Day 12 Osaka -> Day 1 Seoul

Dear travel fans,

As I write this, we are already on the flight to Seoul/Incheon. That means everything went smoothly this morning – and I must say, having an overnight stay right at the airport is truly delightful. No stress, no rushing, just leisurely rolling out of bed and strolling toward the gate. Our flight was scheduled for 12:25 PM, and we had planned to be at the airport two hours beforehand. That worked wonderfully – we were well-rested, completely relaxed, and even hungry enough for one last breakfast in Japan. Ramona opted for fries (boring but good – one doesn't have to escalate culinary experiences every day). I, on the other hand, went all out and treated myself to an Okonomiyaki – this savory specialty from Osaka, also known as “Japanese pizza.” 'Okonomi' means 'to one's liking,' and 'Yaki' means 'grilled' – which summarizes the concept quite well. It's a bit like: Whatever the fridge gives, put it on the hot plate, grill it with love, garnish with sauce and mayo – and voilà, you have a soul warmer. Conclusion: Okonomiyaki is a) a perfect way to use leftovers, b) varies from place to place, and c) simply damn delicious. I should have had two of them.

And so here we are – our last steps on Japanese soil. One last “Arigatou gozaimasu” to this impressive, fascinating, sometimes quirky, and always touching country. Japan, you were a culinary feast, your respectful nature has left a lasting impression on us, your calm amidst the crowds has relaxed us – and your kitschiness made us laugh time and again. You are a land of contrasts: modern yet deeply rooted in tradition. Everything is orderly, clean, and punctual. We were lucky with the weather (not too hot, hardly any rain) and with the yen exchange rate – simply perfect timing. Here are a few things we haven’t covered in the Blog so far – which definitely shouldn’t be overlooked:

The Respectful Interaction

What really impressed us: Nonverbal communication. Greetings and farewells often involve bows. People say “Thank you” more often than “Goodbye.” When entering an establishment, one is sometimes welcomed by the entire staff – regardless of whether they are a waiter, cook, or manager. And upon leaving? The same protocol applies. In short: one feels welcome and appreciated – always. This even has a name: Omotenashi – a Japanese term for a type of hospitality that goes far beyond mere service. And to be honest? Before the trip, I thought the Japanese were introverted. Now I think: They are just polite – and simply don’t like talking with tourists when language becomes a challenge. 😃

The Food

Okay, we celebrated it. FOR GOOD REASON! And it wasn’t just about the taste but the freshness of the ingredients, the dedication in preparation, and the genuine love for detail. Even at train stations, in pubs, or in the red-light district – everywhere the food was top-notch. Even the 3D models in the shop windows looked like the real food – and the real food looked like the model. And: Water in restaurants is free. Always. No “Would you like still or sparkling for €4.50?” – just a glass of water, and that’s it. The only criticism: Vegetarian options were rather... challenging. I didn’t actively try, but it felt like every second dish consisted of meat, meat with meat, and a hint of meat 🤭 Shoes off

Whether at home, in the dressing room at H&M, or even in chic boutiques – shoes off! This has a simple, culturally ingrained background: In Japan, a lot happens on the floor. People sit, eat, and many households even sleep on the floor. So, it is only logical that street shoes have no place indoors. This custom has gradually expanded into other areas of life – also into dressing rooms and stores. PS: By the way, our hotel had normal beds – no futons on the floor. A small comfort that we honestly appreciated.

Toilet High-Tech

We can’t end this Japan blog without mentioning the Japanese toilets. Heated seats, water stream cleaning, sometimes a music button to cover… let’s say… noises. Someday, such a thing will also come to our homes 😅

Traveling Alone? No Problem.

In Japan, it's perfectly fine to be traveling alone. Single rooms are available everywhere, many restaurants have ordering machines – no small talk necessary. Vending machines at every corner (not an exaggeration – one every 100 meters) and single seats on the train (one can even flip their seat to convert it into a single).

Cash Everywhere

Despite all the high-tech in Japan, one can pay cash everywhere. Many restaurants and stores are even cash only.

Few Public Trash Bins

Surprisingly, there were hardly any trash cans in the cities. Sometimes there was a small trash can in the konbini or public restrooms, but otherwise, people took their trash home.

Favorite Products & Travel Tips

Our all-time favorites: Unsweetened iced tea (Sencha, Matcha, Jasmine – the latter our favorite) - Ramona’s soft drink tip: Yuzu-Suntory - Cooling patches for sore feet (worth their weight in gold after 20,000 steps daily)

Apps we frequently used: Google Maps, Google Translate, Google Lens (for menus!), ChatGPT, a good currency converter.

And don’t forget: For tax-free shopping, simply carry your passport (you need to have it with you in Japan anyway).

Why We Find Japan “Kitschy”

Because pets here wear hats, because there are cafés with cats, otters, and piglets, because manhole covers are colorful and adorned with anime motifs, because the underbodies of colorful cars glow. But that’s what made it very exciting and absolutely worth the trip! I believe one cannot discover Japan in just one vacation; you will discover something new every time you visit.

I could write a book about our impressions, but at some point, one has to draw a line. Besides, the flight is already over 😄

And now it’s time – we have landed in South Korea. Our impression: Wow! Quite high-tech here. Gigantic screens everywhere (about as big as the cube at Frankfurt's Waldstadion), innovative architecture, café and restaurant concepts seem particularly special. The entry was definitely smooth. A brief passport control, collected luggage, picked up SIM cards, withdrew money, got and loaded the IC card for the metro, and then we were already on the metro heading to Seoul. Admittedly, the over 1-hour ride wasn’t short, and I had to first navigate my way with the navigation app Naver Map.

Our hotel in Seoul turned out to be a lucky find: a central skyscraper, our room is on the 17th floor – and the view from the window is simply phenomenal.

After checking in, hunger slowly kicked in – and we wanted to celebrate our arrival in South Korea. We discovered a typical Korean BBQ restaurant right around the corner. There, you are seated at a table with an integrated grill – hardly had we taken our seats when the first side dishes arrived without any order. We were completely overwhelmed: Kimchi Jjigae (a spicy kimchi soup with tofu), pickled cabbage, of course kimchi, various sauces, and wasabi – all at once. We then ordered meat twice – quite modern via a tablet at the table. And we had soju to drink. At first, I thought it was some sort of rice wine, but no: Soju is a mild liquor with about 20% alcohol. Spoiler: I'm still a bit tipsy. The drinks were served at breathtaking speed – really, within 15 seconds they were in front of us. No joke! Shortly thereafter, a waiter arrived with glowing charcoal and prepared our grill. When the meat arrived, we got started: It was cut with scissors – there are no knives here – which makes sense since you eat with chopsticks. The meat was grilled right at the table and enjoyed along with all the side dishes. And I don’t know how else to put it – maybe it's the soju, or I'm just so fascinated by South Korea – but this meat was one of the best pieces I’ve ever eaten. So juicy, so incredibly flavorful, simply unbelievable!