower. But somehow we managed to enter the climbing path! And in the end, we decided to walk down anyway. We reached a total of 15,70 km walk for the day. We were tired yet happy! Check out the reel here.

We were also in luck that we were able to eat at Myeongdong Kyoja, something that we missed the last time we were in Seoul. Myeongdong Kyoja is a Michelin star, family-owned restaurant since 1966. We were the last customers of the day. The Kalguksu was very good!

Photos by Ari Vitikainen at https://www.arivitikainenphotography.com

Last Day in Fukuoka

April 6, 2024April 15, 2024 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

It was our last day in Fukuoka and I was feeling sad about it. The morning was spent at Yusentai Park which was built in 1754. However, it was just in March 1998 that it became a designated tourist spot in Fukuoka. It was an absolute serenity. At the Ohiroma Hall, we enjoyed Macha green tea with Japanese dried confectionery. They also gifted us with origamis. The garden was well maintained and beautiful. You can check out the reel here.

Then it was time for the finale of this trip and it was to return to Maizuru Park where it all started. We didn’t experience the full bloom when we arrived in Fukuoka a week ago. We also wanted to see the Cherry Blossom illuminated. This was a first for me and I’m glad I didn’t miss it. It was an amazing experience. Here is a reel of our final day in Fukuoka. I also have to mention that our last dinner was at an Izakaya. We were treated by a Japanese friend and we had lots of fun and laughter.

I must say I love Kyushu! We could have left to South Korea earlier but changed our plan to stay longer. I tell you that the Sakura in Japan is in the next level. If someone would tell me that they are all the same, sorry I won’t believe you. Many thanks, Japan. You are always amazing! Now off to Seoul for a few days…

And finally, one last tip – stamp collecting! Check this out if you want to know what I mean.

All photos from my Kyushu posts are by Ari Vitikainen at https://www.arivitikainenphotography.com

Uminonakamichi Seaside Park

April 4, 2024April 14, 2024 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Nemophila and Cherry Blossoms is such a perfect combination! And this was exactly why I wanted to visit Uminonakamichi Seaside Park. Uminonakamichi Seaside Park is a huge park. It measures almost four kilometers from end to end. So renting a bicycle is highly recommended if you are intending to cover the entire park. But since we were just hoping to see the Nemophila and Cherry Blossoms in one spot, we only visited the Flower Hill which is a good walking distance from the Uminonakamichi pier. Flower Hill was designed to be an open – air flower art museum. Once we entered the park, we were greeted by the vast amount of Cherry Blossoms. It was so breathtaking!

We took the last ferry of the day back to Hakata Pier and I really recommend taking the ferry instead of the train or bus as it was so much faster and convenient. For dinner, we tried a small Ramen shop near our hotel in Tenjin. It was something that I’ve never tasted before. It was delicious!

Beautiful Kurokawa Onsen

April 3, 2024April 30, 2024 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

If I have all the time and money in the world, I would have stayed longer in Kurokawa Onsen. I can easily say that it was the highlight of the trip and the cost of the ryokan didn’t matter anymore. It was amazing!

We took the bus from Yufuin to Kurokawa Onsen. Our host picked us up from the bus stop which was very convenient, although, the ryokan was also accessible by foot. We were welcomed with homemade Mochis and roasted Matcha tea in a beautiful setting. Our room was so spacious with all the amenities provided for. There were many different Onsens to choose from, including private ones. There was even a standing onsen that we got to try. The outdoor separate onsen was so beautiful. I tried the female one an hour before check-out and I had it all to myself. And the dinner and breakfast were great. It was a 10 out of 10 experience! Check out the reels here and here. I absolutely recommend spending time in Kurokawa Onsen. So beautiful and relaxing. And if there is only one thing you can do in Kyushu, it must be this experience! The town was also very pretty! Look out for the boiled eggs cooked in the hot spring.

Loving Yufuin

April 1, 2024April 15, 2024 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I know that many people were disappointed because it is not easy to get tickets to the popular Yufuin No Mori train. It happened to me too. Although I know that the tickets will be available a month in advance, I was a bit confused because it is a leap year! And since this train ride was the highlight of this Yufuin trip, we decided to stay only one night in Yufuin instead of the initial plan of two nights because tickets were already sold out on the day that we were supposed to go. So yet, another change of plan. I have to mention now that it is always a good idea to book accommodation that has free cancellation.

So what makes this Yufuin No Mori train special? Well, the Yufuin No Mori train has been in operation for 35 years. It’s a beautiful emerald train and its interior is really pretty. It was like going back in time… The train also has its own merchandise and a special 35th anniversary stamp. Don’t miss out on those!

Our ryokan was a few minutes walk from the station and surprisingly, the Cherry Blossom road was just across from it. It was absolutely gorgeous. The day was so sunny with clear blue skies. It was amazing! You can check the reel here as I was sat under the Cherry Blossom.

The ryokan was pretty too and I’m still wondering what made the beddings of the futon so soft… We were also able to enjoy the private Onsen.

Check out the reel of the day here where we explored the Yufuin Floral Village, the cute owls and Kinrin Lake. We also visited the Yufuin Station Showa Museum which was a lot of fun!

Tomorrow will be exciting as we travel to Kurokawa Onsen…

Itoshima

March 31, 2024April 15, 2024 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Itoshima was not in the initial plan. This day was supposed to be a visit to Uminonakamichi Seaside Park. But again, the Cherry Blossom was not in full bloom yet so we decided to take the bus for an hour ride to Itoshima to see the Sakurai Futamigaura’s Couple Stones framed by white Torii gates. It was said that the sunset will be gorgeous here. But it was a cloudy day. There were people taking photos with the Couple Stones but it was not crowded at all. There was no queue and it was quite peaceful. It was actually nice to spend a day by the beach on this cloudy day.

We returned to Hakata Station then decided to try another restaurant at Kitte Hakata. The 9th and 10th floors have a lot of food to choose from. Check out some of the choices here. And if you want to have a cheaper option, try the B1 floor.

Here is a reel to sum up our few days in Fukuoka. Tomorrow, off to Yufuin!

So happy in Fukuoka, Japan

March 30, 2024April 15, 2024 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

We arrived early at Hakata International Port in Fukuoka and we were the first ones to get out of the ferry because we had the Deluxe room. We rented a pocket wifi at the arrival area then took the bus to Hakata Station to leave our luggage at the hotel very close to the station. Then we took the subway to Tenjin to enjoy lunch under the Cherry Blossom while visiting the parks. One difficulty I had was to choose a bento. We were just in one small supermarket but the choices were endless…

It was my first Sakura this year and I can’t believe that one of my dreams just came true – to see the Cherry Blossom in Japan! I was also happy to see Yayoi Kusama’s Pumpkin while walking in Ohori Park! The Spring weather was so lovely but most of the trees were not in full bloom yet. So I decided to cancel our return to Busan in 6 days to stay longer in Fukuoka after our trips from Yufuin and Kurokawa Onsen. I really wanted to experience the full Sakura in Japan.

The next day, we enjoyed breakfast at an old fashioned cafe. Then we went to Hakata Bus station to take the bus to Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine. I like taking the bus as I enjoy looking out of the window. But when we were queuing at the Bus Station, we were informed that there was a road incident that will take the bus longer to travel. So we took the subway and train instead. There were lots of people in Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine. But we found a quiet spot a bit outside of the shrine and enjoyed the Cherry Blossom in full bloom. It was so beautiful and my heart was full! You can watch the reel here. Please don’t forget to click the links too to see how it was.

The next day was yet another change of plan…

Back in Seoul

March 29, 2024April 14, 2024 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

After exactly a year, I was back in Seoul! I just can’t resist the thought of not seeing the Cherry Blossom season in this part of the world. So after an 11 hours and 45 minutes flight from Helsinki, we arrived in Seoul and this time we stayed in Hongdae. The initial plan was to stay near the Namsam Park and immediately climb the N Seoul Tower once we were settled at our hotel. But a few days before our flight, I learned that the Cherry blossom was not there yet. So I cancelled our hotel near the Namsam Park and decided to explore Hongdae instead. They said Hongdae is for the young and for watching Baskers perform. Unfortunately, we didn’t come across any Baskers during our one night stay in Hongdae. However, it is true that this is a place for the young as there were many young people walking in the street. There were many nice cafes though and I really like the Hot Yujacha Tea that was recommended by the staff of one of the cafes we visited. Because we were already in Hongdae, I also visited the flagship stores of both Kakao Friends and Line Friends. And one of the best things was to enjoy Banana Milk again! You can find the reel of the day here.

Here is a coffee moment in Hongdae before we took the train to Busan. When we were in Busan a year ago, I really wanted to take the ferry to Fukuoka, Japan. But we didn’t have enough time as it was our first visit to Busan. But this time, we did it. We took the overnight ferry from Busan to Fukuoka and it was an adventure of a lifetime! Please click on the links to catch a glimpse of how it was.

The next morning, we woke up in Fukuoka, Japan!

Last night in Tokyo

October 24, 2023March 21, 2024 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

We returned from Nikko to Tokyo for our last night in Japan. Our 14 days holiday in Japan went quite quickly. I guess it’s true what they say that time runs fast when you are having fun! The last evening was spent hunting for a new suitcase. I came to Japan with less than 8 kilos hand carry luggage and had now ran out of space because of the many snacks and stationeries. We decided to go to Shibuya, just like we did during our last night in Tokyo in 2018. I also wanted to get one of the most important Eki stamps from Shibuya station. This one has the paw print of Hachikō! Check out the reel of the day here.

The next morning, my husband went to the airport at 9 AM as he was flying to Helsinki through Bangkok. I stayed a few more hours just passing time walking in Asakusa before it was time to leave for Haneda airport. At the airport, I saw the most beautiful sunset. I cannot believe my eyes. The sun was setting by Mt Fuji. And no, I was not on the rooftop observation deck. I was coming out of the food court after dinner. I felt blessed! Check out the last reel here.

Some take aways from this holiday:

Good walking shoes are important. We were walking more than 10 kilometres each day. So imagine wearing bad shoes!
Registering online at Visit Japan Web for the QR codes for immigration and customs made entering Japan so much faster.
Having a Welcome Pasmo or any other IC cards was really useful when using public transport (although, not in Okinawa) and also paying for convenience store purchases.
It’s good to have cash as many places only take cash, like street food vendors and small local restaurants.
Having a pocket wifi all the time was very good because we really need to be connected to check on routes and locations. I highly recommend it and we only paid around 55 EUR for the entire 14 days.
Buy flight tickets early as prices tend to spike up.
Book accommodation that has free cancellation because there might be changes along the way.

I love how Japan is a great mixture of the old and the new. I love how Japan just has lots of amazing food. Even the convenience stores sell good snacks. I love how Japan has a very efficient and clean public transport. I love that Japan is very clean with clean toilets everywhere. I love that tap water is drinkable. I love that restaurant meals include drinking water. I’m not a fan of buying bottled water. I love their top range customer service. I love that there is no tipping as we are not use to that in Europe. I love that I can enjoy simple stuff like collecting Eki stamps, watching out for pretty manholes and playing Gachapons. I felt safe in Japan. There was no single moment when I felt that I was in a dangerous situation.

I can truly say that it was an amazing holiday. And if I can make another wish, I wish to visit Japan again! Bye for now, Japan. Until next time!

You can watch a flip through of my travel journal here!

All photos from my Japan posts are by Ari Vitikainen at https://www.arivitikainenphotography.com