Kyoto Impressions

I’ve been to Kyoto three times. The first time was when I still wasn’t very familiar with Japan—I had only been to Tokyo once before that. Everything in Kyoto felt new to me: the buses, the shrines everywhere, Ninenzaka, the lively Gojo area, Arashiyama, and I also made a round of the lively spots in Kansai. The second time I went to Kyoto, I visited even more places. Back then I was still in tourist mode and could use the JR Pass, so I went to Miyama, Ine, Amanohashidate, and Kifune Shrine. The third time was a completely independent trip, and I was lucky enough to book a very cheap hotel room that was huge.

Kyoto

Japanese mailboxes. They’re nothing special to me now, but when I first came to Japan, I wasn’t thinking that much—just take the photo.
I found out there are even mail carriers who deliver by bicycle.

Ninenzaka

Maybe because of my first trip to Kyoto, visiting Ninenzaka has basically become a must-do every time I come to Kyoto, and I always have to get an Abrica % coffee.

I really like the atmosphere by the Kamo River. Find an afternoon to stroll along it—ideally in the afternoon. That lazy feeling is amazing.

Miyama

Miyama is more than an hour away from Kyoto by car, and there aren’t many departures, so you have to pay attention to the schedule. The gassho-style village there is beautiful, but when we went it was snowing heavily and many shops were temporarily closed, so sadly we didn’t get to see much. We just walked around, ate a bit, and then took the bus back. Next time, I’d love to go in spring or summer!

While waiting for the bus, we made a little snowman nearby.

Nara

I don’t know Nara very well. Every time I go, I just wander around Nara Park to pet the deer, grab something to eat nearby, and leave—I’ve never really explored it in depth. If I get the chance, I’d like to see what else around there is worth doing.

I like this one—the deer following me around in such a dazed way looks pretty funny.

Arashiyama

PIECE HOTEL

One hotel in Kyoto that I really like is “PIECE HOTEL”. Not only is it very conveniently located just outside Kyoto Station, but its exposed-concrete, industrial-style exterior also suits Kyoto really well. And this unrelated photo is me having breakfast there. Their breakfast changes a little every day, and the rice is really good, so I ended up having several bowls while looking through travel guides and planning the rest of my trip.

Ine

Ine is super, super far away. From Kyoto, it takes about more than three hours by bus to get there. But the scenery here is gorgeous, and it’s also a great place to take a stroll and stay overnight, otherwise the round trip alone takes six hours. The boathouses look amazing, and if the weather is good you can even take a boat ride to feed the seagulls. Unfortunately, when we went, the weather was too bad and the boats weren’t running.

This is Amanohashidate, a stop on the way to Miyama. The atmosphere and scenery here are both wonderful, but because of time constraints we couldn’t stay long. By the time we were heading back, it had already started to snow.

Kurama, Kifune Shrine

Kifune is also a place that’s better to visit in summer. You can eat nagashi somen or try kawayuka cuisine. The most famous sight here is the approach lined with red lanterns. From the station, it’s still quite a walk to the shrine. You can take a bus, of course, but we hiked up the mountain that time—walking uphill while enjoying the scenery, checking out whatever was along the way, and also seeing what was sold in the vending machines.

That’s about it. I took a lot of photos, and I’ll sort them out slowly when I have time.

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