After departing Miyajima Island and leaving Hiroshima Hana Hostel, it was evening time. We took the 6.15pm Hikari 574 to Shin-Osaka. It was dinner time then, we decided to grab an ekiben and have it on the train.

This was more of a vegetarian based ekiben, maybe that was the reason it was cheaper, at 398 yen. Cheap but delicious :)


The person who sat next to me, also had his ekiben on the train :P

Our accommodation was in Namba. Navigating our way from Shin-Osaka station to Namba Station, specifically JR Namba Station is no easy fare, comparatively to stations in Kyoto and Hiroshima. The route was like this: Shin-Osaka -> Osaka -> Inamiya -> JR Namba.

Namba station is big, and there is a whole big Namba walk in the station (more of that when I re-visit it). We were after exit 31. I could feel my fatty backpack has gone fatter over the few days. However I still don't think I could carry my bag up the staircase if I were to bring those trolley luggage (though the prospect of being able to lug home more goodies is really tempting)

Exit 31 is quite a fair bit of walk from JR Namba station. By the time we reached our destination, it was getting late. It was near train station alright but it was far from the big station, as well as far from the train itself.

As we saw the building, Moo Moo Gal commented that it looked a little sleezy...


It doesn't help that the next door building is all decorated with flowers and plants.


Note - both the pictures were taken the next morning after checking out and ready to walk to the train station. Battery were dead and the other camera is not within easy reach, especially not when I had a fatty backpack on the back, and a little one in front.

There were 2 elderly gentleman manning the front desk. More so one manning the front desk, the other took care of the kitchen. It somehow reminded me of two butlers who run a big mansion, something like that. The one in charge of the kitchen speaks very good English.

We were given a set of key each. Definitely can't squeeze 3 persons in one capsule :P and informed of where to change our shoes to slippers, and where to find lockers to keep our things. We could leave our big luggage at the front desk, but as that night was not busy, we were allowed to leave our luggage outside the capsule if we wanted to. It was a quiet night, there were only 2 other occupants aside from us.

Lockers for the shoes


Females and males are put in separate floors in this capsule inn.

And here's how the capsule looked like.


Taken from inside of the capsule.


It was pretty basic, a TV, lights and futon of course. I had to bring down my camera battery to be charged at the front desk. However it was very well heated, in fact, that was the first night I wore shorts to sleep. Though it could be a little cold well into the night but comforter was provided.

This was the cheapest accommodation we booked for the whole trip - 2,500 yen including breakfast. Shared bathroom, of course. Unfortunately, there was only 1 bathroom for the whole floor (more at other floor), and 2 toilets. The biggest downside was that there is no door to the bathroom, just shower curtain but you are to close the common door that leads to the bathroom. To my understanding is that once you see the door is closed, it means it is occupied. Shrug. As compared to the rest of places I stayed in, this one was looked a little rundown but nonetheless, still clean, as like all the other places. If all shared bathroom are as clean and cosy as the hostels in Japan, I have no qualms at staying in dorms :)

Breakfast were 2 pieces of bread (oven toaster provided, if you wanted to toast your bread), an egg and free flow of coffee. An interesting thing to note was we were told Japanese eat hard boiled egg with salt, instead of soy sauce as we did. LOL... we were told that cos our trays showed stains of soy sauce. :P



Side note: Went to a high class hawker stall today. Its totally worth the price of $10 for the amount of food we get!