I sat down on the first train to Kyoto and was waiting it to depart when I saw Natalie and Harley walking towards the platform. They sat down next to me and I found out that separately we had both gotten tickets on the same express train to Osaka.
Once I got into Osaka we all decided to make our train reservations for the return trip. Special Express reservations cost no extra money with a rail pass, so if they’re available I always try to get them. From the train information desk I headed to the tourist information desk for a map. Today I was set on traveling to the Japanese National Art Gallery. The information lady was super helpful and pointed me in the write direction, even giving me the subway line and stops I needed to quicken my journey.
The subway was pretty easy to navigate thanks to the help I had been given and the art gallery was only one stop away from the train station. Once I got to the stop it was supposedly a 5-minute walk. However the entirety of the walk I was paranoid about making a wrong turn and being completely turned around so it took be about 20 minutes and asking 3 different people if I was going in the right direction.
I spent most of the day at the museum and when it closed at 5 in the evening I began to make my way back to the train station. I headed to a coffee shop for my final hour and half in Osaka to people watch, drink coffee, and work on some assignments. At 8 I met up with Natalie and Harley to catch our train home to Kameoka. I think I made good use of my free days. I feel refreshed for the rest of the trip after walking around the Kansai region by myself for 2 days.
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To read more from Stephanie, check out http://stephsadventuresabroad.tumblr.com/
For more information on the U of A International Business in Japan program, see http://studyabroad.uark.edu/wcobjapan
