Nagoya & Gero Onsen: A 4-Day Trip with Mom
'Have I ever gone on a trip with just my mom?'
I think everything started with that question. After reading Tae Won-jun's 'Mom, Let's Just Go,' the thought kept growing, and before I knew it, I was booking flights to Japan. I'm not exactly rolling in money either, so we agreed my mom would pay 600,000 KRW upfront and I'd cover the rest.
When I brought up the Japan trip, the very first thing my mom said was 'hot springs.' So I planned the itinerary around hot springs, and while looking for good spots, I discovered the Gero Onsen area, one of Japan's top three hot springs. Plus, Jeju Air had recently added Nagoya as a new destination, so even though the tickets were pricey, there were still seats left.
Just like that, the destination was easily decided.
After booking the flights and accommodation, I tried to figure out what to do there, but planning is so hard when you're not traveling alone. When I travel by myself, my main goal is to rest my exhausted body. So I usually just see one or two sights a day and enjoy watching the time pass. However, my travel partner for this trip—my mom—hasn't been overseas in over ten years. It feels wrong to just rest at the hotel, but I'm also worried that moving around too much might be physically tough for her since she has a herniated disc. Because of these worries, the schedule just isn't coming together.
Anyway, the result of all my tweaking is below. I spent so much time just worrying about it that I couldn't even properly fill in the 19th, 20th, and 21st.
I wonder if we'll be able to pull this off...
Well then, let the 'Nagoya Onsen Trip with Chef Kim (and Bonsai Expert)' begin~~~
Things to Eat Tebasaki - chicken wings, as a late-night snack with beer (Sekai no Yamachan) Hitsumabushi - grilled eel rice bowl, lunch (Horaiken) Main branch hours 11:30~2:30 4:30~9:30 Misonikomi - miso udon, dinner (Misonikomi) Kishimen Misokatsu
8 Great Local Specialties Hitsumabushi, Misokatsu, Misonikomi, Taiwan Ramen, Kishimen, Tebasaki, Morning Set, Tenmusu
Places to Go Nagoya Castle Kiyosu Castle (if we really have extra time) Atsuta Shrine Nagoya TV Tower + Oasis 21 (night view) Osu Market -> Osu Joshin Kids Land - Buy Master Grade Sazabi Ver.Ka (if it's under 6,000 yen)
18th 19th 20th 21st 6:00 Depart for Gimpo Airport 8:20 Flight departs 10:10 Flight arrives 11:00 Finish immigration and leave the airport 11:00 Pay 870 yen and head to Nagoya Station 11:30 Arrive at Nagoya Station 'Ekimenya Kishimen' at Nagoya Station Eat Kishimen for lunch 12:00 Arrive at Hotel Silk Tree Nagoya, drop off luggage and head out 12:30 Subway from Fushimi Station to Temmacho Station -> Head to Horaiken Jingu branch and put name on the waitlist. Check out Atsuta Shrine during the wait time Around 2:00 to 2:30 Eat at Horaiken 3:30 Subway from Temmacho Station to Shiyakusho Station 4:00 Nagoya Castle 6:00 Subway from Shiyakusho Station to Yabacho Station 6:30 Misokatsu at Yabaton Main Branch 7:00 Walk, or if it's too tiring, take the subway to Oasis 21 7:30 Oasis 21, Ferris wheel at TV Tower 9:00 Buy Tebasaki at Sekai no Yamachan and return to the hotel
Summary
18th (Accommodation: Hotel Silk Tree Nagoya) 08:20 Depart 10:10 Arrive Leave luggage at the hotel Lunch Horaiken Atsuta Shrine
Nagoya Castle
Dinner
Late-night snack - Sekai no Yamachan
19th (Accommodation: Yunoshimakan) Hotel breakfast
Lunch 15:00 Depart for Gero Depart for Yunoshimakan
20th (Accommodation: Suimeikan)
14:00 Depart for Suimeikan
Gero Onsen
21st 11:00 Depart 13:20 Arrive