Hey Everyone!
So I’m currently in high school, and I coordinate and manage disaster relief operations with an NGO.
I will be getting my ICS-300 and ICS-400 this summer, but I have the opportunity to take IMT-305 (however the class is at 46 students right now and I can’t register for the next 2 months because I don’t have 300 and 400 yet, so not guaranteed).
Quick Questions!

1. Is it a bad idea to get IMT-305 in High School? I may be able to deploy to an EOC in Florida if there’s a Hurricane so that’s the main reason why I would be taking it, but it’s a possibility, not a guarantee.
   
2. What are your experiences with IMT-305?
   
3. What’s it like being on an IMT? I know there’s Branch Chiefs (Logistics, Operations, Planning, etc.), but what are your experiences for serving on an IMT?
   
4. What’s it like deploying in an EOC? Did you utilize IMT-305 training a lot even though you aren’t in an IMT? Or even at all?
   

Thanks in Advance!

I am not the OOP. The OOP is u/ThrowRAWifePics2 posting in relationship_advice
Ongoing as per OOP
1 update - Medium
Original - 1st May 2024
Update - 3rd May 2024
​
1 New Update
Final Update - 11th May 2024
​
Caught My(35m) wife(34) sending pics to BIL(40m) is our marriage is salvageable at this point?
​
My wife Jessica (34) and I (35m) have been married for 3 years, and we dated for 2 years before that and we have two year old daughter. Jessica has two sisters, the eldest one (38f) is married to Jake (40m).
A week ago, I came home from work early and wanted to scare Jessica. I tried to be sneaky, but somehow I slipped and accidentally hurt my back. Jessica came to my rescue. I went to the bedroom, and she went to the kitchen to get an ice pack. Her phone was by the bed, and a WhatsApp notification came from Jake saying, "You've got the best pair I've ever seen."
I immediately knew what was happening. I unlocked the phone and saw that she had just sent some pics and video of her t*ts to Jake, and there were no previous chats before that. When Jessica came back to the room, I showed her the chat and asked, "How long?"
I have known this woman for 10 years, and I have never seen her so mortified. Her eyes got teary, and she said, "Babe, I am sorry, but I can explain" so I said go on.
According to her, at the end of 2019, she was struggling with money, and Jake suggested he would help her out. He hinted that he would like to see her pics. So she did sent him pics and it continue over the years, She swears there was nothing emotional or physical involved—it was purely transactional. I didn't believe any of it, but she showed me on Venmo, that MF paid her $300 yesterday.
I then told her, "It's been 5 years. Try to remember if anything physical happened". For me, if even half of what she is saying is true, how could something like that not become physical? She started crying and told me she could prove it tomorrow because Jake would get suspicious if she tried to talk to him now.
I took her phone, went to a bar, got wasted for the night, and when I came back, she was still there crying. I just slept on the couch. Next day morning I gave her the phone she called Jake, conversation goes something like this
​

• Jessica: Hey, I was wondering if you want some more pics?
• Jake: I'm short on money, yesterday, I spent all of it.
• Jessica: We can do something more this time and meet in person. I've changed my mind on that.
• Jake: No way. How much are we talking about?

​
I felt like I was going to puke, I told her that we are done and left for office. I am not a very wealthy dude, but I would consider myself a stable guy who could take care of his family. Now I just feel like I have failed as a man, who's wife had to sell her body to meet her expected lifestyle.
When I got home that night, she looked like shit, I asked Jessica why she kept taking money from him after we got married and why she didn't ask me while we were dating. She said she didn't know how to stop and that it was easy money. I left my home that night and told her she can keep the home and the car but I want 50/50 custody of my child.
So here I am now, haven't told anyone about this. It's been a week since, staying in a hotel. I go home in the evening to play with my daughter. I'm speaking with divorce lawyers, and Jessica is constantly talking about marriage counseling.
​
Comments
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thesocialmediadetox
Her sister deserves to know.
Elegant-Channel351
Gather the evidence. Contact an attorney. Follow the attorneys advice AND tell your SIL and all of the family (not the kids). Your marriage is over.
​
Update - 2 days later
​
Before getting to the update, some people were asking me to get a paternity test. I don't need one, I know she is my daughter because I am Indian and Jessica(my wife) is white, and my daughter looks like me.
Now for the update
After I made that post, I shared my situation with my cousin sister(30f), she is the only family member I have living in the States. I visited her place the next day, and she knocked some sense into me. I realized part of me still didn't want a divorce because I basically married Jessica against my parents' will, they wanted me to have an arranged marriage. So, my failed marriage would hurt my ego.
She also arranged a meeting with a divorce lawyer and no I am not giving up my house, I was just emotional at that time. From what I understand, in our state, adultery has pretty much zero impact on the assets, so it will likely be a 50/50 split. However, there is a high chance I can get better custody of my daughter because I have a job, and Jessica doesn't. She is also involved in "sex work" at this point, which could work in my favor.
My father-in-law called me last evening, and he was crying. He told me he didn't know what to say to me and that if he were in my place, he would have left her. Apparently, Jessica got scared and told her family everything after I didn't visit home for 2 days and had blocked her everywhere. I guess I should have done that a little while ago and jake is out of his house also.
So, I think I will go for a divorce because there is no point of reconciliation at this point when the whole relationship seems fake to me.
​
Comments
​
HelloJunebug
I’m really sorry you’re going through this. Sounds like you have a good path forward and I wish you the best with custody and all that. Can I ask what happened with Jake and his wife? Sounds like she kicked him out?

OOP: Yeah she kicked him out yesterday I didn't ask about them that much but it sound like my SIL is sure she is getting divorce.

​
UnusualPotato1515
Any update on your SIL’s relationship with Jessica?

OOP: It sounds like everyone is trying to cut off contact with both Jessica and jake, but I think only my MIL is talking to Jessica, she was at my house last night.

​
l3ex_G
What happened with the sisters marriage ?

OOP: I think my SIL is fixated on divorce at this moment.

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l3ex_G
What was the excuse BIL gave? The fact he took money from their home and gave it to your ex is crazy. I hope she can heal from that and does divorce him.

OOP: I didn't really ask, I was too overwhelmed by my father-in-law's response, he was crying nonstop.

​
**New Update*\*
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Update 2: Caught My(35M) wife(34F) sending pics to BIL(40M) is our marriage is salvageable at this point? - 8 days later
​
I think it will be my last update:
In-short: I caught my wife exchanging nudes with her brother in law for money and I was going for a divorce.
TL;DR: we are not getting a divorce anymore bye.
Before getting to the update some people were cursing me in my DMs saying I might not earn enough and accusing me of financially abusing my wife and taking advantage of her. I dont think this is the case for me, my salary is close to mid six figures, and we have a joint account where I put half of my in-hand salary and we don't even spend that much.
For those who were confused about the relationships in my post, my wife was exchanging pics with her brother in law(her sister's husband) not mine.
Now to the update:
After the day Jessica told everyone about the situation, my mother-in-law called and wanted to talk. She was with Jessica after the whole thing happened. I returned to my home later that evening, and her parents and her sister Josy(38F jake's wife) was there. After I got there, Jessica wanted to talk alone.
According to her, Jake was trying to pursue her since she was about 16-17. (For context, Jake and Josy have been together for 20 years now) This continued for almost 2 years. He used to make suggestive comments about her body, and she told Josy about it. But, Josy didn't believe Jessica at that time and told her she was doing this for attention. Jessica didn't tell her parents either because, according to her Josy was their parents' favorite, so nobody would have believed her.
Jake didn't do anything between those years besides casual flirting until 2019 when Jessica was having problems with rent and the whole transactional thing happened. I asked why she didn't ask me about it, and she said we were only one month into dating and it could have looked bad. She swears nothing happened after that until last year when Jake and Josy started having problems in their marriage, and he started messaging Jessica again.
She didn't entertain him at first, but she had gained some weight from pregnancy and thought I was ignoring her because of it, which I was not. At that time, I was working close to 13-14 hours a day to change my niche to another tech stack, massive layoffs were also going on, so it was a pretty bad time. Now she admitted that she liked the attention and validation this time(she called herself an attention 'whore'), but she didn't had any feelings towards him. They started exchanging pics and money and this happened three times. Then she admitted it was cheating although there were no emotional or physical actions from her side, but She said that she shouldn't have done it.
I asked her why she didn't tell me about Jake harassing her when we first met or started dating. She said she thought I wouldn't have believed her and that it was in the past. Then I asked why she didn't tell me the first time I found out about this. Her answer was the same: she believed I wouldn't have believed her because nobody else knew about this. I was just sad about the fact she doesn't trust me enough to tell me such a horrific incident.
Now, I did something I am not very proud of. I asked her about a paternity test. I know it was stupid, but emotionally I was in a weird place at that moment. She was totally emotionless throughout the whole conversation, but after hearing about the test, she broke down crying and started hyperventilating, I started crying too. After about ten minutes or so, we stopped crying, and she said okay, then asked me if we are getting a divorce. I said I don't know. josy conformed about the story jessica told me.
She then said we should get a postnup before I do something like that. That line felt like a tight slap to my face, I was like "you're not even gonna convince me not to go through with it?". Then she left with her parents. The next day, she called crying, asking not to get a divorce, and to start marriage counseling. Obviously I said ok.
So here we are now after some weird couple of days, still getting the postnup, Her IC starting next week, Our MC starting next month. Hopefully, trust will return someday.
Also Jake is denying all that according to him Jessica "seduced" him for money and my SIL is getting a divorce.
I know some people are gonna call me a doormat, but I don't care.
​
EDIT: I'm not surprised by the comments.
Maybe my decision doesn't seem obvious to anyone because I haven't talked about my emotions the whole time, and I'm not good at discussing them. I'm getting a paternity test and doing the postnup to protect my assets. Divorce isn't off the table, one misstep and it's going to happen. Maybe you guys expected the ending where I hook up with her sister for revenge—yeah, if you believe those stories, you have a long way to go in life. Anyway, I'm logging off. Don't forget to touch some grass fellas.
​
Comments
ampliny

Obviously I said ok 😳.

intotheocean5
narrator: it was not obvious at all
​
Kuranes_ov_Celephais

I know some people are gonna call me a doormat

That's because you are. She's lied to you from the start, and you will certainly discover other lies she's told to you. Hopefully you actually are going through with the paternity test.
Marriage counselling is to help couples that can't communicate effectively talk to each other with a neutral arbiter. It won't actually make her care about you or value you. It's not going to make her into a person with different values. She lied and betrayed you for cheap validation and a small amount of cash. That's what she did and who she is. The tears are because of consequences. The mismatch in values isn't going to change.
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BakerLovePie
Not going to slag you for being a doormat. Doormats are good things. It prevents the men who will be coming over to be with your wife from tracking mud on the floor.
You stayed, you know she's a cheater so what happens from here on out is on you.
​
I am not the OOP. Please do not harass the OOP.
Please remember the No Brigading Rule and to be civil in the comments

Here's a collection of tips and recommendations based on my travel experiences in Japan. I hope these tips will help! For more context: I was a solo traveler, with a backpack and stayed for about 28 days.
Edit: Just a clarification; it's a list based on my experience, so some of the stuff might not be accurate. But again, it's just here to help!

Preparation:

• Planning: Start planning your travel route at least 3-6 months in advance. It often takes about a month or two to finalize an itinerary, and allows plenty of time for adjustments.
• Accommodation:
  • Booking hotels: You should to book your hotels around 3 months in advance, especially during public holidays to avoid last minute hassles.
  • Choosing accommodations in Tokyo: If you split Tokyo into two, the west side offers a better experience for a longer stay imo. Althought, I found the best gift in asakusa and electric town.
  • Mix of lodgings: I really recommend you to include include a mix of guesthouses and hotels. Guesthouses are great for socializing, while hotels provide that much-needed rest. Pro tip: opt for private rooms in guesthouses when possible.
  • Hotel choices: APA hotels are standard business hotels. they're fine but can be mundane. If possible, find hotels with a public bath. it’s incredibly nice after a day.
  • Accommodation safety: Regularly check Google Maps reviews for mentions of bed bugs within the last two years and avoid those places. Bed bug infestations aren't well handled yet in Japan.
• Transports
  • JR Pass: Buy the Japan Rail Pass (JRP) in advance. Although consider skipping the JR Pass in favor of regional passes like the Hakone Free Pass, which covers not only trains but also buses and local attractions
  • Regional passes: if you plan to get regional passes, it needs some digging, use gpt and google. You might also need to adjust your travel plan depending on what you find
• Technology:
  • Apps: Sync Google Maps and Google Translate (regular AND image translation packs) and before your trip for smoother navigation and communication.
  • Internet access: Instead of renting pocket wifi devices, you should go for a SIM or e-SIM with unlimited data, which you should get before your trip.
• Attractions
  • Booking: Book tickets for TeamLab a month in advance as they sell out quickly. Observation towers (like Tokyo Tower or Skytree for sunset views) 10 days in advance, check the weather for the best sunset view ever!
  • Ghibli museum tickets: Tickets are released on the 10th at 10 AM Japan time, available online and at Konbini stores. It's easier to get them with the help of a local friend. Be online an hour early if you're booking yourself. I was asked who was my the person who booked my ticket when I got there, so don't buy tickets from ebay.
  • Theme park: you should totally see one in japan if you stay longer than 1 week
• Cash: Carrying around $150 in yen per week per person is a good rule of thumb. Always use your card when possible to avoid running out of cash.

Packing:

• Essentials:
  • Pack your toothbrush and toothpaste... some hotels may not provide them (I read the opposite but this wasn't my experience).
  • Skip the towel, most places provide them or offer them at a low very cost
  • Dont bring soap or shampoo as most hotels provide unless you have specific personal preferences for your hairs
  • Deodorant is a must there, make sure you don't run out because it's not easy to get some there. Also avoid deodorant that smells good. Japanese people dislike odors.
  • Sunscreen: it is a good thing to bring even in the spring or autumn
• Clothes:
  • Socks: If you have larger feet, bring enough socks and shoes as finding your size can be difficult in Japan.
  • Shoes: Get the most comfortable and cushioned shoes, you will walk a lot
  • Laundry: Travel light and plan to do laundry. (I brought around 8 days of clothes) If you do laundry, you can send a message to your accomodations to know if they have a laundry machines. In some town, it's not always available.
• Tech:
  • Make sure you have an outlet adapter type A
  • Bring a power bank
  • Always carry a small plastic bag or ziplock bag for your trash.
  • A long USB charging cable is handy as outlets are often inconveniently placed.
  • Bring one pen or fill up the online form for when you get in the country
• Other:
  • Sleeping mask: some rooms don't really block the morning light
  • If you're a backpacker, compression packing cubes can be a game changer.
  • Don't pack a large umbrella. buy a compact one before your trip or simply purchase a cheap one in Japan. Japanese people love umbrellas!
  • Bring a needle for your sim card!

When you fly in

• Transport cards: Purchase an IC card (Pasmo or Suica) at the airport. Do not skip that part. Opt for the welcome version if you’re staying less than 29 days. The differences between cards are minor, so choose based on your arrival airport and convenience:
  • Pasmo welcome at NRT airport.
  • Suica welcome at HND airport
  • You can get both normal version at both airport
• Airport transportation: From Narita Airport, I recommend to choose the cheaper transport option (1,500 yen vs. 2,500 yen). The price difference isn’t worth the slight time save.
• Using your IC card: Start using your IC card right from the airport. Don't buy tickets. If you're confused, ask staff!
• Activating the JR Pass: You can activate your JR Pass at the airport but due to crowds, it might be easier to activate it at a JR office in Tokyo. Always carry your passport for verification. (You can also delay the activation at the office).
• Trains: Try to Buy your ticket train in advance if you can.
• If it's your first time: Don't plan anything the day you arrive. You will be tired. Just walk in the city.

Theme Parks:

Visiting a theme park in Japan is highly recommended as it provides a wonderful break from traditional sightseeing and was a highlight of my trip.

• Tickets: Always buy your tickets from the official website. use Google Chrome’s translate feature to navigate.
• DisneySea:
  • food: Definitely try the food, especially the popcorn. The curry flavor is amazing
  • Managing long queues: If an attraction has a very long queue (50 min+), consider visiting it at the end of the day or opt for a Premier Access pass to skip the line. it's around 1500 yen per attraction.
  • Park hours: Arrive 30 minutes before opening and consider staying until the park closes. it is especially beautiful at night and less crowded. The fireworks are at 8:30 and the park closes at 9. This schedule may change during the summer as the day light time is different.
  • Language tools: Use Google Translate’s conversation feature, as many attractions do not offer English subtitles. Yes, it won't be perfect, but it's the best I got.
  • Travel time: Takes about 1 hour via local bus or train.
  • Accommodation: Staying at the Disney hotel is not necessarily the best value for your money in my opinion as it takes one hour to get there
• Universal Studios:
  • Single riders: Solo visitors can often skip the Express Pass thanks to many attractions offering single rider queues.
  • Group travel: If traveling in a group and looking to avoid long lines, get an Express Pass at least two months in advance. Be aware of prices ($60 vs $300).
  • Park hours: Arrive early as the park often opens an hour before the stated time. For instance, if it says 9 AM on the website, it will open at 8 AM.
  • Nintendo World: Head to Nintendo World first as it gets very crowded. Book your tickets after you enter the park with the app. You can stay once you in as long as you like. (Wifi is available at the entrance)

Onsen

I was totally lost when I entered my first onsen, so I will share a tiny guide

• Local spots: Seek out onsens frequented by locals. You will have a better experience imo. Also search the best ones in town, it can cleary change your experience.
• Locker rooms: Once at your locker, remember that onsens require you to be completely naked. Leave your clothes in the locker. Do not bring bath suit...
• Towel: Bring a small towel from your hotel for use in the onsen, but remember not to immerse it in the bath. Some locals like to put it on their head while submerged.
• Pre-bath: Before entering the bath, wash and rinse yourself at the washing stations. Sit on the provided stool, and please, don't stand while showering,
• Entering the bath: Use the bucket to pour water over yourself before entering the main bath. This helps your body adjust to the temperature.
• Conduct: Try to relax and blend in, appearing shy or self-conscious can draw more attention. Also, avoid staring at others. It'sworth mentioning that some locals staired at me, It's not common for them to see us naked.
• Post-bath: After you’re done, rinse off quickly at the washing area before returning to the locker room.

Food

• Morning:
  • Coffee: Opt for coffee from konbini stores instead of Starbuck coffee. It’s cheaper (about 1/3 of the price) and often just as good.
  • Fast breakfast: if you are in a hurry and you need to grab something, onigiri balls are a great choice in my opinion
  • Traditional breakfast: You should try the traditional breakfast with grilled salmon at least once.
• Adjust meal schedule: Japanese meal times are typically earlier... consider skipping breakfast if you're not an early riser, and aim for lunch around 11:00-11:30 AM, and dinner by 6:00-6:30 PM. Most places close early!
• Choosing Restaurants:
  • Avoid the hype: do not go to restaurants with long queues or those that are heavily featured on Instagram or any social media. A lot of random restaurant with 3-4 stars on gmap are more authentic and delicious.
  • Searching: When you look for a specific type of food, like ramen, use Google Maps’ filter options under ‘restaurants’ for more accurate results, rather than just searching the term directly.
• Other:
  • Recommendations: Utilize GPT to ask about local specialty dishes when you're in a new city.
  • Be adventurous: Try new and different foods whenever possible. it can lead to discovering many amazing dishes.
  • Yakiniku: Book yakiniku (Japanese BBQ) restaurants in advance.
  • Local: Restaurants with vending machine ordering systems are popular among locals. You can use google's translate to understand the buttons if it's in japanese
  • Prices: Remember that prices on the menu may not include taxes, which are typically around 10%.
  • Cash: 80% of restaurants are cash only

Shops and souvenirs:

I recommend to buy at the end of your trip, otherwise, you will carry everything. Also it's important that, if you see something that you really like, don't tell yourself that you will find that exact same thing at another place.

• Kappabashi Street: Specializes in Japanese kitchen tools
  • Hashitou: Recommended for chopsticks (¥800 to ¥30k range). https://maps.app.goo.gl/TUeFAgaYfZDYa2qM7 Please, don't buy chopsticks at very touristy places
  • Kamata: Offers knives with tax-free shopping. https://maps.app.goo.gl/JnhLpGRhMUWA12Pp7
  • Tsubaya: Known for high-end, quality knives. (¥10K to ¥150K range) https://maps.app.goo.gl/bNBsaSMD6vACeZLG7
• Don Quijote: A go-to place for random and unique items. Look for the Kai nail clipper (¥1300-¥1800), highly recommended on another thread.
• Super Potato: for retro gaming and a geeky atmosphere: https://maps.app.goo.gl/WmHQW1bwgiACY2ZN8
• Nintendo and Pokemon Shops: Located in Osaka and Kyoto.

Random tips

• Handling Trash:
  • Shops: Avoid leaving trash at the store where you did not purchase the items. But for the stuff you bought, merchant will be happy to take it back because you supported their business
  • In the streets: Use trashcans in shopping malls or subway stations.
• Passport: Carry your passport and keep a photocopy in your hotel for backup.
• Baggage services: Utilize Yamato Transport for luggage delivery if you're staying over 72 hours at your next destination. But carry 1 day of clothes with you.
• Footwear in rooms: Remove shoes before entering if your room has tatami mats. Japanese style!
• Transportation:
  • Subway vs. bus: Favor the subway over buses outside of Tokyo. It can be really confusing sometime.
  • Don't walk: Use the subway rather than walking if your destination is more than a 20-minute walk. It's not worth the time and the effort.
  • Navigation: Rely on Google Maps for directions, costs, and subway platforms information. sometimes, you have multiple compagnies in the same station, some multiple platform 1 etc. but once you get in the right company network station, you won't mistaken the platform to go to.
• Interact with others: Talk to foreigners. ask for the best travel tip they have for you as a ice breaker. I had a blast talking to people there
• Kyoto:
  • Fushimi Inari Taisha: Visit popular the shrine after 7-8pm to avoid crowds and see nighttime lights.
  • Otagi Nenbutsuji: I recommend to visit this place: https://maps.app.goo.gl/1jBXSfmLRvRSjnvA7, it's not croweded and the path to get there form the bamboo forest is very cute. I got this tip from an other solo traveler
• Floors: sometime, a shop is at a specific floor, when you check google map, check the address, it will usually say which floor it's located on.
• Learning japanese: Learn basic Japanese with Duolingo can help a lot. (consider skipping the alphabet to focus on sentences.)
• Keep coins: Keep ¥1000 in ¥100 coins handy for laundry and lockers.
• Cash: Withdraw cash at post offices with minimal fees if needed or konbini stores if you're lazy.
• Before check-in/after check-out: Most hotels will store your luggage outside of your stay for a few hours
• Lockers: Store your belongings in public lockers, the ones in gare station might be full
• Name on a paper in you wallet: Label your wallet and important items with your name to aid in recovery if lost. One time, I forgot my wallet in the laundry room in my hotel, but fortunatelly, I had some bills with my name on it, so staff could find me back easily.
• Use GPT:
  • When you have a spare time in a city because you already checked everything on your list, try to ask gpt for advice on what you should do in the current district/city your are in.
  • If you have any questions on something, gpt is a great way to get answers or cultural info.
  • Like I said earlier, It's also a great way to know what dishes the place you are in is known for
  • If you have the JR Pass, it's a great way to know if a subway line is included

Let me know what are your toughts!

Server Wipe/Season 2 Begins May 12th!

Epilogue is an established roleplaying server designed for people who enjoy writing and rolling dice over mechanical PvP. Our world, Haethis, takes place in a time of civilization closely compared to the real-world’s mid 1700s, where humans, elves, and few oddities work closely together to preserve their existence. Lavenir, our server’s meticulously crafted and scripted hub is beautiful and immersive, with RP Jobs and tasks offered to those interested in employment. The city/hub itself has a low-fantasy feel, where characters are expected to refrain from heavy magick use, and to disguise themselves from heavy affliction.
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7-minute read.

defense ministry will soon launch an automated management system to track the location of military-age citizens and more accurately deliver summons to reservists during peace or war

The Parliamentary Defense Committee held a meeting on Friday to discuss a new system. Context in April 12 news. Several issues were uncovered during the 2020 war: many notices were sent out to people who did not reside in Armenia, while in other instances they were unable to reach out to people located in Armenia. The government has decided to create an automated system for the defense ministry to "know the location" of potential recipients. The system will be shared with the passport service and other departments.
video, source,

the head of the Armenian military academy visited Washington for a NATO meeting

Vazgen Sargsyan Academy chief Arsen Mangasaryan was in the U.S. to take part in a meeting between the heads of other military academies of NATO members and NATO partner states.
They discussed current and future challenges and a strategy for addressing them, modern tutoring methods, etc.
source,

EU Ambassador and Armenia's Deputy FM met on Friday as part of monthlong "Europe Day" events

AMB. MARAGOS: Armenia and the EU are intensively discussing a new ambitious Partnership Agenda. It will be based on CEPA and Armenia's active participation in Eastern Partnership. It will help us overcome the challenges facing Armenia now and in the future.
The AM-EU cooperation continues. The implementation of €350 million in programs is underway. It will help the economy, connectivity, and reforms.
[About Hungary blocking $10 million in European Peace Facility aid to Armenia]. The Council is still discussing it. It's still too early to talk about details. We hope it will conclude soon.
REPORTER: About a month ago the U.S. Ambassador gave an interview to Azatutyun saying the U.S. does not advise Armenia to end the relations with any country [context was Russia], and that the more partners Armenia has, the more powerful Armenia will be. Do you share this view? What is your formula for increasing Armenia's resilience?
AMB. MARAGOS: I won't comment on the statements of the U.S. Ambassador. There are various goals, various approaches for raising resilience. Our formula is to strengthen institutions and democracy, and Armenia's ability to make independent decisions. In this context, establishing peace in the region is important. //
Ambassador Maragos and High-Tech Minister Mkhitar Hayrapetyan discussed the conditions necessary for the installation of fiber-optic cable to connect Armenia and the EU through the Black Sea.
video, source,

Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan held a 4-hour-long meeting in Kazakhstan

The U.S. State Department welcomed the meeting in Kazakhstan, describing the AM-AZ peace process developments of recent weeks as "exciting".
The FMs made remarks ahead of the meeting.
FM MIRZOYAN: We are very constructively involved in the negotiation process. We should not limit ourselves to signing a peace treaty. We can go further and unblock all transportation communications in the region.
FM BAYRAMOV: I hope that in the next two days, we will be able to do positive work to find a solution to the issues that are still open.
source, source, source, source, Armenia is not the only country that lacks microphone skills, source,

Day 2 of former regime-led protests & road closures

Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan urged his followers to group up and "paralyze" the whole country to force Pashinyan's removal. Together with ARF MPs and its "youth wing" activists, he visited several universities and urged students to join. Some did, others did not. After a claim that the Yerevan State University was "empty", Armenpress sent a crew of reporters and found the claim to be false. Videos were uploaded showing professors urging the activists to stop disrupting the classes. Polytechnik spokeswoman said the students did not join the protests and that the protesters did not attempt to enter the campus.
ARF MPs entered the Bryusov University to gather students.
RECTOR: Why are you here? Go do your duties.
ARF MP Gegham Manukyan: This is my duty.
VICE RECTOR: Yesterday you called for anyone who wishes to join you to come, and not to attend classes. Those who wanted to join you, have joined your strikes. Now leave this building and do not disrupt the exams. You have no right to interrupt the state exams of those who didn't wish to join you.
ARF MP: You can't lock the doors.
RECTOR: The doors are currently open. You can leave now. //
The activists traveled to the Conservatory where a group of students joined them. No general student strike was announced, said Azatutyun.
ARCHBISHOP: I don't want to be the prime minister but if that's the wish of the people, the wish of God, and if I have the blessing of Catholicos Garegin B, then who am I to refuse it? //
Galstanyan also said he is a dual citizen of Canada so he would not be allowed to be a PM under this constitution. He said the constitution could be changed to allow dual citizens to become PMs.
A group of protesters shut down the Meghri-Yerevan road in Vayots Dzor. A participant was arrested after allegedly punching a police officer in the head after being told to open the road.
12 participants were arrested in various locations. Two of them, with lengthy rap sheets, allegedly possessed knives. The others were arrested for not following police orders.
There were reportedly fewer people in Republic Square today. As of 7:20 pm, the same organization that counted 31,700 yesterday spotted only 11,300 today. That's for "trend". The peak number is expected to be higher.
The Archbishop urged young protesters: "Stretch your muscles well, young people, we will soon take action. Don't worry." There was apparently a dispute between the organizers and the bored students that he gathered from universities. He promised them with more action soon.
ARCHBISHOP (later): You want action? Now let me put YOU to work instead. Since some of you complain that the protest is "dying down", I have a task to keep you busy: (1) Close the streets, (2) hold peaceful talks with members of the ruling QP party to impeach Pashinyan. Will you do this or not? This is very important. We need to meet and convince the MPs. //
ARF MP GARNIK: Don't get tired, people! None of us have the right to abandon these trenches. This is our last chance. We are not deserters. We will go until the end! Lav exeq. //
The ARF MP boasted about shutting down the Armenia-Georgia interstate road on Friday and thanked the activists for that.
Pashinyan's deputy chief of staff Taron Chakoyan mocked the organizers, urging them to nominate "the candidate of all times - Vazgen Manukyan" to "keep his political memory alive".
There will be no rally tomorrow. The organizers intend to redraw their plans. They want to involve "expert groups" [is that Ishkhan Saghatelyan's list of 70 or so experts he couldn't use in 2022?] and also come up with concrete plans on border delimitation. The next meeting is at 6 o'clock Sunday.
In other news. The California-based Western Diocese Armenian Church will pray for the Armenian government to stay strong and for Armenia to be resilient. Context: President Khachaturyan visited the church during his US trip. They prayed together. "Consider this your home." In turn, the President reassured that the Armenian government has no problem with the Armenian Apostolic Church as an institution. He said the Armenian government has chosen a peace agenda "because we have to be able to live next to our neighbors regardless of historical problems". Video.
source, video, source, video, video, video, video, source, video, video, source, source, source, source, source, source, video, video,

the 8th Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity was awarded to Congolese gynecological surgeon and human rights activist Denis Mukwege

NOUBAR AFEYAN (Aurora co-founder): Dr. Mukwege has dedicated his life not only to caring for women and girls suffering from the brutality of sexual violence, but also fiercely advocating for their rights. Dr. Mukwege and his staff have helped to care for more than 80,000 survivors. //
The other co-founder, Ruben Vardanyan, sent a message from Baku prison: "I wish you every success in your mission, and I am sending my warm congratulations to this year’s laureates."
source, source,

All Armenia Fund gifted houses to tens of Nagorno-Karabakh refugee families in two villages: VIDEO

Several 2-story 3-bedroom houses were built for families. More houses are underway.
video,

the first group of Azerbaijani settlers were given houses in occupied Nagorno-Karabakh's Shushi

source,

Armenia and the Kingdom of Spain sign an agreement to cooperate in sports

Anti-doping, healthcare in sports, organization of large events, retraining of experts, making sports more attractive to youth and developing their careers, etc.
source,

authorities arrested another "vor v zakone", a figure with the highest status in the criminal subculture

A few years ago Armenia criminalized participation/membership in such circles/gangs. This one is accused of racketeering in computer game zones [son of a bitch!] and taking illegal actions to "resolve" disputes between conflicting parties.
source,

another village is being connected to the gas network as part of a state-municipality joint program

Lernamerdz will hit the gas when the construction is complete.
source,

World Bank helps Armenia strengthen management of forests, wetlands, and protected areas

The WB has approved the program called RESILAND Armenia to help the government strengthen community engagement and improve the management of nature.
The $9.1 million project is supported by Sweden and the Global Environment Facility.
WORLD BANK: Armenia’s beautiful landscapes are one of the country’s biggest assets. This asset has been threatened by man-made deforestation and landscape degradation, fueled by unsustainable practices of communities and weak environmental oversight. The RESILAND project addresses forest degradation by providing alternative livelihoods for communities and by strengthening oversight mechanisms through improvements to the policy framework.
source,

economic stats from Q1 2024

services +5%
(+) financial & insurance +19%
(-) info & comm -3%
(+) transportation +17%
(+) catering +7%
(+) health & social +9%
construction +12%
domestic trade +26%
(+) retail trade, stores +11%
(+) wholesale trade +40%
(+) automobile trade -8%

... economic growth projections

Govt on 2024: 7%
CB on 2024: 5.3%-6.4%
IMF on 2024: 6%
IMF on 2025: 5.2%
source, source, source, source,

Georgia will require tourists to have medical insurance starting June

It must provide a €5,000 emergency and €30,000 hospitalization coverage. Terrorists Tourists without insurance will be fined $112. Armenian insurance agencies are currently preparing packages for Armenian travelers.
source,

Finally got around sharing our wonderful experience in Kansai (1 Apr 2024 - 10 Apr 2024). We are a family of 4 from Perth, Australia (1 x Toddler turning 4 end of this month and 1 x Infant about 18 months old) joined by my MIL from Malaysia. It was our first time trip to Japan but the second time flying 6 hours long with 2 kids. We chose to travel during this period as it was during Easter holidays and also the most favourable weather for our kids. As we have 4 separate accommodations booked over 9 days, we try to travel as light as possible: 2 x large suitcase, 1 x medium suitcase, 2 x medium bags, 1 x bag pack, 1 x dedicated bag for infant carrier and kids' jumpers + 1 stroller. Our kids still take nap(s) during the day and our plan was having the toddler sleep on the stroller and the infant in the carrier or the stroller if toddler is not using.
After extensive research (mostly from this sub) we still found the first few days to be quite hectic and wish we know some of the things beforehand (listed below the itinerary). I hope this post can help young families who are considering travelling to Japan with kids or those who have travelled to Japan before kids came to the picture to do it again with confidence.

9 Day Itinerary (1 Apr 2024 - 10 Apr 2024)

Day 1 Osaka: Namba (Monday)
Our flight from KUL arrived KIX around 10am and boarded the Nankai Rapid (bought 1 month prior online) to Shin-Imamiya station after getting our luggage. We originally planned to take a taxi from there but failed to find any taxi for 20 mins so we end up walking to our accommodation as the kids were tired of waiting. After offloading our luggage we manage to hail a taxi and head to Namba Parks to rest and unwind. Had a refreshing lunch at Yasaiya Mei (mains + all you can eat side dishes including veg tempura) and went to explore the rooftop parks garden before putting the kids to nap. After the kids woke up we took a taxi back to check in officially. Everyone was quite tired thus we opted to stay in and get dinner from Life supermarket nearby. This was probably the most enjoyable part of the day for the kids wandering around a foreign supermarket as we bought dinner and some light snacks. After putting the kids to bed, we did some laundry and packed our 1st luggage to send away.
Day 2 Osaka: Tennoji (Tuesday)
While everyone was getting ready, I went to the nearby 7-Eleven to forward our 1st luggage to the 4th accommodation via Yamato transport. The shop attendant was helpful and guided me through the process as we communicated via deepL. We walked to the Lawson's at JR Imamiya to get brekkky before taking the Osaka loop Line to JR tennoji. We took quite a while to navigate towards Tennoji Zoo from JR Tennoji but eventually got there after a 15 min detour. It was quite crowded for a Tuesday morning but the kids get to roam around the Tenshiba garden while I queue up for tickets (500 yen per adult). One of the kids fell asleep in the zoo so we decided to just grab food to go at the supermarket outside the zoo for lunch. We then head towards Abeno Q's mall to shop and put the other kid to sleep. There was quite a lot of hot food along the way and we manage to grab some for the kids to snack on after their nap (butaman from Horai 555, mochi donut from Mister Donut, taiyaki etc). There's a fantastic area for kids to play (kid, play, study) at the ground floor with different sensory setup and soft blocks for stacking/ balancing. I spent close to 2 hours there with 2 kids while my wife and MIL went shopping. After that we had dinner at Grand Capital Toyoutei at the Kintetsu mall dining floor before heading to our final activity of the day: Abeno Harukas 300. Tickets were a bit steep (2000 yen per adult) but we end up staying there for quite a bit and the experience was pretty unique even though we missed the sunset timing. The elevator ride to the top though short left quite an impression. The kids enjoyed running around at the sky garden 2 floors below as we rest and enjoy the night view of the city from about 300m above ground. The journey back to our accommodation was pretty straightforward and the kids got knocked out when we got home. All in all Tennoji was a pleasantly great experience and we have a better understanding about JR station layout and navigating underground.
Day 3 Osaka - Kyoto (Wednesday)
This was a rather hectic day as it rained quite a bit and we struggled to get a taxi after checking out, getting turned down by several taxis with "空车". We eventually found one to bring us to JR Osaka station. Navigating at the station wasn't too difficult after yesterday but there were long queues when we arrived at 10am and I made the fatal mistake of leaving my physical credit card back in Perth and spent 45mins trying to redeem limited express tickets I reserved online. The JR staff were friendly and tried their best to help but they can only recommend me cancelling my initial reservation and buying new tickets (cancellation fee was about 2300 yen for 3 adults). As soon as we got our tickets we sprinted to the underground gate about 15 mins walk away. I even carried the stroller and kids through an escalator as we didn't want to waste time finding a lift and risk missing the train. We managed to board the limited express train on time and arrived at JR Kyoto which was even more crowded and larger than most international airports. The kids were quite cranky by now as it has been all rush and long waits since they woke up. I split up with my family with 2 luggage that we initially planned to forward to our Arashiyama accommodation via Sagawa. However I was told same day delivery service is only applicable to limited hotels so I stored the luggage at 2 coin lockers and then head to the Kintetsu line ticket counter to redeem the Kyoto-Nara and Nara-Osaka limited express tickets which fortunately doesn't require my credit card details (just reservation number). By the time I reunite with my family it was still raining and both kids fell asleep so we ditched the plan for Kyoto railway museum and instead went browsing for lunch at Porta and Isetan dining floor. We eventually queued to eat at Ejuan for about 25 minutes while one of the kid was still asleep. The wait was worthwhile as the grilled miso black cod was exceptional as was the kids' grilled chicken. Next we went to the skywalk at level 9 briefly before my family went to the toy section at Isetan while I retrieve our luggage from the coin lockers. We board the Saga line bound for Saga-Arashiyama and rested awhile at the accommodation before heading out for dinner after the rain stopped. We walked to Kijurou and fortunately they have space for us provided we order a main meal per adult. The yakiniku and Wagyu rib loin bowls were pretty good but we find the Hitsumabushi set a bit gimmicky. After dinner we stopped by Kimono Forest on our way back and this was probably the highlight of the kids day.
Day 4 Kyoto: Arashiyama (Thursday)
Had Lawson's for brekky before heading out to Kimono Rental Amuya to hired kimonos for my wife and toddler including hairstyling. The shop was actually a house with the living area turned into a studio and only the owner working by herself so we waited for about half an hour before walking towards the Bamboo Forest and Tenryu-ji gardens (500 yen entry from the north gate but well worth it for the blooming sakura and picturesque lake). It was crowded as expected and everyone was moving slowly so it took us about an hour to complete the loop back to the main tourist strip. We then had Udon for lunch at Ozuru, the chewy noodles were complemented by the broth which was a lot more flavourful than the kitsune Udon we are accustomed to back in Perth. After lunch we head home to put the kids to nap before venturing out in the evening towards Togetsukyo Bridge overlooking the pristine Katsura river flowing gracefully from Mt Arashi in the backdrop. The view was breathtaking and we crossed over to Arashiyama park where the kids had a great time running around free range. As the sun was setting, we head back to the town centre, took a novelty Randen ride and grab some food (Naruse's Unagi, Upit's Burger) en route to our accommodation to eat in before calling it a day.
Day 5 Kyoto (Friday)
After checking out we took the Saga line to JR Kyoto station and forwarded the medium sized luggage to the 4th accommodation in Osaka using Crosta. We then did some light shopping at Yodabashi Camera Kyoto as my MIL shoes had kick the bucket and we needed a replacement. Manage to sneak in the only ramen meal of the trip at Ramen Chabuton located upstairs. It was a fairly small shop but we were lucky to get a table just before the Friday lunch rush hour and our ramen cravings were thoroughly satiated. We put the kids down for a quick nap as we make our way back to JR Kyoto to take the Saga line towards Kyoto railway museum. This is an underrated attraction with so much to do and we could have spent the whole day here if I knew they had coin lockers. There were many interactive and educational displays relating to train components in addition to multiple play areas upstairs as well as an outdoor playground! There's also a mockup ticket gate for kids to learn how to purchase a ticket and pass through the gate. Our kids loved the ball pit, toy train area and large train simulator. We couldn't squeeze enough time to explore the 3rd floor or watch the diorama presentation or board the Steam Locomotive as it was getting late. We took a taxi to check-in at Kamoya Ryokan before taking the bus to Nishiki Market for dinner. It's about 6pm and most of the shops were shutting and the remaining ones that are open had queues building up quickly. We ended up waiting 30 mins to eat sushi at Sushi Say. There's a limited range of cooked food including skewers which we got for our kids while we share a nigiri platter and sashimi. After dinner we went to the basement of Daimaru Kyoto across the road to get some baked goods for brekky before taking the taxi home to crash.
Day 6 Kyoto (Saturday)
My MIL wanted to take it easy and explore the area at her own pace so we had a more spontaneous day. After brekky, we took the bus to Yasaka Shrine and started our trek towards Heian Jingu, stopping along the way to enjoy the blossoming park and munching on food from street vendors. We paid to enter the shrine garden (600 yen per adult) which was very worth it for a 30 minute stroll and escape from the bustling crowd outside. We grab some food to eat from the street vendors as one of the kid slept and then head to the playground across the road (Wagener Square) and spent a good 30 minutes there even though it was a bit basic (Perth is blessed with many great playgrounds). Once both kids are feeling refreshed we felt adventurous and took the bus to attempt the hike up Kiyomizu-dera. Since its a Saturday, the Sannenzaka path was packed with phenomenal crowds with the occasional car coming through and splitting the crowd apart. I carried the infant to sleep while my wife push our toddler on the stroller as we slowly make our way up, stopping by for a nice matcha latte and softserve at Here cafe to recharge. We eventually reached the base of the temple after 30 minutes and decided against entering due to the massive crowds (& stairs!). On the way down we reached the fork that branches into Ninenzaka and thought we try giving it a go. There were a lot more stairs over this side and we had to carry the stroller through the steps while waiting for the crowd to advance before us. As physically draining as it was, we felt a sense of achievement as we manage to snap a photo with the iconic Hokanji temple. We took the bus home after that and had an enjoyable dinner at Okonomiyaki Yoshino next door before an early night to recover.
Day 7 Kyoto - Nara - Osaka (Sunday)
We had some leftover food for brekky before checking out and heading to JR Kyoto via taxi. We head to the Kintetsu line and boarded the Vistacar limited express train to Nara. I've booked for the private room down stairs which was pretty spacious for the 5 of us and our luggage. After arriving at Kintetsu-Nara station, we took the 100 yen tourist bus to the famous Nara Deer Park and started exploring the area. There were plenty of deer roaming throughout/ resting on the ground and several vendors at the entrance selling deer crackers. After the kids were done feeding 2 sets of crackers, we head to Mizuya Chaya for lunch. There were limited seating so we sat by the side and ate with the bowl in our hands while feeding the kids. Probably the best Udon we had in our lives (level above Ozuru in Arashiyama and Hifumiya in Perth). Time for a nap so we put the kids down while making our way to have a closer look at Todaiji temple as there were too many stairs to Kasuga-taisha and we have yet to recover. We had our first Cremia here and it was amazing. After the kids woke up we took the bus back to Kintetsu-Nara station and explored the nearby street while waiting for our train. We then boarded the HINOTORI limited express bound for Osaka. While walking towards the hotel to check in, we were passing by Dotombori and opted to have a quick dinner and call it a day rather than coming out again after checking in and offloading our luggage. We ended up having curry at Hariju Dotombori Curry shop which taste d like a homely nourishing meal. After dinner we took the taxi to the hotel and fortunately our 2 other luggage that we forwarded days before are waiting for us to collect. Did some repacking and also laundry at a nearby laundromat before sleep.
Day 8 Osaka: Osaka Bay Area (Monday)
Started the day with brekky at MOS Burger just outside our hotel before taking the metro train to Osaka Bay Area. There were plenty to see as we approach the Kaiyukan, large LEGO animal displays, the large ferris wheel and Disney characters. The ticketing and entry time is staggered which is a good idea to control the amount of crowds going in and out. I started queueing at 1035am and got entry for 11am which was fair (opted not to book timeslot online as it can be unpredictable with kids and public transit) but we didn't felt like its a long wait as the kids were running around and enjoying the ocean view. The entry also have a photographer stationed to take a family polaroid with a whale shark replica for FREE. We were impressed with the aquarium's efficient layout where some prominent displays (Whale Shark, Seals etc) span across multiple floors so you can still enjoy them later on if you missed it earlier due to the crowds. Apart from sea creatures there are also Arctic mammals and birds (Puffins) from all over the world. The kids were over stimulated by lunch time so we head to the food court at Tempozan Market Place to refuel. After lunch we took the kids for a ferris wheel ride before putting both to sleep while we make our way to Shinsaibashisuji Shopping Street via metro line. As the kids were still asleep, I rested at Daimaru with my MIL while my wife went shopping. This turn out to be a fantastic place with a floor dedicated for kids (Pokemon centre, Pokemon cafe, BorneLund mini play area with many display toys available for sampling). The kids spent the rest of the day here after they woke up and we had dinner at the dining floor. There were queues everywhere and we chose to wait at Aozora Blue as they offer udon made with a higher wheat ratio here. Regrettably the kids didn't enjoy as much and prefer regular ones that we are used to. After dinner we took away cheescake from Rikuro for dessert back at our hotel. I made sure to online check in our flights before I go to bed.
Day 9 Osaka: Dotombori (Tuesday)
Our final day in Japan and we chose to do some shopping and take it easy. Tried Doutor Coffee for brekky (took a while to find as it was underground) before walking to Don Quijote at Dotombori. There's 6 floors crammed with various items: snacks, electronics, clothing, non prescription medication, toys, collectibles as well as a functional ferris wheel (operates after 2pm). That being said the kids got bored after awhile and didn't really enjoy much as there wasn't much space to move around. I brought them out to stroll around the Ebisu-bashi Bridge while my wife and MIL continue their haul. It was certainly a sight to behold: countless amount of large LCD screens with surround sound on full blast from every high rise building, street buskers vying for attention from crowds that were constantly on the move, tourists taking selfies in front of the iconic Glicoman. Sadly it started to drizzle so I quickly entered the Shinsaibashisuji Shopping Street undercover area and look for a place to have lunch. I stumbled across a Yoshinoya & Hanamaru joint food hall which was bustling with both locals and foreigners. You have to order and get your food from the counter before you can occupy a table so I waited for my wife and MIL to arrive before we start queueing up. We had the gyudon and beef Udon with onsen egg along with chicken karaage and tempura. There's also a condiment station with toppings to complement your udon as well as free tea and water. Everything was very affordable and best of all we didn't had to wait long. After lunch my wife continuing shopping while we head to Daimaru for the kids to have a nap and play afterwards. I noticed there's a bridge that connects each floor to the Parco next door and discovered a unique floor full of pop culture themed stores including a studio Ghibli store featuring Totoro and No-Face displays, a 2 ft tall Godzilla, Ultraman, Capcom superstore, Sanrio (Hello Kitty), Snoopy, Rilakkuma and also a LEGO store. The kids had a great time browsing and also playing with LEGO before my wife reunites with us. As it's nearing dinner time, I thought we try our luck getting a table at Ganko Dotombori and make our way towards Ebisu-bashi Bridge. The view here is even more spectacular at night with the contrasting lights as well as numerous LCD displays illuminating the area. Unfortunately there's a lengthy wait at Ganko and our party voted for street food instead which turn out surprising well. Kids devoured a dozen gyozas while we had takoyaki, kobe beef nigiri, yakitori and yakiniku skewers as we strolled along the street. It was still early so we made a detour towards Hozenji before walking back the hotel. Then we stumbled upon an arcade (Amuse Factory AXE) which naturally drawn the kids in, we got popcorn from a vending machine there and it was enough to keep the kids happy on our trek back. Before taking our last sleep in Japan, we organized our luggage and get them ready for check out the next day.
Day 10 Osaka: Sayonara (Wednesday)
Checked out of the hotel and took a private airport taxi to KIX. Had brekky at McD and Lawsons and surprised to find that the food here costs the same as outside (e.g. McD/ Hungry Jacks at Malaysian/ Australian airports cost more than the metro/ suburban outlets). Boarded the flight and bid Japan farewell for now while soaking in the surreal time we had.
List of accommodations for 3 adults and 1 child + 1 infant/ toddler
1. Orange House 701 (22,500 yen for 2 nights) 10/10
Location is not bad in a quiet area South of the bustling Dotombori area with Konbinis and JR Imamiya within walking distance. Washing machine, shower and stove took some time to figure out and my kid accidentally turned on the stove but luckily there's a safety button. Overall a brilliant accommodation at an affordable price and will consider returning if we come back to Osaka with kids.
2. Arashiyama bamboo guest house (55,650 yen for 2 nights + 1200 yen tax) 8/10
Prime location 1 min away from JR station, Lawson and walking distances to the local tourist strip, Bamboo Grove, Tenryu-ji and Togetsukyo Bridge. However the room is located on the 3rd floor with no lift so it can be a challenge for kids and older folk. The owner was kind enough to carry our 2 X 20kg luggage up and speaks a little English. The stay was rather comfortable even with futons to sleep on while my MIL slept on one of the single beds. We are unlikely returning to Arashiyama but would recommend this place if it suits your budget.
3. Kamoya Ryokan (35,400 yen for 2 nights + 2000 yen tax) 7.5/10
Not as central as the other accommodations but still within 10 mins walking distance to JR and bus lines. This is a shared accommodation so fridge, microwave and hot/ cold water is in the common area but we have a private bathroom to use. There are no beds so we all slept side by side on futons in the same room. For some reason kids are also taxed to stay a night here (200 yen) but the host was super friendly, spoke a bit of basic English and helped us with ordering a taxi when we checked out. For the price this is not a bad place for short term stay if cosleeping on futons together as a family is acceptable. Bonus: the okonomiyaki place next door is quite good albeit requiring a bit more effort to communicate but is worth it as plenty of locals seem to frequent there and our kids love the yakisoba.
4. Best Western Hotel Fino Osaka Shinsaibashi (40,450 yen for 3 nights) 8/10
Functional hotel relatively close to Shinsaibashi shopping street and Dotombori. 1 min walk away from Osaka metro station and 7 Eleven. There's also a 24 hour laundromat 5 mins walk away. Facilities are bare minimal but gets the job done as we only needed the place to crash and freshen up since there's a lot of shopping and remaining sightseeing to be done. All reception staff spoke English well and check in/ out was rather smooth. I would consider staying again if the rooms were larger but can't complain at this price point and location.
List of eateries we consider returning

• Yasaiya Mei
• Ejuan
• Kijurou
• Ozuru
• Upit's Burger
• Ramen Chabuton
• Okonomiyaki Yoshino
• Mizuya Chaya
• Yoshinoya & Hanamaru

Highlight of each day for the kids

1. Wandering around Life supermarket and exploring a new accommodation
2. Running around 300m above ground at the Abeno Harukas sky garden while having fruits/ snacks in between
3. Visiting Kimono Forest after dinner, watching the randen pass by at the crossing
4. Running around at Arashiyama park and watching the majestic Katsura river flowing rapidly
5. The outdoor playground at Kyoto railway museum among many other fun things there
6. The playground at Wagener Square across Heian Jingu
7. Interacting with deer and eating udon outdoors
8. Seeing different sea animals up close and ferris wheel ride after
9. Making friends at BorneLund and having imaginary play together despite the language barrier

Lessons learned (not in chronological order)

General tips

• We prepared about 160,000 yen cash before arriving at Japan but also have money via 1 x transfer wise debit card (digital), 1 x Westpac credit card (digital), 1 x ING debit card (physical). We ended up withdrawing a further 200,000 yen worth of cash. We opted not to bring any AUD as the rate is quite poor in Japan since most would prefer foreign exchangers would prefer USD.
• We didn't get to use our digital cards as most places in Kansai (Kanto might be different) that offer card payments still requires a physical card to read the chip.
• Please remember to bring the physical card of the credit card used for any online booking to avoid the stress I endured on day 3.
• We booked all the transit tickets online about a month prior and find it worthwhile rather than spending 15 - 30 mins in queue at the ticket counters. The limited express tickets go crazy fast and I recommend booking them the hour they become available (1 month prior your transit date and as soon as it is open in Japan time).
• We booked all 4 accommodations via booking.com and find the messenger via the app very handy in liaising with the owne receptionist on whether we can offload our luggage earlier or forward our luggage a few days in advance. One of them even told me that I can check in few hours earlier as the room was ready. Regardless of what platform you use, try to communicate with the accommodation prior your arrival if you are considering forwarding luggage or dropping them off before your official check in time.
• Booking multiple accommodations over a short span of time is very tiring as we are needing to worry about getting our luggage from A to B every second day but only able to check in the next place 5 - 6 hours after checking out the previous place (Most checkin starts from 3pm and checkout from 10am). Our transition days are always stressful as we don't get to do much due to the timing while handling multiple baggage so the kids are crankier.
• Rubbish/ garbage cans are mainly found on major train stations or shopping malls as well as konbinis. Most vending machines only have a recycle bin but we have plenty of disposable nappy bags which we use as rubbish bags if needed.
• We had 3 data Sims about 5GB each which was sufficient for the 9 days (navigation, Google translate, WhatsApp voice call). Free wifi is available at most places which we use whenever we need to photo dump on WhatsApp group chats or play YouTube for the kids.
• My eSim stopped working when we arrived at Kyoto from Osaka but luckily I tried rebooting my phone and it connected to the local network after. Another down side of data only Sim is there is no Japanese mobile number which can be handy (make reservations at restaurants or signing up for taxi apps to get taxi).
• We use Google Maps and Japan Travel by NAVITIME App to plan our overall route each day, public transit details is quite clear via Google Maps with several options for different J metro/ bus lines. While Japan Travel App is able to approximate cost of taxi which was useful for comparison.
• For translation, we used DeepL app when we wanted to converse with someone in Japanese and Google Translate for written Japanese translation via the camera.
• In Osaka, getting around via JR and Metro is optimal in terms of time and cost; In Kyoto, buses are more readily available but be prepared to stand shoulder to shoulder as the buses are not big and averages around 30 - 50 people. We recommend a taxi if travelling a short distance (<10 minutes) for a family that can fit into a single car.
• You can forward luggage at your hotel or local 7 eleven via Yamato transport within Osaka.
• The Jikan refreshing legs patch worked well for me but my wife got woken up few times as her feet felt cold due to the cooling effect. We got some heat patches the next day and it worked better for her.
• A few Japanese phrases go along way and perhaps it's why we mostly get friendly responses (arigato gozaimas, ohaiyo, konnichiwa, kore onegaishimas, doitashi mashite, hitotsu onegaishimas, daijorbudes, kodomo).
• The basement level of most department stores/ shopping malls sells a variety of package deserts and often a bakery opened till 8pm where we sometimes go to after dinner to get brekky for the next morning.
• Some malls have an express lift (stops only at 1F and 10F) and it may be quicker to use those in combination with escalators to get to the level you like quickly.
• Coin lockers are found is almost every major attraction and JR station but finding a large one that is available can be challenging so allow extra time. Most coin lockers only take 100 yen coins with the exception of newer ones which also takes IC cards as payment.
• Some food courts have drinkable water for you to refill your bottles but otherwise vending machines and konbinis will quench your hydration needs (the peach drink is pretty addictive).
• Other than Booking.com, Google maps, Google Translate, DeepL and Japan Travel by NAVITIME, we didn't really used the other apps we downloaded before hand but you might find a use for them: Mamamap, NERV, Ecbo cloak, Klook.

Child related tips

• Younger kids take awhile to acclimatize to a foreign environment and our kids were more lethargic than they normally are during the day, sometimes needing 2 naps instead of 1 so be prepared to adjust your plans and skip over some places that were catered specifically for them if needed.
• Google maps only tells you the distance to get you from Point A to Point B horizontally. Unfortunately it doesn't consider the routes involving travelling multiple floors to avoid heavy traffic even with wheelchair access enabled. For instance you can go across Tenshiba Garden from JR Tennoji via the overhead bridge (not ideal as the route is longer with a stroller) or underground (best with a stroller but unfortunately Google Maps doesn't show this route and we stumble across it by chance).
• Google maps navigation over multiple floors is also not very accurate but the local directory maps are very informative so take extra time to study it and find the nearest access (parents room, lift or exit to above ground/ underground).
• The lift (singular as most train station platforms only share one lift unless it's a major one like Osaka/ Kyoto etc), are often located at one end of the platform so allow additional 15 - 20 minutes when travelling with strollers or luggage.
• Most department stores/ shopping malls (Daimaru etc) have a floor suitable for kids with toy samples for playing and sometimes even a free play area (Bornelund).
• Our kids love the Butaman from Horai and we probably purchased from 5 different stores throughout the trip (they are located at almost every major station and department store). Find something that works for your kids that can be found readily (7-11, family mart, Lawson's, daily Yamazaki etc) as back up when they didn't want to eat where you were dining at or if they fell asleep and skipped a meal.
• 100 yen stores (Daiso, 3 coins, Seria, Can*Do, Watts) have plenty of cheap kid activities (e.g. sticker books, puzzles, bubble wand etc) that can entertain them throughout the day/ in restaurants/ in the showe in the accommodation before bed etc.
• Paid Attractions in Kansai that are worthwhile if your kids are under 5 (6 and above may be charged separately): Tennoji Zoo, Abeno Harukas 300, Kyoto Railway Museum, Osaka Kaiyukan, Tempozan Ferris Wheel.
• Other brekky alternatives that we liked apart from konbinis/ bakeries were MOS burgers and Doutor coffee. Gyudons (sukiya, matsuya, yoshinoya) morning menu was a bit too heavy for our kids and other options we would have tried were too far from where we stayed (Tully's, McDonalds, KoHiKan).
• Some places require you order a main meal per adult but we are small eaters so we make sure what we ordered was something our kids might eat (not spicy etc).
• Tabelog is useful to tell you the size of the restaurant and we avoided anywhere that seats less than 20 people to save time.
• We tried to eat at a restaurant for lunch and dinner the first few days but actually realize the kids enjoy munching on small eats from konbinis/ street vendors more than a casual sit down meal so we were a bit more spontaneous the second half of the trip.
• Watch out for deer poo at Nara especially when pushing your stroller! Most of the deer are quite friendly and let you pet them but don't touch their tail area as they can get defensive. If your kids are feeding away the crackers too quickly, break them in half so you have more 'ammunition'.
• Metro and JR Trains (including limited express ones) stop for less than 10 seconds. Please remember to unlock your stroller when you are approaching your next stop and prepare to jump out.

Finally got around sharing our wonderful experience in Kansai (1 Apr 2024 - 10 Apr 2024). We are a family of 4 from Perth, Australia (1 x Toddler turning 4 end of this month and 1 x Infant about 18 months old) joined by my MIL from Malaysia. It was our first time trip to Japan but the second time flying 6 hours long with 2 kids. We chose to travel during this period as it was during Easter holidays and also the most favourable weather for our kids. As we have 4 separate accommodations booked over 9 days, we try to travel as light as possible: 2 x large suitcase, 1 x medium suitcase, 2 x medium bags, 1 x bag pack, 1 x dedicated bag for infant carrier and kids' jumpers + 1 stroller. Our kids still take nap(s) during the day and our plan was having the toddler sleep on the stroller and the infant in the carrier or the stroller if toddler is not using.
After extensive research (mostly from this sub) we still found the first few days to be quite hectic and wish we know some of the things beforehand (listed below the itinerary). I hope this post can help young families who are considering travelling to Japan with kids or those who have travelled to Japan before kids came to the picture to do it again with confidence.

9 Day Itinerary (1 Apr 2024 - 10 Apr 2024)

Day 1 Osaka: Namba (Monday)
Our flight from KUL arrived KIX around 10am and boarded the Nankai Rapid (bought 1 month prior online) to Shin-Imamiya station after getting our luggage. We originally planned to take a taxi from there but failed to find any taxi for 20 mins so we end up walking to our accommodation as the kids were tired of waiting. After offloading our luggage we manage to hail a taxi and head to Namba Parks to rest and unwind. Had a refreshing lunch at Yasaiya Mei (mains + all you can eat side dishes including veg tempura) and went to explore the rooftop parks garden before putting the kids to nap. After the kids woke up we took a taxi back to check in officially. Everyone was quite tired thus we opted to stay in and get dinner from Life supermarket nearby. This was probably the most enjoyable part of the day for the kids wandering around a foreign supermarket as we bought dinner and some light snacks. After putting the kids to bed, we did some laundry and packed our 1st luggage to send away.
Day 2 Osaka: Tennoji (Tuesday)
While everyone was getting ready, I went to the nearby 7-Eleven to forward our 1st luggage to the 4th accommodation via Yamato transport. The shop attendant was helpful and guided me through the process as we communicated via deepL. We walked to the Lawson's at JR Imamiya to get brekkky before taking the Osaka loop Line to JR tennoji. We took quite a while to navigate towards Tennoji Zoo from JR Tennoji but eventually got there after a 15 min detour. It was quite crowded for a Tuesday morning but the kids get to roam around the Tenshiba garden while I queue up for tickets (500 yen per adult). One of the kids fell asleep in the zoo so we decided to just grab food to go at the supermarket outside the zoo for lunch. We then head towards Abeno Q's mall to shop and put the other kid to sleep. There was quite a lot of hot food along the way and we manage to grab some for the kids to snack on after their nap (butaman from Horai 555, mochi donut from Mister Donut, taiyaki etc). There's a fantastic area for kids to play (kid, play, study) at the ground floor with different sensory setup and soft blocks for stacking/ balancing. I spent close to 2 hours there with 2 kids while my wife and MIL went shopping. After that we had dinner at Grand Capital Toyoutei at the Kintetsu mall dining floor before heading to our final activity of the day: Abeno Harukas 300. Tickets were a bit steep (2000 yen per adult) but we end up staying there for quite a bit and the experience was pretty unique even though we missed the sunset timing. The elevator ride to the top though short left quite an impression. The kids enjoyed running around at the sky garden 2 floors below as we rest and enjoy the night view of the city from about 300m above ground. The journey back to our accommodation was pretty straightforward and the kids got knocked out when we got home. All in all Tennoji was a pleasantly great experience and we have a better understanding about JR station layout and navigating underground.
Day 3 Osaka - Kyoto (Wednesday)
This was a rather hectic day as it rained quite a bit and we struggled to get a taxi after checking out, getting turned down by several taxis with "空车". We eventually found one to bring us to JR Osaka station. Navigating at the station wasn't too difficult after yesterday but there were long queues when we arrived at 10am and I made the fatal mistake of leaving my physical credit card back in Perth and spent 45mins trying to redeem limited express tickets I reserved online. The JR staff were friendly and tried their best to help but they can only recommend me cancelling my initial reservation and buying new tickets (cancellation fee was about 2300 yen for 3 adults). As soon as we got our tickets we sprinted to the underground gate about 15 mins walk away. I even carried the stroller and kids through an escalator as we didn't want to waste time finding a lift and risk missing the train. We managed to board the limited express train on time and arrived at JR Kyoto which was even more crowded and larger than most international airports. The kids were quite cranky by now as it has been all rush and long waits since they woke up. I split up with my family with 2 luggage that we initially planned to forward to our Arashiyama accommodation via Sagawa. However I was told same day delivery service is only applicable to limited hotels so I stored the luggage at 2 coin lockers and then head to the Kintetsu line ticket counter to redeem the Kyoto-Nara and Nara-Osaka limited express tickets which fortunately doesn't require my credit card details (just reservation number). By the time I reunite with my family it was still raining and both kids fell asleep so we ditched the plan for Kyoto railway museum and instead went browsing for lunch at Porta and Isetan dining floor. We eventually queued to eat at Ejuan for about 25 minutes while one of the kid was still asleep. The wait was worthwhile as the grilled miso black cod was exceptional as was the kids' grilled chicken. Next we went to the skywalk at level 9 briefly before my family went to the toy section at Isetan while I retrieve our luggage from the coin lockers. We board the Saga line bound for Saga-Arashiyama and rested awhile at the accommodation before heading out for dinner after the rain stopped. We walked to Kijurou and fortunately they have space for us provided we order a main meal per adult. The yakiniku and Wagyu rib loin bowls were pretty good but we find the Hitsumabushi set a bit gimmicky. After dinner we stopped by Kimono Forest on our way back and this was probably the highlight of the kids day.
Day 4 Kyoto: Arashiyama (Thursday)
Had Lawson's for brekky before heading out to Kimono Rental Amuya to hired kimonos for my wife and toddler including hairstyling. The shop was actually a house with the living area turned into a studio and only the owner working by herself so we waited for about half an hour before walking towards the Bamboo Forest and Tenryu-ji gardens (500 yen entry from the north gate but well worth it for the blooming sakura and picturesque lake). It was crowded as expected and everyone was moving slowly so it took us about an hour to complete the loop back to the main tourist strip. We then had Udon for lunch at Ozuru, the chewy noodles were complemented by the broth which was a lot more flavourful than the kitsune Udon we are accustomed to back in Perth. After lunch we head home to put the kids to nap before venturing out in the evening towards Togetsukyo Bridge overlooking the pristine Katsura river flowing gracefully from Mt Arashi in the backdrop. The view was breathtaking and we crossed over to Arashiyama park where the kids had a great time running around free range. As the sun was setting, we head back to the town centre, took a novelty Randen ride and grab some food (Naruse's Unagi, Upit's Burger) en route to our accommodation to eat in before calling it a day.
Day 5 Kyoto (Friday)
After checking out we took the Saga line to JR Kyoto station and forwarded the medium sized luggage to the 4th accommodation in Osaka using Crosta. We then did some light shopping at Yodabashi Camera Kyoto as my MIL shoes had kick the bucket and we needed a replacement. Manage to sneak in the only ramen meal of the trip at Ramen Chabuton located upstairs. It was a fairly small shop but we were lucky to get a table just before the Friday lunch rush hour and our ramen cravings were thoroughly satiated. We put the kids down for a quick nap as we make our way back to JR Kyoto to take the Saga line towards Kyoto railway museum. This is an underrated attraction with so much to do and we could have spent the whole day here if I knew they had coin lockers. There were many interactive and educational displays relating to train components in addition to multiple play areas upstairs as well as an outdoor playground! There's also a mockup ticket gate for kids to learn how to purchase a ticket and pass through the gate. Our kids loved the ball pit, toy train area and large train simulator. We couldn't squeeze enough time to explore the 3rd floor or watch the diorama presentation or board the Steam Locomotive as it was getting late. We took a taxi to check-in at Kamoya Ryokan before taking the bus to Nishiki Market for dinner. It's about 6pm and most of the shops were shutting and the remaining ones that are open had queues building up quickly. We ended up waiting 30 mins to eat sushi at Sushi Say. There's a limited range of cooked food including skewers which we got for our kids while we share a nigiri platter and sashimi. After dinner we went to the basement of Daimaru Kyoto across the road to get some baked goods for brekky before taking the taxi home to crash.
Day 6 Kyoto (Saturday)
My MIL wanted to take it easy and explore the area at her own pace so we had a more spontaneous day. After brekky, we took the bus to Yasaka Shrine and started our trek towards Heian Jingu, stopping along the way to enjoy the blossoming park and munching on food from street vendors. We paid to enter the shrine garden (600 yen per adult) which was very worth it for a 30 minute stroll and escape from the bustling crowd outside. We grab some food to eat from the street vendors as one of the kid slept and then head to the playground across the road (Wagener Square) and spent a good 30 minutes there even though it was a bit basic (Perth is blessed with many great playgrounds). Once both kids are feeling refreshed we felt adventurous and took the bus to attempt the hike up Kiyomizu-dera. Since its a Saturday, the Sannenzaka path was packed with phenomenal crowds with the occasional car coming through and splitting the crowd apart. I carried the infant to sleep while my wife push our toddler on the stroller as we slowly make our way up, stopping by for a nice matcha latte and softserve at Here cafe to recharge. We eventually reached the base of the temple after 30 minutes and decided against entering due to the massive crowds (& stairs!). On the way down we reached the fork that branches into Ninenzaka and thought we try giving it a go. There were a lot more stairs over this side and we had to carry the stroller through the steps while waiting for the crowd to advance before us. As physically draining as it was, we felt a sense of achievement as we manage to snap a photo with the iconic Hokanji temple. We took the bus home after that and had an enjoyable dinner at Okonomiyaki Yoshino next door before an early night to recover.
Day 7 Kyoto - Nara - Osaka (Sunday)
We had some leftover food for brekky before checking out and heading to JR Kyoto via taxi. We head to the Kintetsu line and boarded the Vistacar limited express train to Nara. I've booked for the private room down stairs which was pretty spacious for the 5 of us and our luggage. After arriving at Kintetsu-Nara station, we took the 100 yen tourist bus to the famous Nara Deer Park and started exploring the area. There were plenty of deer roaming throughout/ resting on the ground and several vendors at the entrance selling deer crackers. After the kids were done feeding 2 sets of crackers, we head to Mizuya Chaya for lunch. There were limited seating so we sat by the side and ate with the bowl in our hands while feeding the kids. Probably the best Udon we had in our lives (level above Ozuru in Arashiyama and Hifumiya in Perth). Time for a nap so we put the kids down while making our way to have a closer look at Todaiji temple as there were too many stairs to Kasuga-taisha and we have yet to recover. We had our first Cremia here and it was amazing. After the kids woke up we took the bus back to Kintetsu-Nara station and explored the nearby street while waiting for our train. We then boarded the HINOTORI limited express bound for Osaka. While walking towards the hotel to check in, we were passing by Dotombori and opted to have a quick dinner and call it a day rather than coming out again after checking in and offloading our luggage. We ended up having curry at Hariju Dotombori Curry shop which taste d like a homely nourishing meal. After dinner we took the taxi to the hotel and fortunately our 2 other luggage that we forwarded days before are waiting for us to collect. Did some repacking and also laundry at a nearby laundromat before sleep.
Day 8 Osaka: Osaka Bay Area (Monday)
Started the day with brekky at MOS Burger just outside our hotel before taking the metro train to Osaka Bay Area. There were plenty to see as we approach the Kaiyukan, large LEGO animal displays, the large ferris wheel and Disney characters. The ticketing and entry time is staggered which is a good idea to control the amount of crowds going in and out. I started queueing at 1035am and got entry for 11am which was fair (opted not to book timeslot online as it can be unpredictable with kids and public transit) but we didn't felt like its a long wait as the kids were running around and enjoying the ocean view. The entry also have a photographer stationed to take a family polaroid with a whale shark replica for FREE. We were impressed with the aquarium's efficient layout where some prominent displays (Whale Shark, Seals etc) span across multiple floors so you can still enjoy them later on if you missed it earlier due to the crowds. Apart from sea creatures there are also Arctic mammals and birds (Puffins) from all over the world. The kids were over stimulated by lunch time so we head to the food court at Tempozan Market Place to refuel. After lunch we took the kids for a ferris wheel ride before putting both to sleep while we make our way to Shinsaibashisuji Shopping Street via metro line. As the kids were still asleep, I rested at Daimaru with my MIL while my wife went shopping. This turn out to be a fantastic place with a floor dedicated for kids (Pokemon centre, Pokemon cafe, BorneLund mini play area with many display toys available for sampling). The kids spent the rest of the day here after they woke up and we had dinner at the dining floor. There were queues everywhere and we chose to wait at Aozora Blue as they offer udon made with a higher wheat ratio here. Regrettably the kids didn't enjoy as much and prefer regular ones that we are used to. After dinner we took away cheescake from Rikuro for dessert back at our hotel. I made sure to online check in our flights before I go to bed.
Day 9 Osaka: Dotombori (Tuesday)
Our final day in Japan and we chose to do some shopping and take it easy. Tried Doutor Coffee for brekky (took a while to find as it was underground) before walking to Don Quijote at Dotombori. There's 6 floors crammed with various items: snacks, electronics, clothing, non prescription medication, toys, collectibles as well as a functional ferris wheel (operates after 2pm). That being said the kids got bored after awhile and didn't really enjoy much as there wasn't much space to move around. I brought them out to stroll around the Ebisu-bashi Bridge while my wife and MIL continue their haul. It was certainly a sight to behold: countless amount of large LCD screens with surround sound on full blast from every high rise building, street buskers vying for attention from crowds that were constantly on the move, tourists taking selfies in front of the iconic Glicoman. Sadly it started to drizzle so I quickly entered the Shinsaibashisuji Shopping Street undercover area and look for a place to have lunch. I stumbled across a Yoshinoya & Hanamaru joint food hall which was bustling with both locals and foreigners. You have to order and get your food from the counter before you can occupy a table so I waited for my wife and MIL to arrive before we start queueing up. We had the gyudon and beef Udon with onsen egg along with chicken karaage and tempura. There's also a condiment station with toppings to complement your udon as well as free tea and water. Everything was very affordable and best of all we didn't had to wait long. After lunch my wife continuing shopping while we head to Daimaru for the kids to have a nap and play afterwards. I noticed there's a bridge that connects each floor to the Parco next door and discovered a unique floor full of pop culture themed stores including a studio Ghibli store featuring Totoro and No-Face displays, a 2 ft tall Godzilla, Ultraman, Capcom superstore, Sanrio (Hello Kitty), Snoopy, Rilakkuma and also a LEGO store. The kids had a great time browsing and also playing with LEGO before my wife reunites with us. As it's nearing dinner time, I thought we try our luck getting a table at Ganko Dotombori and make our way towards Ebisu-bashi Bridge. The view here is even more spectacular at night with the contrasting lights as well as numerous LCD displays illuminating the area. Unfortunately there's a lengthy wait at Ganko and our party voted for street food instead which turn out surprising well. Kids devoured a dozen gyozas while we had takoyaki, kobe beef nigiri, yakitori and yakiniku skewers as we strolled along the street. It was still early so we made a detour towards Hozenji before walking back the hotel. Then we stumbled upon an arcade (Amuse Factory AXE) which naturally drawn the kids in, we got popcorn from a vending machine there and it was enough to keep the kids happy on our trek back. Before taking our last sleep in Japan, we organized our luggage and get them ready for check out the next day.
Day 10 Osaka: Sayonara (Wednesday)
Checked out of the hotel and took a private airport taxi to KIX. Had brekky at McD and Lawsons and surprised to find that the food here costs the same as outside (e.g. McD/ Hungry Jacks at Malaysian/ Australian airports cost more than the metro/ suburban outlets). Boarded the flight and bid Japan farewell for now while soaking in the surreal time we had.
List of accommodations for 3 adults and 1 child + 1 infant/ toddler
1. Orange House 701 (22,500 yen for 2 nights) 10/10
Location is not bad in a quiet area South of the bustling Dotombori area with Konbinis and JR Imamiya within walking distance. Washing machine, shower and stove took some time to figure out and my kid accidentally turned on the stove but luckily there's a safety button. Overall a brilliant accommodation at an affordable price and will consider returning if we come back to Osaka with kids.
2. Arashiyama bamboo guest house (55,650 yen for 2 nights + 1200 yen tax) 8/10
Prime location 1 min away from JR station, Lawson and walking distances to the local tourist strip, Bamboo Grove, Tenryu-ji and Togetsukyo Bridge. However the room is located on the 3rd floor with no lift so it can be a challenge for kids and older folk. The owner was kind enough to carry our 2 X 20kg luggage up and speaks a little English. The stay was rather comfortable even with futons to sleep on while my MIL slept on one of the single beds. We are unlikely returning to Arashiyama but would recommend this place if it suits your budget.
3. Kamoya Ryokan (35,400 yen for 2 nights + 2000 yen tax) 7.5/10
Not as central as the other accommodations but still within 10 mins walking distance to JR and bus lines. This is a shared accommodation so fridge, microwave and hot/ cold water is in the common area but we have a private bathroom to use. There are no beds so we all slept side by side on futons in the same room. For some reason kids are also taxed to stay a night here (200 yen) but the host was super friendly, spoke a bit of basic English and helped us with ordering a taxi when we checked out. For the price this is not a bad place for short term stay if cosleeping on futons together as a family is acceptable. Bonus: the okonomiyaki place next door is quite good albeit requiring a bit more effort to communicate but is worth it as plenty of locals seem to frequent there and our kids love the yakisoba.
4. Best Western Hotel Fino Osaka Shinsaibashi (40,450 yen for 3 nights) 8/10
Functional hotel relatively close to Shinsaibashi shopping street and Dotombori. 1 min walk away from Osaka metro station and 7 Eleven. There's also a 24 hour laundromat 5 mins walk away. Facilities are bare minimal but gets the job done as we only needed the place to crash and freshen up since there's a lot of shopping and remaining sightseeing to be done. All reception staff spoke English well and check in/ out was rather smooth. I would consider staying again if the rooms were larger but can't complain at this price point and location.
List of eateries we consider returning

• Yasaiya Mei
• Ejuan
• Kijurou
• Ozuru
• Upit's Burger
• Ramen Chabuton
• Okonomiyaki Yoshino
• Mizuya Chaya
• Yoshinoya & Hanamaru

Highlight of each day for the kids

1. Wandering around Life supermarket and exploring a new accommodation
2. Running around 300m above ground at the Abeno Harukas sky garden while having fruits/ snacks in between
3. Visiting Kimono Forest after dinner, watching the randen pass by at the crossing
4. Running around at Arashiyama park and watching the majestic Katsura river flowing rapidly
5. The outdoor playground at Kyoto railway museum among many other fun things there
6. The playground at Wagener Square across Heian Jingu
7. Interacting with deer and eating udon outdoors
8. Seeing different sea animals up close and ferris wheel ride after
9. Making friends at BorneLund and having imaginary play together despite the language barrier

Lessons learned (not in chronological order)

General tips

• We prepared about 160,000 yen cash before arriving at Japan but also have money via 1 x transfer wise debit card (digital), 1 x Westpac credit card (digital), 1 x ING debit card (physical). We ended up withdrawing a further 200,000 yen worth of cash. We opted not to bring any AUD as the rate is quite poor in Japan since most would prefer foreign exchangers would prefer USD.
• We didn't get to use our digital cards as most places in Kansai (Kanto might be different) that offer card payments still requires a physical card to read the chip.
• Please remember to bring the physical card of the credit card used for any online booking to avoid the stress I endured on day 3.
• We booked all the transit tickets online about a month prior and find it worthwhile rather than spending 15 - 30 mins in queue at the ticket counters. The limited express tickets go crazy fast and I recommend booking them the hour they become available (1 month prior your transit date and as soon as it is open in Japan time).
• We booked all 4 accommodations via booking.com and find the messenger via the app very handy in liaising with the owne receptionist on whether we can offload our luggage earlier or forward our luggage a few days in advance. One of them even told me that I can check in few hours earlier as the room was ready. Regardless of what platform you use, try to communicate with the accommodation prior your arrival if you are considering forwarding luggage or dropping them off before your official check in time.
• Booking multiple accommodations over a short span of time is very tiring as we are needing to worry about getting our luggage from A to B every second day but only able to check in the next place 5 - 6 hours after checking out the previous place (Most checkin starts from 3pm and checkout from 10am). Our transition days are always stressful as we don't get to do much due to the timing while handling multiple baggage so the kids are crankier.
• Rubbish/ garbage cans are mainly found on major train stations or shopping malls as well as konbinis. Most vending machines only have a recycle bin but we have plenty of disposable nappy bags which we use as rubbish bags if needed.
• We had 3 data Sims about 5GB each which was sufficient for the 9 days (navigation, Google translate, WhatsApp voice call). Free wifi is available at most places which we use whenever we need to photo dump on WhatsApp group chats or play YouTube for the kids.
• My eSim stopped working when we arrived at Kyoto from Osaka but luckily I tried rebooting my phone and it connected to the local network after. Another down side of data only Sim is there is no Japanese mobile number which can be handy (make reservations at restaurants or signing up for taxi apps to get taxi).
• We use Google Maps and Japan Travel by NAVITIME App to plan our overall route each day, public transit details is quite clear via Google Maps with several options for different J metro/ bus lines. While Japan Travel App is able to approximate cost of taxi which was useful for comparison.
• For translation, we used DeepL app when we wanted to converse with someone in Japanese and Google Translate for written Japanese translation via the camera.
• In Osaka, getting around via JR and Metro is optimal in terms of time and cost; In Kyoto, buses are more readily available but be prepared to stand shoulder to shoulder as the buses are not big and averages around 30 - 50 people. We recommend a taxi if travelling a short distance (<10 minutes) for a family that can fit into a single car.
• You can forward luggage at your hotel or local 7 eleven via Yamato transport within Osaka.
• The Jikan refreshing legs patch worked well for me but my wife got woken up few times as her feet felt cold due to the cooling effect. We got some heat patches the next day and it worked better for her.
• A few Japanese phrases go along way and perhaps it's why we mostly get friendly responses (arigato gozaimas, ohaiyo, konnichiwa, kore onegaishimas, doitashi mashite, hitotsu onegaishimas, daijorbudes, kodomo).
• The basement level of most department stores/ shopping malls sells a variety of package deserts and often a bakery opened till 8pm where we sometimes go to after dinner to get brekky for the next morning.
• Some malls have an express lift (stops only at 1F and 10F) and it may be quicker to use those in combination with escalators to get to the level you like quickly.
• Coin lockers are found is almost every major attraction and JR station but finding a large one that is available can be challenging so allow extra time. Most coin lockers only take 100 yen coins with the exception of newer ones which also takes IC cards as payment.
• Some food courts have drinkable water for you to refill your bottles but otherwise vending machines and konbinis will quench your hydration needs (the peach drink is pretty addictive).
• Other than Booking.com, Google maps, Google Translate, DeepL and Japan Travel by NAVITIME, we didn't really used the other apps we downloaded before hand but you might find a use for them: Mamamap, NERV, Ecbo cloak, Klook.

Child related tips

• Younger kids take awhile to acclimatize to a foreign environment and our kids were more lethargic than they normally are during the day, sometimes needing 2 naps instead of 1 so be prepared to adjust your plans and skip over some places that were catered specifically for them if needed.
• Google maps only tells you the distance to get you from Point A to Point B horizontally. Unfortunately it doesn't consider the routes involving travelling multiple floors to avoid heavy traffic even with wheelchair access enabled. For instance you can go across Tenshiba Garden from JR Tennoji via the overhead bridge (not ideal as the route is longer with a stroller) or underground (best with a stroller but unfortunately Google Maps doesn't show this route and we stumble across it by chance).
• Google maps navigation over multiple floors is also not very accurate but the local directory maps are very informative so take extra time to study it and find the nearest access (parents room, lift or exit to above ground/ underground).
• The lift (singular as most train station platforms only share one lift unless it's a major one like Osaka/ Kyoto etc), are often located at one end of the platform so allow additional 15 - 20 minutes when travelling with strollers or luggage.
• Most department stores/ shopping malls (Daimaru etc) have a floor suitable for kids with toy samples for playing and sometimes even a free play area (Bornelund).
• Our kids love the Butaman from Horai and we probably purchased from 5 different stores throughout the trip (they are located at almost every major station and department store). Find something that works for your kids that can be found readily (7-11, family mart, Lawson's, daily Yamazaki etc) as back up when they didn't want to eat where you were dining at or if they fell asleep and skipped a meal.
• 100 yen stores (Daiso, 3 coins, Seria, Can*Do, Watts) have plenty of cheap kid activities (e.g. sticker books, puzzles, bubble wand etc) that can entertain them throughout the day/ in restaurants/ in the showe in the accommodation before bed etc.
• Paid Attractions in Kansai that are worthwhile if your kids are under 5 (6 and above may be charged separately): Tennoji Zoo, Abeno Harukas 300, Kyoto Railway Museum, Osaka Kaiyukan, Tempozan Ferris Wheel.
• Other brekky alternatives that we liked apart from konbinis/ bakeries were MOS burgers and Doutor coffee. Gyudons (sukiya, matsuya, yoshinoya) morning menu was a bit too heavy for our kids and other options we would have tried were too far from where we stayed (Tully's, McDonalds, KoHiKan).
• Some places require you order a main meal per adult but we are small eaters so we make sure what we ordered was something our kids might eat (not spicy etc).
• Tabelog is useful to tell you the size of the restaurant and we avoided anywhere that seats less than 20 people to save time.
• We tried to eat at a restaurant for lunch and dinner the first few days but actually realize the kids enjoy munching on small eats from konbinis/ street vendors more than a casual sit down meal so we were a bit more spontaneous the second half of the trip.
• Watch out for deer poo at Nara especially when pushing your stroller! Most of the deer are quite friendly and let you pet them but don't touch their tail area as they can get defensive. If your kids are feeding away the crackers too quickly, break them in half so you have more 'ammunition'.
• Metro and JR Trains (including limited express ones) stop for less than 10 seconds. Please remember to unlock your stroller when you are approaching your next stop and prepare to jump out.

I am not The OOP, OOP is u/ThrowRAWifePics2
Caught My(35m) wife(34) sending pics to BIL(40m) is our marriage is salvageable at this point?
Originally posted to relationship_advice
TRIGGER WARNING: Infidelity
Original Post Apr 30, 2024
I really dont want to spam this sub I posted today morning, but when I returned from office my account was banned. This will be my last try to post this.
My wife Jessica (34) and I (35m) have been married for 3 years, and we dated for 2 years before that and we have two year old daughter. Jessica has two sisters, the eldest one (38f) is married to Jake (40m).
A week ago, I came home from work early and wanted to scare Jessica. I tried to be sneaky, but somehow I slipped and accidentally hurt my back. Jessica came to my rescue. I went to the bedroom, and she went to the kitchen to get an ice pack. Her phone was by the bed, and a WhatsApp notification came from Jake saying, "You've got the best pair I've ever seen."
I immediately knew what was happening. I unlocked the phone and saw that she had just sent some pics and video of her t*ts to Jake, and there were no previous chats before that. When Jessica came back to the room, I showed her the chat and asked, "How long?"
I have known this woman for 10 years, and I have never seen her so mortified. Her eyes got teary, and she said, "Babe, I am sorry, but I can explain" so I said go on.
According to her, at the end of 2019, she was struggling with money, and Jake suggested he would help her out. He hinted that he would like to see her pics( I feel like I am writing a p**n script at this point). So she did sent him pics and it continue over the years, She swears there was nothing emotional or physical involved—it was purely transactional. I didn't believe any of it, but she showed me on Venmo, that MF paid her $300 yesterday.
I then told her, "It's been 5 years. Try to remember if anything physical happened". For me, if even half of what she is saying is true, how could something like that not become physical? She started crying and told me she could prove it tomorrow because Jake would get suspicious if she tried to talk to him now.
I took her phone, went to a bar, got wasted for the night, and when I came back, she was still there crying. I just slept on the couch. Next day morning I gave her the phone she called Jake, conversation goes something like this
Jessica: Hey, I was wondering if you want some more pics?
Jake: I'm short on money, yesterday, I spent all of it.
Jessica: We can do something more this time and meet in person. I've changed my mind on that.
Jake: No way. How much are we talking about?
I felt like I was going to puke, I told her that we are done and left for office. I am not a very wealthy dude, but I would consider myself a stable guy who could take care of his family. Now I just feel like I have failed as a man, who's wife had to sell her body to meet her expected lifestyle. When I got home that night, she looked like shit, I asked Jessica why she kept taking money from him after we got married and why she didn't ask me while we were dating. She said she didn't know how to stop and that it was easy money. I left my home that night and told her she can keep the home and the car but I want 50/50 custody of my child.
So here I am now, haven't told anyone about this. It's been a week since, staying in a hotel. I go home in the evening to play with my daughter. I'm speaking with divorce lawyers, and Jessica is constantly talking about marriage counseling.
Update May 3, 2024
Before getting to the update, some people were asking me to get a paternity test. I don't need one, I know she is my daughter because I am Indian and Jessica(my wife) is white, and my daughter looks like me.
Now for the update
After I made that post, I shared my situation with my cousin sister(30f), she is the only family member I have living in the States. I visited her place the next day, and she knocked some sense into me. I realized part of me still didn't want a divorce because I basically married Jessica against my parents' will, they wanted me to have an arranged marriage. So, my failed marriage would hurt my ego.
She also arranged a meeting with a divorce lawyer and no I am not giving up my house, I was just emotional at that time. From what I understand, in our state, adultery has pretty much zero impact on the assets, so it will likely be a 50/50 split. However, there is a high chance I can get better custody of my daughter because I have a job, and Jessica doesn't. She is also involved in "sex work" at this point, which could work in my favor.
My father-in-law called me last evening, and he was crying. He told me he didn't know what to say to me and that if he were in my place, he would have left her. Apparently, Jessica got scared and told her family everything after I didn't visit home for 2 days and had blocked her everywhere. I guess I should have done that a little while ago and jake is out of his house also.
So, I think I will go for a divorce because there is no point of reconciliation at this point when the whole relationship seems fake to me.
RELEVANT COMMENTS
Commenter

Did the sister kick out the BIL?

OOP

Yeah she kicked him out yesterday I didnt ask about them that much but it sound like my SIL is sure she is getting divorce.

FINAL COMMENT from OOP

It doesn't really matter if she was cheating or not. The main thing is she lied throughout the whole relationship, and I refuse to believe it was only for money. It could have been an issue when we were dating, but not after marriage. I am a SDE-3 with 10 years of experience, and I have a somewhat high-paying job. I am only thinking about my daughter. If I patch up everything with Jessica I will still have trust issues and it would set a bad example of a relationship in my daughter's eyes, which can be bad in the long term.

NEW UPDATE

Update 2 May 11, 2024
Update 2: Caught My(35M) wife(34F) sending pics to BIL(40M) is our marriage is salvageable at this point?
I think it will be my last update:
In-short: I caught my wife excanging nudes with her brother in law for money and I was going for a divorce.
first post Update 1
TL;DR: we are not getting a divorce anymore bye.
Before getting to the update some people were cursing me in my DMs saying I might not earn enough and accusing me of financially abusing my wife and taking advantage of her. I dont think this is the case for me, my salary is close to mid six figures, and we have a joint account where I put half of my in-hand salary and we don't even spend that much.
For those who were confused about the relationships in my post, my wife was exchanging pics with her brother in law(her sister's husband) not mine.
Now to the update:
After the day Jessica told everyone about the situation, my mother-in-law called and wanted to talk. She was with Jessica after the whole thing happened. I returned to my home later that evening, and her parents and her sister Josy(38F jake's wife) was there. After I got there, Jessica wanted to talk alone.
According to her, Jake was trying to pursue her since she was about 16-17. (For context, Jake and Josy have been together for 20 years now) This continued for almost 2 years. He used to make suggestive comments about her body, and she told Josy about it. But, Josy didn't believe Jessica at that time and told her she was doing this for attention. Jessica didn't tell her parents either because, according to her Josy was their parents' favorite, so nobody would have believed her.
Jake didn't do anything between those years besides casual flirting until 2019 when Jessica was having problems with rent and the whole transactional thing happened. I asked why she didn't ask me about it, and she said we were only one month into dating and it could have looked bad. She swears nothing happened after that until last year when Jake and Josy started having problems in their marriage, and he started messaging Jessica again.
She didn't entertain him at first, but she had gained some weight from pregnancy and thought I was ignoring her because of it, which I was not. At that time, I was working close to 13-14 hours a day to change my niche to another tech stack, massive layoffs were also going on, so it was a pretty bad time. Now she admitted that she liked the attention and validation this time(she called herself an attention 'whore'), but she didn't had any feelings towards him. They started exchanging pics and money and this happened three times. Then she addmited it was cheating although there were no emotional or physical actions from her side,but She said that she shouldn't have done it.
I asked her why she didn't tell me about Jake harassing her when we first met or started dating. She said she thought I wouldn't have believed her and that it was in the past. Then I asked why she didn't tell me the first time I found out about this. Her answer was the same: she believed I wouldn't have believed her because nobody else knew about this. I was just sad about the fact she doesn't trust me enough to tell me such a horific incident.
Now, I did something I am not very proud of. I asked her about a paternity test. I know it was stupid, but emotionally I was in a weird place at that moment. She was totally emotionless throughout the whole conversation, but after hearing about the test, she broke down crying and started hyperventilating, I started crying too. After about ten minutes or so, we stopped crying, and she said okay, then asked me if we are getting a divorce. I said I don't know.
She then said we should get a postnup before I do something like that. That line felt like a tight slap to my face, I was like "you're not even gonna convince me not to go through with it?". Then she left with her parents. The next day, she called crying, asking not to get a divorce, and to start marriage counciling. Obviously I said ok.
So here we are now after some weird couple of days, still getting the postnup, Her IC starting next week, Our MC starting next month. Hopefully, trust will return someday.
Also Jake is dening all that acording to him Jessica "seduced" him for money and my SIL is getting a divorce.
I know some people are gonna call me a doormat, but I don't care.
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