Solo Trip Nagoya (August 2023) - Takayama and Shiragawa Day Trip

 

I've always wanted to visit Shiragawa, and when I found out that it can be done as a day trip from Nagoya, I tried very hard to see how I can get there on my own. After much research, it seems the best way was to join a day tour. So I found one from Klook, which took me to Takayama and Shiragawa, with lunch included. I think it cost be almost 100sgd! But since it was still within my budget, and I was already nearby, heck! Let's go! Above is the bus for the day tour. I would have like to sign up for an English speaking tour, or even a Japanese one, but the day that I wanted to go, there was only a Mandarin speaking tour..... 

Above was the waiting point for the start of the tour, I have already researched the place previous day, so I was able to be there on time (actually early). You should have seen the nagging a Taiwanese guy got for being late ten minutes because he got lost and couldn't find the place! Lol. He got nagged through out the trip!

The bus ride out of Nagoya was stunning. I realise it was actually the very first time I saw Nagoya outside of the city. All the time I was in Nagoya, I was rushing from one attraction to another via train and spend most of my time indoors. What a sight to see the great outdoors again! I felt so free!

As we drove towards the mountains, the beautiful scenery just got better with blue skies and rivers and greeneries! The weather forecast actually predicted rain, so I was just happy that not a single cloud was sighted that morning. 

A little bit about the day tour. Not only was it mandarin speaking, but the tour guide actually insisted that I downloaded WeChat so that he could keep in touch with the group. Personally I thought that was rather uncalled for. I had to waste my data downloading and installing the app just so that he could spam me with info? He told me it was for incase people got lost along the trip. I had joint a Japanese local tour prior in Fukuoka, and it was never an issue. Nobody got lost, and nobody was late. But I guess mandarin speaking tour is a little different. As the day progresses, I do pity the guide. People were late. And people were lost! For almost half an hour! But I was always on time :)  And I would highly recommend joining a local Japanese tour next time! It is a lot more informative, a lot friendlier, a lot more polite, and super value for money! I even got souvenirs at the end of the tour! In return, I did gave them some souvenir snacks from Malaysia and Singapore too. One day, I will blog about it! So much to do! So little time!

Back to the green sceneries, we drove further into the mountains.

The bus made a pit stop at a highway service station. It was just maybe a 30 minutes stop? Or perhaps even less? And prior to stopping, the guide told us that the yogurt, the milk and the soft serve ice cream was good here and recommended we try some. Above was the view of the service station.

You could wander around looking at the view. There was even a small platform where you could climb up to. It was really a nice spot, if only we were stopping longer!

There were shops outside selling soft serve ice cream, but I didn't think I'll have time to enjoy it.

I did bought myself a nice bottle of milk, and it was indeed delicious. I managed to sit by the window overlooking the mountains to enjoy the milk, but maybe for only 5 or 10 minutes before I have to get back to the bus. And now I have craving for fresh milk.....

Solo Trip Nagoya (August 2023) - Ghibli Grand Warehouse Longest Queue

The last section I went into was the one with the longest queue. The queue was always long, and I thought it would die down a bit later on. But by 4pm, it was still long, and since I've seen everything else, I settle myself into the queue. It took about 20mins or so before I could enter to see what the fuss is all about. Above was the ticket figurine outside greeting all that enter this realm. What's inside?

Lots of spot for photo taking! Where you can be part of the scene too. I love how this kid post of Porco Rosso here. It seems to blend in like real life! I couldn't take such photo being solo. So I only took hers :P

But for the scene with No Face on the train, I decided to forgo being solo and asked the family behind me if they could help me take a photo. Yay! Me and No Face together. That alone was worth the queue! Everything was kinda downhill for me after that, lol.

Here's a scene from the movie The Wind Rises, a movie I've also watched prior to this trip.

And the living room of Pom Poko, a movie I have yet to watch because it's so long. Plus, although they look rather cute, I read that the story was rather serious. Maybe I'll watch it after this blog entry.... 

There was also a beautiful scene of Ponyo! I so love Ponyo!

And the remaining few I wasn't sure was from which movie. I saw many people taking photo with the girl above, but I have never seen her before, or the man below with the plane. And so we end here the posting on Ghibli Grand Warehouse. Did I share that the reason I landed in Nagoya was because I managed to get tickets to this park? Lol. Funny how small events can change your course in life! As I am writing this, I am also planning on my next trip. But the trip is in the reverse, where I can book the flight and the accommodation, but not the attraction tickets, because the tickets goes on sale 5 days before the actual date. What a bummer! What if I flew all the way there and can't get any tickets??? Ah, the headache of travelling. But it's always still worth the trip no matter where I end up in :)

Next stop? Day trip via Klook to Takayama and Shirogawa!

Solo Trip Nagoya (August 2023) - Ghibli Grand Warehouse Itself

Inside the Ghibli Grand Warehouse, there is actually a section call the Warehouse. It was weird wandering into it. It just hits you like a realisation, that hey, the word Warehouse actually has a meaning here. And the door leading into it, was quite an unassuming looking one. At first you might even wonder if you've lost your way and accidentally went into a storage room. I can imagine some visitor even missing this section all together. I know I would have! Above was the entrance, and it was rather dark inside. 

It was literally a warehouse, housing figurines that was not on display, or were they? It was kinda hard to tell. But there were so many stored items here, or on display.... I was very confused here. But it was still fun. I saw Ponyo Ponyo inside, in a giant size figurine. 

There was more than one Ponyo. I remember when I first saw the film, I can't stop singing the song. It was so catchy. I wonder why there are so many Ponyo here, and who made them? What were they meant for? It was all so strange. Were they part of a theme park once? Now residing here waiting for their next assignment? Were they forgotten? So many questions! What is this place???

Above was it the weird home from Howl's Moving Castle? I did rewatch that movie before coming, and finally understand the story. Guess I was a bit young when I first saw it. Now I understand why all the girls were crazy over Howl!

And then there was this cat which appeared in two of the movie I've seen. He has a weird European name too, Baron Humbert von Gikkingen. Saw him first in The Cat's Return, and again in Whisper of the Heart. Were the stories connected? I have no idea.... Everything is like a dream to me. All Japanese stories are also surreal to me. Don't even get me started on Murakami!

More stored away items. A red plane which I assume is from Posco Rocco? And a smiling cat that looks like Cheshire from Alice in Wonderland.

Saw some dragons. At first I though it was from Spirited Away, but that movie only have one dragon. I wonder what dragons are these....

And remember the stone statue I saw outside of the park in the garden? There was also one here in the dark...  Oh well. It was fun and strange walking through the warehouse. Here's me below with the 'pekchek' cat. I'm saving the best post for last! Stay tune!