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Japan & South Korea
  • L and C Looking at Things
  • Lauras Logbuch
  • L and C Looking at Things
  • Lauras Logbuch

Japan & South Korea

Frankfurt,
Tokyo,
Hakone,
Kyoto,
Osaka,
Himeji,
Kobe,
Hiroshima,
Fukoka,
Busan,
Gyeongju,
Seoul,
Frankfurt Read more
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  • Trip start
    March 19, 2024
    Japan & South Korea

    Frankfurt Airport

    Mar 19–20, 2024 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    First Adventure: Wiesbaden to Frankfurt Airport… After a freight train broke down on the line we had to take a taxi after all… But we arrived with plenty of time to chose the perfect travel pillow for Charlie. ;-)Read more

  • Japan & South Korea

    Seoul Incheon > Tokyo Narita

    March 20, 2024 in South Korea ⋅ 🌬 6 °C

    After a long flight to Seoul we had quite some time to look around Incheon airport before our connecting flight to Tokyo. First we stumbled into the filming location of an actual K-Drama (much to Laura's excitement) and then Charlie got chased by a lovesick robot.Read more

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    Tokyo - Day 2

    March 22, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    Stroll through Akihabara to an arcade and vintage game store. Next level running sushi for lunch. A walk through the bustling Nakamise-Dori shopping street before finding out our fortunes at Senso-ji Temple (it looks good ;-) Ending the day with another jaw dropping view from the Tokyo Skytree (450m!) and the. best. food. ever.Read more

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    Tokyo - Day 3

    March 23, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    We started our day at the famous scramble crossing which is actually just one of many in Shibuya - but still pretty wild. We then had an authentic queueing experience for (incredible) Ramen before heading off to Gyoen park for some early cherry blossoms! Not quite satisfied with just Ramen, we hunted down some more Yakitori in Shinjuku and Sake in one of the tiny bars in Golden Gai (sadly no pictures allowed) before getting comfortable in our Hotel PJs.Read more

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    Tokyo > Kamakura > Hakone

    March 24, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    Today we left Tokyo but not before seeing the moving clock designed by famous director Hayao Murakami right in front of our hotel! We took a local train to Kamakura without our luggage which is already on it's way to Kyoto by hotel transfer (an amazing service - hopefully!). We visited Hokokuji Temple which has a great little bamboo forest, before checking into our hotel in Hakone and enjoying the private Onsen (a traditional hot bath) and making our Tatami mat bed for the night. VERY zen! 🧖😌Read more

  • Japan & South Korea

    Hakone

    March 25, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    After sleeping surprisingly well on the Tatami mats and futons, we went for the usual touristy Hakone trip, but found out that it rains here 50% of the time. As we were lucky enough to have seen Mt. Fuji from Tokyo we weren't too upset even though the supposedly scenic Hakone ropeway to lake Ashi left a lot to the imagination… Still a lot of fun pretending to be pirates in the mysterious fog rolling off the mountains. 🏴‍☠️

    We enjoyed a nice cuppa and some traditional sweets at an ancient tea house in the hills, and went on the longest suspension bridge in Japan - the Mishima Skywalk. We then made our way to Kyoto. Oh and we bought some more snacks - like soft boiled eggs in sauce. 😁    Read more

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    Kyoto Day 1

    March 26, 2024 in Japan ⋅ 🌬 10 °C

    Up bright and early for exploring Kyoto in the pouring rain - so we opted for a nice cosy hop on hop off sightseeing bus... Unfortunately none of the busses have any indoor seating. haha! They kindly provided us with semi-waterproof ponchos though.

    Nijo castle was amazing, even in the rain. Unfortunately you're not allowed to take pictures of the inside, but we were allowed to photograph our shoes. ;-) There are a lot of places where you have to take your shoes off, which is charming but also makes you hope you don’t have a hole in your socks.

    The Golden temple was also very pretty but very crowded. The real highlight was wandering through the Higashiyama district and up to the Kiyomizu-dera temple at night. It was beautifully illuminated and you really could get lost in a maze of beautiful shrines.

    We then hiked down the hill and back to hunt down some Okonomiyaki but first we stumbled across some actual geishas which is apparently quite rare. They were very striking and really did exude elegance just by the way they walked which was really cool and quite intimidating. Laura also found a new favourite sweet: fried rice balls in sweet soy sauce (Mitarashi Dango).    Read more

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    Kyoto Day 2

    March 27, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    Today we got up at the crack of dawn to attend and participate in a Buddhist ceremony in a nearby temple. It involved a lot of chanting and different drums which made christian sermons seem pretty dull by comparison. Afterwards we had a closer look at the temple and its treasures before making our way to the Arashiyama bamboo forest to beat the crowds – which worked a little bit. ;-)

    After walking along Katsura-River we went to the so-called Kimono Forest, a little outside exhibition of unsual Kimono-designs (and had some more snacks obviously).

    In the afternoon we got an introduction into the art of matcha tea ceremonies. We liked the precision and purpose of every movement and started to understand how some Japanese people spend a lot of time studying this from tea masters.

    Still feeling very Zen from the tea ceremony, we visited the impressive Higashi Hongan-ji Temple (one of the largest wooden buildings in the world apparently).

    In the evening we went to the famous Inari Shrine with its thousand red Tori Gates. Another place full of people but coming in the evening meant there was less of a crowd which made the experience much more serene.

    Ending the day with a Katsu-Dinner where you grill your own steak slices and dip them in various sauces - delicious!! 🤤    Read more

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    Osaka Daytrip

    March 28, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Before heading off for a daytrip to Osaka, we had a second breakfast in the Nishiki market and had some incredible Wagyu beef skewers 😯

    First thing we found out in Osaka is that the tube has an amazing sound when you arrive at the station (we made a little video of it). It feels like you levelled up in a video game! In Osaka we also stumbled across Japan's public broadcaster, NHK, overlooking the incredible Osaka castle.

    We then made our way to Dotonbori for some crazy retail therapy and of course more courses of delicious food (Udon).

    For our final stop, we made our way back to the main train station to see where the locals eat and drink when waiting for their trains home. The two basements of the 2nd Ekimae building have been taken over by a maze of hole-in-the-wall style izakayas.

    We then enjoyed a peaceful ride back to Kyoto on the famous Hello Kitty train.    Read more

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    Himeji Castle Daytrip

    March 29, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    We had a little excursion to the rather impressive Himeji castle. It turned out to be an excuse for more food, as they were having a student-led food festival. So instead of beating the crowds at the castle, we had an early lunch.

    The castle was really quite stunning, and evey bit as instagramable as the cherry blossoms. The castle gardens (Koko-en) were calming and absolutely beautiful.

    We then made our way up the mountains to Arima Onsen for an incredible Kaiseki meal and a soak in a hot bath. 😌    Read more

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    Kobe Sake Day

    March 30, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    We woke up in Arima Onsen after another lovely night's sleep on Tatami mats! Laura has very much decided she needs a new less squishy mattress now.

    We had an incredible traditional Japanese breakfast of savoury fish, soup etc as well as a tiny bit of granola and yoghurt for Laura's sweet tooth.

    We then made our way to Kobe for some sake brewery tours (and tasting). It was great learning a bit more about the brewing process and even better having a go at the self-serve sake machine.

    We then stumbled onto our Shikansen on our way to Hiroshima which is famous for its Okonomiyaki and oysters and the Okinomimura specifically, which is two floors of an old tower office block given over to hole-in-the-wall restaurants and grills.
    It was warm, smokey and absolutely delicious.    Read more

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    Hiroshima

    Mar 31–Apr 1, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    The Peace Memorial Park with the Atomic Bomb Dome and the National Peace Memorial Hall were a must see for us on our Japan trip. We are so glad we went. It was deeply moving and a special exhibition about Japanese child soldiers who were among the first responders after the bombing. It was as impressive as it was harrowing. Walking around the park really does show the emphasis the memorial puts on "peace".

    For lunch we had another Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki at Nagataya. From there we bumbled into a street food festival near Hiroshima castle. Those amazing festivals are popping up everywhere to honor the start of sakura season. :-)

    We then made our way to the Shikansen and Fukuoka - but not without delicious Eki Bens (train food boxes). Delicious and fun to eat!

    Right outside our hotel In Fukuoka was yet another street food and music festival going on 😂 and the delicious smells and strange sounds drew us in. We finally had the chance to speak to some locals as well. Beer definitely helped with that!    Read more

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    Fukuoka

    April 1, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    We walked through the canal city towards the perfect cherry blossoms finally in full bloom in Maiziru Park and the ruins of the old castle (which they seem to be rebuilding!) 

    There we stopped for another street food market snack and then had a look at the fish, ducks and swan boats in Ohori Park. 

    On our last stop in Japan we made sure to visit some more shrines and temples, they are all so unique and beautiful, it really doesn't get boring. Then we went to a utopian looking shopping center, and perfect filming location, for some tomato ramen. Unfortunately the big Japanese Garden was closed but we did find a tiny little one surrounded by high rise buildings in the old town - a little oasis in the middle of this "small" city of 1.5 million.

    For our last meal in Japan we couldn't leave Fukuoka without having an original, simple tonkotsu ramen. It turned out to be the best ramen of the trip! 

    After struggling to fit in all of our shopping, we're ready for our next stop in Busan and South Korea!! 🇰🇷    Read more

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    Fukuoka > Busan

    April 2, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    We had an early-ish flight from Fukuoka to Busan, enjoying some original Japanese Starbucks coffee (it's a thing), and flying over the beautiful island of Tsushima - where one of our favourite games is set.❤️

    We landed in Busan where, fun fact: you aren't allowed to take any pictures of the airport, as SK is still under a war footing with NK!

    We saw some absolutely perfect endless cherry blossom roads from the bus, before making our way to downtown Busan. It's a completely different vibe to Japan already. very lively and a lot more chaotic. But our high rise Airbnb directly at Gwangalli beach had some lovely views in store for us. (The names of some of the hotels and shops are also very funny here as they use a lot of english).

    As Korea is renowned for its food, we had to get ourselves some K-BBQ, Beer and Soju, and signed up for a 3 hour waiting list. It was totally worth it!    Read more

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    Busan (Morning)

    April 3, 2024 in South Korea ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    We started our sightseeing day in a rainy Busan by going for a picturesque ride on the Sky Capsule. Unfortunately, the weather from Hakone caught up to us again and we were denied some beautiful views of the ocean. But no matter the weather, coffee and cake would be waiting.

    After warming up and drying out, we went to the somewhat harrowing Jagalchi Market - the biggest fresh seafood market in all of South Korea. They have the most baffling array of seafood and left us hungry - but for something vegetarian. 😂

    Wandering through BIFF square where the Busan International Film Festival takes place, we finally got to try some of the local tteokbokki: a sweet, spicy fermented chilli stew with squishy and bouncy rice cakes. Heaven!    Read more

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    Busan (afternoon)

    April 3, 2024 in South Korea ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    In the afternoon we made our way to the Busan Museum of Movies + Trick eye museum, where Charlie got roasted by a dragon and Laura finally learned something about films. 😄

    Without fail, learning builds up an appetite, so we went looking for something weird - and found it in the form of a cheese corn dog, covered in potato cubes and then dipped in...sugar!? While weirdly delicious, it didn't quite hit the spot, so we made our way back to Gwangali beach for some well-earned beer, soju and fried food. There are a lot of places where you order via little tablets which makes it really easy for travellers like us even though some of the translations are quite hilarious. Also: We didn’t order draught beer at first because we thought the picture was beer topped with whipped cream. 😂 The actual head it came with was quite adequate though.

    We ended the day by writing a letter to ourselves at a little lit up hut on the beach promissory that the letter will be sent in a years time. We‘ll see. 😉    Read more

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    Gyeongju Day Trip

    April 4, 2024 in South Korea ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    We decided to give our feet and brains a bit of a day off and have a little touristy day trip to Gyeongju, a UNESCO world heritage site 1,5 hours outside of Busan.

    We had a look at the Yangdong Folk Village, Koreas largest still existing traditional village, dating back to 1484 where we also got a really good traditional lunch.

    Then we went to Bulguksa Temple where we got to see some stone features from the 8th century AD. 😮 As a lot of Korea has been destroyed several times these temple shrines are national treasures of Korea. There were also some really steep stairs everywhere.

    Next stop for the tourbus were the ancient royal tombs of Daereungwon, a complex of more than 20 impressive burial mounts. This is where our tour guide made us take the cheesiest pictures. 😂
    We then got some more delicious cheese-filled coins before heading off for some picture perfect shots of the Woljeong Bridge. Sadly, no one fell into the river, through it would have made an excellent picure.

    To finish our day before our cozy journey back to Busan, we walked around the Donggung Palace and garden, which was beautifully lit up.

    With feet relaxed, next stop Seoul!    Read more

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    Busan > Seoul

    April 5, 2024 in South Korea ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    We said goodbye to Busan beach, which had rudely decided to have glorious sunshine.

    While the ICE might be faster than the Korean KTX, it can only dream of being this punctual and have train food this gooood.

    We arrived in Seoul, found us some fried chicken, some snacks, and some more street food at the famous Myeongdong market. We then retired with a decent drink overlooking the Seoul Tower. Charlie also couldn't wait to start his new K-Skincare program. 😂    Read more

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    Seoul - Day 1

    April 6, 2024 in South Korea ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    Seoul is famous for its coffee shops and we found one that was absolutely incredible. Luckily for Laura, South Koreans are not sweet-breakfast kind of people, meaning most are really empty until late afternoon.

    Where we did need to queue for was a product launch for a new Soju we stumbled into. We are now firmly brainwashed enough to swear we will never drink another brand, until the afternoon at least.

    On our way to some famous hangover soup, we walked along K-Star street. The soup was delicious, despite it being made of blood and (we think) entrails.

    For the full Korean experience, we of course needed to go to a baseball game. It’s a whole different affair compared to the more somber atmospheres you get with US or Japanese Baseball. They encourage you to bring in your own drinks and snacks, but fried chicken is a must for any event that involves beer in Korea. This might be the best one yet!!

    With a win under our belts, and slightly tipsy from all of the culture, we had a look at the beautiful Starfield library whilst sipping our iced coffees. :-)    Read more

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    Seoul - Day 2

    April 7, 2024 in South Korea ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    With so few historical buildings remaining, we wanted to check out the Gyeongbokgung Palace. Apparently entry is free if you turn up wearing traditional clothing but we couldn't decide who of us would get to wear the pretty dress and who would get the cool hat. 🤷

    For lunch we learned how to make original Kimchi in the Bukchon Hanok Village, an area with older style buildings. Our Kimchi is currently fermenting in our hold luggage. 😂

    In the Bukchon Hanok Village, there are hundreds of packed cafes, but we managed to get into one selling Bingsu - a Korean shaved ice dessert. We went for Mango and have zero regrets. The portion sizes in Korea have been really generous so far and it is apparently much more of a food sharing culture than Japan. Good for us who want to try everything. :-)

    We also finally tried one of the ubiquitous self foto studios - basically a shop full of photo booths that provide you with cute props and hats etc. There really has been a shop like that in almost every street and it is a lot of fun to be fair. If anyone visits Seoul any time soon, you might spot our picture…

    In a final attempt to find Korea's best chicken, we walked through the high rises and saw a beautiful sunset before finally soaking our weary feet on the rooftop foot spa.    Read more

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    Seoul - Day 3

    April 8, 2024 in South Korea ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    For our final day in Seoul, we felt like we needed a crazy dessert breakfast, so we visited Hongdae, the student part of town. We got a seat at a coffee shop for what was honestly the best tiramisu we've ever had.

    After having a little walk through the area we split our lunch in two different instant Ramen experiences - first, we visited a 24 hour Manga Library Cafe (it's a thing) where you can spent hours upon hours in cozy nooks reading comics, watching Netflix or playing games and if you get hungry, just make yourself a delicious instant Ramen and add some provided toppings like egg, cheese or kimchi. We got our second instant Ramen (or in Korea: Ramyun) at the Ramyun library, a convenience store with a huge Ramen selection and very fancy machines where you scan the barcode of your ready meal and it knows how to cook it best. Mind blown!

    We then sadly made our way to the airport hotel, in what turned out to be the nicest hotel of the trip (and we really had some great stays!) Let's just hope our packing is adequate for our 14 hour flight. 😱    Read more

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    Seoul > Frankfurt

    April 9, 2024 in South Korea ⋅ 🌬 11 °C

    Time to say goodbye!

    We were happy that we spent the night before our flight at the airport having lots of space to pack and waking up to a surprisingly lovely view.

    Incheon Airport was great for some last minute shopping (because we definitely didn’t have enough Mitbringsel already ;-) We also saw a little airport concert which was a nice little Korean goodbye.

    For our 14 hour (!!!) flight back to Frankfurt, we were upgraded to Premium Economy - and let us tell you it was worth it!!

    We arrived in Frankfurt tired but happy. We fell into our own beds, dreaming of all the food we ate but looking forward to some good Graubrot for breakfast. 😂    Read more

    Trip end
    April 9, 2024