Kyoto, once the capital of Japan. It’s famous for its numerous classical Buddhist temples, as well as gardens, imperial palaces, Shinto shrines and traditional wooden houses. It’s also known for formal traditions such as kaiseki dining, consisting of multiple courses of precise dishes, and geisha, female entertainers often found in the Gion district.
Kyoto was my favourite place in Japan because of how traditional it felt. Being only a stone throw away from another major city called Osaka, it resembled nothing like its electrifying night life neighbour.
The first stop was to check out the Bamboo forest. A quick ride on the local train and petting a couple of dogs along the way, I first found myself at the local convenience store to pick up a quick breakfast and orange juice to top of my vitamin C!
Did you know in Japan it is illegal and/or frowned upon to eat or drink while walking?
From the convenience store to the bamboo forest was about an enjoyable 15 minute walk through the residential areas and small alleys.
Tenryu-ji Temple
After taking in the sights of the towering bamboo trees, we wandered around the quaint gardens at Tenryu-ji Temple.
Spotted a Geisha and Maiko
This was the first time in my life I’ve seen a real life Geisha and Maiko. I’ve only learned about the difference between the both after googling and to be quite honest, I’m not sure if I can identify them 100% accurately. What do you think?
Kinkaku-ji Golden Temple
Another quaint place with unique structures. In the fourth picture I was fascinated by the straw roof. This was the first time I prayed in Japanese style and shortly after we were blessed by our first rainbow in the country!
Oinari-San Shrine & Fushimi Inari-Taisha
One of the famous points of interest in Kyoto, definitely an Instagram spot. We managed to walk quite far and for a long time. This place goes into a loop around the hills, but we only made it about 1/3 of the way until we turned back.
