This time, we will be proposing a "Mother and Daughter Mile Trip to Nara on a Weekend to Close the Relationship" from among the various mile trips that can be enjoyed in various situations. We will introduce the appeal of the JAL Card and how to use it to your advantage by dividing it into three scenes: before, during, and after the trip.
*Due to the influence of the new coronavirus, business days and business hours of each spot may be changed.
INDEX
<During the trip> Mother and daughter's bond deepens. A two-day, one-night model trip to Nara
First day
Second day
- Take advantage of late check-out and relax at the beauty salon
- Persimmon leaf sushi lunch at "Izasa Yumehiroba branch in front of Todaiji Temple"
- Discover little-known souvenirs at Todaiji Temple and Todaiji Museum
- Experience Nara in the birthplace of the tea ceremony by having matcha tea at Jikoin Temple
- End your trip at Itami Airport and get great deals on souvenirs recommended by JAL staff
<Before the trip> Make great travel arrangements using JAL Card programs and benefits
<During the trip> Mother and daughter's bond deepens. A two-day, one-night model trip to Nara
Your trip to the ancient capital of Nara begins. Of course, don't forget to bring your JAL card. You can earn miles by paying with your JAL card at stores in your destination.
What's more, if you use your JAL Card at a "JAL Card affiliated store," you can earn double the miles, so the more you use your JAL Card during your trip, the more you save. In this trip, we will introduce a model itinerary for shops and spots where you can make the most of your JAL Card.
Take advantage of late check-out and relax at the beauty salon
Day 2 of my trip to Nara. Sightseeing early in the morning is nice, but since my accommodation plan is "J-SMART", I can use the late check-out *3 privilege of the JAL Card CLUB-A Card and check out at 13:00. I'll make the most of my hotel stay by going to the beauty salon in the hotel.
*3: Available to CLUB-A Card, CLUB-A Gold Card, and Platinum Members.
At the Thalgo de H2O Nikko Nara store on the 6th floor, where you can enjoy beauty treatments and relaxation, you can receive treatments such as a detox oil lymphatic massage that thoroughly massages the whole body.
The nice thing about this hotel is that it offers a course that offers a 20% discount on the usual price. Spend a relaxing morning at the beauty salon and refresh your body and mind. It was a time of healing for the two of us who had been exhausted from the day to day life. We both realized that we both work hard at work and housework.
You can pay for meals and drinks at hotels and beauty treatments with your JAL card. You can earn miles even while traveling.
Thalgo Do H2O Nikko Nara Store
| address | ： | Hotel Nikko Nara 6th floor, 8-1 Sanjo Honmachi, Nara City, Nara Prefecture |
|---|---|---|
| phone | ： | 0742-34-1113 (direct) |
| business hours | ： | 10:30～19:30 |
| Closed Day | ： | Wednesdays *May be closed temporarily |
| web | ： | https://www.t-h-n.jp/nara/ |
Persimmon leaf sushi lunch at "Izasa Yumehiroba branch in front of Todaiji Temple"
After relaxing at the hotel, we went to lunch. After discussing it together, we decided to go and try some of Nara's specialties. When you think of Nara, you think of persimmon leaf sushi. We went to Todaiji Temple Monzen Izasa Yumekaze Hiroba Branch, which celebrated its 100th anniversary this year and is famous for its persimmon leaf sushi.
*The photo was taken before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first floor of the store is a sales space, and the second floor is a restaurant called "Izasa Chaya." At "Izasa Chaya," you can enjoy Nara specialties while watching the changing seasons.
I ordered the hearty "Izasa Tempura Set (1,600 yen including tax)," which comes with five pieces of sushi, including persimmon leaf sushi, tempura, nyumen (somen in summer), and sesame tofu.
Kakinoha sushi is mackerel that has been marinated in vinegar and wrapped in a persimmon leaf. The fatty mackerel goes well with the vinegared rice with a moderate sourness, which has been seasoned with a secret recipe. In addition to Kakinoha sushi, they also serve Izasa sushi, which contains salmon, and Sakura sushi, which is sea bream sushi wrapped in cherry blossom leaves, so try them all and find your favorite.
If you're looking for takeaway, I recommend the "Kaki no Ha Sushi (4 types, 8 pieces, 1,166 yen, tax included)." In addition to the classic "Mackerel," it also contains "Horse Mackerel" and "Sea Bream." Since the persimmon leaf sushi keeps better than regular sushi, I also bought some as a souvenir for my dad who was waiting for me at home.
Todaiji Temple Izasa Yumekaze Hiroba Store
| address | ： | 16 Kasugano-cho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture, in front of Todaiji Temple, Yumekaze Square |
|---|---|---|
| phone | ： | 1st floor shop 0742-22-8133, 2nd floor restaurant 0742-94-7133 |
| business hours | ： | 1st floor shop 10:00-17:00, 2nd floor restaurant 11:00-17:00 (last order 16:00) |
| web | ： | https://www.izasa.co.jp/index.html |
Discover little-known souvenirs at Todaiji Temple and Todaiji Museum
After lunch, we will walk around the World Heritage site "Todaiji Temple", which is a must-visit if you come to Nara. Just past the Great South Gate, there is the "Todaiji Museum", where national treasures and important cultural properties are exhibited, as well as special exhibitions. The attached museum shop also sells original goods. Why not stop by to look for souvenirs?
There is also a section for Todaiji Temple exclusive products, and the "Medicinal Bath (800 yen, tax included)" is named after Empress Komyo, wife of Emperor Shomu, who devoted herself to helping sick people. It is effective for cold sensitivity, chilblains, fatigue, etc. It is perfect for relaxing after returning home. Both mother and daughter love baths, so we bought a lot. We headed to our next destination, talking about how it would be nice to take a hot spring trip with the whole family next time.
Todaiji Temple and Todaiji Museum
| address | ： | 406-1 Zoshicho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture |
|---|---|---|
| phone | ： | 0742-22-5511 |
| Visiting and Opening Hours | ： | Great Buddha Hall April to October 7:30 to 17:30, November to March 8:00 to 17:00, Hokke-do (Sangatsu-do) and Kaidan-in Senju-do 8:30 to 16:00, Todaiji Museum April to October 9:30 to 17:30 (last entry 17:00), November to March 9:30 to 17:00 (last entry 16:30) |
| web | ： | http://www.todaiji.or.jp/index.html |
Experience Nara in the birthplace of the tea ceremony by having matcha tea at Jikoin Temple
Our trip to Nara is finally coming to an end. For our last time in Nara, we will experience tea culture at Jikoin Temple in Yamatokoriyama City. Jikoin Temple, built in 1663, is unique in that the entire grounds are designed as a single tea ceremony venue.
Jikoin was founded by Katagiri Sadamasa, who is known as the founder of the Sekishu school of tea ceremony. As a temple with deep ties to tea, you can enjoy matcha tea (1,000 yen, including entrance fee and tax) when you visit. This matcha tea is made with water from a historic well that has been used since the Edo period.
"It's important to relax and enjoy the garden scenery without worrying about formalities," says the head priest. Please enjoy some dried sweets bearing the Katagiri family crest along with your matcha. I discovered a new charm in my daughter, her beautiful posture when drinking tea, and as a mother, I was deeply moved by the thought, "She's grown up to be a fine woman."
Sipping matcha green tea while admiring the beautiful garden somehow makes you feel lighter in your heart. Delicious food, luxurious relaxation time, and a moment to clear your mind... A trip to Nara, full of charm, will give you all kinds of energy, and you'll be able to do your best tomorrow too.
Jikoin Temple of the Rinzai sect of Buddhism, Daitokuji school
| address | ： | 865 Koizumicho, Yamatokoriyama City, Nara Prefecture |
|---|---|---|
| phone | ： | 0743-53-3004 |
| Visiting hours | ： | 9:00～17:00 |
| web | ： | http://www1.kcn.ne.jp/~jikoin/ |
End your trip at Itami Airport and get great deals on souvenirs recommended by JAL staff
After finishing our trip in Nara, we headed to Itami Airport. Since we had some time before our flight back, we decided to check out the souvenir shops inside the airport, which had just been renovated.
"JAL PLAZA (formerly ITAMI Marché BLUE SKY)" is a souvenir shop in the waiting area for boarding. It has a wide selection of popular Western and Japanese sweets in the Kansai region, as well as food loved by locals. The interior of the store is open and bright, with a market-like atmosphere. Be sure to look for souvenirs recommended by JAL staff, which were also introduced on OnTrip JAL.
In the boarding waiting area at Itami Airport, in addition to "JAL PLAZA (formerly ITAMI Marché BLUE SKY)," there is also "TABITUS+" which sells JAL original goods and travel goods, "& COFFEE MAISON KAYSER" which offers light meals, and "SORADELI" where you can purchase soraben (boxed lunches to enjoy on the plane). It's convenient because you can use it according to your needs.
You can also get great deals at "JAL PLAZA (formerly ITAMI Marché BLUE SKY)" by showing your JAL card. If your purchase totals 1,000 yen or more (tax included), you can get a 5% discount by showing your JAL card. What's more, since it's an affiliated store, you can earn double miles when you pay with your JAL card. You can get great deals right up to the end of your trip.
JAL PLAZA (formerly ITAMI Marché BLUE SKY)
| address | ： | 3-555 Hotarugaike Nishimachi, Toyonaka City, Osaka Prefecture Osaka International Airport North Terminal Building 2F Boarding Waiting Area |
|---|---|---|
| phone | ： | 06-6856-7400 |
| business hours | ： | 6:00-20:00 *As of May 2021, shortened hours are 6:15-20:00 |
| web | ： | https://www.osaka-airport.co.jp/shop-and-dine/shop/marche-bluesky.html |
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A fulfilling two-day, one-night trip to Nara for mothers and daughters. Some people may find that they have less time to spend together as adults. However, if you go on a trip like this with your mother and daughter, you may be able to talk about things you've never talked about before and discover sides of each other that you didn't know before. Why not take a trip and spend some time together as a parent and child for the first time in a while?
<Before the trip> Make great travel arrangements using JAL Card programs and benefits
The JAL Card can help you take this charming mother-daughter trip to Nara at a great price. It is a JAL Mileage Bank card with a credit function that makes it easy to accumulate miles. If you have a JAL Card, you can exchange your accumulated miles for reward tickets and receive various benefits. This time, we prepared a trip to Nara for mother and daughter at a great price by taking advantage of the benefits that only a JAL Card can offer.
Three great points to get when using your JAL Card
(1) Earn miles efficiently with the "CLUB-A Card" family membership card
(2) The "Family Program" allows family members to pool their miles and exchange them for award tickets
(3) When you book a hotel with the "J-SMART" plan, you'll receive miles and special benefits.
(1) Earn miles efficiently with the "CLUB-A Card" family membership card
We especially recommend the "CLUB-A Card" to those who love to travel. This card allows you to earn more miles when you fly than with a regular JAL card *4, making it the perfect card for those who fly frequently.
*4: For example, the regular card (annual fee 2,200 yen, family membership 1,100 yen, tax included) offers a sign-up boarding bonus of 1,000 miles, while the CLUB-A card offers a sign-up boarding bonus of 5,000 miles.
Furthermore, if you are a family member, we recommend that you apply for a "Family Membership Card" to accumulate miles more efficiently. This card is attached to the main membership card and can be applied for by the spouse, parents, and children aged 18 or older (excluding high school students for cards other than the JAL Diners Club Card) who share the same household as the main member. The annual fee is less than half that of the main membership (11,000 yen for main members, 3,850 yen for family members, tax included), but the same services as the main member (some exclusions apply), such as flight bonus miles and card-related insurance, are applied.
CLUB-A Card
Family Membership Card
(2) The "Family Program" allows family members to pool their miles and exchange them for award tickets
If you have family members who use JAL Cards, we recommend you register for the "JAL Card Family Program." There is no registration fee, and this is a service exclusive to JAL Card members that allows you to combine the miles accumulated by each family member when redeeming rewards. If you have miles for each family member, you will be much closer to redeeming mileage rewards.
For this trip to Nara, I used a round trip flight from Tokyo (Haneda) to Osaka (Itami). I used the 24,000 miles I had earned through my family membership card and family program to redeem award tickets for two people.
*As of June 2021
JAL Card Family Program
JAL Group Domestic Award Ticket Application
| phone | ： | 0570-025-022（JMB会員専用国内線予約）、03-5460-0311（東京） |
|---|---|---|
| web | ： | https://www.jal.co.jp/jp/ja/jalmile/use/jal/dom/application.html#entry |
(3) When you book a hotel with the "J-SMART" plan, you'll receive miles and special benefits.
If you are planning on staying at a hotel, why not use your JAL Card to make a reservation? If you are a "CLUB-A Card" member, you can enjoy special benefits at Nikko Hotels International hotels.
If you make a reservation for the Hotel Nikko Nara using the J-SMART plan, you can earn 200 to 2,000 miles per night. You can also enjoy early check-in, late check-out, and discounts at hotel restaurants. Make your hotel reservations smart with J-SMART, which is full of great deals.
Since I was able to get a good deal on my flight using miles, I opted for a luxurious suite room at the hotel. Making good deals before the trip and then enjoying luxury during the trip is the best part of using miles to travel.
J-SMART
Hotel Nikko & JAL City Discounts and Benefits
<Tabiato> In this age where cashless payments are the norm, JAL Cards are a great way to spend your money even when making everyday purchases!
In this age of increasing cashless transactions, you can accumulate miles by using your JAL Card for everyday payments.
We recommend using your JAL Card for all your regular payments, such as electricity and water bills!
When paying with a JAL Card, you usually earn 1 mile for every 200 yen you spend. By using your JAL Card not only for shopping but also for paying utility bills such as electricity, water, and communication fees, you can earn miles more efficiently.
Get great deals on online shopping with your JAL Card
Use your JAL Card to pay for online shopping. As shown in the figure above, you can earn miles even more efficiently by joining the "JAL Card Shopping Mile Premium" plan for an additional 3,300 yen (tax included) on top of the annual fee, or by using your JAL Card for online shopping at JAL Card affiliated stores.
Let's simulate a mileage trip
Even if you can earn a lot of miles by shopping, you may wonder if you can actually earn enough to exchange them for airline tickets. In that case, try using a simulation site that lets you input your monthly expenses and find out how many miles you can earn.
For JAL Group domestic flights, the following number of miles can be exchanged for an award ticket.
| JAL Group Domestic Flights Mileage required for reward tickets (As of June 2021) |
| Round trip (2 sectors): from 12,000 miles One way (1 sector): from 6,000 miles |
The more you use the JAL Card, the more you save. There are plenty of opportunities to collect miles even when you're not flying, so have fun collecting miles with your family while thinking about where you want to go next.
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The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
