A revenge graduation trip with friends from school days! A trip around Awaji Island with JAL Card

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Remembering my student days! Traveling to Awaji Island with friends after a long time

There are probably many people who were not able to take the graduation trip they had been looking forward to in recent years. Why not take a "graduation trip" with your friends from your school days that you were not able to take back then?

The destination we chose was Awajishima in Hyogo Prefecture, which is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Western Japan and is gaining attention both domestically and internationally. It has well-developed transportation links connecting Shikoku and Kansai, and has the perfect combination of sights, food, and fun. This is the start of our revenge graduation trip, a spot where everyone can have fun and be satisfied!

Use the miles you've saved up for this trip to get an award ticket!

The two had planned a graduation trip when they were students, but were forced to cancel it due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. A few years have passed, and now it's time for revenge! They each used the miles they had accumulated using their JAL cards to purchase a reward ticket to Tokushima Awaodori Airport.

During your trip, you can earn miles by using your JAL Card to cover admission fees, food, souvenirs, etc. The miles you earn can be exchanged for reward tickets, so they will come in handy on your next trip.

Furthermore, if you use your JAL Card for everyday shopping, you can accumulate miles!

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Take a commemorative photo at the photo spot of "Uzu-no-Oka Onarutobashi Memorial Museum and Uzushio Science Museum"

About 30 minutes by car from Tokushima Awaodori Airport, across the Onaruto Bridge, you will arrive at the Uzu-no-Oka Onaruto Bridge Memorial Museum, a complex where you can enjoy gourmet food, shopping, and entertainment.

As soon as they arrived, the two headed for the giant onion sculpture "Ottamanegi." It is 2.8m tall, 2.5m in diameter, and weighs about 250kg. Standing tall with the Onaruto Bridge and the Naruto Strait in the background, you can't help but feel the love for onions, a specialty of Awaji Island!

Whirlpools occur in the Naruto Strait, located between Awaji Island and Shikoku. At the Whirlpool Science Museum, you can learn about their mechanism while having fun, and you can also see the Uzunetarium, which recreates an actual whirlpool.

The hydraulic model, which uses video and 3D equipment to recreate ocean currents inside the tank, has attracted worldwide attention as a rare piece of content. New digital art is also scheduled to be introduced in late March 2024.

If they've come all the way here, they want to actually get their hands on some onions! That's when the two discovered the "Onion Catcher." For 500 yen, you can play five times, and if you don't catch any, you're guaranteed to get a bag (containing about four onions).

When you catch one, add it to the bag and get as many onions as you catch. I was able to catch two hands full of onions!

Put on an onion wig and try out some games, or take photos at the photo spot "Tamaden." After having lots of fun, don't forget to pick out some souvenirs at the shop!

Of course, you can pay with your JAL Card and collect miles while you travel.

Uzu no Oka Onaruto Bridge Memorial Museum and Uzushio Science Museum

Pick up your favorite indigo-dyed items as souvenirs at "AiAii"

After having lots of fun at Uzu no Oka, we drove about 30 minutes north to Sumoto City. We arrived at Awaji Island's indigo dyeing studio, AiAii. This is a facility that combines a studio and a shop where you can participate in indigo dyeing workshops and purchase cute accessories.

The studio is run by Sally Hancox from the UK and Junichi Okada from Hyogo Prefecture, a married couple who moved to Awaji Island to raise their children, and they use traditional, environmentally friendly methods to cultivate indigo, make the dye, and dye their products.

The indigo dyeing workshop, where the married couple who say "creating artwork is fun" carefully teaches you how to make things, is also popular. "Please try using all your senses to experience it, not just the color and design, but also the fermented aroma and texture," they said with a smile.

The shop attached to the workshop is filled with items dyed with carefully cultivated indigo. T-shirts, socks, noren curtains, mizuhiki accessories, and more, all made using various tie-dyeing techniques, are on display. Choose items for everyday use as souvenirs. The beauty of the indigo color grown in the naturally rich land of Awaji Island will surely bring back memories of this graduation trip every time you see it.

AiAii

Enjoy ingredients from Awaji Island at Farmhouse Restaurant Haru Sansan

Awaji Island is a treasure trove of not only onions, but all kinds of ingredients. To experience this for ourself, we went to the Farm Restaurant Haru Sansan in the northern part of Awaji City for lunch.

Designed by Shigeru Ban, a world-renowned architect who won the Pritzker Architecture Prize, known as the Nobel Prize of architecture, the building is made of wood, paper tubes, and a thatched roof, blending in with nature and giving visitors a sense of peace. You can also buy fresh seasonal vegetables inside the store.

The main dishes on the table are vegetables freshly picked that morning from the restaurant's own farm or on the island. The appetizers are made using more than 10 different kinds of vegetables, each one cooked to bring out its natural flavor. For lunch, the two chose the "Haru Sansan Set" (2,500-2,800 yen.)

You can choose from a variety of main dishes, including pasta and meat dishes, and enjoy them with salads, soups, and homemade bread freshly baked in the oven. The two of them chose "Roasted Ebisu Mochi Pork." The light taste and sweetness that spread in their mouths made them smile and exclaim, "Delicious!"

In addition, live music is played in the store several times a day, and sometimes they even respond to customer requests.

You can pay for your lunch with your JAL card. As this is a JAL card affiliated store, you can earn double the usual shopping miles.

Farmhouse Restaurant Haru Sansan

Rediscover your childhood on the Godzilla zip line at "Nijigen no Mori"

Filled with ingredients from Awaji Island, the two are full of energy. They plan to have fun in the afternoon. Their destination is "Nijigen no Mori", about a 10-minute drive from "Farm Restaurant Haru-Sansan".

As its name suggests, this is a new type of park where you can experience two-dimensional content with all five senses. In an area roughly the size of 28 Tokyo Domes, it is home to a variety of attractions based on Japanese anime and manga that are popular around the world.

The popular attraction at "Nijigen no Mori" is "Godzilla Intercept Operation." The attraction is themed with the world's largest life-sized Godzilla, and its power and intensity will only get you excited.

You can also purchase attraction tickets with your JAL card. As this is a JAL card affiliated shop, you can earn double shopping miles here as well. The movie-like, powerful images and original story will draw you into the world of Godzilla in an instant.

You can choose between a zip line that lets you enter the life-sized Godzilla's body through its mouth, or a zip line that lets you glide along the side of Godzilla's body. The two of them had a blast watching the realistic Godzilla approach them, cutting through the wind.

After the zip line, you can try the "Godzilla Cell Shooting" event. You aim at the targets on Godzilla's body and shoot with a special gun.

After the zip line and shooting game, we went to the Godzilla Museum, the world's first permanent Godzilla museum, where you can learn about Godzilla's history. There are also three-dimensional Godzilla statues from each generation and photo spots, making it a must-see for Godzilla fans!

In the shop, I was distracted by the countless Godzilla goods, but I was able to choose souvenirs. In the rest area next to the shop, there are original food items with Godzilla motifs. You can take a break from your excitement.

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Nijigennomori

Relax in the hot springs at "View Matsuho no Sato" with a spectacular view of the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge

To heal our body after having a lot of fun at Nijigen no Mori, we head to the day spa facility "View Matsuho no Sato." It's about a 10-minute drive north. The spa facility sits on a small hill, and there is an "AWAJI" monument on the outdoor terrace. Behind it, you can see the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, one of the world's largest suspension bridges, which connects Hyogo Prefecture and Awaji Island. The two are entranced by the magnificent beauty of the bridge.

While taking photos and admiring the bridge, it started to get a little chilly, so we headed to the hot springs to soothe our bodies.

When you open the door to the open-air bath, you can see the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge. The lights of the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge began to light up against the vividly changing evening sky.

You'll lose track of time as you gaze upon the magnificent view while soaking in the high-quality, moisturizing waters. When the sun sets and night falls, the lights of Kobe city sparkle even more, creating an even more fantastical view of the illuminated bridge and the Kobe nightscape.

You can also buy souvenirs at this facility, so the two decided to stop by the shop. They had original T-shirts and other items on display, including "Ikanago no Kugini," a local dish from Hyogo Prefecture.

The two of them were completely relaxed in both body and mind. Though they were reluctant to leave the magnificent view, they drove to Auberge French no Mori, where their trip would conclude.

View Matsuho-no-Sato

Experience adulthood with a luxurious stay at "Auberge French no Mori"

The two were enchanted by Awaji Island. The last place they visited that day was "Auberge French no Mori." An "Auberge" is a restaurant with lodging facilities, which are common in France. This is also a stay-type restaurant located in the middle of lush nature, where you can spend an extraordinary time tasting authentic French cuisine.

This time, we will be staying in one of the three buildings, "Grand Baobab." The restaurant on the first floor has a grand piano, and we can enjoy a luxurious dinner while listening to live piano music in a relaxing atmosphere.

Dinner is French cuisine packed with ideas for Italian cuisine that makes the most of the simple ingredients. A total of 12 dishes, from appetizers to desserts, coffee and sweets after the meal, will fill you up. Of course, Awaji Island ingredients are used lavishly, and the attention to detail of the head chef, who has worked at a number of famous restaurants, is evident in every dish.

After enjoying a meal that features the bounty of Awaji Island's sea and land, you can relax in your room.

The motif of the room is a French mansion, and from the windows you can see the magnificent nature of Awaji Island. You can spend a relaxing time away from your daily routine, surrounded by the beautiful trees and flowers of Awaji Island and the chirping of birds in the quiet space.

"We've really grown up now that we can enjoy such wonderful trips," the two said, but when they started talking about their school days, they felt as if they were back in those days. They thoroughly enjoyed their time together, as if to make up for the few years they had been unable to travel.

As it is a JAL Card affiliated store, I was able to earn double the usual shopping miles when I made payment.

Auberge French no Mori

The two enjoyed a luxurious trip befitting their "revenge graduation trip," and had the chance to have a fun time that they could only have now. The next morning, they headed to Itami Airport (Osaka International Airport) to conclude their trip.

If you want to enjoy Awaji Island to the fullest, be sure to use the JAL Pack. We are also offering great coupons.

Let's go to Naruto and Awaji Island, a city where you can enjoy seasonal food and scenery!

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