LittleSandyBeach

To get to Kyoto we got a local commuter train from Osaka station which only took 30 minutes. With everything being in Japanese we ended up on the wrong train but luckily it was going in the right direction so we hopped off at the next station and then finally boarded the right one!

We purposely picked our accommodation in Kyoto because the room was a traditional Japanese room. That means no bed but instead you sleep on futons which you just fold out on the padded floor.

The first place we checked out was Kyoto National Garden which is a massive public park surrounding the Kyoto Imperial Palace. There’s a handful of shrines dotted around that we also got to explore.

We then went inside the Imperial Palace which served as the residence of Japan’s Imperial Family for over 500 years until the capital was moved to Tokyo in 1869. It was very peaceful inside walking around and seeing all the different buildings.

Afterwards we strolled around Nishiki Market which is known as ‘Kyoto’s Kitchen’ due to there being so many different food stalls. It’s been the heart of Kyoto downtown for over 400 years.

We absolutely loved this market, especially all the standing areas where you can enjoy a drink with whatever food you’ve picked to try.

We had to walk through Kyoto train station a lot to get to different places from our accommodation and couldn’t believe the scale of it every time. There’s a whole shopping centre underground and then a huge main entrance hall to go through onto one of the 34 platforms.

Our next stop was the Yasaka Shrine (also known as Gion Shrine). It’s a historic Shinto Shrine founded over 1,350 years ago and is the head shrine for approximately 3,000 Yasaka Shrines across Japan.

Located just behind the shrine is Maruyama Park. It’s Kyoto’s oldest public park and has many Japanese restaurants and rest houses. Many people dress up in kimonos to get their pictures taken.

One of the biggest companies to be headquartered in Kyoto is Nintendo so we had to check out the store. It’s on the 7th and 8th floor of a department store and is full of games, consoles and collectibles.

There is a newly opened Nintendo museum that we tried to go to however you have to book about 3 months in advance to get a slot! Next time!

One of our good finds in Kyoto was the Ogaki bookstore chain. They had a few dotted around the city and they were amazing. As well as books they sell art, gifts and collectables.

Yesterday on our last morning we were woken up at 5.30am by the fire alarms going off in our hotel. We got dressed quickly and were outside and within 5 minutes the fire brigade came running down the street. Luckily it was a false alarm and we were allowed to go back to sleep!

Our last place to visit was Kyoto Railway Museum which is Japan’s largest train museum. A museum has been on the site since 1972 but was significantly expanded in 2016. There’s so much to see from the very first British steam locomotives to the world record beating bullet trains.

There are over 54 rail cars to look around, many interactive exhibits and even model railways. We spent a good few hours looking around the huge exhibition.

Last night we boarded our overnight bus at 11pm and we arrived in the town of Fujikawaguchiko at 8.30am this morning. Let’s just say we didn’t have the best nights sleep!!

We’ve come to this town for one main reason… Mount Fuji! Hopefully we get some clear skies so we can get some good views of one of the most famous mountains in the world.