Nishinomiya: My Japanese Neighborhood
I arrived in Japan last week, my major stop being Nishinomiya where I’n visiting with my younger son, Gerard. Nishinomiya is between Osaka and Kobe, and I’ve been here before. I specifically requested my lodging to be Yakkoryokan. Because it’s a popular place, Gerard made reservations here for me a long time ago. Since it is my home base for the month I chose it for the title image.
Address: 5-19 Koshien Nanabancho Nishinomiya-shi Hyogo-ken
Nishinomiya: My Ryokan
Here’s the entrance to Yakkoryokan:
Here’s the garden:
Lobby:
Dining room:
A ryokan is a traditional Japanese inn. That means my room has: i) a futon; ii) tatami mats; 3) a low table; 4) storage; and 5) a sink.
Another view:
The women’s toilet is across the hall. I always stay in hotels with a bathroom in the room (!). However, for some reason here, I don’t mind going across the hall. It’s only 2 feet away. And since I think I’m the only woman on my end of a small floor, I’m not sharing it with anyone.
Here’s the view of the street outside my window:
How in the heck do they park their cars like that? It’s obviously possible, although it seems next to impossible
As for the bath, it’s upstairs … and happens to be an onsen ‘traditional Japanese bath.’
The big character in the middle of the red curtain means ‘hot water.’ The one in the lower right that looks like it’s on a drum is the logogram for ‘woman.’ Red is for women, blue is for men. You do not want to this one wrong.
Inside there are individual places to shower/rinse off – which you must do three times – before getting in the hot pool to soak. You do not use the pool to get clean. You use the pool to relax.
I do find the onsen relaxing, which is why I always choose to stay in a ryokan. (For privacy and relaxation purposes, no pictures.)
Nishinomiya: My Train Station
My train station is Koshien 甲子園 . On the building in the upper left of the image, below, the first three large characters are for Koshien. The fourth character is for ‘railroad.’ Koshien is on the Hanshin line.
Han 阪 is another pronunciation of the second character in Osaka大阪, while shin 神 is another pronunciation of the first character in Kobe 神戸. Thus, the Hanshin 阪神 line is the one that goes from Osaka to Kobe.
My ryokan is a block and a half, at most, from the entrance – amazingly convenient
Once you get a hang of the train system, it’s possible to to get all over the Osaka area. Until you get a hang of the train system, you’ll likely find yourself in strange places. (At least, I have on occasion.)
Nishinomiya: My Kombini
Kombini = convenience store. This Asnas is across from the station.
Konbini is a perfect example of Japanese English, as is Makudo ‘McDonald’s’ and Famima ‘Family Mart’ (another popular convenience chain)
I often come here in the mornings to get tea and onigiri ‘rice triangles filled (with different things)’:
In order to open the onigiri you follow the numbers: #1 you pull the tab down from the top; #2 you slide the right side of the plastic away; #3 you slide the left side of the plastic away. It works!
Nishinomiya: Hanshin Tigers
in Japan Nishinomiya is synonymous with besubaru ‘baseball.’ Everyone knows the Hanshin Tigers (pronounced ‘tie-ga’). Their stadium is at most a five-minute walk from my ryokan.
Their gear is sold everywhere and worn by many. You can buy it at the stadium:
But not to worry, if the stadium shop is closed, Tigers shops abound around town:
You really need a lot of paraphernalia during a game.
It looks like Yusuke Ohyama (infield) and Hayato Ito (outfield) jerseys are popular – I had to look them up!
Of note: my ryokan is so popular because of its proximity to the stadium. It is now baseball season, and that is the reason Gerard had to make my reservation so far in advance. My ryokan is full-on Tigers devoted.
Here is example of a case from the lobby which you see when you first walk in:
I won’t show you pictures of all the baseball memorabilia in the ryokan, but I can assure you it is everywhere – except maybe in the onsen.
Need a Tigers-themed taxi? No problem!
This is a baseball town. Hard core.
Nishinomiya: My Shopping Centers
There are basically two: Corowa, on one side of Tiger’s Stadium
Starbucks has crept in everywhere. You can glimpse it in the middle right, the brown facade, with the letters -UCKS COF–E just visible. I’m sure it wasn’t there two years ago when I was last here
And Lalaport, across the street from Tiger’s Stadium
At Lalaport I had this sighting of a Tigers fan in full regalia.
I guarantee the front of his outfit is as elaborately decorated as the back. I respect his privacy by not photographing his face.
Nishinomiya: My Izakaya
An izakaya is a traditional, neighborhood restaurant. It’s not quite fast food, and it’s not quite a diner, but it has elements of both.
Mine (that is, Gerard’s) is Torisan ‘Mr. Chicken’
That’s my neighborhood!
See: All Asia Blogs
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They feel like a rare find for anyone interested in hotel and management. These ebooks and videos have already been welcomed and found very useful by students in Russia, the USA, France, the UK, Australia, Spain, and Vietnam—helping learners and professionals strengthen their real hotel reception skills. I believe visitors and readers here might also find them practical and inspiring.
Unlike many resources that stay only on theory, this ebook and training video set is closely connected to today’s hotel business. It comes with full step-by-step training videos that guide learners through real front desk guest service situations—showing exactly how to welcome, assist, and serve hotel guests in a professional way. That’s what makes these materials special: they combine academic knowledge with real practice.
With respect to the owners of julietetelandresen.com who keep this platform alive, I kindly ask to share this small contribution. For readers and visitors, these skills and interview tips can truly help anyone interested in becoming a hotel receptionist prepare with confidence and secure a good job at hotels and resorts worldwide. If found suitable, I’d be grateful for it to remain here so it can reach those who need it.
Why These Ebooks and Training Videos Are Special
They uniquely combine academic pathways such as a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management or a master’s degree in hospitality management with very practical guidance on the front desk agent description. They also cover the hotel front desk job description, and detailed hotel front desk duties and responsibilities.
The materials go further by explaining the reservation systems in hotels, check-in and check-out procedures, guest service handling, and dealing with guest complaints—covering nearly every situation that arises in the daily business of a front office operation.
Beyond theory, my ebooks and training videos connect the academic side of resort management with the real-life practice of hotel front desk duties.
– For students and readers: they bridge classroom study with career preparation, showing how hotel management certificate programs link directly to front desk skills.
– For professionals and community visitors: they support career growth through questions for reception interview, with step-by-step questions to ask a receptionist in an interview. There’s also guidance on writing a strong receptionist job description for resume.
As someone who has taught hospitality management programs for nearly 30 years, I rarely see materials that balance the academic foundation with the day-to-day job description of front desk receptionist in hotel so effectively. This training not only teaches but also simulates real hotel reception challenges—making it as close to on-the-job learning as possible, while still providing structured guidance.
I hope the owners of julietetelandresen.com, and the readers/visitors of julietetelandresen.com, will support my ebooks and training videos so more people can access the information and gain the essential skills needed to become a professional hotel receptionist in any hotel or resort worldwide.
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