Kyoto! The cultural hub of Japan. A must-visit destination. Bonus, it’s a foodie’s paradise!
Endless temples pepper the city, each with unique design and its own historical significance. I’ll mention a few spots in this post, but definitely pick up a guide if you’re going specifically for the sightseeing.
If there was ever a place to release your inner gluttonous beast, Kyoto would be the city. The town has successfully assimilated to the modern lifestyle while maintaining the beauty and pricelessness of ancient Japan. In Kyoto you’ll see groups of young Japanese dressed in traditional kimono, strolling the streets, recording themselves with a drone that plugs into their iPhone.
You can eat your way through Kyoto, and that’s what we did. We spent a few days in a small Airbnb just up the road from the main temples and shopping areas. Luckily, if you’re actively getting to all of the sights and participating in activities, you’ll likely walk off all that delicious food you’re eating. Some days my FitBit tracked over 30,000 steps!
Pro tip: eating out in Japan is much more fun with company. Bring a friend.
[PS: I was visiting in the fall/winter. Japanese cuisine is heavily adapted to the seasons, so you may have a different experience depending on when you visit. Also, with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics approaching, many historic sites are under construction.]
Without further ado:
Kyoto Through Food!
In an attempt to visit as many temples as possible, we started walking right after check-in to the Airbnb.
(That’s my hangry face)
We wandered the streets a bit, admiring all of the tiny shops, the beautiful exteriors, the hidden cafes and quiet nooks. You could live in Kyoto for months and never see all that it has to offer. We saw a pagoda far in the distance, and let that be our north star as we made our way through the city.
Turns out it was ‘Hokan-ji,’ a picturesque 5-story Buddhist pagoda temple.
At the base of the pagoda, there’s a small window-shop that sells hot drinks as well as soft-serve. I would usually pass on ice cream (#LactoseIntoleranceProbs) but this was ice cream COVERED IN GOLD.
Ok, it’s matcha (green tea) ice cream covered in a thin sheet of gold leaf. But still, never pass up a chance to eat gold.
It was starting to rain, but we powered on to our next location: Kiyomizu-dera Temple. It’s probably the #1 sightseeing temple on most Kyoto travel guides, and rightly so. It was even a finalist to be one of the New7Wonders of the World.
Pay a small entrance fee, and go on to explore the huge complex. If you go during the day, the views of the city are stunning. Make sure to notice the wooden beam structure supporting the main building. It was all built without a single nail!! Visit again in the evening for a completely different experience, which i’ll get to later on.
Local SAKE and BEER Stand 336 -Sansaro-
Heading back down the hill, we spotted an interesting shop on the corner. Local SAKE and BEER Stand 336 -Sansaro- had a rectangular bar, with only standing space around it. They had a few tasting flights on the menu, so we tasted.
It was incredibly cozy. Standing in a darkly lit store on a random side street in Kyoto, the rain pattering on the large glass windows behind us. I could’ve stayed in that twilight moment forever. Except I was hungry. So we left in search of food.
Okonomiyaki
We walked in the direction of our apartment, huddling under the umbrella that wasn’t doing a great job of keeping us dry. After passing countless over-touristy places, we passed a rickety, shack-like complex. A few steps away, our grumbling stomachs made us stop and turn around. There was no real sign, no advertising of what it possibly could be. Just a hanging piece of cloth that market the entrance to a restaurant.
We went inside.
Imagine the smallest room you can think of, then cut that in half. Slice it in half again and you’ve got the restaurant we walked into. The long black flat-top took up the majority of the room, with just enough space on either side for the customers and the chef. At the late time of night, I was surprised by the number of customers in the little store.
It was a okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancake thing) restaurant. We squeezed behind the counter and ordered, the chef smiling and nodding as he poured the nama (beer).
Strangely enough, there was an American woman sitting next to me. She told me that this was her second time at this restaurant, and it was the best okonomiyaki in Kyoto. Her son was working in Tokyo, and she had a few days off to herself and was visiting Kyoto. Nice lady.
Unfortunately, this restaurant did not show up on Google maps. If you want to try and find it, you’ll take Higashi Oji-Dori (the main road east of the river) and walk North. It’ll be on your left, somewhere between Tokai-do and and Nijo Dori.
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I scoured the internet database of travel blogs to find a local place for breakfast.
Cafe Roji Usagi
Open from 8 am, getting to this place was a bit of a struggle only because we kept questioning, “really, there’s a cafe out here?” as we walked further and further along the winding streets of a really quiet neighborhood. We managed to reach the little pin on my GPS, and there it was, Roji Usagi open for business.
You’re entering a person’s home. Not uncommon in Japan, but a bit unexpected when you’re used to structured restaurants and a business atmosphere. We took our shoes off at the genkan (the entrance to a Japanese home), and were seated at the counter by a young girl. The counter seats were the only ones left, because the Cafe was packed with young high school students, enjoying their breakfast on the tatami (bamboo floor) seating area. (wait, this was a weekday… don’t these kids have school?)
We ordered the set breakfast, the last two orders of the morning (lucky again!).
The mother of the house was the chef, working hard in the tiny kitchen hidden behind a decorative cloth hanging over the archway. As we warmed our hands with the complimentary tea, I looked around the Cafe. The main tatami room was half-library, the family’s personal books and magazines on display, available for customers to flip through. You could see the family trinkets scattered around the room, and a narrow staircase in the corner that probably lead to the upstairs bedroom.
It was strangely comforting to be served breakfast in a stranger’s home. It was a feeling that I’d like to incorporate into my own cafe someday.
The meal was generous, and typical for a traditional Japanese-style breakfast. Staples of rice and miso soup accompanied by a main grilled item, in this case fish. Side dishes of potato salad, a variety of pickles, and an omelet, all on individual dishes.
Delicious.
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After milling around and making our way along the river, we came across a quaint cafe, just around tea time.
The aptly named Kawa (river) Cafe is located along Kamo River, a bit north of Kyoto Station. It has a nice terrace and a naturally lit interior, making it the perfect spot to grab a cup of java. It was cherry blossom season, so sakura-flavored everything was abundant.
It’s hard to pass up the beautiful cakes and pastries of Japan. Not only do they take the time to make it visually appealing, but they use real ingredients to craft a treat that accompanies your drink as well.
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Back on the tourist path, the next destination was the Arashiyama area. It’s west of Tokyo, and fairly easy to get to by train.
The bamboo forest is probably the most Insta-worthy spot, so we headed there first.
The other big spots in this area include: Tenryu-ji Temple, Kameyama-koen Park, Okochi-Sanso Villa, and a bunch of other possibly historically significant temples.
More importantly, a beautifully branded coffee chain is here. There’s one in Kyoto’s city center as well, but the line was so long we decided to pass. This was another chance.
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With locations set to open all over the world, this stylish coffee company is making waves. The sleek design and modern appeal makes it a hit on social media, as you’ll notice if you scroll through #Kyoto.
Even this location had a long line out and down the street. We decided to suck it up and stand in line, to try the alluring % Arabica Coffee. With all of the flashy design and branding, I wouldn’t have been surprised if the actual coffee was mediocre, but much to my surprise, it was one of the best americanos i’ve ever had.
I guess it helps to have a world-class barista make your espresso (really, he won competitions).
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There’s a fun sightseeing train that runs from Arashiyama (right next to the JR Saga-Arashiyama station) to Kameoka, called the “Sagano Torokko Ressha.” It’s a romantic little ride. I recommend sitting on the outdoor car, on the right side if you’re headed towards Kameoka. You’ll get a beautiful view as you chug through the mountains.
A one-way ticket is plenty, and you can hop on the JR line back to Kyoto Station near the area you disembark at in Kameoka.
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What’s another ‘Kyoto’ sightseeing spot?
Two words: Orange Gates.
Fushimi-Inari is as magnificent as it looks in photos.
Take the JR Nara Line (ugly brown color) towards Joyo from Kyoto Station to Inari Station.
Before you start the temple hike up the mountain, stop by Vermillion for another cup of coffee, made by a handsome Australian. When you’re ready, Follow the people towards the big red arches and temples, and continue up the hill. Depending on the season, this area will be lined with food stalls and street vendors. Grab some bites if you’re hungry now, as there’s not much when you enter the arches.
The gates wrap up and wind up towards the peak of the mountain. Near the beginning, there will be a lot of tourists with you, so hold off on taking photos until later on. Most people won’t choose to do the entire hike, so the further you go, the less likely your photoshoot is going to be interrupted. We started the hike fairly late, so we were treated to a beautiful and scenic sunset.
You may notice that along there is text carved into one side of the arches. That’s because you can actually purchase an arch (part of a donation), and have one built there in your name. So each year new arches are added to the path. It’s fascinating to see the really old ones (aged wood, faded paint) compared to the brand new ones (bright color, pristine condition).
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That’s it for Part 1. There was so much packed into this Kyoto trip, I could break this blog post up into ten parts… but i’ll summarize it into just two. Read Part 2 Here.
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18/31 #YearOfChallenge