One of the perks of living in Osaka that I enjoy is the close proximity to Kyoto. Kyoto is only an hour's train ride away, thanks to an array of express trains connecting these two major cities despite being from different prefectures. This affords anyone living in Osaka, or anyone, as a matter of fact, in the Kansai region, the ease of escaping the tumult of the city to the serenity and zen that Kyoto manifests. Kyoto is blessed with breathtaking nature in all seasons and an abundance of traditional Japanese architecture to awe at, such as temples, shrines and machiya (traditional Japanese wooden houses), that are scattered all across the city and to the far reaches of the prefecture itself, making it the zenith of Japanese culture and heritage. This is a far cry from the sterile concrete jungle Osaka is, but of course, each city serves a different purpose, and personally, Kyoto is very much the place I head to for some respite.
Hence, I decided to head off to Kyoto for three days with a friend in mid-December 2020 to enjoy some sightseeing and visit some of the cafes I have always wanted to check out. Continue reading to find ideas for your trip to Kyoto!
DAY 1
Getting to Kyoto is fairly easy. There are different train lines that connect Osaka to Kyoto - the shinkansen (most expensive unless you have a JR rail pass), Hankyu railway, Keihan railway or JR. Depending on where you are based in Osaka, most railways will take, more or less, an hour to reach Kyoto from Osaka, so do check which railway is the most accessible to you. My personal favourite is the Keihan railway as it is the least crowded option in my experience and the trains are well-appointed, considering the reasonable fare.
*edit: Do try out the Premium seats on Keihan railway for an additional 500 yen! Very spacious and luxurious seats for the 40 minute ride or so to Kyoto. You need to purchase an additional limited express ticket for the premium car, which can be done so on the train platform. However, payment is only by credit card.
My friend and I left for Kyoto in the late morning and upon arriving in Kyoto, we headed to Ayam-ya Karasuma for lunch, a Halal ramen joint that is a walking distance from the Karasuma Hankyu station. They serve chicken-based ramen among other menu items like karaage and it has seen the likes of Indonesian and Malaysian celebrities visiting the restaurant. Not to mention, the prices are reasonable and the portion is generous, considering Halal food can be pricey in Japan.
Following that, it was time to check-in. We decided on Mimaru Kyoto Nishinotoin Takatsuji, an apartment-style hotel that is located near Shijo station. I highly recommend the hotel, especially for groups and families, as the rooms are spacious, which is rare considering Japanese hotels can be notoriously small, and it came complete with a fully-equipped kitchenette. We got the Japanese-style Apartments with the tatami mat living room, which could accommodate up to 5 people, but since we got our own rooms, it was such a luxury as the hotel room itself was more spacious than our own apartments. Also, we could appreciate a piece of Japanese-style living.
In the evening, we paid a visit to Walden Woods Kyoto, a whimsically-designed cafe that I had been following on Instagram and had always wanted to go to. And just so you know, I was not disappointed. The design of the cafe, which is housed in a two-storey building in a residential area, was beautifully designed and absolutely dreamy. On the second floor, there is banquette seating all around the entire floor, encircling a tree dripping with crystals. The room is illuminated by lanterns, making the ambience so calming and moody. All the design elements paired together make the cafe such a cosy and casual place that is great to just chill with a cup of coffee and some pastries and not forgetting your Instagram pics too. It is pretty unique, so do check it out if you have the chance!
DAY 2
Day 2 was all about sightseeing in Kyoto's historic districts. The first stop was Fushimi Inari Taisha, the shrine most famous for the thousand Japanese red gates (known as torii). There are winding, seemingly never-ending paths densely lined with these red gates through the forest, making it such a tranquil and spiritual location. This shrine is typically very crowded, so do try to avoid the weekends and try to come in the early mornings or even the evenings where lanterns light up the paths, creating an eerily romantic atmosphere. This shrine is unlike any other you may see in Japan, so it might be worthwhile to pay a visit to see the rows of red gates.
Following that, we headed to Kiyomizu-dera, a Buddhist temple atop Mount Otowa that offers an amazing view of the surrounding area from its veranda. It is especially beautiful at the height of cherry blossom season and autumn where you can enjoy cherry blossoms trees or autumn foliage scattered around the temple grounds respectively. Also, the temple itself is comprised of several buildings, from the gates of the temple, the main hall, a pagoda and more, so allocate some time to stroll around the temple grounds. Do note that there is a 400yen entrance fee to the main hall where you can enjoy the panoramic view from its veranda unobstructed.
After walking for hours, it was time for a coffee break. And in the surrounding Higashiyama district, you can drop by Starbucks Coffee Kyoto Ninenzaka Yasaka Chaya, the world's first Starbucks with tatami seating. It is housed in a traditional machiya, making it such a unique location for the ubiquitous coffee shop chain. The cafe still retains the traditional wooden exterior, blending in seamlessly in the historic district, and the interior is equipped with several areas with tatami seatings alongside regular table and chairs too. It really felt like you are having coffee or tea in a local's home.
Later that evening, as it was our last night in Kyoto, we decided to go to Pontochō, a local's favourite where the alley is lined with rows and rows of restaurants, mostly serving Japanese cuisine. It feels like you are brought back to ancient Japan as you stroll through the narrow alleyways flanked with traditional Japanese architecture and lanterns. Did I mention it is on the banks of Kamo river? So if you are lucky, you can enjoy you meal with a view of the river. It is surely a great way to end off your night as the food and ambience there are simply divine.
Day 3
So, it is the final day and once we checked out of our lovely hotel (admittedly, it was difficult and I would for sure consider going back in the future), we took a bus from a nearby bus stop headed for Arashiyama. Something I realised from that trip was to consider the buses for a more convenient transit in Kyoto. I believe most people, including myself, think that the trains in Japan are the best way to travel. However, in Kyoto, many buses in the city stop at multiple Kyoto's popular sightseeing spots along their routes, without you having to transfer. Trains, on the other hand, even though you are based in the city centre, you might have to transfer trains at least once. Not to mention, trains are usually more expensive than buses. So, do consider buses instead to travel seamlessly around Kyoto.
Arashiyama is located on the western outskirts of Kyoto and it is THE place to go if you want to enjoy a bit of nature close to Kyoto. Designated as a National Historic Site, it is sprawling with traditional architecture, temples and shrines while being surrounded by lush nature and mountains. The main reason for going to Arashiyama was the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. You walk along paths into a forest that is filled with towering bamboo trees and the whole scenery is seemingly mystical and gives you a sense of going back in time to ancient Japan, especially when you most probably see people walking around in traditional Japanese clothing like the kimono or yukata. It is a sight you probably do not see often, so it is definitely worth checking out. Also, the surrounding areas have a lot of hiking trails that are especially beautiful in spring or autumn.
After all that walking, we needed a coffee break, no surprise there. A great thing about the area is that there are many cafes and restaurants for you to choose from, from themed cafes and tea houses of popular characters like Rilakkumma or Miffy, cool coffee joints like %Arabica and of course, Japanese-style dining. After that, we decided to just chill by Katsura River nearby where there are benches along the river bank and just enjoy our last few moments in Kyoto with the beautiful weather before heading home.
Fortunately for Arashiyama, it is accessible by various train lines - Hankyu Arashiyama station, Randen Arashiyama station (this is an old-school train that goes through the suburbs. Quite cool and nostalgic, if you ask me) or JR Saga-Arashiyama station, besides the buses aforementioned. So it was easy for us to bid farewell to Kyoto for the time being and head back to Osaka. Side note though, there is a sightseeing train that passes through Arashiyama, the Sagano Romantic Train, that goes through stunning nature spots around the region. So, you might want to consider that as well for your trip to Arashiyama next time.
Sorry for the very delayed post, but enjoy a short vlog of that trip!
I hope there were some great ideas and places for you to check out on your next trip to Kyoto. Have a wonderful trip and safe travels! Let me know if you want to hear more about cool places to go in Kansai or around Japan!
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