11/4 - Back at Kyoto Station

Back at Kyoto Station, we had every intention of trying to extend our stay in Japan. We were originally booked to return to Vancouver on November 10, but we wanted to stay an extra 2 days. Somebody at K's House Kyoto told us to go to the travel agency in the train station to change our tickets, but after a 15 minute wait, we found out that we couldn't change the tickets there. We actually had to call JAL at a payphone. 

So we had go back out to the 7-Eleven inside the station and buy a phone card in order to use the payphone. After about 20 minutes on the phone, N managed to get our ticket changed.  November 12 was already all booked, but November 13 was free for flights back to YVR.  So we rescheduled for that day.  I suppose not many people want to fly on "Friday the 13th."

It was already getting dark and we were looking for food. Luckily there's an underground shopping mall attached to Kyoto Station.  Wandering the halls aimlessly for food, we were getting hungrier with every step.  We took a look at many of the food displays in the windows, but the prices were fairly steep.  We eventually settled on takoyaki place at one end of the mall just past the entrance to the Kyoto Subway station. 

The place was not big and was really a fast food place.  However, they had cheese takoyaki on the menu.  Now I never thought that cheese would go well with octopus balls, but it was some of the best takoyaki I've ever had.  Being caffeine-intolerant (i.e. can't sleep with caffeine in my system), I was looking for my usual Sprite alternative to Coke, but all they had was a Melon Soda.  It was okay, but I think I prefer Sprite.

After having eaten, we went back topside and ventured down to one end of Kyoto Station where the Grand Theatre is.  Right beside the Grand Theatre is the Osamu Tezuka World. Most people in the North America know of Astro Boy (aka Mighty Atom in Japan) and Kimba the White Lion.  Osamu Tezuka (The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga) is the creator of these classic animation series.  There is a small animation theatre that you could go into, but we just perused the store itself and picked up a few small things.  We even got a photo of Mighty Atom himself. 

We were starting to be walking zombies at this point, I managed to get a night shot of the Kyoto Tower directly across from Kyoto Station.  Not a bad photo for being in a zombie state-of-mind.  Afterwards, we decided to call it a day and head back to Osaka for the night.  We caught the JR express from Kyoto to Osaka and caught some shuteye.  We eventually got back to Shinsaibashi and checked back into the Hearton Hotel Shinsaibashi.  We got our luggage back from behind the check-in counter and proceeded up to our new room.  Once again, it was the same as the first night's room - tiny.

At this point, we were hungry again.  The few pieces of takoyaki were definitely not enough.  We headed back out to shopping arcade of Shinsaibashi-suji.  We found a place called Manmaru (the Hiragana actually reads Hanamaru Udon). The dining experience reminds me of buying food at Ikea.  You line up cafeteria style with your tray and pick up things that you want.  Then at one window, you can order a hot dish. It was very affordable and was great cheap eat for two weary travellers.  After dinner and satisfying our hunger, we wandered the pedestrian arcade for a little bit and then headed back to the hotel.  We crashed and recharged our batteries for a long day ahead.