Osaka -> Tokyo.

On the last day of our stay in Osaka we decided to go to the famous Osaka castle.

The owner of the apartment very kindly let us to check out any time we want so we can manage a visit to Osaka castle and head to Tokyo after noon.

We took a train to the nearest stop to Osaka castle and walked. A bit far tbh. When we got to the park we decided to just take a buggy because we don't wish to waste a lot of time. Also the kids were also a bit tired from the walk from the train station.

The outer gate

The magnificent Osaka castle. It was a really really pretty day. Shame that we can't spend a whole day in Osaka city. 

My husband and the kids at the top tower of the castle. 

I really like Osaka castle on how informative it is. I actually am not very familiar with any of Japan history and did thought to read a bit but I gotten lazy. But the museum is still very interesting. Much of the exhibits focused on a particular battle between 2 shoguns so I like that it was specific. But still a whole lot more I didnt know. 

And we only manage Osaka castle. I honestly don't feel like I really even briefly visit Osaka. There is so much more I haven't seen. I like Osaka from the brief time I manage to see here and hope I can come back again to see and experience more. 

After the visit, we took a taxi for a halal food place in Osaka, Naritaya Osaka Minami. 

Ordered the Mazesoba and followed the instructions on the wall!

The fried chicken and fried dumpling which was delicious. 

After eating, we head back to the apartment to get our luggage. Then took a taxi to the train station for our next brief stop. Tokyo. We took the JR train to Tokyo which took 3 hours. I don't know why but I don't feel comfortable in the bullet train. It was hot and I don't feel comfortable and nauseous.

We got to Tokyo around 6pm and it was getting dark so it was good that we took a hotel near the station.

It was a new hotel; the Mimaru Tokyo Ueno Inaricho, had opened just a couple of weeks just in fact. So everything was brand new.

A very comfy hotel with comfy beds and the sofa that is beside the dining table can be changed into a bed so we get 2 more extra beds. Perfect place for family. 

My husband and the kids decided to go out to eat while I stay in because Sharif had a fever.  He got back with chicken and rice from a halal place nearby afterwards.

I have to say this place is quite a nice place to stay in Tokyo. Near a major train station and of course near a lot of attractions too.

USJ in a day

Note: (super late throwback post)

I was excited to go to USJ for this Japan trip, because I can't wait to get to the Harry Potter theme park side.

We went around 9 am, and just manage to get in after the gate opened. We went straight to the Harry Potter fame ride.

Walking to our first ride

Early morning no one is taking a pic of this. Afterwards there will be a long line. 

Hogwarts!

Lining up to our Harry Potter ride. As I lined up as a single rider it was faster for me, less than 10 mins of queuing. 

Some stuffs I seen here while waiting. Those who don't want to go to the ride can also toured the castle as my husband and kids did. It was a very Hogwarts-like. Mostly just to be amazed on the talking portraits. Unfortch it is all in Japanese though so we can't understand a thing. 

So I got into the ride and TBH, it was not my favorite ride. Because it is so jerky that at one time I was seriously thinking that I could puke. So anyone who have motion sickness, maybe should popped in some mint candy just before the ride to lessen the motion sickess effect. 

Aside from the motion sickness, it was quite thrilling, Dementors and flying and whizzing through the castle was exhilarating. The space provided for the ride was really huge so it does went on for quite a time. The graphics are well done too. 

After the ride, I caught up with the rest of the familia and the husband went with one of the kids to the other Harry Potter roller coaster ride. It was a mild ride for kids and we all enjoyed it. 

And of course a trip to the Harry Potter theme park , we have to have the Butterbeer. Taste somewhat like root beer. We can have the options either to buy the mugs together with the drink or just the normal plastic cups. I wanted one of the mug so I chose the less expensive mug.

Taste like root beer tbh, more vanilla-ish

Then we hang around Hogsmeade Village because it was pretty.

Then afterwards we went towards the Jurassic Park-like area.

We didnt ride the Flying Dinosaur even though it looks like fun because the wait is more than an hour, even for single rider. As we didn't bought fast pass we decided on the other water ride. It was an okay-ish queue. 

Bought the kids one of the park minions popcorn holder. At first each of them wants one, but it is crazy expensive and it is just a popcorn holder. And heavy. So we asked them to share. 

Different stalls have different minions, there were Tarzan Minions, Pirate Minions, the usual minions , Mummy Minions and I picked this for them. 

The single rider for this ride was only like for 5 mins, I accompanied a sleeping Sharif and Saif outside while Aziz and his father went on this ride. Saif can't ride this yet. After the father and sone emerged, I went in alone.

I love this ride! It have a cooling mild ride at the beginning, then it become slightly crazy at the end.

For lunch we decided on pizza and sit at this pretty place . But it pissed me off actually that people are like smoking around eating area full of kids. As I was not sure of the smoking policy inside here I malas to make a fuss, but honestly. Use your head lah.

After lunch, it was mostly kiddies ride and it seems like I didn't take a pic because when the kids was in their kiddie ride I put in my IG story. LOL.

But Sharif had fun on his balls pit area and we moved to some other kiddie ride. Even there the queue was long so we took a fast pass for one and the kids manage to got on a kid car ride. They had fun.

We went to the Minion Park and it was PACKED. The minions ride queue was 1 hour and my husband have to take them while I bummed around with Sharif.

The Minion Park was plenty cute but I don't care to shop so I mostly just sit around.


Our last ride was the Spiderman 6D sorta thing. It was FUN! This was maybe my favorite ride. I love the 80-ish cartoon graphic and it was thrilling but do not give me nausea. Always a plus.

After this ride we mostly walked around. As it was near Halloween, a zombie parade started and Aziz was terrified. He was closed to tears. He is absolutely terrified of zombie after he watched Train to Busan. LOL. 

We shopped around in the big gifts shop and bought some clothes for the kids and some usual gift stuffs mostly for ourselves. 

Baba refused to take a picture but only wants to shake hand with Elmo. He is a very polite boy. 

We went back quite late. And was super hungry because we just ate a slice of pizza. We tried to go to a bbq halal place but it closed like half an hour early. Very unrecommended. (if I can remember the name). 

We manage to find a halal ramen shop and ordered ramen for all. Everyone finish their ramen and it was delicious even if the cleanliness is yeuch. 

There we cockroaches crawling at the walls but we were too hungry to care. Our servers and cooks were a couple of young Indonesian ladies and there were nice enough to open late for us to eat. So we 'tutup mata' je la. And hey no food poisoning! LOL. But this was pretty delicious honestly.

We got back and way too tired to care. It was a good day though but I don't think I would be going again. I hate queueing.