Temple Hopping with Plenty of Shopping

Nishiki food market
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Upon arriving in Kyoto we checked into the very popular K’s House. True to its reputation K’s offers super clean and comfortable rooms and the shared bathrooms are immaculate with a more than adequate number of showers and toilets. If you plan on staying here be sure to book at least a month ahead!!! We booked two weeks in advance and there was only a place for us to stay 3 nights and this involved changing rooms each morning.

We spent the second half of our time in Kyoto staying in a traditional Japanese Ryokan called Kyoka Ryokan, which came complete with Tatami mats for sleeping on and even had a coin operated television. Our room was absolutely huge (bigger than our flat in London) and was made up of three separate areas that could be cordoned off with sliding screened doors. If you want to stay in a Ryokan this is a great affordable option.

We were fortunate enough to spot a pair of the elusive Geisha’s popping out from a back street

More temples
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One of the main highlights in Kyoto is of course the numerous Zen like temples. There are many to choose from and with each of them charging a hefty entrance fee our advice would be to do your research carefully and then choose a few that appeal to you otherwise you could find yourself templed out and a little broke. The temples we visited included Kiyamizudera, Ginkaku-ji, Chion and Nanzen-ji the last being a highlight as a result of its squeaky Nightingale floors- designed to detect intruders sneaking in.

Buddhist temple gate
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We also visited the Nishiki food market, which has some very interesting foods available with many stores offering free samples of their tasty delights. Although not very traditionally Japanese we loved the mini soy donuts sold from a little corner store – you can smell them from a mile off. This food street also has shops selling some beautiful and unique Japanese pottery and kitchen accessories.

A real highlight for us in Kyoto was the geisha performance we saw at Kamogawa Odori. This show, only performed in May, is put on by one of Gion’s famous Geisha houses. The performers are a combination of Geisha and Meiko (trainee Geisha) and provide a real insight into this ancient art form. The kimono’s worn were absolutely stunning and I would say it’s a must see for anyone interested in costumes. It’s also surprisingly affordable too at 13 pounds.

Shannyn in Kurama
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Ponto-cho alley was also a highlight. As well as this street being beautiful as a result of its traditional wooden buildings and lanterns hanging everywhere from restaurants and shop fronts we were fortunate enough to spot a pair of the elusive Geisha’s popping out from a back street. Although we found the restaurants here a little pricey for our budget the street itself is very beautiful and has a lovely quaint atmosphere.

If you want to see some beautiful streets laden with traditional architecture then Shinmonzen-dori in Gion is another good place to spend a few hours walking around. You can also pop into an antique shop or too whilst here.

Old Kyoto buildings
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We also did a half-day trip to the small rural village of Kurama, about half an hour away by train. We went there to try out an onsen (hot spring bath), this one being particularly pleasant as it was surrounded by mountains. There are both indoor and outdoor pools here and we chose to buy the ticket for the outdoor pool. It’s a very well maintained stone and cedar pool surrounded by beautiful trees with red foliage.

Once again the food here didn’t disappoint. On our first evening we ate some superb ramen at a very basic looking locals restaurant that attracted all types of patrons including wealthy looking businessmen (can’t remember the name but K’s can direct you there). We also enjoyed one of the best meals of our entire trip here at an Okonomiyaki restaurant and if you’re a fan of sushi be sure to give Musashi Sushi a go as well.   Shannyn