Japan 2024 Trip: From Fukuoka to Osaka

Here is the summary of our 2024 Japan trip in one post.  We spent 12 days 11 nights in total in Japan for this trip.  We mostly stayed in Kyushu Island as well as Osaka and some Hyogo prefecture.  I will conclude them in day-by-day itinerary below.  Then, if you require more information, you can click on each link that will take you to a blog where more information is given.  Hope it is something that you are after.  Enjoy reading, pals...

By the way, our trip was pretty laid back and no rush because we went with my parents who are in their 70's and one teenager also one toddler.  What a great combination of ages!!  Therefore, I needed to find something in the middle and tried to please everyone.  So, here is our 11 days trip that maybe only doing half of the other people would normally do.  Still, happy reading all...

Day 1: Just arrived in Yufuin then had a beef sukiyaki dinner in Yawaragi No Sato Yadoya Ryokan

Day 2: Whole day spent in Yufuin town

Day 3: Visited Hell Valley and stayed in Beppu for 2 nights

Day 4: Went to see Japanese macaques at Takasakiyama Natural Zoological Garden

Day 5: Ate at Ichiran ramen and snacks food at Yatai stalls as we stayed in Fukuoka for 4 nights

Day 6: Visited Dazaifu and Anpanman Children's Museum

Day 7: Spent time in Nagasaki and Yatai for second round

Day 8: Paid our respect at Nanzoin Temple

Day 9: From Fukuoka to Osaka and had an okonomiyaki dinner in Dotonburi 

Day 10: Strolled around Kyoto

Day 11: Brief stopped in Himeji and enjoyed teppanyaki Kobe beef at Steakland restaurant

Day 12: Universal Studio Japan and flew back home

From Hakata International Airport to Yufuin by bus

Part 1: Click here

Room in Yawaragi-No-Sato Yadoya

Part 2: Click here

Japanese hot pot "Sukiyaki" of the beef and raw egg "Ranou"

Part 3: Click here

Breakfast room in the ryokan

Part 4: Click here

Owl's Forest

Part 5: Click here

Onsen in Yawaragi-No-Sato Yadoya Ryokan

Part 6: Click here

Steam cooking at Jigokumushi Kobo

Part 7: click here

Nishitetsu Resort Inn, Beppu

Part 8: click here

Takasakiyama Monkey Park, Oita

Part 9: click here

Sushi from Kura sushi

Part 10: click here

Hotel Wing International Hakata

Part 11: click here

Ichiran ramen

Part 12: click here

Dazaifu Tenmangu

Part 13: click here

Fukuoka Anpanman Children's Museum

Part 14: click here

Nakasu Yatai Food Stalls

Part 15: click here

Meganebashi Bridge

Part 16: click here

Nanzoin Temple

Part 17: click here

JR Hakata Station

Part 18: click here

On the way to Osaka

Part 19: click here

Dotonbori

Part 20: click here

Shoyu ramen from Kadoya Shokudo

Part 21: click here

Old town Kyoto

Part 22: click here

Himeji Castle

Part 23: click here

Teppanyaki at Steakland Restaurant

Part 24: click here

Strawberry pancake sandwich from Mario cafe

Part 25: click here

Airport transfer booked through Klook

Part 26: click here

Thank you all for reading and Octie Appetie...

Japan 2024 Trip Part 6: Shabu Shabu Dinner and Yawaragi Onsen at the Ryokan

Previously:

Japan 2024 Trip Part 5: Floral Village, Owl's Forest and Yunotsubo Shopping Street in Yufuin

On our second night, the ryokan served a shabu shabu dinner for us.  Again, for starters we had a few small dishes accompanied with sashimi and soups. 

We all agreed that meat slices for tonight were a lot better than yesterday.  I mean yesterday was great but tonight was out of this world.  They were super thinly sliced.  When we dipped it in the broth, it only took a few seconds for it to be perfectly medium rare cooked.  That was the best stage of meat doneness.  It keeps the meat very tender and easily chewed. 

 

Mushroom and cauliflower hot pot with duck meat 

Savoury dumpling

They gave us two different types of dipping sauce.  Ponzu sauce and another one is sesame sauce for our shabu shabu. 

Each of us got one full plate serving of marbled wagyu slices, around 5 or 6 huge slices of red goodness.  They are wonderful pieces of meat.  So tender, so fatty and melted-in-your-mouth.  Again, we ended up with a very full and happy tummy. 

Kids had something different for tonight meals.  There were tempuras and hamburg steak for the main dish and cheesecake with fresh fruits for dessert.  That grilled kani with cheese on my son’s plate looked splendid.  

See this outdoor onsen of Yawaragi room, it was very stunning and spacious too.  We had our time there early in the morning and it was lightly snowing.  The view was amazing and we really enjoyed our time there. 

Our breakfast on the second day, they were equally delicious and healthy too.  

Stay tuned for the next blog in Beppu:

Japan 2024 Trip Part 7: Hells of Beppu and Jigokumushi Kobo

Japan 2024 Trip Part 5: Floral Village, Owl’s Forest and Yunotsubo Shopping Street in Yufuin

Previously:

Japan 2024 Trip Part 4: Japanese-style Breakfast at the Ryokan

We dedicated a whole day just walking around in this tiny town, visiting museums, nibbling on so many snacks and enjoying the nice cold weather as well.  Ok, I lied, the weather that day was so icy cold and my both hands were freezing plus the rain wasn’t even helping, made it even colder.  However, who cares of any of those!!!  Because the beautiful view and delicious snacks, made it worth the walk. 

We visited Floral Village, Owl’s Forest, strolled along Yunotsubo street and bought so many snacks.  This place is heaven for someone like me who love snacking and like hunting for unique and yummy food.  There will be a little description and price on each single item that we bought.   Not only for food, there are lots of cute merchandises and souvenirs that you can find in this area, such as Ghibli store, Snoppy, Miffy and so on. 

Beef, potato and onion croquette 200¥

This time we got to try the famous Kinsho croquettes.  Remember on our first day, we tried those random croquettes and they were delicious.  My thought was Kinsho would be the same or even better.  However, I was quite disappointed.  We even ordered the gold medal awarded one to be safe which was the beef, potato and onion croquette.  My husband liked it but for me, the filling was too soggy and flavour-wise, it was mediocre. 

Honey ice cream with honeycomb 800¥

This was a honey ice cream that I bought from Bee Honey store.  I bought one with honeycomb in it as well as extra honey.  Ice cream was creamy and nice, honey was sweet and delicious but I suggest to get the one without honeycomb because the coldness from ice makes those honeycombs hardened and became unpleasant to eat.

10 coin with mozarella 500¥

It was another good snack.  At first, I thought that this would be more like a biscuity texture but I was wrong.  It was softer and more like a bread with strachy cheese filling.   We took a video of me eating this but I wasn’t biting on the right direction and we didn’t capture that stretchy cheese.  Second attempt, I gave one big pulls, now from the middle and yayyyyy.. Exactly what I’ve seen from people vlogs 😛

Pork bun 350¥

Hot gingerbread milk 600¥

This gingerbread milk was amazing.  It was the perfect drink to have in such a freezing weather.  Tasted like a gingerbread man but in liquid.  The milk was super hot because they boiled the milk instead of frothed.  But that whipped cream on top, cool it down.  Just like having Christmas in my mouth. 

Mixed ice cream with plain cone 500¥

I saw this ice cream shop along Yunotsubo street and the interesting part was their cone.  They used a sweet biscuity cone.  Not those regular hollow wafer nor the waffle cone but this cone has a full body and crunchy type of biscuit.  Their ice cream was creamy and nice but the service wasn’t that friendly, very unlike Japanese.

Combo set 1,220¥

Not to be missed from here is to get some cheesecake from Milch, right here is the birth place of this world-know cheesecake and pudding, Milch.  I bought the combo set that has a cold plain cheesecake, a cold matcha cheesecake and two puddings.  However, I meant to try the hot one.  That’s fine because the cold cheesecake was good too and I really like their pudding as it was silky smooth and married well with that slightly bitter caramel sauce on the bottom. 

    

White strawberry 1,280¥

Strawberries in Japan are the best.  They are sweet and very juicy and super delicious.  The price is pretty reasonable and sometimes could be even cheaper.   The way they pack strawberry most of the time is in one layer, not on top of each other, so they all come out in pretty much perfect condition.  We tried the white strawberries as well and it was a lot sweeter than the regular red ones. 

There are more and more snacks and places that I wanted to try and visit but a day is really not enough. I have so many lists on my note like beef mabushi, swiss roll cake from B-speak or we didn't even visit that Showa Retro museum nor Cheshire cat forest nor shiba cafe.  There are plenty more other things, I think if I have one or two more days, I can manage doing more things.  I really underestimated this little town.  There are plenty things to offer.  

  

Yufuin Floral Village

Open: 9:30 - 17:30

Owl’s Forest

Open: 9:30 - 17:30

Entry fee: adult 700¥ and kid under 12 yo 500¥

Yufuin Kinsho Croquette

Open: 9:00 - 17:30

Milch

Open: 10:30 - 17:30

Bee Honey

Open: 10:00 - 16:30

Stay tuned for the next blog still in Yufuin:

Japan 2024 Trip Part 6: Shabu Shabu Dinner and Yawaragi Onsen at the Ryokan