Day 4 – New city, who this?
Our last day in Tokyo, I managed to wake up early and get my laundry in. We all packed up and leisurely made our way downstairs for konbini breakfast and hotel checkout. I would like to take this moment to shout out Suntory Boss bottled coffee. That elixir was smooth and strong. With bellies sated we headed to Shinjuku station and then to Shinigawa station to catch the bullet train to Kyoto.
I was looking forward to riding the Shinkansen and also the tradition of getting an ekiben (a bento box meal for the train ride). There were so many options. I settled on a salmon box that came with rice, tempura, pickled veg, and macaroni salad. I also had my first of many cold mugicha (roasted barley tea).
We arrived in Kyoto and made our way to our hotel. Kyoto was so much hotter than Tokyo! I was glad to get to the hotel to freshen up. We walked around Teramachi arcade for a bit and since we were close to Nishiki Market, we had dinner there.
Day 5 – Such hot, so much to see!
My body had reset me to early mornings so I joined Gina and Lamont around 6:30am for a walk around Gion, trying to beat the heat and the tourists out to the streets. Although it was already in the 80s at 7:00 in the morning, it was great to walk around in the early light and see Kennin-ji temple and the surrounding gardens. Nothing was open yet but it was fun looking around and having the time to capture some details without the crowds.
On the walk back to the hotel, we stopped at Koé donuts. Holy shirt balls those were some of the greatest donuts I’ve ever had. So good, I didn’t even take pictures! We got there just as they opened so the donuts were hot and fresh. I shared mine with Serge when we got back to the hotel. I had chosen:
- Kyoto Matcha Chocolate
- Salted Lemon Sugar (my favorite)
- Plain chocolate cake
- Maple Bacon (least favorite)
Later in the day, we all met up again and headed to Ginkaku-Ji temple and garden. The place was nestled into a hillside with amazing grounds and gardens.
After a few hours there, we returned to the hotel and went out to dinner at an okonomiyaki restaurant. They didn’t allow pictures but I have to say, I was not a fan of the dish. It was too sweet for my taste and not that substantial. But the beer with dinner was cold and crisp!
Day 6 – Tea, Kimonos, Pagoda!
We got up and headed back to Gion for a traditional tea ceremony at Maikoya. We were able to dress in kimonos for the ceremony. And while I was hesitant to do so at first, it ended up being fun. Lamont, Serge, and I looked like the three friends in Mulan that dress up as geishas to sneak into the imperial palace. The tea ceremony was such a highlight. I really enjoyed getting some history and insight into the ceremony. There was a lot of kneeling and sitting on your feet on tatami floors but it was only for an hour.
After the ceremony, we changed back into our street clothes and made our way to the Yasaka Pagoda. It was such a treat to walk through the old streets of the neighborhood and take in all the shops.
We got back to the hotel and rested. Our plan was to bus it out to the Arashiyama Bamboo forest but we left too late. It was a bit dark and stormy so we bussed it back and had our best meal in Kyoto. I don’t know the name of the establishment but the food was great! A great surprise dish was a breaded chicken cutlet in a pomodoro sauce (sorry, no photo). It was such a flavorful, delightful dish – so tomato forward and delicate. Other great items were the fresh sashimi and tempura chiles. And there was whisky! Good times were had by all.
Day 7 – The Walkening.