Japan Diaries | My Last Week in Kyoto
Frolicking with Deer, Sunrise at Fushimi Inari Taisha, Unwinding at a Dreamy Kyoto Hotel
My last few days in Kyoto were pretty mellow. Starting with some very satisfying deer encounters in Nara, the rest of the time was spent eating and deviating from my slightly curated itinerary.
One of the big highlights was splurging on my second hotel in Kyoto. I didn’t plan to visit an onsen since I had to cut my trip down from its original length (I think I originally planned for over a month and cut it down to almost 3 weeks-ish). So, I stayed at a hotel with a private outdoor bath to get some sort of fun bathing experience out of it all.
Would I recommend it? Sure, if you had the money to splurge, but it’s definitely not needed. Next time, I’ll look for an actual onsen to relax in.
The last few days of my Kyoto itinerary are below, for those interested.
Day 4 | Day Trip to Osaka
Day 5
Breakfast across the street from my hotel, at Toru Cafe.
Train to Nara Deer Park - fed the deer and explored the quiet public park.
Walk to Nakatanidou, well-known for making mochi live - grabbed some fresh mochi for late-night snacking.
Walk to Manyo Botanical Gardens - it was still early spring, so not much was in bloom, but I loved watching the Koi fish.
Train back to Kyoto.
Relaxed with hot matcha, match soft-serve ice cream, and a canelé at Walden Woods Kyoto.
Walk to Ginjo Ramen Kubota for my first try of tsukemen — the best ramen I had all trip.
Day 6
Catch the first train to Fushimi Ward to see Fushimi Inari Taisha. The tip you hear often is to just walk to the top to beat the crowd. I preferred getting there early and taking in the serene nature of the shrine and the gates.
Walk to breakfast at Vermillion - espresso bar & info. - cozy spot to grab a warm drink and breakfast sandwich. Very close to the gates and open early.
Train to back to Shimogyo Ward. Explored the temple next to my hotel, Higashi Hongan-ji Temple, one of the world's largest wood buildings.
Walk to Shōseien Garden - again, not a ton in bloom because of how early in the season it was, but was a peaceful walk.
Quick stop at my hotel to ship my luggage to my next hotel. I shipped my luggage three times this trip, and I found it really made traveling longer distances worth it. Since both hotels were in Kyoto, I only needed to send them off on the day of. When I travelled to Tokyo, I had to send them a day earlier.
Walk to a quick lunch at D&Department Kyoto / d Shokudo Kyoto.
Bus to Airbnb Experience - Temple Stamp-Book Making (Gosyuincho) hosted by generational book-maker Tsutomu and his daughter. Extremely fun. Highly recommend this, especially early in your trip. Then, you can collect stamps throughout your journey.
Bus to second Kyoto hotel, Nazuna Kyōto Tsubaki St. - a bit lost locating the entrance, but check-in was a breeze once I found it. My luggage was waiting for me in my room. A splurge for sure, but I chose this place because of the private outdoor bath that goes with each room. I wanted some sort of bath experience since I knew I wasn’t going to try an onsen this time around.
Walk to Men-ya Inoichi Hanare for dinner. I went here on the recommendation I saved from a YouTuber, but I don’t think we have the same tastes. I thought this meal was just ok.
Street entrance for Nazuna Kyōto Tsubaki St.
Interior street of Nazuna Kyōto Tsubaki St.
Nighttime scene of Nazuna Kyōto Tsubaki St.
Day 7
Breakfast at the hotel. It was my first time trying ochazuke.
Bus to Ippodo Tea Kyoto Main Store to grab some matcha for home.
Walk to Kurasu Ebisugawa to escape the rain. I had a delightful matcha affogato here, and it inspired me to make it at home as a simple dessert.
Walk to Pokemon Center Kyoto - I indulged my inner child with this stop. I grabbed a plushy or two for myself, as well as a bunch of souvenirs for my brother and friends. They have a fun section for babies and kids, which made for great souvenirs for my friends with kiddos.
Walk to Kyoto LOFT. I grabbed a bunch of skincare and knick-knacks here. I also lost my phone for a good hour. I eventually talked to the staff, and they let me know they found it. I was so thankful that in Japan, you have a good chance of someone turning in lost items rather than keeping them.
After the stress of looking for my phone, I decided to check out the Cat Cafe MOCHA Kyoto Kawaramachi, which was in the middle of Loft. Super clean, and the cats all seemed happy and relaxed. You could also grab some drinks and snacks, and there was a small area to read manga, as well.
Walk to Katsukura Tonkatsu Sanjo Main Store for an early dinner. I don’t know how they do it, but the chicken katsu I had here felt so light and filling, despite it being fried. It might be hard to find because you have to walk down a random alley, but it is super cozy inside.
Ended the night with a free tea experience and egg sando at the hotel. And, of course, another dip in the outdoor bath.
Who can skip the nostalgia here?
Super light and fresh chicken katsu.
One of my only sightings of sakura (cherry blossoms) this whole trip.
My finished stamp-book from the Airbnb experience.
