Story of Arrival

Hello! First off, I would like to apologize to you all for not posting sooner - It's been very busy lately since my arrival in Japan, and I have been filling out forms, attending mandatory events, buying necessary materials, etc. I have, however, had plenty of time to gather information for the blog! In this post, I will cover a few different areas which have seemed to be of great importance to me in the first few days of travel.

First off, I would like to mention a few things about American Airlines. When I flew from Dallas/Ft. Worth to Narita Airport, I took an American Airlines jet. American Airlines, despite my previous worries, has proven to be a very good carrier, one which I would highly recommend for international flights. Because of the length of the flight, there was a variety of in-flight entertainment options including popular (and new) films, video games, and music available for free. There were even 3 small meals offered during my particular trip, something of which I was not actually aware until I actually boarded. They were fairly high quality, and drinks were provided generously as well. Upon arrival in Narita, I disembarked from the plane feeling satisfied with my flight and very excited to be in Japan!

A display at Narita Airport, making visitors feel very welcome.

One thing which may be an issue for travelers is the waiting period - After picking up baggage (if necessary) and going to the next area, international visitors must fill out a form in order to go through the initial line, and must eventually visit Customs. This initially seemed like a terrible problem for me, as I was pressed for time, but the workers at Narita Airport are actually very accomodating for those asking for assistance, and may move you ahead to a priority line if necessary, as was my case! This may not always be an option, however, so it's important to leave plenty of time for the connecting flight/bus/etc. The trip through Customs was very short, lasting around 2 to 3 minutes for my experience. For departure, Narita Airport also has a limousine bus service to local areas as well as Haneda Airport for a fee of ¥3000 (around $30).

The relevant forms for entry into Japan, sitting atop a good book.

The process for boarding other airplanes and getting to the destination was fairly simple from my initial point of landing in Japan, much like flight in the United States, so there were no problems to be found. By the time I made it to Hirakata-shi, Osaka, I was alone but not frightened - That's what was most important to me in being an international traveler.

After arrival at the Laporte Hirakata, near Hirakata-shi Station, I walked around 6-7 blocks to the Hirakata Sun Plaza Hotel, one which was close and highly recommended to me for international students planning to eventually study at Kansai Gaidai University. The price was very affordable at a low cost of ¥7000 yen (around $70), though it was somewhat difficult to find the entrance to the hotel since the front desk is actually located on the second floor! The hotel was fairly nice, though the rooms were a bit small in comparison to those in most American hotels. It also provided a breakfast service for the morning at a mere ¥500 when paid up front (or ¥550 in the morning).

The breakfast includes ham, salad, fruit, bread, and other interesting items.

After waking up and having breakfast at the hotel, I walked over to the station to check the bus schedule, and this is where I found an important tip for those traveling to Japan - Make sure that one of the following is the case if you plan to take a bus:

1. You know Japanese very well and can read the bus timetable.
2. You are with a friend, preferably someone from Japan, who is very familiar with Japanese.
3. You have already checked the schedule and verified it with an English-speaking local.

The bus schedules are entirely in Japanese, with no English listed, so it is very easy to get lost if you are not careful!

A view of the area surrounding Hirakata-shi Station, with the bus schedule visible on the left.

For those traveling to Kansai Gaidai University, the method I found was to take bus number 12 or 13 - These follow a route which stops near the university, and eventually continue to stops near the Seminar House locations.

The next post will cover more of my experience so far, including the location of an excellent supermarket, the check-in process at Kansai Gaidai, and other Kansai Gaidai Stories!