zafizal: Looking East to Korea and Japan

Monday, October 27, 2014

Looking East to Korea and Japan

I was on official trip with government officers to Korea and Japan on 28th Sept 2014 until 6th Oct 2014.

Follow such event not many places can visit due to tight schedule with seminars and business meeting. Managed to extend last destination in Osaka and had planned something to visit historical places in Kyoto and Universal Studio Japan in Osaka.

28th – 30th Sept 2014 Seoul

Landed at Incheon International airport around 8am and went straight to hotel in Seoul. Traffic was as bad as in KL. Check in at Lotte Hotel for seminar on 29th Sept 2014 and proceed for seminar on the same day. Had opportunities to walk along Nadaemum street for souvenirs. Departed from low cost airport name Gimpo to Haneda in Tokyo.

1st - 2nd Oct 2014 Tokyo

Check in Imperial Hotel in Tokyo for seminar and had opportunities to take cab went to Roppongi Hills (similar like Bukit Bintang in KL) and Shibuya junction (famous scene in Fast and Furious). Also went to mega shopping complex in Ginza a walking distance from hotel.

3rd – 6th Oct 2014 Osaka

Check in Imperial Hotel in Osaka for seminar and took cab early in the morning visited Osaka Castle and came back before lunch for seminar. All seminars in Seoul, Tokyo and Osaka were scheduled after lunch so we had time to visit interesting places before seminar.
Changed the hotel from Imperial to New Hankyu Hotel on 4th Oct which is nearest to Osaka Train Station for easy movement in Osaka and returning home via Kansai Int Airport.

On 4th Oct went to Kyoto as suggested by new friend found during seminar and even suggested to use student as a tourist guide. At very same time found Malaysian student had diner in the same restaurant and he recommended one of his junior to assist us to go to Kyoto. After wassap with his junior student and he agreed to assist us, the student name Azhan. We paid him JY 1,000 per hour (same rate as tourist agent paid him before) and all onboard inclusive of meals and train ticket. We got a lesson from him how to use subway train in Osaka.

The next day we went to Universal Studios Japan and amazed how Japanese appreciate and enjoy visiting USJ the way their dress customised to their favorite comics icon.