Kyoto recap, bamboo forest, and monkey park
Sharing the last of my Japan posts! We had the most magical time in Kyoto and I’m excited to share the details with you if you’re considering adding this to your travel list!
More posts from our incredible time in Seoul and Tokyo:
Tokyo recap and why I love Japan
Kyoto recap, bamboo forest, and monkey park
So many of our friends had told us to take a bullet train to explore nearby areas while we were in Tokyo. Okinawa, Nara, Kyoto, and Osaka were highly recommended. I think I mentioned in a previous post that I was intimiated by planning this trip, and adding another travel leg felt like a little too much for my brain. One of my friends told us that we’d regret going to Tokyo and not seeing Kyoto, so we decided to make it happen… and it ended up being my personal highlight of the trip.
While Tokyo is bustling with bright lights and tall buildings, Kyoto feels like more cinematic, serene Japan. Think lantern-lined streets, temples, and geishas.
The bullet train was SUCH a cool experience – we were going 200mph and it was so pleasant and way more enjoyable/hassle-free than air travel –
(Mt Fuji!!)
and before we knew it, we were checked into our hotel in Kyoto.
We stayed at the Gion Elite Terrace, which I booked through Amex travel (<— our referral link) and would highly recommend. We will absolutely stay there again. The lobby was stocked with amenities, tea, hot cooca and coffee, and the rooms were super clean and modern. The girls had to flip a coin over who could sleep in the loft area… P won.
It also had an oxygenated bathtub which infuses the water with tiny oxygen bubbles. They claim to help eliminate free radicals (great for anti-aging), improve skin texture, keep your skin warm after the bath (you don’t feel cold afterwards), and help with sleep. I found all of these things to be true. I looked at purchasing one with the bathroom remodel and mold remediation thing we’re doing but it’s a casual 27k. It’s cheaper for me to fly back to Japan and use it there lol.
We spent our first night exploring. Gion is absolutely breathtaking and we walked over the bridge and saw TONS of cute shops and restaurants.
(Saw a nutria in the river which is apparently an invasive species but we all loved him)
Dinner was at Pontocho Shabushabu Sukiyaki Kiraku, which I found on Tabelog. It’s a restaurant review service used by locals (this was popular in Korea, too) and a friend told us that anything over a 3.0 is going to be excellent. They did not lead us astray.
Shabu shabu is like Japanese hot pot with a boiling pot of broth on the table and veggies and meat to cook. There are different sauces to dip and multiple courses. We had wagyu and kobe beef, lots of tasty veggies, and afterwards, they made noodles for Liv and the Pilot and egg soup for me and P (gluten-free option) using the broth.
The next day, we woke up early and headed to the Bamboo Park, which was one of my favorite parts of the entire trip.
We were surrounded by bamboo. It was just so lush, green, and peaceful. We made the hike up to Arashiyama monkey park, where monkeys roam freely around you. One kept walking inches away from my legs!
The rest of the day was spent shopping and lunch was at Engine Ramen. They have a gluten-free ramen option and it was everything. SO flavorful and satisfying. I’ll dream about this bowl of ramen until we’re back!
The next day, we headed back to Ginza, where we spent another night and day before finishing out the trip.
I still have Japression and am doing what I can to find tiny pieces of Japan here. I think one of the things I love most about trips like this isn’t necessarily the location (even though in this case, the location was truly breathtaking), but the uninterrupted time with family, chance to slow down, more walking and time in nature. Less time scrolling, more time enjoying. I feel like I’m being annoying about how much it changed my life, but this trip really affecting me on a soul level. It was unlike anything I’ve experienced, and it was meaningful to see how traditional and current can coexist, the way everyone in Japan seems to take enormous pride in what they do, the community acting for the good of others instead of selfishness. It was a lot to soak in. We’ve been home a month and I still think about it every day.
Thank you for reading about our adventures!! What have you been up to this summer? Any fun trips on the horizon?
xo
Gina
I’d enjoy an update on how your hair has felt after your Korean head spa experience. I don’t know if it’s supposed to feel different afterward, but I’m interested to hear if it does – healthier, more shine, easier to manage, etc.?
The way you summed up this trip as feeling it in your soul is really beautiful and makes me happy for you.
This is a good memory to keep and remember when things are not going well/having a bad day – I like to have a happy memory and try to place myself there again and remember how I felt there to “calm” me and bring me some peace.
It is so interesting to see how different cultures live and I understand sometimes it is difficult to back to “our old ways” so I get the Japression!
I have never really thought of going to Japan but you have me interested!
This post was really helpful and I appreciate you giving a few tips and hints. One of my family members is going to be moving to Japan for three years and we really would like to visit since we’re on the West Coast and it would be easier to visit.
The picture of the bamboo forest made me gasp because it was so beautiful. I can only imagine what it’s like in person. That alone might be a reason for me just to go over to Japan!
Nice write-up — really makes Kyoto sound magical. Quick question: did you find the bullet-train tickets easy to book last minute, or would you recommend reserving seats well in advance during peak season? Also, curious if the Gion Elite Terrace felt centrally located for walking to the main sights.