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 small print with you should you’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 buddies had informed 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 really helpful. I believe I discussed in a earlier publish that I used to be intimiated by planning this journey, and including one other journey leg felt like a bit of an excessive amount of for my mind. One in all my buddies informed 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 shiny 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 pleasant/hassle-free than air journey –

(Mt Fuji!!)

and earlier than we knew it, we have 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, sizzling cooca and occasional, and the rooms have been tremendous clear and fashionable. The ladies needed to flip a coin over who might sleep within the loft space… P gained.

It additionally had an oxygenated bathtub which infuses the water with tiny oxygen bubbles. They declare to assist remove free radicals (nice for anti-aging), enhance pores and skin texture, maintain your pores and skin heat after the tub (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 transform and mould 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 evening exploring. Gion is totally breathtaking and we walked over the bridge and noticed TONS of cute retailers 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 fashionable in Korea, too) and a buddy informed us that something over a 3.0 goes to be wonderful. They didn’t lead us astray.

Shabu shabu is like Japanese sizzling pot with a boiling pot of broth on the desk and veggies and meat to cook dinner. There are completely different sauces to dip and a number of programs. We had wagyu and kobe beef, a lot 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 awoke early and headed to the Bamboo Park, which was one in every of my favourite elements of your entire 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 saved 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 all the things. 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 evening 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 like most about journeys like this isn’t essentially the situation (regardless that on this case, the situation was actually 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 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 huge pleasure in what they do, the group appearing for the nice of others as a substitute of selfishness. It was loads to soak in. We’ve been dwelling a month and I nonetheless give it some thought day by day.

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

xo

Gina