Kyoto recap, bamboo forest, and monkey park

Sharing the final of my Japan posts! We had probably the most magical time in Kyoto and I’m excited to share the main points with you if you happen to’re contemplating including this to your journey listing!

Extra posts from our unimaginable time in Seoul and Tokyo:

Seoul recap

Korean head spa experience

Tokyo recap and why I love Japan

and Tokyo eats + gf picks

Kyoto recap, bamboo forest, and monkey park

So lots of our pals had instructed us to take a bullet prepare to discover close by areas whereas we have been in Tokyo. Okinawa, Nara, Kyoto, and Osaka have been extremely advisable. I feel I discussed in a earlier put up that I used to be intimiated by planning this journey, and including one other journey leg felt like somewhat an excessive amount of for my mind. One in every of my pals instructed us that we’d remorse going to Tokyo and never seeing Kyoto, so we determined to make it occur… and it ended up being my private spotlight of the journey.

Whereas Tokyo is bustling with brilliant lights and tall buildings, Kyoto seems like extra cinematic, serene Japan. Suppose lantern-lined streets, temples, and geishas.

The bullet prepare was SUCH a cool expertise – we have been going 200mph and it was so nice and far more pleasing/hassle-free than air journey –

(Mt Fuji!!)

and earlier than we knew it, we have been checked into our resort in Kyoto.

We stayed on the Gion Elite Terrace, which I booked through Amex travel (<— our referral hyperlink) and would extremely advocate. We’ll completely keep there once more. The foyer was stocked with facilities, tea, scorching cooca and low, and the rooms have been tremendous clear and fashionable. The ladies needed to flip a coin over who may sleep within the loft space… P received.

It additionally had an oxygenated bathtub which infuses the water with tiny oxygen bubbles. They declare to assist eradicate free radicals (nice for anti-aging), enhance pores and skin texture, preserve your pores and skin heat after the bathtub (you don’t really feel chilly afterwards), and assist with sleep. I discovered all of these items to be true. I checked out buying one with the lavatory rework and mildew remediation factor we’re doing however it’s an off-the-cuff 27k. It’s cheaper for me to fly again to Japan and use it there lol.

We spent our first night time exploring. Gion is completely breathtaking and we walked over the bridge and noticed TONS of cute outlets and eating places.

(dress is here!)

(Noticed a nutria within the river which is seemingly an invasive species however all of us cherished him)

Dinner was at Pontocho Shabushabu Sukiyaki Kiraku, which I discovered on Tabelog. It’s a restaurant overview service utilized by locals (this was standard in Korea, too) and a pal instructed us that something over a 3.0 goes to be wonderful. They didn’t lead us astray.

Shabu shabu is like Japanese scorching pot with a boiling pot of broth on the desk and veggies and meat to prepare dinner. There are totally different sauces to dip and a number of programs. We had wagyu and kobe beef, a number of tasty veggies, and afterwards, they made noodles for Liv and the Pilot and egg soup for me and P (gluten-free choice) utilizing the broth.

The following day, we awoke early and headed to the Bamboo Park, which was one in every of my favourite components of all the journey.

We have been surrounded by bamboo. It was simply so lush, inexperienced, and peaceable. We made the hike as much as Arashiyama monkey park, the place monkeys roam freely round you. One stored strolling inches away from my legs!

The remainder of the day was spent buying and lunch was at Engine Ramen. They’ve a gluten-free ramen choice and it was the whole lot. SO flavorful and satisfying. I’ll dream about this bowl of ramen till we’re again!

The following day, we headed again to Ginza, the place we spent one other night time and day earlier than ending out the journey.

I nonetheless have Japression and am doing what I can to search out tiny items of Japan right here. I feel one of many issues I like most about journeys like this isn’t essentially the situation (though on this case, the situation was really breathtaking), however the uninterrupted time with household, likelihood to decelerate, extra strolling and time in nature. Much less time scrolling, extra time having fun with. I really feel like I’m being annoying about how a lot it modified my life, however this journey actually affecting me on a soul degree. It was in contrast to something I’ve skilled, and it was significant to see how conventional and present can coexist, the way in which everybody in Japan appears to take monumental delight in what they do, the neighborhood appearing for the nice of others as a substitute of selfishness. It was quite a bit to soak in. We’ve been house a month and I nonetheless give it some thought each day.

Thanks for studying about our adventures!! What have you ever been as much as this summer season? Any enjoyable journeys on the horizon?

xo

Gina