2017 Travel - South Korea and Japan

Travel Journal

A Quick Trip Across East Asia: Japan & South Korea

Navigating layovers and family visits in a five-day whirlwind.

5

Days

2

Countries

3

Cities

90

Minutes Airport Downtime

Table of Contents

• ①First Impressions & Itinerary
• ②Section I — Day 1: Narita, Japan
• ③Section II — Day 2: Nagoya, Japan
• ④Section III — Day 3: Busan, South Korea
• ⑤Section IV — Day 4: Busan, South Korea
• ⑥Section V — Day 5: Gimhae Airport (Busan, South Korea)

Section I

First Impressions & Itinerary

I just wrapped up my first trip of 2017, spending five days in Japan and South Korea, primarily visiting family and exploring all the changes in the area. I wanted to stay longer, but I'm trying to budget my vacation hours wisely to last throughout the year.

Section II

Section I — Day 1: Narita, Japan

I've visited Narita Airport several times before, and it remains one of my favorites for its logical layout. Once you understand how the terminals are organized, navigating the airport becomes a breeze. However, this efficient structure seems to complicate the runways, as it often takes 15 to 25 minutes for planes to taxi to the gates.

After a simple dinner of Pork Tonkatsu, I took an airport shuttle to a nearby hotel to get some rest before my next connecting flight.

 

Section III

Section II — Day 2: Nagoya, Japan

Instead of rushing to my final destination, I decided to take my time and minimize jet lag by breaking the trip into two days. I budgeted a four-hour layover and explored Nagoya Sky Town. The food was decent, and I enjoyed a tempura/tendon bowl while sipping coffee and strolling through the shops.

I discovered some fantastic shops featuring Platinum and Pilot pens! The standout was the Iroshizuku inks, and I spent a good half hour in an electronics store testing various headphones from Audio-Technica and Sony.

 

• →Iroshizuku Inks — Priced at 1,500 Yen (about $12), available in various colors (Shikibu Murasaki was out of stock).
• →Audio-Technica ATH-MSR7 Headphones — Purchased after testing various models from Audio-Technica and Sony.

Tip: Breaking up a long-haul flight with a planned half-day layover is an excellent way to mitigate jet lag and explore a new city on a budget.

Section IV

Section III — Day 3: Busan, South Korea

Finally made it to South Korea! I enjoyed some Chachamyun for dinner and spent quality time with family before heading to bed early—definitely feeling my age. I also had coffee at Paris Baguette while exploring the town.

Section V

Section IV — Day 4: Busan, South Korea

Visited the Lotte Shopping Center, where I indulged in some excellent food at a restaurant offering unlimited Starbucks espressos! I had at least three doubleshots, finishing off with a cappuccino. For dinner, I ordered Domino's, which was surprisingly better than what we have in the States.

     

Section VI

Section V — Day 5: Gimhae Airport (Busan, South Korea)

The trip flew by, and soon I found myself at Gimhae Airport preparing to return home via Narita. I like arriving at airports early to relax for about 60-90 minutes, and this time I had a full 90 minutes thanks to quick security and immigration checkpoints. I spent most of that time auditioning my new Audio-Technica MSR7s while sipping a latte from Cafe Pascucci, followed by a green tea from 7-Eleven.

   

  

Meal	Location	Note
Lunch	Nagoya Sky Town	Tendon bowl
Dinner	Busan	Chachamyun
Breakfast	Local Cafe	Coffee at Paris Baguette

A quick but memorable trip, setting the tone for a year of mindful travel.