Pretty excited about this one because it’s our first ever Airbnb transaction. Three reasons why we booked this place: it’s near Universal Studios (just two stations away), comes with a pocket wifi, and most importantly, will fit 8 people – all at a reasonable price. It’s also worth mentioning that Junko, our host, was very prompt in replying to all our queries.
As soon as we transferred payment, she sent us all the instructions, maps, etc. A very nice move to put clients at ease, I must say, as our host in Tokyo took 1 week to send the instructions. Now, some of the reviews were a bit off putting but the pictures on her ad and Junko’s lovely handling of our inquiries made us go for her. She was a breeze to transact with.
Ok, so fast forward to our Osaka trip. Let me share with you some interesting experiences. First, our experience going to the train station from the bus stop was a bit disconcerting. It’s our first time in Osaka so we had no idea how far the subway station would actually be from the bus stop in Umeda Sky. Google maps calculated it to be 700m but it felt way more than that based on the grunts and quibbles I got from some members of the family while we were walking. My 65-yr old mom and 7-yr old nephew were with us, by the way. Had we known it was going to be farther than what was calculated, add to that the number of tunnels we had to take, we would’ve just taken the cab. In all fairness to Junko, it wasn’t her fault because we did not contact her prior to our trip to Osaka. Somebody did mention taking the cab but wasn’t sure if it was her or our host in Tokyo who suggested it.
It’s worth mentioning though that finding the place from the train stop was easy peasy. It was a shorter distance than what was on Junko’s illustration. Suffice it to say, the grunts were replaced with yeheys and happy dances. What’s also noteworthy is that the place is just half a minute walk to a hospital. How often do you get such location, right? Some members of the family already got sick so that one kind of eased the worries. Plus, there’s a supermarket around the corner, 2 Family Mart stores, Japanese food chains and restos, and oh, a Filipino restaurant. It’s just a minute walk to the subway station and to the entry point of Tenjinbashisuji Shopping Street, the longest shopping street in Japan. Also just 2kms from Temmangu Shrine, less than a kilometer to the nearest Onsen, and about 2kms to Osaka Museum of Housing. Yeah, location-wise, I give it a 4.
Second, when we arrived at the place, a funny and embarrassing thing happened. As you know, we didn’t contact Junko prior to our trip to Osaka coz we thought we’d rely on our sense of good direction and our good travel experience. We were kind of over confident everything was going to be A-ok. So, just to mention, back in Tokyo, the place we rented was unlocked when we arrived. This one, we were told, was locked. I’m not surprised though as Junko’s place is better equipped and bigger than the one in Tokyo. As the instruction sheet said, we’d find a padlock locked on the window grills. So we unlatched it based on the instructions given but then realized it had no key. It puzzled us for a bit how we’d open the door with just a padlock. It didn’t make sense. And the instruction sheet did not mention where the key was. Imagine our panic that time, coz it was past 7pm, drizzling, and dark. Thoughts of finding another place or sleeping in the streets with my family came rushing in. I seriously thought we got duped that time. But my mom thought of a brilliant idea. She shook the padlock and lo, the key fell on the ground. We all heaved a sigh of relief when the key fell and bursts of laughter rang in the streets. That was a moment we’d never forget. But entirely our fault again. We should’ve phoned our host.
So we got in. And here’s what we called home the entire 4days, 3 nights.
Junko was very gracious to provide coffee, tea latte sticks, a load of toiletries, kitchen utensils, and an umbrella. Just had to mention that as June is rainy season in Japan. There were also slippers provided, btw. No walking in the house with shoes on. Remember: When in Japan or Asia, do what Asians do.
Tip: Your host will give a review of your stay on Airbnb, just as you would. So, follow house rules and clean the place before you check out. Your host will be happy if you do some tidying up plus you’ll get a good review!
I highly recommend the place if you are on a budget.We ended up loving it and calling it our home in Osaka.
Here is Junko’s ad on Airbnb, just in case you want to book.
I am happy that our first Airbnb experience was good. I’ve heard a lot of nasty stories so just relieved that both accommodations did not disappoint nor shortchange. I am 100% confident that when you book Airbnb in Japan, you’ll never go wrong. I trust Japanese people so much because of my experience with them on my two travels. They are so helpful and respectful, you’ll feel safe anytime and everywhere.
Hope you enjoy your stay as much as we did.
If you have questions, suggestions, or comments, please feel free to give me a nudge. I’ll reply as quickly as I can.
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Safe travels, traveleras! Xoxo