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 should you’re contemplating including this to your journey checklist!

Extra posts from our unbelievable 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 practice to discover close by areas whereas we had been in Tokyo. Okinawa, Nara, Kyoto, and Osaka had been extremely beneficial. I believe I discussed in a earlier submit that I used to be intimiated by planning this journey, and including one other journey leg felt like just a little an excessive amount of for my mind. Certainly one 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 vibrant lights and tall buildings, Kyoto seems like extra cinematic, serene Japan. Assume lantern-lined streets, temples, and geishas.

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

(Mt Fuji!!)

and earlier than we knew it, we had been checked into our lodge in Kyoto.

We stayed on the Gion Elite Terrace, which I booked through Amex travel (<— our referral hyperlink) and would extremely advocate. We are going to completely keep there once more. The foyer was stocked with facilities, tea, scorching cooca and occasional, and the rooms had been tremendous clear and trendy. The women needed to flip a coin over who might 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 get rid of free radicals (nice for anti-aging), enhance pores and skin texture, maintain your pores and skin heat after the bathtub (you don’t really feel chilly afterwards), and assist with sleep. I discovered all of this stuff to be true. I checked out buying one with the lavatory rework and mildew remediation factor we’re doing but it surely’s an informal 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 totally 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 beloved him)

Dinner was at Pontocho Shabushabu Sukiyaki Kiraku, which I discovered on Tabelog. It’s a restaurant evaluate service utilized by locals (this was fashionable in Korea, too) and a buddy instructed us that something over a 3.0 goes to be glorious. 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 completely different sauces to dip and a number of programs. We had wagyu and kobe beef, plenty of tasty veggies, and afterwards, they made noodles for Liv and the Pilot and egg soup for me and P (gluten-free possibility) utilizing the broth.

The subsequent day, we awakened early and headed to the Bamboo Park, which was one in every of my favourite components of your complete journey.

We had 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 purchasing and lunch was at Engine Ramen. They’ve a gluten-free ramen possibility and it was the whole lot. SO flavorful and satisfying. I’ll dream about this bowl of ramen till we’re again!

The subsequent 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 seek out tiny items of Japan right here. I believe one of many issues I really like most about journeys like this isn’t essentially the placement (regardless that on this case, the placement was actually breathtaking), however the uninterrupted time with household, probability 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 not like 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 satisfaction in what they do, the neighborhood performing for the great of others as an alternative of selfishness. It was lots to soak in. We’ve been house a month and I nonetheless give it some thought daily.

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