If you have come upon this blog in a quest to decide which place to visit or to help with planning you next trip, I hope it helps.
This is my first visit to Japan and so we decided to choose the most iconic cities - Kyoto and Tokyo.
Both these places are totally different - you get as glimpse of the traditional and the modernized version of Japanese lifestyle and culture.
A very organized, breathtakingly beautiful place with the most polite people I have ever met, this place has stolen our hearts.
The reason we chose to visit Japan was to see the Sakura blossoms and Mt Fuji and for my Anime lover husband, well, he is completely fascinated by the Japanese history and lifestyle.
We traveled from San Francisco to Osaka via Beijing - China eastern Airlines, they do have very good deals most time of the year. The best time to visit Japan is the cherry blossom season and the fall. We had a 15 hr layover in Beijing, so we reached Osaka on 1st April,16.
Date of Travel - 31 March 2016 - 5 Apr 2016
Days in Kyoto - 4
Stay - Airbnb - approx 80$/day
Food places I recommend -
Food stalls in Yasaka Shrine
Food stalls in Arashiayama
Kobe Gavly Burgers - This is located inside the Kyoto Railway Station - Really awesome burgers
Torikizoku - I have posted their english menu in Tripadvisor.
Supermarkets - Family Mart, 7Eleven carry good food and other things. We got microwaveable noodles from Family Mart for breakfast most days - was really good.
We took train from Osaka airport to Kyoto and then from Kyoto railway station we took a cab to our place of stay. Taxis are available in front of the train station.
Our stay was near the famous Yasaka Shrine and so all the places like the Maruyama Park was just 5-10 mins away which was really awesome.
Day 1 Gion at night, Shirakawa area
Reached our stay around 5 PM. We did not have any plans for the day, so after freshening up we went out to see the city and grab dinner.
The cool evening breeze, the bright lanterns hanging in Yasaka Shrine, the wonderful energy of the city in the evening was mesmerizing, but just then, we reached the Shirakawa area in Gion - the streets were filled with breathtakingly beautiful Sakura trees, it felt surreal.
We had dinner from a Korean place near Yasaka Shrine - the food was amazing - well, to be true, we never had a bad meal or even 'ok' meal during the 10 days we were in Japan, the food there was just amazing.
Day 2 Yasaka Shrine, Maruyama Park, Furukawa-cho shopping street, Keage Incline, Nanzenji, Philophopher's path, Ginkakuji
After a quick break fast from nearby Starbucks we started our day by visiting Yasaka Shrine.
Maruyama Park is just behind the shrine and if you keep on walking there are many more temples - Otani Sobyo and Chorakuji temple.
Yasaka Shrine has lot of small food stalls and is a great place to grab lunch. After lunch we walked via Shirakawa bridge to Furukawa-cho shopping street, Jingu Torii Gate and Niomon Dori.
The Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art campus on the way was really beautiful so we went in and spend some time there. On the way to Keage Incline we saw a tour group with a performer dressed as Geisha. There were some food stalls near Keage and so time for snacks!
Next destination was Nanzenji. The temple is very big and has many places to see. We went to the Sanmon Gate, Aqueduct and Pond Garden and then decided to start from there.
It was a long walk to Ginkakuji (Higashiyama Jisho-ji) via Philopher's path. After seeing the beautiful zen temple and the garden we decided to head back.
Day 3 Arashiyama - Togetsukyo Bridge, Tenryu-ji Zen Temple, Bamboo Groves, Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street, Daikakuji Temple
First on our list was Arashiyama, a district on the western outskirts of Kyoto, Japan. It is a great place to enjoy the cherry blossoms. We reached Arashiyama by bus. The view from Togetsukyo Bridge was really amazing. There were many food stalls near. After some ramen, curry buns and bamboo shoots for lunch we headed to the Tenryu-ji Zen Temple. The garden in this temple called Sogenchi Garden is one of United Nations Heritage Sites and was truly beautiful.
Then we headed to the Bamboo groves and the Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Streets. The preserved streets has beautiful Japanese style houses and will make you feel that you never want to leave.
After a long walk and a bus ride, we reached Daikakuji Temple. This temple is a must see. All the temples have a grandeur and serenity that will inspire you. This temple located near a small pond amidst Sakura trees is a great sight. One of the reason we really enjoyed here could be because there was very few people and the tranquility of the place as amazing.
Day 4 - Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Nishiki Market, Ninenzaka, Sannenzaka Street, Ryozen Kannon
Being our last day in Kyoto, we decided to explore the places near our place of stay. We went to few shrines on the way and then to the famous Kiyomizu-dera Temple. On the way back we went to Sannenzaka Street (preserved streets) and to the Buddha statue in Ryozen Kannon.
In the evening we went to Maruyama Park, it was really magical after sunset.
Few tips -
If you are planning to visit Japan during the cherry blossom season, it would be best to plan it atleast 3 months in advance since it is the most busiest time there and the prices of hotels really go up.
This is my first visit to Japan and so we decided to choose the most iconic cities - Kyoto and Tokyo.
Both these places are totally different - you get as glimpse of the traditional and the modernized version of Japanese lifestyle and culture.
A very organized, breathtakingly beautiful place with the most polite people I have ever met, this place has stolen our hearts.
The reason we chose to visit Japan was to see the Sakura blossoms and Mt Fuji and for my Anime lover husband, well, he is completely fascinated by the Japanese history and lifestyle.
We traveled from San Francisco to Osaka via Beijing - China eastern Airlines, they do have very good deals most time of the year. The best time to visit Japan is the cherry blossom season and the fall. We had a 15 hr layover in Beijing, so we reached Osaka on 1st April,16.
Date of Travel - 31 March 2016 - 5 Apr 2016
Days in Kyoto - 4
Stay - Airbnb - approx 80$/day
Food places I recommend -
Food stalls in Yasaka Shrine
Food stalls in Arashiayama
Kobe Gavly Burgers - This is located inside the Kyoto Railway Station - Really awesome burgers
Torikizoku - I have posted their english menu in Tripadvisor.
Supermarkets - Family Mart, 7Eleven carry good food and other things. We got microwaveable noodles from Family Mart for breakfast most days - was really good.
We took train from Osaka airport to Kyoto and then from Kyoto railway station we took a cab to our place of stay. Taxis are available in front of the train station.
Our stay was near the famous Yasaka Shrine and so all the places like the Maruyama Park was just 5-10 mins away which was really awesome.
Day 1 Gion at night, Shirakawa area
Reached our stay around 5 PM. We did not have any plans for the day, so after freshening up we went out to see the city and grab dinner.
The cool evening breeze, the bright lanterns hanging in Yasaka Shrine, the wonderful energy of the city in the evening was mesmerizing, but just then, we reached the Shirakawa area in Gion - the streets were filled with breathtakingly beautiful Sakura trees, it felt surreal.
We had dinner from a Korean place near Yasaka Shrine - the food was amazing - well, to be true, we never had a bad meal or even 'ok' meal during the 10 days we were in Japan, the food there was just amazing.
Day 2 Yasaka Shrine, Maruyama Park, Furukawa-cho shopping street, Keage Incline, Nanzenji, Philophopher's path, Ginkakuji
After a quick break fast from nearby Starbucks we started our day by visiting Yasaka Shrine.
Maruyama Park is just behind the shrine and if you keep on walking there are many more temples - Otani Sobyo and Chorakuji temple.
Yasaka Shrine has lot of small food stalls and is a great place to grab lunch. After lunch we walked via Shirakawa bridge to Furukawa-cho shopping street, Jingu Torii Gate and Niomon Dori.
The Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art campus on the way was really beautiful so we went in and spend some time there. On the way to Keage Incline we saw a tour group with a performer dressed as Geisha. There were some food stalls near Keage and so time for snacks!
Next destination was Nanzenji. The temple is very big and has many places to see. We went to the Sanmon Gate, Aqueduct and Pond Garden and then decided to start from there.
It was a long walk to Ginkakuji (Higashiyama Jisho-ji) via Philopher's path. After seeing the beautiful zen temple and the garden we decided to head back.
Day 3 Arashiyama - Togetsukyo Bridge, Tenryu-ji Zen Temple, Bamboo Groves, Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street, Daikakuji Temple
First on our list was Arashiyama, a district on the western outskirts of Kyoto, Japan. It is a great place to enjoy the cherry blossoms. We reached Arashiyama by bus. The view from Togetsukyo Bridge was really amazing. There were many food stalls near. After some ramen, curry buns and bamboo shoots for lunch we headed to the Tenryu-ji Zen Temple. The garden in this temple called Sogenchi Garden is one of United Nations Heritage Sites and was truly beautiful.
Then we headed to the Bamboo groves and the Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Streets. The preserved streets has beautiful Japanese style houses and will make you feel that you never want to leave.
After a long walk and a bus ride, we reached Daikakuji Temple. This temple is a must see. All the temples have a grandeur and serenity that will inspire you. This temple located near a small pond amidst Sakura trees is a great sight. One of the reason we really enjoyed here could be because there was very few people and the tranquility of the place as amazing.
Day 4 - Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Nishiki Market, Ninenzaka, Sannenzaka Street, Ryozen Kannon
Being our last day in Kyoto, we decided to explore the places near our place of stay. We went to few shrines on the way and then to the famous Kiyomizu-dera Temple. On the way back we went to Sannenzaka Street (preserved streets) and to the Buddha statue in Ryozen Kannon.
In the evening we went to Maruyama Park, it was really magical after sunset.
Few tips -
- Check timings for the temples and gardens when you make your plans.
- Check the buses you need to go from one place to another if you don't have mobile data.
- Bus passes are useful.
If you are planning to visit Japan during the cherry blossom season, it would be best to plan it atleast 3 months in advance since it is the most busiest time there and the prices of hotels really go up.
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