Wanderlust #3: Train Trip Across Japan

September 14, 2016 by Prisanti 1 Comment

Lately, I can’t seem to get out of this trip from my head. It’s been a while since I started making a list of places or trip that I wanted to go, but the train trip across Japan is always on top of everything else (well right next to the Trans-Siberian Railway actually).

train-trip-japan

I made this trip plan map using Rome2Rio, here’s the complete link if you want to see all the stops on the map.

And here’s the table of all the stops (you can click it to make it larger).

Here’s a list of all the stops including the link that guide mostly to Japan Guide website (my ultimate go-to resources when it comes to Japan).

Jakarta-Osaka → Koshien & Kobe → Hiroshima → Fukuoka → Nagasaki → Yamaguchi to Tsuwano → Iga Ueno → Gujo → Kyoto → Nagoya → Kanazawa → Tokyo → Nikko → Sendai → Hakodate → Sapporo → Tokyo → Hakone → Osaka → Osaka-Jakarta

The trip will cover South, Central, and North part of Japan. It will take about 22 – 23 days including flight trip from and to Jakarta. I choose Osaka as the first stop since the plane ticket is cheaper and it’s closer to Nagasaki (the most southern city in my plan). I made a lot of planning about this trip since 2 years ago I guess. I made Excel file of how much each ticket will cost and the list of all the trains, I even made a PowerPoint file of what places I want to visit. It’s an ambitious trip I would say and I’ve been wanting it for a long time. At first, I included places and cities that I want to revisit, but considering the cost will be blown up too much, I crossed up some places and added new cities to make the trip more possible. I also added some free & easy time at big cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka between the trips to rest for a bit.

The usage of JR Pass is a must since it will reduce the cost of all Shinkansen train (including the use of Hayabusa Shinkansen which is still in the Top Ten Fastest Trains in The World). I guess the most exciting leg for me would be the Yamaguchi to Tsuwano trip using the SL Yamaguchi Steam Train. The train is seasonal train which only operated between Summer and Fall and fully covered by JR Pass. Too bad that all Overnight Train is already stopped its operation :( But the long trip to Hakodate and Sapporo will be all worth it considering that I have never been to North part of Japan.

When I think about this trip, it always makes me excited to the bone. I wasn’t sure there will be other people who will enjoy this trip as much as I do, so I guess traveling solo will be the best option if I really want to make this one comes true someday. Though it will cost a lot, both financially and physically, I just want to keep this trip close to my heart. Because I’ve been dreaming about it a lot lately :)

Wanderlust #2 – Sherlock Holmes Museum

May 4, 2016 by Prisanti Leave a comment

[dropcap]A[/dropcap] year ago when my sister sent me a postcard and a book from Sherlock Holmes museum, I was brought to tears. Sherlock Holmes is a great deal to me. Back in elementary school, I prefer it more than all Enid Blyton’s books. To think about it now, it’s a little bit weird. Sherlock Holmes is a drug addict, heavy smoker, a total freak by all means.

But the truth is after reading Sherlock Holmes, I started to read Agatha Christie’s and buying book outside the children’s section. Needless to say, Sherlock Holmes is the first adult story I read. After the comic Detective Conan started to get popular, some of my friends also started to borrow my Sherlock Holmes collection. For a book collector like me, it is so hard when people telling you that they lost the book. Pain, so much pain. Because you know that some books are sold out and even if the publisher did print it again, the cover will be changed, the smell of the book will be different, and the memory will not be the same anymore. Sorry for this exaggeration, but it does happen :))

So when my sister bought me The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes in its original language, I cried. I stared at the book for a long time before started reading it. The fact that people love Sherlock Holmes more because of Benedict Cumberbatch or other adaptation fascinates me. Because there will be more love spread for the book and the character. And isn’t it the dream to step on Baker Street 221B?

(image from here)

PS:

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is the first British man I know bearing the title Sir before his name. So back then, I thought the title Sir is a family name :))

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes is by far my favorite novel of them all.

Wanderlust #1 – Takara Gallery Workroom

February 5, 2016 by Prisanti 1 Comment

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]’ve visited Japan twice. The first one was in Autumn of 2012, I was travelling alone and that was the most amazing time of my life. The second was in Summer 2013, I went there with my sister. I wasn’t feel the same excitement like the first time I stepped on Japan, but there’s still something amazing about the country. I still want to visit it again and maybe for my ultimate train trip I’ve already planned for a long time ago.

takara-gallery

One of the places that I want to visit is Takara Gallery Workroom. The first time I know about the place is when Fictive Fingers did a collaboration with them, which resulted a beautiful pattern inspired by water. The gallery lies in Gujo city in Gifu prefecture. Located in the middle of Honshu island, that’s definitely the area I haven’t visited before. Visitor can try hands on of screen printing (and you know how much I love screenprinting!), as well as buy some of their merchandise. Japanese pattern is interesting. I love how they combine both classic and quirky object. I’ll definitely checked Takara Gallery Workroom on my-place-to-visit list.

See the adorable video they made here.