To add another country to my visited list, I chose Mongolia — close to Japan but still unvisited. A direct flight from Narita to Ulaanbaatar was available but expensive, so I routed through Incheon on Asiana Airlines: Haneda → Incheon → Ulaanbaatar. One night in Ulaanbaatar, then on to Macau the next day as part of a multi-country trip.
Itinerary
Outbound: Haneda → Incheon → Ulaanbaatar
Ulaanbaatar Stay
Transferred to the city from the airport, checked into the hotel, explored the city until evening. One night, departed the next day.
Haneda → Incheon
Haneda Airport at night was more crowded than expected. Arrived at Incheon just after 4 AM. The lounge wasn’t open yet, so I waited on a bench. Got in right at opening — it was empty, and I used the food and shower.
The short Haneda → Incheon flight allowed almost no sleep, but on the Incheon → Ulaanbaatar leg I slept so deeply I don’t even remember takeoff.
Mongolia from the Air
Approaching Ulaanbaatar, an expanse of brown earth stretched out below. Almost no trees or buildings — just rolling hills. Dry riverbeds traced lines across the landscape, with the occasional cluster of buildings. Completely unlike Japan or Korea.
Chinggis Khaan International Airport
Immigration was smooth. The only question was my hotel name. Through in a few minutes.
Airport to the City
I took a shared taxi, but there were no other passengers — essentially a private ride. For the first stretch after leaving the airport, nothing but dry land with the occasional ger in the distance. Then, about 30 minutes in, buildings appeared suddenly and traffic exploded. Horns blaring on a two-lane road, buses, cars, and motorcycles weaving through each other. Ulaanbaatar has the face of a rapidly growing capital.
Sükhbaatar Square
The central square of the capital. A statue of Damdin Sükhbaatar stands in the center, with the Government Palace and Chinggis Khaan statue behind it. Both tourists and locals were gathered.
National Museum of Mongolia
Just off Sükhbaatar Square. Exhibits span from ancient stone tools to artifacts of the Xiongnu, Göktürks, and Uyghurs, Chinggis Khaan-era armor, and socialist-era propaganda posters. The preservation quality of old materials was impressive. Mongolia’s dry climate and low seismic activity help protect historical artifacts naturally.
Yoshinoya Mutton Bowl
Walking from the museum, I spotted a Yoshinoya. In Mongolia, Yoshinoya serves a mutton bowl. It looks similar to a regular beef bowl, but the aroma is entirely different. Firm-textured mutton with a sweet-savory sauce. A menu item unavailable in Japan.
Supermarket Shopping
I bought souvenirs at a local supermarket. Mongolian dried cheese “aaruul,” mare’s milk candy, milk tea bags, and more. Cheaper than the airport.
One Night Only
No time to reach the grasslands outside the city, but there was plenty to see within Ulaanbaatar alone. The next day, I called a taxi from the hotel to the airport. Left Ulaanbaatar for Macau.