Kyoto: Gion
This is the eighth recap for LOHOjapan, my 3 week trip to Japan with my boyfriend. After visiting the Tsukiji Fish Market and teamLab Borderless in Chuo and Odaiba, we head off to Kyoto!
Akasaka
We start our morning off in Akasaka, Tokyo. Today is the day we take the bullet train to Kyoto.
Brunch: 赤坂麺処 友
Okay so first of all, I apologize for the name of this restaurant but this is the best I can do lol.
赤坂麺処 友 is a ramen restaurant 1 minute away from our hotel, Henn na Hotel Akasaka. During our stay here, we always saw a lineup out the door. Based on our days so far in Japan, lineups = good food.
We decide to check out this ramen restaurant because today is the day we leave to Kyoto. As usual, there are not a lot of places open for breakfast, so we wait until 11am to check out of our hotel and stop by the ramen restaurant – it is already filling up fast.
We are able to put our luggage away in a corner of the restaurant. Then, we order using the vending machine. My boyfriend orders a tsukemen. This is a dipping sauce ramen where the broth is separated from the noodles. I try their chicken ramen. Both ramens cost $10 USD.
The inside of the restaurant serves around 11 people so it is very intimate and compact. They have a bar counter running around the kitchen like a square and everybody sits in a row facing the chefs. They serve you the ramen directly.
The chicken ramen I order has a lighter broth than the normal pork broth ramen places use. The slices of chicken are tender and super moist – not dry or bland at all! The chicken meatballs are packed with flavour.
My boyfriend chooses hot tsukemen, but you can have it cold if you prefer. The sauce for tsukemen is usually thicker and has bolder flavours because you are dipping your noodles in it. He says this is one of the best bowls of tsukemen he has ever eaten and he has been to Japan every year for the last 3 years.
Definitely check this place out!
Kyoto
We travel to Tokyo station to take the shinkansen (bullet train).
Bullet train to Kyoto
This is my first time taking the bullet train. We decide not to get the JR pass for our trip because we are not sure if it is worth it. You have to plan out your trip in order to maximize your savings, otherwise you may end up still paying for transportation on the JR line.
We purchase our tickets via the ticket counter, instead of the machines. Through a quick exchange, we purchase our tickets and line up on the platform.
We only notice later that we purchased the most expensive tickets. Originally, we meant more expensive = reserved seating, but they actually gave us first-class bullet train tickets so we paid around $488 for 2 tickets when it should usually cost around $350.
First class bullet train
The first class bullet train is called the Midori (green) cart. The difference between this and the normal reserved carts is that the seats are larger and in pairs. You can recline farther back and there’s also a foot rest. Aside from that, there is not much difference.
We opt not to purchase train bento boxes because I hear they are not that great. Thankfully, we ate at the ramen place before getting onto the train. We did stop and get some snacks and drinks in the train station since it will take us around 2 hours to reach Kyoto.
I watch the nice scenery pass by (more farm and nature! Less buildings) and take a short nap.
Hotel: Hotel Sunroute Kyotoiyamachi
We want to stay close to downtown Kyoto, called the Gion area. We look for hotels that are within a walking distance to the large shopping streets.
Hotel Sunroute Kyotoiyamachi is only a 10 minute walk to the heart of downtown and it is a beautiful hotel. I love the more traditional Japanese style the building showcases. Unlike Tokyo’s hotels, which all seem modern and trendy, Kyoto’s architecture seems to be more traditional.
After Henn na hotel Akasaka, I am really hoping for an equally large hotel room so I am pleasantly surprised when we arrive to our hotel room and see this:
Large bed (!!!), a really cute tea area where you can sit and drink tea (they refill the tea and crackers every day too. So yummy after a long day), a TV that you can hook your own HDMI cable in and rotate to face the bed. We watched Terrace House a lot.
The washroom is also super nice and I like that the mirror is heated. Even if the mirror is all fogged up, there is one square where you can see your reflection perfectly.
Things to do: Explore Gion
We walk around and explore the Shirakawa area. One thing I really love about the Gion area is that there are small and big rivers that run through the town. It gives a more relaxing feel than the dense Tokyo.
Apparently people puke in these rivers in the night life districts lol.
The buildings all look very traditional and well-maintained. It feels like we are walking back in time on cobblestone roads and the quiet glow of lanterns as night time approaches. We also see one or two Geishias running around. They avoid eye contact and we do not want to bother them or take photos of them.
Dinner: Pontocho alley
Pontocho is a narrow alley connecting to the major downtown shopping street lined with all sorts of restaurants. Most of them are facing the river canal so it is an amazing view. Unfortunately, their patio/terrace outdoor dining tables are not available in the Fall.
All the restaurants look amazing. Prices seem to be higher in this alley compared to other restaurants farther away. They have everything from nabe (hot pot) to skewers. Many places offer traditional Japanese cuisine.
Yasubee
We decide to eat at a random okonomiyaki restaurant because it has no line up. An okonomiyaki is a Japanese style pancake. We didn’t know at the time, but it is rated highly on Google Reviews and Tripadvisor.
Yasubee has okonomiyaki grills at each table so you actually kind of grill and make your own instead of having someone else cook it for you.
We order an original okonomiyaki and a seafood okonomiyaki and they are around $13 USD each.
Things to do: Shopping at Shijo Dori
There’s lots of shopping to do in the Shijo Dori area. They have everything from name brands to traditional gift stores. One of my favourite stores to shop at is called Loft. It is similar to Tokyo Hands with lots of stationary goods. This is where I bought my 2020 Hobonichi!
Dessert: Maccha House
We came to Maccha House because we saw it featured in a Youtube video. Kyoto has lots of specialty stores related to green tea goods so we had to choose carefully because our stomachs can only fit 2 desserts at most. We decide to skip Nana’s Green Tea and Tsujiri because there are locations in Vancouver.
We order a signature green tea parfait ($9 USD) and ask the worker on her recommendation between the green tea tiramisu or the roasted green tea tiramisu (both are $6). The worker tells us that their #1 seller is the green tea tiramisu, but her personal preference is the roasted green tea tiramisu.
The roasted green tea tiramisu is amazing. It is so good and light and sweet and all the beautiful things in the world together in a little wooden box.
The parfait is yummy as well, albeit a little difficult to eat but that may be because I am an inexperienced parfait eater.
They have a small second floor where you can sit and eat (my feet!!). Be wary that their stars are super steep. Like seriously be careful.
Final thoughts on day eight
The bullet train was comfortable and convenient – very fast! The train station in general can feel a little confusing as there are so many trains and platforms and the trains are always on time so you cannot be late or they will leave without you.
We only spent half our day in Kyoto due to having to travel there, but I already enjoy being in Kyoto more than Tokyo. I found the city more open and relaxing and less stuffy. Things were just as convenient and the food was just as good. I mostly think it’s due to the beautiful architecture and streets.
Kyoto’s love for matcha is seen in all the stores you pass by. Literally there are so many stores featuring green tea goods and they all look amazing. If you are a matcha lover, definitely spend more time in Kyoto.
I think it’s also important to choose a hotel that is close to downtown Gion area. In our case, we spent the whole day walking around and never had to take the train to anywhere, unlike when we stayed in Tokyo.
Stay tuned for my next post and follow along with the other recaps!
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Sincerely, Loewe
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