A couple of my friends and I decided to spend the Chuseok Holiday (Korean Thanksgiving) abroad in Japan. Though we knew our plans were incredibly ambitious, and in an attempt to make the most of our short break, we decided to hit Kyoto for a couple of days and Osaka for one.
My friend and I flew out of Incheon Airport at 10:45am and had a short-easy flight to Osaka Kansai, via Peach Airlines. ****If you are crazy enough to fly out of Incheon during Chuseok, make sure you arrive at LEAST 2.5 hours early so you don’t have complete heart failure when you see the lines.*****
After picking up our wifi egg (you should really get one of these if you go to Japan), we took the Kansai Express train directly to Kyoto (about 75min and $22 with the 1-Day Foreigner Kansai Area Pass). As soon as we arrived in Kyoto, we grabbed a taxi and head directly to our guesthouse.
At that point (due to lack of sleep) I was running on empty. Megan and explored the Gion area a bit, found some much-needed nourishment, and grabbed a few groceries. We got the lay of the land and made our plan of attack for the next day.
The following morning, we met our other friend at Kyoto station bright and early. We sought out some famous Kyoto Ramen (Daikoku Ramen) and weren’t disappointed! It was my first time having Ramen and although it wasn’t the standard Japanese-style, it was damned good! You know a restaurant is going to kick ass when it is packed with locals and has a line out the door at 9am!
The rest of the day, we pounded the pavement and saw as MANY Kyoto hotspots as we could possibly. Here’s what we accomplished:
Fushimi Inari Shrine
We took a ridiculously long walk from the Ramen place to the shrine and it was PACKED! Although it was absolutely gorgeous, it was super-difficult to get any decent pictures due to the crowds (and this was on a Sunday). We only stayed for an hour, since we had a pretty packed schedule, but it was beautiful! The next time I visit Kyoto and the shrine, I will arrive as soon as it opens (preferably on a weekday) and spend 2-3 hours exploring the grounds.
Sanjusangendo Temple
Considering it was mid-day already, we decided to take the train/subway to this temple. I’m very glad we took the time to stop here as it was the most awe-inspiring sight I witnessed that weekend. The temple is famous for displaying the 1001 Kannon (the goddess of mercy). Though we couldn’t take any pictures inside, I know the mental images will stay with me for a very long time. It was a truly amazing sight to behold!
Afterward, we stopped at a restaurant Nancy found on Trip Advisor and we had some traditional Kyoto fare… Though some of the dishes weren’t my favorite, Megan’s was fantastic!
Kiyomizudera Temple
After lunch, we took a taxi to this temple and I’m really glad we did. It had been a long day already and we would have cried a little (maybe on the inside, maybe not), when we saw the hill we’d have to climb. It isn’t a crazy steep hill, but it isn’t pleasant when you’re already pooped! Anyway, it is easy to see why this is a very popular place to visit. There are great touristy shopping places on the way up to the temple and the views from the top are absolutely stunning! You can easily spend 30-45min at the temple before moving on to your next destination.
Gion District
After leaving Kiyomizudera, we took a taxi back to the BnB to freshen up and head out to the Gion District (the prime area to see Geishas and a very charming area of the city). Due to a couple snafus, we didn’t get to have a big dinner at one of the local hotspots and we didn’t see any Geishas. We did, however, end our day with a wonderful stroll through the streets of Gion!
Kinkakuji
The following morning, we set off to see Kinkakuji (The Gold Pavilion) and tried to be there as soon as it opened (9am). We were close! We arrived around 9:20 and were thankful that we got our tired butts moving-it was already quite busy! I’m very happy we included this in our aggressive itinerary, as it was the second most memorable sights from our trip. It was stunning… Though it didn’t take us long to walk the grounds, it’s easy to see why it is at the top of all ‘must-do’ lists in Kyoto.
After finishing up there, we decided to save the bamboo forest for another trip (we didn’t want to run ourselves ragged for the second day in a row) and headed back to the BnB. We finished packing up our things and headed back to Osaka!
I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Kyoto and am mentally planning a return trip. Everyone said I would love Japan, and they were absolutely right! Need some additional ideas for your trip, check out this post by Suitcase and Wanderlust!
Wondering where to stay in Kyoto?
These are some of the top rated places for every budget! If you’re looking for a luxury stay, check out the Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto. If you are a mid-range traveler, Stay Inn Kyoto Shijo Omiya and Sumika Residence are quite popular. If you are on a budget, then you can’t go wrong with Grids Kyoto Shijo Kawaramachi Hotel&Hostel or Kazenoya Sara.
Stay tuned for my next post about our busy 24hrs in Osaka…..
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Did you climb the entire Fushimi Inari Mountain? I did and it was wonderful. I loved it.
Haha, I did not 🙂 We had to hit like 5 places that day and I didn’t have it in me!
Wow! I really want to see both Kyoto and Osaka badly. We had to do our visa run to Fukuoka over Chuseok and it was so crazy to travel at that time and expensive! Your photos are lovely. The ones of Gion remind me of Spirited Away!
Thanks so very much! I’m hoping to go back to Osaka for Lunar New Year–I really did love it!
That was a busy schedule for such a short trip. I haven’t had a chance to visit this area and will serve as a great guide once we make it to Kyoto. Iwakuni, our new home town, is south and near Osaka and Kyoto. I can’t wait to visit! Will have to find the ramen shop you visited for a good bowl of soup. Definitely, a good sign when there are lines before they even open.
YES!! The ramen was great ^^ If you send me a note when you are planning your trip, I will try to get the name/location for you 🙂
It was a very aggressive schedule, but we were able to accomplish everything we wanted! Hope to take it easy next time hahaha
I love the pictures! I had a great time when I went to Kyoto but I wish I spent more time there. I particularly liked you photo of Kinkaku-ji, as that’s one place I really wanted to visit but was unable to see. There’s always next time! Thanks for sharing your experience!
Thanks for reading ^^ Kyoto was definitely a place that I felt like there never would be enough time to soak it all in! Hope you can make it back someday ^^
A well detailed chronicle of Kyoto trip. A couple of my friends visited there and told about the beauty and vibe in the city. Now, with these beautiful photos from you, I want to visit. I can’t wait to read the part two.
Thanks so much!! Hope to get the next post out soon ^^
Hey nice pictures! I went to Kyoto and Osaka during last year’s summer vacation and really enjoyed it too, especially Kyoto! So beautiful and packed with things to do and see. I really liked the Fushimi Inari Shrine and visiting the Kiyomizudera Temple and looking around the various shops near it. When I was in Kyoto I also visited Arashiyama a little town not too far and really enjoyed it too. They have a monkey park and the town itself is beautiful.
Ohhh, I heard about the monkey park! Maybe I can hit that up next time….. Any tips for Osaka?
Beautiful photos! You have so much energy to cover those popular and beautiful places. And it’s just part 1 hahahaha… Looking forward to the next!
Wow, that certainly was an ambitious trip. Certainly seems like you made the most out of your Chuseok vacation and there can be no denying, no matter how fleeting the visit, both Kyoto and Osaka are always great. Certainly this time of the year is particularly picturesque, with fall beginning to take effect. Totally agree with the steep hills leading up to the temples however, can be a little daunting but always worth it. Enjoyable read
Thanks for reading! I went back this Chuseok and spend a day in Kobe and the rest of the time eating my way through Osaka! I feel very lucky to get to visit Japan so often ^^
This is a beautiful 2 day itinerary. Love your pictures and your enthusiasm!
You’re crazy going to Japan over Chuseok. Haha! We’re planning on heading to Kyoto this winter vacation. Why is it you recommend getting a wifi egg and where did you get it from? The last time we were in Japan I remember there being free internet at the hotels, on the trains and in major tourist spots. Is this not the case in the Kyoto/Osaka area?
Hahah-right!! I did Osaka/Kobe this year for Chuseok – I’m definitely crazy 🙂 The egg was super handy to carry around with us – we could use Google Maps to find our way places, document as-we-went, and look up restaurants when we got hungry. We also stayed at an Air BnB that didn’t have fast wifi. You can pick up a wifi egg at the airport and turn it back in before you leave. You can even pre-order them and save yourself any hassle upon arriving 🙂
I remember there were plenty of hotspots, especially in the coffee shops too! We did go to some areas with spotty-to-no wifi and found the egg to be very helpful. Egg or not, I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time – I love Kyoto!
Did you use a specific site to pre-order it? What was the price like? We’re planning on starting out in Osaka and ending up in Narita. Does it need to be dropped off at the same place?
Hello ^^
You can review the options available at the Osaka Kansai Airport here (http://www.kansai-airport.or.jp/en/service/rental/) – I’ve used a couple different companies actually and have had no problems at all. They wind up being appx $10-12 US per day. Just doing a quick look at their site, Soft Bank will allow you to pick up at Kansai and drop off at Narita 🙂
Thanks for the info!
Thanks for this post. I am heading to Japan next month so this is really interesting. I will save it to relook at. Now I am off to google the wifi egg 🙂
Awesome! I highly recommend the wifi egg! Where are you going in Japan? I did a 2 week trip to Tokyo and another long weekend in Osaka/Kobe… Is there any other advice I can offer?
Haha great read! I went to Kyoto/Osaka for a few days earlier this year. I also hit Fushimi-Inari, Kiyomizu-Dera, as well as Kinkaku-Ji. What an incredible, vibrant city. 🙂
Absolutely! I want to go back to Kyoto/Osaka and spend a bit more time, but that’s always the issue, isn’t it 🙂
Wonder full pictures ! The ramen looks delicious and healthy.Would love to visit Japan some day.
Amazing Ramen!!