travel 2017

Travels in South Korea 2017 – Jeongju 전주시 – Jinan 진안군 – Gwangju 광주시 (October 8)

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Attractions List:

  • Jeonju Hanok Village (전주한옥마을)
  • Jeondong Catholic Church (전주 전동성당)
  • Maisan (마이산)
  • Tapsa Temple (탑사)

The following day we headed to Jeonju (전주시), the capital of North Jeolla province located in the southwestern part of the Korean peninsula.

Jeonju (전주시), the capital of North Jeolla province in South Korea

In the past, the area that included Jeonju was part of the Baekje kingdom and founded in 57 B.C. Our tour guide took us to the Jeonju Hanok Village (전주한옥마을), where Yi Seok, the last prince of the Joseon dynasty resided. The village itself is comprised of 800 traditional Korean houses and blends well with the modern buildings in the background. One can easily wander around the alleyways and discover various sights and delights, including a museum about the production of rice wine and rice cakes as well as the history of the village; and beautiful mural art.

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Travels in South Korea 2017 – Gongju 공주시 – Daejeon 대전 (October 7)

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Attractions List:

  • Magoksa Temple (마곡사)
  • Ancient Tombs in Songsan-ri – Royal Tomb of King  Muryeong (무령왕릉)
  • Gongju National Museum (국립공주박물관)
  • Gongsanseong Fortress (공산성)

After enjoying the splendors of Seoul, we joined the next tour that explored the western part of Korea, starting in Gongju (공주시) city located in the eastern part of Chungcheongnam-do (South Chungcheong) Province. Gongju (previously named Ungjin) was the ancient capital of the Baekje kingdom during 475-538 A.D. The city lies on the banks of the Geumgang River and is surrounded by two beautiful mountain ranges: Charyeongsan Mountain Range in the north and Gyeryongsan Mountain in the southeast.

Flowers blooming at Magoksa Temple (마곡사), Gongju, South Korea

Huddled in the mountains are various historical sites related to the Baekje kingdom. Our first stop was Magoksa Temple (마곡사), the main temple of the 6th diocese of the Jogye order of Buddhism in Korea. Founded in 643 by Precepts Master Jajang under the patronage of Queen Seondeok, the temple is a charming sight, especially in the spring and autumn.

Taehwacheon Stream before Magoksa Temple (마곡사), Gongju, South Korea

The Taehwacheon Stream flows in front of the temple, giving the temple grounds a peaceful atmosphere. It is speculated that the name of this temple was dedicated to the preceptor monk, Magok Bocheol, who had attracted crowds of visitors to this temple in ancient times.

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Travels in South Korea 2017 – Seoul 서울 (October 5-6)

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A view of the Han River from the N Seoul Tower in Seoul, South Korea

Attractions List:

  • Gwanghwamun Gate (광화문)
  • Gwanghwamun Square (광화문광장)
  • Gyeongbokgung Palace (경복궁)
  • National Folk Museum of Korea
  • Cheongwadae (Blue House)
  • Myeongdong (명동)
  • N Seoul Tower
  • Namsangol Hanok Village (남산골한옥마을)

During the Joseon (조선) dynasty (1392-1910), Yi Seong-gye established his capital in Hanyang (modern-day Seoul서울) and brought forth a dynasty that would last more than 500 years; this led to many cultural, scientific, and technological achievements that would define Korean history.

Seoul, today, is home to one-fifth of the country’s population (about 9.8 million) and has remained South Korea’s capital since its founding. Its sprawling metropolis is divided into 25 districts, but it can be visualized as two halves: north and south of the Han River (Hangang). Our guided tour primarily focused on the districts north of the Han River.

We arrived in Seoul on October 5th from Tokyo, Japan. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by a Hanatour driver, who took us to the Center Mark hotel. After refreshing ourselves, we explored the city on our own that same evening.

Our guided tour began on October 6th at Gwanghwamun Square (광화문광장) that enshrines a statue of King Sejong the Great, the fourth ruler of the Joseon dynasty and founder of Hangul—the Korean writing system. The Square was the center of the tumultuous history of South Korea; from the March 1st Independence Movement to civil revolution against the Japanese annexation of Korea to celebration of the Candlelight Culture Festival, the Square withstood these changes and represents the Korean spirit of democracy.

Gwanghwamun Gate (광화문), the gateway into Gyeongbokgung Palace (경복궁), originally built in 1395 (Seoul, South Korea).
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Travels in South Korea 2017 – Overview

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Political Map of Republic of Korea [South Korea] (Map from Nations Online Project)

During my visit to South Korea on October 5 to 13, 2017, I had the pleasure of going with my family on a guided tour from Hanatour. We explored Seoul, and then traveled to the western part of Korea and to Jeju Island.

Below is the itinerary that we followed.

Before diving into the travel journals, I personally recommend reading the following overview of South Korea’s history.

Xinglong Art by Raichana

“Korean history is quite complex! You can continue reading below the cut, or if you really want to skip ahead, click on the city name that you are interested in reading about.”

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Travels in Japan: Tokyo 東京 (October 4, and 14-15 2017)

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Skytree in the distance, Tokyo, Japan

October 4, 2017 Harajuku and Shinjuku

Vibrant, youthful, and trendy are some of the words that describe the Harajuku district of Tokyo. We spent some time wandering and taking photos of Takeshita Street before our 4PM reservation at the Owl Village and Cafe. The street was packed with young people, who were enjoying themselves after school or work. The street was crammed with shops and little cafes, selling crepes and other sweet treats.

As it neared 4PM, we headed to the Owl Village and Cafe, located in a nondescript apartment looking building. We had to take an elevator up to the fourth floor, where we were welcomed into the cafe. The cafe has a tatami mat area and a mini bar, where you are allowed to enjoy your soft drink that comes with your reservation (in 2017, it was about 1500 yen per person for 1 hour). The courteous staff member checked us in and then gave an orientation of the rules and expectations of the cafe, such as how to pet the owls and how to take a photo without scaring them.

After we finished our soft drinks, cleaned our hands with hand sanitizer, and slipped on the slippers we were provided, we were allowed in the special room where the owls were resting. One of the participants had paid an additional fee to feed the owls and fed the owl a delicious treat (as shown below).

A happy participant feeds a barn owl
A happy participant feeds a barn owl
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Travels in Japan: Himeji (姫路) (October 3, 2017)

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Himeji Castle

Attraction List

  • Himeji Castle
  • Koko-en Garden

Located west of Osaka is Himeji (姫路), the second largest city in the Hyogo Prefecture of the Kansai region of Japan. If one takes the Shinkansen, it is only a short trip away (less than an hour) from Osaka. We chose to visit Himeji for its magnificent Himeji Castle. Stark white and imposing in appearance, the castle befits its other name: White Heron Castle (Shirasagijo).

Another view of Himeji Castle

Just past the Otemon Gate, we walked into an enclosed area called the Sannomaru. Here one can get a picturesque view of the castle with cherry trees in the foreground. During cherry blossom season in early April, many visitors would flock to admire the beautiful castle among the flowering pink of the blossoms.

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Travels in Japan: Kyoto 京都 (October 1, 2017)

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Kyoto Tower at night
Kyoto Tower at night

Attraction List

  • Kyoto Tower
  • Kyoto Railway Museum
  • Kinkakuji
  • Nijo-jo
  • Gion-Shion

About 15-20 minutes westward of Osaka, if one takes the shinkansen, is the classical city, Kyoto. Popularized by the stories of geisha and samurai, this city served as the capital of Japan from 794 (Nara period) to 1868 (beginning of Meiji period). Many temples and shrines still stand today and are important relics of Japan’s history.

We spent a day in Kyoto, so we had to pick and choose where we wanted to visit. Upon arriving at Kyoto Station, one can see the modern Kyoto Tower in the distance, rising at 131 meters tall. On a clear day, one can see Osaka from the observation platform in the distance.

Kyoto Railway Museum
Kyoto Railway Museum

From Kyoto Station, we walked west about 20 minutes to the Kyoto Railway Museum, a must-see for any train enthusiast. Opened in April 2016 by JR West, the museum is considered one of Japan’s best railway museums.

The museum showcases various types of trains from the steam locomotives to the electric trains to the shinkansen (bullet trains). One can follow the walkways underneath some of the trains to see the internal structure of the trains. There are also exhibits of the railway uniforms and tools as well as interactive exhibits, in which one can pretend to be a train conductor or try the train simulator. In addition to the museum, there is a roundhouse with turntables from 1914 that houses some steam locomotives.

After spending a couple of hours here, we exited the museum to grab lunch at a nearby café.

Once we had our fill, we took a taxi to Kinkakuji, as the subway system in Kyoto was not very convenient.

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Travels in Japan: Osaka 大阪, Kansai (September 30 to October 4, 2017)

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Courtesy of T.Kambayashi (Wikimedia Commons). See https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Osaka_City_Map.png
Courtesy of T.Kambayashi (Wikimedia Commons). See the original page.

After a brief stay in Tokyo, we took the Shinkansen bullet train to Osaka (大阪) located in the Kansai region of Japan; the journey took about 3 hours westward. We had the First Class Japan Rail tickets but had forgotten to reserve our seats in the First Class section of the train. We were lucky that one of the train conductors allowed us to sit in the reserved First Class section, as there were not many people and we were carrying a lot of luggage. The seats were quite comfortable, clean, and spacious. An attendant provided us with some refreshments, snacks, and a wet towellette. The time passed quickly as we made our way to Shin-Osaka station– one of the central Japan Rail (JR) stations.

With luggage in hand, we transferred to the local train line to the newer Bay Area, facing Osaka Bay. The overall train ride took about 45 minutes from the main city center. The hotel we stayed at was Hotel La Raison (now called Quintessa Hotel Osaka Bay as of 2019), a fairly new luxurious, Western-style hotel located in Cosmo Square (train station). The room was quite spacious and comfortable.

The Bay Area of Osaka has many nearby attractions, including Universal Studios Japan, Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, and Cosmo Tower. We were lucky that Hotel La Raison offered a complimentary shuttle service to these attractions (except for Cosmo Tower, which is within walking distance) and to the JR Osaka Station. See the main website for the shuttle bus schedule.

Tip: If you have the Pasmo card, you can use it to travel on the local train or bus transportation system in Osaka. Just remember to add more money to the card as needed.

Shitennoji Temple (Tennoji district)
Shitennoji Temple (Tennoji district)

September 30, 2017

Attraction List:

  • Shitennoji Temple (Tennoji district)
  •  Shinsekai (Tennoji district)
    • Tsuenkaku
  • Nipponbashi district
  • Namba district
    • Dotonbori 

Once we settled down and relaxed for awhile in the hotel, we headed out to the Tennoji district, the older part of Osaka. We first visited the Shitennoji Temple (photo above), one of the oldest Zen Buddhist temples in Japan from 593. Although the buildings were renovated, they still have its spiritual charm. Just beware of the mosquitoes that surround the pond near the side of the temple.

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