Eager to see as much as Kyoto as possible, we got up early and headed to the Fushimi-Inari Shrine. This was a definite highlight of the trip for me. Dozens of bright orange torii gates and shrines line the trail, as far as the eye can see. 1300 years old, the shrine is well preserved and a must visit in Japan. From here, we headed to Kiyomizu-dera Temple for a breathtaking view of the whole city, from two incredibly majestic shrines (arches) and a pagoda. We returned here later for an unforgettable sunset too.
We did a walking tour around Gion and Higashiyama-Ku, the Geisha and old town areas and finished at the beautiful Yasaka Shrine, another orange Shinto religious beauty. We then headed to Starbucks in Higashiyama, the first tatami mat Starbucks in the world, to chill (sitting on the floor) and recharge. It was a fab experience, but if in Kyoto, definitely check out % Arabica for some amazing coffee. (Having fit in as much into one day that most people fit into 2-3 days, coffee was much needed). If you want to see a real life Geisha, head to Gion around 17.30 in the evening to see them making their way to evening appointments (one of the estimated 200-300 Geisha that now exist worldwide).
The next day, having still not had enough of shrines, we set out early to beat the crowds at Kinkaku-ji Temple, aka Gold Pavilion Temple, a stunning shiny gold temple in a peaceful setting. Next we headed to Kifune-jinja, but somehow ended up at the Shimogamo Jinja instead (!) which was incredibly beautiful but a little same same after all the temples. It is the only Shinto shrine where you get your fortune slip and have to immerse it in the stream water for it to be visible.
Next we hopped on a bus to Nishiki Market, a food market where we tried mochi(Japanese rice flour cakes) okonomiyaki (Japanaese savoury pancakes), soy milk doughnuts and wagyu beef skewers *drool*. We hopped back on a bus to Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, a one hour bus ride across town. We arrived at dusk, to the sound of crows cawing and echoing through the forest, very eery! It would probably be better to visit here in the daylight though. We culminated the trip with a visit to the incredible Kimono Forest nearby, a spectacle of hundreds of light poles, decorated with kimono patterns.
FYI Buses in Kyoto are more useful for getting around between sights than the metro, we got a few trains too. Google maps will tell you which way is best so make sure to check that in advance. Also, renting a bicycle to tour the shrines is a great way to get around and get a workout in.
So there you have it, our week-long trip to Japan, which many people could split across two or three week 😉 It was jam-packed but bucket-list filled, with some amazing memories made and mouth-watering food had! I also want to visit Nara some day, and know I’ll be back to Tokyo with work at least, but I’m definitely not done with the rest of Japan, and can’t wait to go back already. Have you been? What were you highlights?
Kyoto Highlights
