Kanzai International Airport, Osaka

I was beginning to like Kochi City with its birds tweeting in palm trees, painted streetcars and Mont-bell outdoor clothing store, but today I travelled to Osaka's airport.

At Kochi station I had Anpan, hat bread, for breakfast. While I was waiting for my bus to Osaka, a man gave me a packet of biscuits as osettai. With my Henro hat and bag I still look like a Henro.

Tonight I'm in First Cabin, a capsule hotel at Osaka Airport. Free use of pyjamas, slippers, shared bathroom and dining area, laundry, a mini-Onsen, and 20 mins walk from Departures. It's excellent.

All of Kobe to Osaka is continuous conurbation. Osaka is huge. As the bus drove round Osaka Bay we passed offices and apartments, a container port, a ferry port, oil refineries and industrial areas on an elevated expressway, before taking a long bridge to the airport. It's the world's first offshore airport built on a man made island. I was impressed.Read more