Trying to be a bit creative with the name for this series, Beyond Borders, to sum up a recent trip that started in Japan, mainly Osaka, but ended up taking in a lot more than that.
Over less than two weeks, we had a long layover in Guangzhou, three days in Osaka, three days in Kyoto, day trips to Nara and Uji, then three days in Seoul, finishing with a day in Beijing (mostly for Popland). Looking back, it was quite a lot to fit in. None of these places were new to us except Guangzhou. This was our second time in Kyoto, third time in Osaka, and we’ve genuinely lost count of how many times we’ve been to Seoul, as we go almost every year.
Guangzhou
Since I started visiting Beijing in 2024, it changed how I thought about China, and I love it a bit more each time I go back. This layover in Guangzhou was no exception. It was my first time there, so I made a point of visiting Canton Tower, which was worth it. I liked the area around it too, lots of small shops, each with its own character. We had Cantonese food and a local cold dessert, which was welcome given it was over 30°C even into the next morning. A short stay, but a good one.
Osaka
Third time in Osaka, and we still went to Dotonbori a fair bit. I know it’s a tourist spot, but it brings back good memories, the Glico man sign, the river, all of it. It was crowded but manageable. This time round I didn’t worry too much about it and just focused on eating well, possibly too well. A lot of sushi, a lot of matcha desserts, and the bloating to match. We stayed near Kitahama, and the walk from there to Namba was spacious and easy. I enjoyed Osaka more than I expected to, and I missed it once we left.
Kyoto
Kyoto felt like it wasn’t really built for the number of people visiting it at the moment. On our first day we went to Arashiyama, and between the heat and the crowds it was hard to even walk through. Getting there wasn’t much better. We stood on a delayed bus for almost an hour, and it was clear locals were struggling to get on because of how busy it was with tourists.
I still enjoyed Kiyomizu-dera, though the path up wasn’t designed for that many people, and Fushimi Inari was worse. This was my second visit to Kyoto (the first was ten years ago), and I didn’t enjoy it as much as I’d hoped to the second time round. On our last day we tried to beat the crowds at Kinkaku-ji, arriving at 8:30am for a 9am opening, but it was already busy. It does seem like the overtourism is concentrated in a few specific spots, which made the locals’ frustration easy to understand. If you’re after a relaxing holiday and want to see the popular spots, it’s worth managing your expectations a bit.
Nara & Uji
Nara was much the same as Kyoto, a lot of people, which made it hard to properly enjoy. Uji, on the other hand, was a nice change of pace. It’s quieter, in southern Kyoto, and we got to visit a well-known matcha place and actually relax a little, even though it rained that day.
Seoul
From Japan we flew to Seoul, mainly to shop. We ended up with an extra 23kg of luggage filled with skincare and Korean snacks. Seoul hasn’t been hit by overtourism the way Kyoto has, so we actually had time to sit, walk, and properly relax. The highlight was Namsangol Hanok Village, which we only discovered on our last day, quiet, peaceful, and exactly the kind of moment that made the trip feel like a holiday again. I also heard Seoul has started supporting Google Maps properly, which is good news, since it means you won’t need to rely on Naver Map or Kakao Map as much going forward.
Beijing
Before heading home, we stopped in Beijing. It’s a huge city. We stayed in Guomao, the financial district near Chaoyang Park. We went to Popland and picked up some exclusive PopMart items, then had a nice dinner with a show, all fairly affordable. China keeps getting more convenient and efficient, and it keeps growing on me. We also explored the Guomao CBD. From outside it’s just glass towers, but inside there’s a surprising amount of creative space.
As always happens when I come back from China, I’m struck by how much things have changed. Every city I’ve visited, Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai, Shenzhen, has left me a bit amazed at how advanced and efficient it all is. It makes me want to keep exploring.
To wrap it up, I put together a 10-minute video (combining 14 episodes) to give a sense of the trip. Hope you enjoy the highlights.
