The Places I Want to Revisit: Kyoto, Japan

If there's a certain city in Japan that I would love to revisit, it would be Kyoto. I've been to Kyoto once when I visited my cousin in Osaka. I never got to stay in Kyoto as I stayed with my cousin in Osaka for five days. But we visited Kyoto in those days. As I've heard from other travelers, Kyoto is expensive so the alternative is to find a hostel in Osaka and take the train to Kyoto.

I want to find a local homestay in Kyoto when I can. I want to wake up and just take a bus around Kyoto to visit temples and gardens.

I have a 5 years multiple entry visa to Japan but it will expire in 2025. Too bad, I never abused this visa because the universe has another plan for me, to have a family in France.

I told my husband I wanted to revisit Japan someday with him and the kids. He has never been to Japan yet as he finds it expensive. True, it is an expensive country. Bringing the whole family to Japan is more expensive.

Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion)

Kinkakuji - Golden Pavilion

Kinkakuji - the Golden Pavilion is one of the most visited temples in Kyoto. It is postcard worthy as you can see in my photo. I forgot how much I paid for the entry as my cousin paid for it.

There are so many things to do around the area. You can visit the gardens, too. But the Kinkakuji is the main attraction so many people just want to take photos with the golden pavilion and go to the next tourist attraction in Kyoto.

Fushimi Inari Taisha

Fushimi Inari Taisha

We visited an important shrine in Kyoto, it is also famous because of the orange Torii Gates. It is best to come here in the early morning if you want to pass by the Torii gates and hike to the Sacred Mount Inari. Early morning has fewer people so you can have your photos taken by the Torii Gates with no people at all.

With my photo, it was perfect timing when we decided to go down as all the people were going up. I had the Torii Gates photos all by myself.

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

No need to pay the entrance fee as it is free. The best time to go here is early morning and sunset especially if you want to have your photos taken here without a lot of people.

When we arrived here there so many people taking photos. Fortunately, my cousin took photos of me without so much people. Yes, they were behind us but I could easily do some Photoshop if I wanted to.

Sushi Festival in Osaka

My Plates of Sushi

If you're staying in Kyoto, you can visit Osaka for sushi festival restaurant. I forgot the name of this restaurant but if you based the plates on my photo, I remember I saw this in a documentary. My cousin and her Japanese husband brought me here. They brought me to an affordable sushi restaurant.

Sushi Festival in Osaka

You can see that I ate different sushis from different plates. The server will calculate the price of each plate. Yes, each plate and color have different pricing. Taking these blue plates is the cheaper sushi you can eat. My two teenage nieces finished 10 to 12 plates for each person.

That Zen-feeling in Kyoto

Zen Garden in Kyoto

I stayed in Tokyo longer than in Kyoto. Tokyo is such a busy modern city which is very opposite to Kyoto. Kyoto is more historical and more traditional. 

Tokyo is more chaotic in the sense that you can go to robotic restaurants, more nightlife, younger people getting drunk, busy streets, and a populous city. I am done with that kind of life as I had fun in Tokyo when I was younger.

I just want to slow down in Kyoto, to visit many temples and zen gardens around. And also my chance to do my travel sketching or en plein air painting in Kyoto as there are so many places to do that. 

The Best Times to Visit Kyoto

Springtime season for the cherry blossoms and different flowers you will see around Kyoto. Springtime airfare tickets are expensive.

End of springtime before summer - this was one of the best times I visited Kyoto as it was summer but the heat was tolerable. When you visit in the middle of June and beyond, it is the summertime when temperatures go beyond 40 degrees Celsius. Also, the airfare ticket to Japan was cheaper.

Autumn season - another good season to visit Japan in different cities as the cold is tolerable. I was in Tokyo and I had a good time. The airfare ticket was cheaper, too.

Japan is a Safe Country for Women Into Solo Traveling

So far, the best country for women to solo travel. I was here twice even walking at night I wasn't scared.

I lost my passport in Tokyo and got it back. Despite the language barrier, Japanese people and authorities were very helpful in finding my bag with my passport and money inside.

Take advantage of the train and bus passes

In Tokyo, I took advantage of the unlimited 24-hour train pass that let me visit different cities in Tokyo.

In Kyoto, I took advantage of the unlimited 24-hour bus pass that let me visit different temples and zen gardens in Kyoto.

That's it for now. I hope you enjoyed the glimpse of my Kyoto Travel in May 2015.

All photos were taken using a Nikon D5100 and iPad mini.