When in Kyoto: What to Do

To my surprise, out of all of the places that I went in Japan, even over Tokyo

View of Kyoto from Higashiyama-Ku in January 2020.

View of Kyoto from Higashiyama-Ku in January 2020.

Beautiful gardens near Nijo Castle in Kyoto; January 2020.

Beautiful gardens near Nijo Castle in Kyoto; January 2020.

Kinkakuji Temple in Kyoto Japan in January 2020.

Kinkakuji Temple in Kyoto Japan in January 2020.

… Kyoto was my favorite of them all.

It sounds bizarre, but the city immediately reminded me of the cities that I’ve been to in Switzerland, especially of Basel

 With the mountains surrounding the city, conspicuous buses and public transportation on every corner, the run-down-looking-buildings with random pieces of beauty every few corners, the bikers everywhere…

… I think that’s a part of the reason why I liked it so much, but also, it just has its own distinct vibe about it. Unlike Tokyo, which is to massive to get to know on a personal level, Kyoto is more walkable and easier to discover all of the things many people get so excited about to do and see when they come to Japan.

Wondering about all the things I did in Kyoto that made me like it so much? 

 Thinking about what to do in Kyoto when you go yourself?

 Here’s a list of everything that my friends and I did:

 

1.     Had a Miniature Japanese Lesson 

On our way to Kyoto, our tour guide gave us a miniature Japanese lesson.

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I remember how to say ‘hello’, ‘good evening’, ‘thank you’, ‘yes’… and ‘two’.

… that’s about it. But hey, at least you and I both have this sheet for reference!

 

2.     Visited the Motorikyu Nijo Castle

 We had the experience of walking through a temple with our shoes off here. 

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Then, we explored some of their gardens. I really liked how all of these gardens in Kyoto gave me the authentic “I’m in Asia” vibe that my photo album was begging for. 

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3.     Kinkakuji Temple

 Guys… this was my favorite temple that I saw in Japan

 I mean…

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 … it was golden! 

 And the reflection against the water?!

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When I showed this picture to my dad after coming back, his reaction was, 

Woah, that’s pretty…”

And I concurred, saying, 

“I know, right?!”

 

4.     Shopped & Wondered Around Kiyomizu-dera

 This place has some great views of Kyoto…

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 … as well as some of the cutest souvenir shopping I saw in all of Japan. This area reminded me of San Marino, Assisi, and San Gimignamo in Italy with its narrow streets and small, charming stores. 

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5.     Explored Fushimi-Ku

There’s a lot to see there!

There’s a lot to see there!

Look guys… it’s the apple shrine emoji in real life!

Look guys… it’s the apple shrine emoji in real life!

I liked these temples and shrines more than the ones I saw in Tokyo, to be honest…

I liked these temples and shrines more than the ones I saw in Tokyo, to be honest…

Ever seen those multiple series of shrines in YouTube vlogs or on pictures on google?

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Yep… this is the place where these would be. 

P.S.  – this place has a lot of cool street food to try. Watch my vlog below to see us try some!

 

6.     Had Unbelievable Falafel at Veggie Café

 Okay… guys… let’s get something straight.

 I’ve been to Israel, home of the falafel, and also – have had falafel in Le Marais in Paris, which apparently, is supposedly also some of the best falafel that you could have in the world. 

Some of the best falafel that I’ve ever had… in Japan. In Kyoto! Who knew?!

Some of the best falafel that I’ve ever had… in Japan. In Kyoto! Who knew?!

This place is tiny, independtly owned, but man… it was worth the wait. It’s hands down some of the best falafel I’ve ever had in my life.

P.S. – Also struck up a great conversation with two Aussies from Melbourne who had recently moved to Perth.

 P.S.S. – I love Aussies more than anyone else.

 

7.     Stopped by Tenryu-ji Temple

 I was really into the reflective lakes and gardens here, too.

Panoramic shot of the garden/lake at Tenryu-ji Temple in Kyoto in January 2020.

Panoramic shot of the garden/lake at Tenryu-ji Temple in Kyoto in January 2020.

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Loved these side pathways and asymmetric asian foliage!

Loved these side pathways and asymmetric asian foliage!

There’s always time for artsy shots, like these :P

There’s always time for artsy shots, like these :P

 

8.     Walked Through a Bamboo Forest

 When I signed up for this excursion, I expected a 45 minute walk through… this was 5 minutes. 

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 Still, there’s no better way to suddenly feel like you’re really in Asia then to be surrounded by these tall and skinny plants. 

Walking through a bamboo forest near Tenryu-ji Temple; January 2020.

Walking through a bamboo forest near Tenryu-ji Temple; January 2020.

 

9.     Hiked Up to the Top of a Monkey Zoo

Not going to lie, the thought of possibly being attacked by a money low-key terrified me. Plus, I was in an off mood given I had misplaced my hotel key. However, the views from the top…

Panoramic view of Kyoto from the top of Iwatayama Monkey Park!

Panoramic view of Kyoto from the top of Iwatayama Monkey Park!

… were well worth the trip to get there. It’s around 550 yen ($5.50 USD) to go inside, and the panoramic view of the city makes the ticket price valuable on its own. 

View of Kyoto from Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama in January 2020.

View of Kyoto from Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama in January 2020.

 

10.  Found the Pokémon Store

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 This was insane. Basically, anything you wanted Pokémon: a lunchbox, a stuffed animal, a phone case… it was here.

All the Pokemon cards you could ever want… would you believe that each pack was only 160 yen each?! (That’s only around $2 USD!!)

All the Pokemon cards you could ever want… would you believe that each pack was only 160 yen each?! (That’s only around $2 USD!!)

 If I were a bigger fan, I would’ve strongly considered buying these travel stickers of Pikachu! 

Look how cute!

Look how cute!

 

11.  Fulfilled Our Inner Child at the Hello Kitty Store

 I remember being so confused as a six-year-old girl when I sometimes saw Hello Kity advertised as, “Sanrio”.

Kind of a surreal moment for my six-year-old self, even as a twentyone-year-old girl!

Kind of a surreal moment for my six-year-old self, even as a twentyone-year-old girl!

I bought a little Hello Kitty towel here for my future Paris apartment. Pretty great souvenir, if you ask me!

 

12.  Ate Matcha Pancakes with Red Bean Paste & Soy Vanilla Ice Cream

It was the perfect ending to a perfect trip in Kyoto. 

Playing Pokemon cards over a vegan Japanese dinner :)

Playing Pokemon cards over a vegan Japanese dinner :)

 My friends and I visited Ain.Soph Journey, and it was a great experience. The staff speaks excellent English, the atmosphere is soft, and they play sweet acoustic music in the background. 

This fake Spanish tortilla and phony breakfast sausage… they were both so good!

This fake Spanish tortilla and phony breakfast sausage… they were both so good!

The chick’n seitan burger was great!

The chick’n seitan burger was great!

I also really enjoyed marking my place on their map that keeps track of their visitors from around the world!

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And yes… while the pancakes were kind of bland in flavor (because that’s what matcha tastes like, to me), the red bean paste and soy ice cream part was indeed as good as it sounds. 

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There you have it guys! That’s everything that I did, saw and ate in Kyoto!

Want to see it all in action? Be sure to watch my Kyoto vlog below!

 If you want to read more about Japan and its other cities, click here.