A Day Trip to Experience Korea, China, and Japan

A destination you can reach within an hour by subway from Seoul! Enjoy the sea, savor grilled clams, and explore Korea's modern history and multicultural experiences in an exciting trip to Incheon. 🚉 🎡 Three Kingdoms Mural Street ✔️ Location: 262-15 Jemullyang-ro, Jung-gu, Incheon The journey begins at Incheon Chinatown. But first, since I left home quite early, I decided to stop by a café on Three Kingdoms Mural Street for a coffee break. ☕️ Unlike the bustling Chinatown, Three Kingdoms Mural Street is located in a quiet alley. The uphill path makes the murals enjoyable to view, though it can be a bit tiring for your legs. Thankfully, there's a charming café where you can take a break. The café, now called 'Café Undeokseu,' is small and neat, offering a cozy atmosphere. You can enjoy delicious coffee and sweet desserts while admiring the Three Kingdoms murals through the large windows. 👍 🇨🇳 Incheon Chinatown ✔️ Location: 12-17 Chinatown-ro 26beon-gil, Jung-gu, Incheon Next stop, Chinatown! A trip always starts with good food. Shrimp Chibitkoyaki and Macau-style egg tarts may not be traditional Chinese dishes, but they were new and exciting to try. 🥠 The flower-shaped ice cream reminded me of my European travels, so I couldn't resist trying it. :) Chinatown also has a Jajangmyeon Street, where every Chinese restaurant has long queues. Although I skipped it this time since I had already decided on my lunch menu, the Jajangmyeon here seems famous and worth trying someday. 🎡 Songwol-dong Fairy Tale Village ✔️ Location: Songwol-dong 3-ga, Jung-gu, Incheon Songwol-dong Fairy Tale Village is distinctly different from other mural villages I've visited. The decorations are on another level. ✨️ Not only are the murals delightful, but the 3D sculptures and fairy tale characters add a unique, immersive experience. I had fun spotting my favorite fairy tale characters throughout the village. 😊 Walking through the colorful and adorable characters in Songwol-dong Fairy Tale Village felt like stepping into a storybook. It was a truly enjoyable experience. :) 🇯🇵 Japanese-style Street ✔️ Location: Gwandong 1-ga, Jung-gu, Incheon As you walk further, you'll come across a Japanese-style street with traditional Japanese architecture, offering a completely different vibe. Although it's a short street, there are many museums and exhibition halls worth visiting, such as the Incheon Open Port Museum and the Incheon Open Port Modern Architecture Exhibition Hall. Incheon offers a unique blend of Korea's modern history, a charming fairy tale village, and glimpses of Chinese and Japanese cultures, making it a refreshing and diverse destination! 👍 🎡 Incheon Beer ✔️ Location: 41 Sinpo-ro 15beon-gil, Jung-gu, Incheon There's a famous craft beer spot in Incheon. I stopped by to enjoy a daytime beer and elevate the travel mood. At Incheon Beer, you order your beer on the first floor and enjoy it in the vintage-style second floor. 🍻 I grabbed Kaehang-ro Beer, Wave Beer, and Sleepwalking Beer on the first floor and headed upstairs. Make sure to bring your own snacks, but don't worry, glasses and bottle openers are provided. On the second floor, you can see the brewery and even doodle with board markers. It brought back childhood memories of scribbling on walls and was a fun little activity. 💖 🇰🇷 Jayu Park and the Centennial Monument of Korea-U.S. Treaty ✔️ Location: 93 Jayu Park-ro, Jung-gu, Incheon Now it's time for some modern history. This is Jemulpo, where Korea signed its first treaty with a Western country, the Korea-U.S. Treaty of Amity and Commerce in 1882, which was an unequal treaty. Jayu Park features the Centennial Monument of Korea-U.S. Treaty, Korea's first Western-style garden built during King Gojong's reign, and statues commemorating General MacArthur and student soldiers who participated in the Incheon Landing Operation. It's a place to reflect on history. 🙏 🎡 Cheongchun Clams ✔️ Location: 21-2 Wolmi Culture-ro, Jung-gu, Incheon To enjoy grilled clams, I headed to Wolmido. While walking around Wolmido, I noticed a cute two-car monorail passing overhead. I considered riding it, but the price wasn't very appealing. 😅 Since it started raining, I quickly found my way to Cheongchun Clams. Even though it was the weekend, I got in without waiting since it was past 3 PM. They offer unlimited refills, but I opted for the premium clam grill set for two, as I wasn't planning to eat too much. The set included various clams, scallop pasta, bulgogi, corn cheese, cheese tteokbokki, shrimp gratin, and more. Plus, they provide free self-serve seafood ramen and complimentary ice cream for dessert! 🍦 A full day trip to Incheon, just an hour from Seoul, packed with activities from morning to evening. It was truly a fun and fulfilling day. 🤩