If you just started planning your trip and wondering how to prepare for Japan, then read this post first.
KYOTO
This city has 1600 temples and 400 shrines so you could spend weeks and won’t have covered half of them. I will list a few famous ones worth checking out, the first one being the Fushimi Inari Shrine which has thousands of gates most of which are donated by people or companies.
The next one is Kinkaku-ji temple known for its golden façade in a reflective pond. Be aware that it gets very touristy thus busy. Kiyomizu-dera known for the historic view you can get from the top as it is situated on top of Mount Otowa. During the summer festival in July, the Yasaka Shrine is easily accessible and leads to a huge park with access to more shrines.
One of my favourite places in Kyoto was a small mountain that you hike up for about 1 hour. This place not very well known to tourists at the time, only locals used to hike up this area however times may have changed. This won’t change the fact that the view is magnificent from the top.
The hike to get to this place is actually quite hidden, most people go to the temples at the bottom. However, if you take a turn that goes towards a car park and follow that road, you will end up at this lovely place. It’s so peaceful and tranquil, you can see the whole city from up there. Take a few moments to enjoy the view.
The hike in itself is not very difficult, a lot of old people tend to hike here fairly easily. You may even see groups of kids on a school trip, so you can do it. Finding the way up is slightly tricky as there are no markings to tell you the right direction. Try MAPS.ME, an app for offline maps offering more details for hikes, trails and small roads that are not accurate on google maps.
It will take you roughly 2 hours in total to complete the hike. You can also visit the temples once you get back down or just take a look at the souvenir shops and have a break.
If you want to try some specialities, there are a few places. I haven’t explored this area much so take these recommendations with a grain of salt.
This restaurant is known for its beef and Sukiyaki (Japanese hot pot). All the food is cooked at your table in the pot. Crack the egg and whisk it. Once the pot is hot, cooked to your liking, dip the beef in the yolk and eat it. It was a very interesting concept; the taste is sweet while remaining a little meaty. There are 3 sets of Sukiyaki to choose from, the only difference between each one is the broth. They distribute reservations at 9:30AM if you want to get a seat. They generally have set times when they let people in, have a walk by or check out their website (most of it is in Japanese with some English writing, same as in the restaurant)
Hours:
Monday – Wednesday: 11AM – 3PM
Thursday: Closed
Friday – Sunday: 11AM – 3PM
Personal Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Average Cost: ¥1,200– ¥2,000 (£9 – £15) per person
Similarly, to Okonomiyaki, Kyoto has its own take on it.
A savoury pancake with different ingredients. They only serve this dish with a choice of drink.
While waiting to be seated, you can see the cooking process. If there is queue, it will move fast as service is very quick. You will get seated anywhere there is space.
All the ingredients work together so well and bring out amazing flavours in each other. It is generally not filling but feels more like a snack and something to try, so you might not want to make this your main meal.
The ingredients are as follows:
Hours:
Monday – Saturday: 11AM – 3AM Sunday: 10:30AM – 10PM
Personal Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Average Cost: ¥1,000– ¥2,000 (£8 – £15) per person
If you are strolling around in Kyoto, there is a high chance you will come across this market. There are many food stalls selling various things, some restaurants and cafes as well that can be worth trying if you feel hungry while walking down this road. If you feel like having some ramen and see something noteworthy while you are at it, then come to this place.
While walking around Nishiki market, you might come across this place. They serve all kinds of food, if you just want a snack or for some ramen. One interesting thing happens at this place, every time someone comes into the restaurant, they greet them and say goodbye to anyone that leaves. It’s amazing to watch while having a cool atmosphere. Nice place to take a break, with reasonably priced and good quality food. You can probably get better quality for the price somewhere else but just for the vibe it’s worth it.
Hours:
Monday – Sunday: 11AM – 10PM
Personal Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Average Cost: ¥1,000– ¥2,000 (£8 – £15) per person
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