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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/aloneghost on 2024-01-28 16:05:26.

Hi everyone,

Writeup is great to re-live the trip, so here I am noting down the essential from my trip last month. English isn’t my native language so please forgive the mistakes below.

General

  1. Bus: the process may differ between cities, so best not to be the first to get on. For example, in Tokyo passengers get on via the front doors and pay the fare, and finally get off through the rear doors. In Kyoto, you get on through the rear doors, then pay right before getting off through the front doors.
  2. Google Maps is good for nearly all navigation, no need to install any domestic apps.
  3. If you visit museums, bring your own earphones/headset in case you have to hear the audio guide with your phone.
  4. For mobile data, 1 GB/day/person is more than enough for navigation, keeping in touch with friends, and miscellaneous internet browsing.
  5. Best to bring a powerbank, because they don’t help to charge your phone (unlike in S. Korea). In a pinch, you can rent a powerbank though.
  6. If you use a physical IC card, put ~¥2-3,000 in it, and ¥5,000 pocket cash. Coins are useful for vending machine and laundromat, keep some.
  7. If you need to check the map during your walk, don’t be obtrusive. Step aside from the walking stream.
  8. Wanderlog is your besto friendo.
  9. Omiyage is greatly appreciated, so bring some national delicacies (such as candied fruits, coffee, trinkets…) as souvenirs for the people you like.
  10. Grocery shopping bag and umbrella (during rainy seasons) are 2 handy things to always have with you.
  11. When selecting hostel/hotel, the nearer the station entrance, the better.

Itineraries

Day 1: Just move

I landed at NRT at 2 PM. I was worried about the data esim, but one toggle and I was online once more. Getting through Customs was a breeze, and I arrived at Tokyo Station on the Limousine Bus relatively early. The Limousine Bus was a mistake though, because it was quite pricy at ¥3,100. You can go to Tokyo Station with only ¥1,300 via JR.

From Tokyo Station, I got my Toica card and wanted to get on the earliest Shinkansen Tokaido Nozomi to Kyoto. Getting the ticket was troublesome for me, but luckily the helpful station staff helped me out, and I was able to board the train at ~4:30 PM. The lightning-fast train was impressive, and I arrived at Kyoto Station at nearly 7 PM, and at my hostel quite early at maybe 7:30 PM. I was feeling rather anxious, so I checked the room briefly for hidden camera and bedbug. Things looked to be in order.

After checking in, I went to a local yakiniku for some wagyu, and was blew away by the super good but still affordable food. It was only ~2km away from my hostel, so I decided to walk back. Kyoto was very cold that night.

Day 2: Walked until my legs gave out

I came to Nijō-jō (二条城) as early as they opened, and I had a lovely time following many groups of tourists on my walk through the castle interior. The castle brochure contains many interesting facts and the tour guides mostly repeated them back to the tourists, but I liked to look at their expressions and gestures. I knew about the “nightinggale floor” before visiting, but I thought it was a glorified sound. In fact it sounds exactly like birds are singing, and when you are looking at beautiful murals, it’s like all your senses are getting their share. What a magnificent place. I enjoyed the walk through the scenic gardens too.

I then went to Otsuka, a well-known steak house for my lunch. The queue was long and I had to wait for 20-30m. I considered going elsewhere, but was too tired so I resigned to waiting. The food and service were both superb, so I didn’t regret waiting.

Revived after a big lunch, I then proceeded to Arashiyama bamboo grove. That was a big mistake. Even at hundreds of meters away from the entrance the crowd was too thick to manage, so I decided to ditch the place and walked to the Katsura river instead. The day was growing and it was a nice breezy late autumn afternoon on the riverside. Even though there were still lots of people there, the space was expansive so it didn’t feel crowded at all.

I got back at Arashiyama station to go to the Manga museum. At the station, I saw the Kimono forest, which is a collection of collumns sheated in kimono cloth. At night they are lit from within and I think it’ll look good then, but in the daylight it’s hard to distinguish from the murals that are everywhere you look.

The Manga museum would be superb for a/ manga fans, and b/ those who know Japanese. You can easily spend a whole day in there. I don’t know Japanese so I only understood a small part of the exhibition, and read some foreign comic books. Still, I liked it very much.

I then went to a nearby cafe called Kurasu, had my oat milk latte and watched people from the pavement. Then, I slowly made my way through the area until I reached the Ritz-Carlton Hotel on the Kamo riverside, and strolled alongside the river. I walked through the Pontocho, but didn’t like it very much. I stopped at a matcha shop and a confectionery shop before dragging my feets back to the hostel. At this point my heels were killing me.

Day 3: I didn’t know Inari was a hike

Determined to avoid crowds, I arrived at the entrance of Fushimi Inari Taisha at 6:30 AM and started to make my way through the red gates. Some fellow travellers were there, but luckily, no crowd. People posed and took photos during the first leg of the hike, but when I ascended further it was more focused and tranquil. Upon reaching the midpoint of the hiking trail, there were some benches for looking at the landscape below. I was not impressed with the view, but I appreciated the thoughtfulness. I was not fit at all and my wheezing must have waken up the whole city by then.

But I managed to complete the hiking loop, got down via another trail, and arrive at Vermillion cafe just 10m before their opening time to have my breakfast and coffee. Even at that time, there was a queue. But luckily I secured a seat right on the balcony, overlooking the stream. So I watched the ducks catch their breakfast while I had mine.

Then I went to Gion, walking around the empty streets was so calming. When I was too sore to walk any longer, I got to Maikoya for a matcha-making class. I was an hour early for my appointment, but I was too cold and tired, so I sat waiting next to a heater and watched people. Then when it was my turn, they helped me into a kimono that I liked, took some photos for me, then guided me to the class. Sitting seiza-style for longer than 20m is painful, but I tried to sit properly whenever the hostesses delivered a speech or instructions. When it was time for us to practice, I had to sit cross-legged to let the blood flow a little. The matcha was bitter, and I had thought that the wagashi was supposed to accompanied matcha, but it turned out that they are eaten and drank in turn, not together.

After the class, it was mid-late afternoon and I strolled to Sannenzaka-Ninenzaka. I was sure not to stumble during my short walk there. There were many shops for anything: confectionery, tea, chopsticks, noodles, even brands like Porter and Ghibli merch. So the streets were short, but I took a long time to walk through this area. Upon arriving at Yasaka Jinja, I happened to look at Google Maps and saw a curious place nearby: Gion Duck Noodles, with the duck and noodle emoji in their name. On a whim, I decided to go there for my dinner. The place was tiny but apparently popular, so I had to queue for a long time before entering. With duck, the ramen is certainly different, the broth was thinner and clearer than the usual pork broth as in tonkotsu ramen, but still, it tasted good. I felt that this would be better in the summer than in cold weather, and the cook and staff were super helpful and friendly.

I walked around the Gion area for a while, until my feet berated me. Even then, I tried to visit the Kanji Museum, which happened to be right at the corner. Again, it’s a place for those who know Japanese. I only knew some kanjis, so I couldn’t appreciate it fully, but I liked it still.

After that, my feet called it a day, and I went back to my hostel.

Day 4: Why did I walk that much?

I’d read that you must go to Kinkaku-ji (Rokuon-ji) as early as possible, so I was among the first to queue in front of the gate by 9 AM. It was a rare sight indeed. We were lucky that day, because the sun shone so bright, it was blinding. They must coat the temple with some kind of extra metals because man it was shining. Same with other historical landmarks, there were groups of students and I rather enjoyed accompanying them throughout the place, even though I don’t understand what the teachers were saying. By the way, the entrance ticket was unique, and I made sure to bring it home in my collection box.

Kinkaku-ji was relatively small, so I went to get my lunch early. Too early in fact, because Okonomiyaki Katsu opens at 11:30 AM. So I killed time by walking through the area, but it was a Monday so lots of places were closed. Back at Katsu, I was the first customer. The owner was an elderly couple who took their time and care in preparing the okonomiyaki, hence the long queue outside. I rarely have a whole okonomiyaki by myself, but this time was able to finish it.

After that big lunch, I went to the Kyoto Gyoen National Garden for some fresh air among trees. Walking alone in a garden can be so calming…

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