I’m starting my Japan travels recap with Kyoto because it was the place that inspired me most. I LOVED Tokyo, Narita, and Okinawa, but Kyoto brought out the artistic whims in me. Kyoto transported me to a different place and time and everything seemed to slow down there. There is so much variety, so I’ve listed the must-see spots in Kyoto. I felt the need to know more and immediately began reading Memoirs of a Geisha while I was there. I just wanted to learn MORE!
When you get to Kyoto, you’ll hear that you need to go to Gion, the historic Geisha district. It’s true, you do, however, there are so many other nooks and cranies. It was were we went on our first night there and definitely a scene. There was so much to Kyoto that I feel like this deserves a couple of posts, but I’ll start here with must see Kyoto spots and where we ate! In my next post I will cover the temples, Bamboo forest and other Kyoto nuances!
GION
Gion was everything that it promised to be, the obvious of must see spots in Kyoto. It was full of life and smells! You kinda get delivered at the perimeters of the neighborhood and then weave yourself in and out of the blocks. You can have really authentic dining here, as well stumble on quite secretive clubs. There was an intance that we walked up to what seemed like Japan’s version to a bouncer, and he very, very politely said “Japanese only”. Ouch. JK. In any case, we went a couple of nights and had so much fun. I’m not gonna remember the name of the first “pub” we went to but there was an awesome spot called Wasabi that had private dining rooms and the works!
Kamogawa River
This spot has a quite a few restaurants and seems a bit more residential than any other spot we visited. We ate at Kiwa, a romantic spot overlooking the river. Luckily there was AC on the 2nd floor where we could see all the businessmen in their suits eating outside! This was just one of the MANY options along the strip. There are many!
Sannen-zaka and Ninen-zaka
You know what’s scary?! We actually wouldn’t have made it to these eye candy streets if we hadn’t randomly booked a Tea Ceremony at Camelia’s! Of all the people we spoke with, nobody brought this place up. You guys, you can’t miss it. This place is like a movie set out of historic Tokyo! The shops, the geishas or maikas (apprentice geishas), the man drawn carriages, it’s a sight for sore eyes. The only thing that’s a bit eerie about it is that it’s so clean!
I had so much fun there with the shops, Starbucks, Tea Ceremony, and people watching. Don’t miss heading out here, it’s a must see spot in Kyoto!
Sakyo-Ku
I will always think of this neighborhood fondly because it’s where we found an amazing, cozy pizza place called Da Yuki Pizza ! It was coal-fired perfection, and as pizza experts, we approved. Right outside of there was an adorable neighborhood where we ran into a ton of balloon lanters that had a dreamy magical effect! There were a few hole in the wall bars still open but we just strolled through and soaked it in!
Nishiki Market
Last but not least, Kyoto’s Kitchen is a must see spot in Kyoto! You’ll see fresh baby octupus on a stick, baked goods, fried foods, abundance of merchandise. Everything that’s hand crafted and get a real sense for the culture and life in Kyoto. I loved strolling and wandering. We came here at the of a long morning of Temple hopping, so the noise and buzz were a welcome sound. This is a great spot for buying souveniers and gifts, but it’s a bit pricey actually! The food is reasonably priced however, and you’ll definitely leave with a full tummy!
Keep an eye out for the rest of my Kyoto recap including temples, the guide you need to hire for your trip, and more! Let me know if there’s specific questions you have. XO, Z