The One About Japan (part 5)

Gion, Kyoto, for some authentic Japanese experience

Let's visit Kyoto for one night!

December 29, 2017

Rise and shine. We're all packed and ready to go to Kyoto. Although only for one night, we're going to try to make the most of it. We took the Shinkansen train from Tokyo Station. It was approximately a 3 hours ride from Tokyo to Kyoto. We arrived in Kyoto just in time for lunch.

This dude is my all time favorite travel buddy. Soon his little sister will be too.

We went to an unagi restaurant at the Kyoto station for lunch. It was delicious!

We arrived at the Kyoto station just in time for lunch. Because we were already so hungry, we decided to just find a restaurant in the station (which they had so many of!) and settled into this little unagi place. So delicious. You won't be hungry inside the station. The array of restaurant selections was amazing. They also have many souvenir shops, mini market, supermarket, Uniqlo.. basically all the things you might find as a necessity. They got it.

We stayed at the New Miyako Hotel, which is right across from the station. Such a convenience! Since we only going to stay for one night, I think it's best to stay somewhere near the station. The hotel itself was so nice. Best part, nearby to the hotel there are Aeon mall, Babies R Us and Toys R Us (much to the delight of my eldest kid).

Basically we spend the rest of the day (and night) strolling around near our hotel. Trying to figure out how we can make the most of the following day. And then made a stop at Mister Donut (my favorite is the ponde ring donuts so yum) and end our night at Babies/Toys R Us.

I don't drink coffee, but this caramel latte from Cafe Du Monde is so delicious I can't pass it up

(I had mine super weak)

December 30, 2017

Since time wasn't on our side, straight after breakfast, we went to the Gion area for lunch and took our pictures wearing traditional Japanese kimono around the old Gion area.

You can find out all the info about kimono rental here.

We ended up having lunch at this ramen restaurant underneath the kimono rental studio. Organic food and so delicious! 

If we had more time to spend, we would have gone to the Fushimi Inari shrine and the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. But we had a train to catch later in the afternoon. Maybe for our next trip there. This time we were only determined to have kimono pictures.

Afterwards, we pack up and make our way to the station to return to Tokyo. We're so tired at the end of the day. But it was a pretty fun short excursion. Would've loved to spend more time in Kyoto. Such a beautiful city. So many more things to explore.

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