The majority of people going between Tokyo and Osaka will usually just take the the Shinkansen (bullet train) but flying can often be cheaper. However, the location of both the airports is not so convenient, especially as I was flying from Narita Airport in Chiba. Throw in the cost and time spent getting to and from the airports and it’s probably not worth the hassle. However, after landing in Osaka at about 11:00 am, my first port of call was just a short train journey north of the airport so it was worth it. The time-codes included are just to give an idea of how busy the trip was. A lot of time was spent on trains and buses between those times!

11:55 – My first destination was the wonderful Kishiwada Castle which featured in ‘Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins‘ (2021). More details here.

14:20 – A train journey north into Hyogo Prefecture followed, and after a short bus ride from the station, I was at the Skull Museum. It was closed but still worth it just for seeing the building exterior. More details here.

14:53 – I wasn’t even aware of Amagasaki Castle until I was returning to the station by bus. I noticed it on Google Maps, and as it wasn’t too far from the station I went to check it out. It’s a small castle in great condition as it’s just a reconstruction that officially re-opened in March 2019. More details here.

15:20 – I’ve been in Japan too long to even smirk when I hear the likes of Fukuoka or Fukushima mentioned but a station called Fuku was too funny to just pass through without stopping for a photo.

16:31 – The station antics continued with a slight detour to see the platform zero at Kyoto station whilst in transit. More details here.

17:02 – On my way to Kyoto Sanga’s new football stadium I disembarked a few stops earlier to see what has to be one of the most scenic stations in all of Japan. More details here.

17:46 – It’s not often that I arrive so early at a stadium but it did enable me to walk around, sample the atmosphere and even chill for a bit before the 7:00 pm kick off. It proved to be an entertaining game which saw my team Kashiwa Reysol score a late goal to ensure they didn’t go home empty handed. More details here.

06:33 – It was an early start the following morning as I walked a relatively short distance to arrive at a hugely unique local temple dedicated to a slightly sensitive matter! More details here.

07:10 – This fortress is an architectural wonder completed in 1986 with the stand out feature being the step-like design with each floor set back in stages. More details here.

09:39 – Time to start inching my way closer to home but there were still a few places to visit along the way such as this sci-fi religious facility which is located close to the shores of Lake Biwa. Depending on which side you’re viewing it from, it has multiple appearances such as a UFO, a slice of cake or a pyramid! More details here.

11:49 – When I originally came across Screen (スクリーン when written in Katakana script) on Google Maps I thought it might have been something movie-related! Or maybe it just registered with me as a niche interest of mine is stations which have a foreign name. Either way, it stuck in my head and so this was a good opportunity to visit it. More details here.

14:27 – Into Aichi Prefecture and a short distance south of Nagoya station is Shurakuen Park which is home to Japan’s first reinforced concrete Great Buddha. It was completed in 1927 and was the largest in the country at that time. More details here.

15:50 – Back up to central Nagoya and a quick stop to see this eye-catching external staircase and glass building which was completed in 2022. More details here.

16:49 – My energy reserves were running low at this point but I decided to push on and visit Odaka Green Area to see the dinosaur slides. Due to the limited train times I had to run to the park and back to fit it in. More details here.

17:38 – Luckily the final point of interest was station based at Okazaki where I went to check out the platform zero. More details here.

Not longer after that I was at Toyohashi station to catch the Shinkansen to Tokyo to spend about 36 hours at home before flying out to another destination for one more quick adventure.

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