Part I
It was the trip of a lifetime. A place I always fantasized about traveling too, and feel so fortunate to have actually done it. We traveled through Japan – and this post is the the summer in Kyoto edition.
In total, we had three main stops – Kyoto (Old Japan), Tokyo (Modern Japan) and Hakone (rest your tired feet from all those stairs Japan). We plan ninety five percent of our trips on a whim to satisfy my perpetual cabin fever. The bigger ones like Belize and Costa Rica were maybe a month or two notice. But, we booked this about five months out and was the most planning we have ever done for a trip. It became my obsession and pretty much a second job. A not very cost effective, second job. And it wouldn’t fair to not give credit to Chris and the boys who willingly went along with my very full itinerary. Does anyone actually relax on vacation?
Arriving in Japan
We arrived into Osaka (and only a little delusional) via a layover in Vancouver after about 27 hours of traveling. There was only one relatively quick meltdown in the Osaka Airport train station. I thought forgot our itinerary and tickets to everything and then that we’d never figure out how to get to the hotel. Eventually, we made it on a train, got off to early. And to off the exhaustion by walking with all our luggage and backpacks all throughout Osaka. But we had made it. Tiredness aside, we ended up getting in around dinner time and hungry. So boots on the ground, we headed straight to Dontonbori Street to eat. It was a bustling entertainment district renowned for its vibrant atmosphere, mouth-watering street food, and dazzling neon lights. This iconic street captured the essence of Osaka’s energetic spirit even in the most weary of jetlagged travellers.
It would be the start of all the fun/new/amazing foods we would try over the next few weeks. After pathetically staring into windows at every restaurant on the river, we had settled on a yakiniku (Japanese BBQ) restaurant. It took walking into the kitchen of a different restaurant and a few stares to found the actual door the restaurant we were looking for. (We did get better understanding directions as the trip went on, but it was a hard start.) The boys had two hours to eat all the meat they could get down. First dish served – beef tongue.
So it begins:
Day 1: Arashiyama
The plan was to take it slow the first day, settle in a little bit, catch up on the lost sleep. Apparently, the plane “sleep” was just enough. We were all up before the sunrise and ready to really start our trip. Since nothing was actually open yet, there was first a quick soak in the baths with our hotel pj’s and slippers. After our first East meets West breakfast buffet, (curry and french toast in one sitting) we made our way to back to the trains now heading for Arashiyama. It is such a picturesque district on the outskirts of Kyoto. The town is nestled along the banks of the Hozu River and surrounded by lush mountains. And in my carefully planned itinerary, was the nature leg of the trip and a must-visit destination for anyone exploring Kyoto.
Monkey Park
Jake loves to see the animals on any trip. This time it was the Japanese monkies from his YouTube videos (also the deer, but more to come on that). It was touristy thing number one on the list for us to do. It was supposed to have been easy. And yet, there was a surprisingly moderate challenging hike and July heat to get to the park. And after some time we had finally reached the top to observe wild macaques in their natural habitat. We’re pretty good hikers, and the halfway point marker really through us for a loop but I’m glad we kept going. The panoramic views of Kyoto from the top were an added bonus.
You can buy snacks to feed the monkies and they are not shy about taking them. The funny part is, while there is a cage, the humans are the ones inside it, feeding the monkies. The monkies are outside free to roam.
Bamboo Forest and Tenryu-ji Temple
From the monkey park we made our way to the Tenryu-ji Temple. And thus began the preview of temple tours and history of the shogun that would last the next two weeks. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is renowned for its stunning Zen gardens and impressive architecture. Founded in 1339, the temple’s gardens are particularly beautiful in all seasons, reflecting traditional Japanese landscape design.
The temple’s complex includes a large main hall (Hondō), a beautiful garden, and a serene pond known as Sōgenchi Pond. The serene pond and garden is an integral part to the temple’s landscape design. The garden is a classic example of Japanese strolling gardens, designed to harmonize with the natural surroundings and provide a tranquil environment for meditation.
The temple was just a few steps from the entrance of the the famous Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. This was not an overly long walk, and flat compared what we had just experienced at the monkey park. It was a great way to finally take a breath from the last day. Strolling along the winding paths, we were enveloped by towering and vibrantly green bamboo stalks that created such a calm atmosphere. Stepping into this enchanting grove, we were immediately surrounded by the sounds of gentle rustling stalks and (finally) met with the cool shade they cast.
Day 2: Let the Temple Tours Begin
E-Bike Tour:
I mentioned earlier that planning this trip was like a second full time job. There were so many things to see, but also wanting to carefully select what we wanted to do and really be able to enjoy and experience Kyoto. I also knew walking the kids for eight miles every day and having them read signs (or Wikipedia) to no end would not go over well for anyone. To fix this, we had booked an E-Bike tour through Cycle Kyoto – less walking, fun toys and someone else giving the history lesson. Our guide was so knowledgable of this history of Kyoto and Japan as we had selected the South Kyoto Tour.
This version of the tour was about four hours long and we were able to visit through the Toji Temple, Honganji Temple and Tofukuji Temple. At some point we found ourselves observing a Japanese funeral and learning the chants of the Buddhist monks. Luke would hum us to sleep with those chants for the next two weeks. We also went through the Gion district, seeing first hand, the historic machiya houses, with their wooden facades and sliding doors. The picturesque Hanami-koji Street, was lined with traditional tea houses and restaurants, and particularly enchanting.
The tour ended at the the Fushimi Inari Shrine – apparently, the most Instagrammed location there could be. And it was croweded to say the least. The grown ups on the tour got a little lost and ended up walking bikes all over the shrine. The kids managed to stay with the tour guide and appropriately park the bikes. However, once we were all reunited, we too got our best Insta shot along with everyone else. The shrine’s most distinctive feature is its thousands of vibrant red torii gates that create a mesmerizing pathway through the forested Mount Inari. The main path, known as the Senbon Torii, or “thousands of torii gates,” was a stunning experience as the gates form a continuous, labyrinthine corridor.
Sake Village:
We made our way here after a quick lunch but unforntunately were not able to experience the sake making tour as they were just closing for the day when we arrived. After that bike ride, a flight of testing cold sakes would have been so ideal. What we did find though was a short river ride tour on a traditional rice boat. The tour was entirely in Japanese, but the river was beautiful and the ride was calming after speeding bikes through the busy streets of Kyoto.
Pontocho Alley:
We could not get enough of this little alley way of restaurants and bars. Although it was not the easiest to get a table (reservations needed!), we were able to sneak into a couple over the five nights we were in Kyoto. The narrow alley, dimly lit with lanterns and wooden houses was absolutely enchanting. It was something I felt like I had never seen before, a little piece of history not changed by time.
Day 3: Culture Day
Nishiki Market
Walking through Nishiki Market is almost sensory overload. It was five long blocks of colorful displays, enticing aromas, and lively interactions with the store vendors. It was also a great way sample small bites of anything you could imagine. We also explored traditional Japanese ingredients, and really immersed ourselves more into the culinary culture of Kyoto. In case its not obvious, this family likes to cook and eat.
The market features what must be hundreds of vendors offering a variety of products, including fresh seafood, pickles, sweets, and traditional Kyoto delicacies. We had tried strawberry stuffed mochi, matcha (green tea) treats and ice cream . It’s also a great place to find kitchenware, spices, and other local specialties. Got some spices to try at home too. This would also be the place we got to sample the highly coveted Wagyu and Kobe beef.
And given all that, this was the wrong day for Luke to not be able to temper his need to check his Snapchat. I had enough had confiscate his phone. Begging for hours to get it back, a compromise (bet?) had been made. If he ate a whole, dehydrated fish on a stick, I would give the phone back. Watching him was the best 100 yen spent on this trip. Jake wanted some equal attention and ate an octopus stuffed with a quail on a stick for free.
Geisha Experience
Four days in, we had already learned so much about the history of the shogun and Imperial Japan, but this tour gave us a more inside look into the importance of the Geisha to Japan. The Geisha Experience Tour in Kyoto was such a unique glimpse into one of Japan’s most iconic cultural traditions.
For this tour, we had rented kimonos and I cannot wait to put together this years edition of the family Christmas card. Dressed in traditional kimonos, we took a rainy walk around the Gion while we waited for our reserved tea time with the maiko at a traditional tea house.
Ahead of the actual tea ceremony, the maiko had demonstrated to us a traditional dance, played the shamisen. We also had help from a translator allowed to have a question and answer session with the her. The tea ceremony was a meticulously choreographed ritual centered around the preparation of the matcha. It’s a practice that emphasizes mindfulness, attention to detail, and the beauty of simplicity. During the ceremony, the maiko prepared the tea using specific techniques, and we were then taught how to prepare and receive the tea with proper etiquette. We maybe looked a little less graceful preparing the tea. This was not any version of Chick-fila sweet either, so Luke may have struggled a bit through drinking it. Still to be determined on how much it helped in manners and etiquette department.
Day 4: Day Trip to Nara
This was supposed to be a built in “self-paced” and slower tour day. Again, I don’t think that is how it played out. It may have actually been our highest step count day of the Kyoto leg of the trip.
We started with the approximately thirty minute train ride to Nara from Kyoto Station. I mentioned earlier Jake loves the animal and nature portion. Ahead of strolling the temples, we took the awaited stroll through Nara Park – home to hundreds of free roaming deer. The park itself was beautiful, with winding paths through ancient trees, and the wondering deer made it enchanting – until you ran out of crackers to feed them.
Nara’s historical significance is best understood through its well-preserved landmarks scattered throughout the city. Established as Japan’s capital in 710 AD, Nara was the center of Japanese politics, religion, and culture for over a century. A vast number of impressive temples, shrines, and traditional buildings still grace the city today. We had been to so many temples and shrines already, but truly amazed at the care taken to preserve this part of history.
At the heart of Nara stands Todai-ji, an iconic symbol of the city. Founded in 738 AD, Todai-ji is renowned for housing the Great Buddha, or Daibutsu, a colossal bronze statue. This statue is one of the largest of its kind in the world. The temple’s main hall, the Daibutsuden (Great Buddha Hall), is also one of the largest wooden structures globally, offering a dramatic and awe-inspiring experience. Todai-ji is not just a religious site but a cultural landmark, symbolizing the spiritual and political strength of early Japan.
Although not a temple but a Shinto shrine, Kasuga Taisha is crucial to understanding Nara’s spiritual landscape. The shrine is renowned for its thousands of bronze lanterns and stone lanterns, which line its paths and are lit during festivals and special occasions. The shrine is nestled in a lush forest, adding a serene, natural dimension to its spiritual atmosphere. Kasuga Taisha’s architecture and lanterns reflect the Shinto tradition’s reverence for nature and the divine. And we almost missed it!
And the afternoon wouldn’t have been complete if we managed to see what might have been all the temples and shrines of Nara and not see the world famous pounding Mochi man. All the knowledge learned of ancient history was easily erased by the chiming of the massive claw machine arcade that ended our day in Nara. Jake won a giant sake bottle shaped stuffie that would make its way all the way back to America.
Yoiyama
Yoiyama, translates to “the night before the festival,” and was the celebration that set the stage for the Gion Matsuri. This vibrant event is marked by the display of intricately decorated floats known as “hoko” and “yama,” and paraded through the streets of Kyoto. The floats and bells are the definitely the central feature of Gion Matsuri, but Yoiyama was the livliest. We were able to get an up-close look at the magnificent floats, adorned with traditional tapestries, lanterns, and intricate artwork while being a part of the excitement.
As the sun set, the streets of Kyoto came alive with a festive atmosphere. The streets were closed to traffic and transformed to bustling, lantern-lit avenues filled with both locals and tourists. Traditional music playing everywhere. And as if Nishiki market wasn’t enough, there were food stalls and souvenir stands to no end.
Day 5: Samuaris, Swords and a Parade
Samurai Experience:
This was our last full day in Kyoto and reserved for learning the way of the samurai and one class that needed appropriate attire. We were dressed in our hakanas and prepped for the sword fighting that would come. But first was a performance of the Japanese war drums and a the samurai whose intensity and strength with the sword quickly made me nervous about taking the first row seat to watch.
Having taken sword classes in my prior Tae Kwon Do life, I never actually wielded a real sword. Those things are heavy and so impressively sharp. But after a short lesson each of us were given a sword to cut through the tatami mats. NBD… only the equivalent of cutting an arm off and it was like cutting butter. Jake got a radish to work with, it looked like a head on a stick.
The class ended with a brief lesson in meditation and session to follow. I thought the sword cutting would be hard. You know what is hard? To sit still for fifteen minutes and not think about anything, even on vacation!
Gion Matsuri
In case I haven’t mentioned yet, the heat of a summer in Kyoto is not a joke. However, the trade off was being there for festival season including Gion Matsuri, one Japan’s largest summer festivals. The Gion Matsuri is a spectacular celebration of Kyoto’s cultural heritage. It offers an unforgettable experience that has been going on since the year 849. We saw massive floats, lively street festivities, and traditional performances. The festival provided us a unique opportunity to witness Japan’s rich history and vibrant traditions. We ended up staying in Kyoto longer than we orginally planned just to see this highlight of the summer. And, I will never forget the sound of those bells on repeat all throughout the streets of Kyoto.
Due to being at the samurai session at the same time as the parade, we thought we would miss it that portion of the festivities. But those floats are not small, (or motorized) so we were able to catch the last floats coming down the streets. All that worry of missing everything but all good things work out in the end. It also just so happened our way to dinner near Yasaka Shrine, we just happened to stumble on the ending large float procession and the start of the portable shrine portion of the parade. Mixed with the crowds, we ended up in our first keiseki dinner of the trip – nine portions later, we were full and able to watch he festivities from the closest restaurant. The gift bags of rice were also a treat!
And this would be how we ended our time Kyoto – Filled with full days, culture, food and pure amazement…
Next Stop: Bullet Train to Tokyo
File: Summer in Kyoto
