I had to check out at 10, so I packed my suitcase the night before. Early in the morning, I grabbed a coffee from a vending machine and picked up some food at Lawson. After breakfast, I dropped my luggage at the hotel lobby since I planned to meet Johan around 11 at my next hotel, where I’d stay for the coming three nights.
Once fuelled up, I returned to collect my saxophone and suitcase, which the hotel staff had kindly kept safe for me. A short 20-minute walk brought me to my new place. As check-in wasn’t available yet, I left my luggage at the front desk. Johan came down from his room, and we spent the late morning wandering through the city, stopping by a bakery for some snacks.
Umeda Station is surrounded by an abundance of shops, sprawling warehouses, and countless places to eat and drink—both above and below ground. Exploring the stores is a treat in itself; they offer just about everything you could imagine. Clothing stores, for example, are impressively organized, with attentive staff ready to assist. Most transactions are handled electronically—just place your items into a machine that calculates your total, choose your payment method (cash, card, or digital), and decide whether you need a paper bag. It’s seamless, efficient, and makes shopping a surprisingly fun experience.
