What to See and Do In Kyoto

Happy Sunday and Konnichiwa from Kyoto. My daughter and I only had one full day in this amazing city but we packed a lot into it. First thing in the morning we took a cab to the Bamboo Forest. We intended to get there early enough to avoid the crowds butĀ it was already bustling with tourists by the time we got there.

Jennifer and Vanessa Connolly of A Well Styled Life riding a rickshaw in Kyoto

I was tired from traveling the day before so decided to take a rickshaw ride through the Bamboo Forest.

taking a rickshaw ride through the Bamboo forest in Kyoto

We had a funny rickshaw puller who cracked us up the whole trip. He explained what we were seeing and insisted on what pictures we needed to take. There were too many tourists on the paths for me to feel a ā€œzenā€ experience but it was beautiful.

In the afternoon we had a very zen moment at a private tea ceremony. She described every part of the ceremony beforehand then it was conducted in totalĀ silence. I was mesmerized watching her rhythmic movements which were quiet and precise. I could almost feel my blood pressure drop.

In the early evening, we visited an area reported to have geisha sightings. The narrow streets are lined with ancient wooden buildings which house tiny shops and restaurants. The entire area wasĀ bustling with locals at rush hour and tourists clamoring for a glimpse of a Geisha.

We spotted three very briefly and got a few fuzzy photos as they rushed into places where they were going to entertain.

The following morning we visited Fushimi Inari Shrine which is an important Shinto Shrine.

It is famous for its thousands of vermillion toril gates, which straddleĀ the trails leading into the mountain trails of the sacred Mount Inari.

We are off today to Koyosan today which entails two different trains, one subway and a cable car which is always fun to navigate.

Thanks for reading ladies and have a great day!

23 Comments

  1. Love these pictures! What a great trip, and you two look so happy. Love it.

    I was also going to suggest, if you haven’t read it, “Memoirs of a Geisha”. It’s really a great read.

    1. That was a wonderful book. I read it many years ago but would now like to reread it. Thanks for following along Laurel

  2. Reminds me of the lovely book and film “Memoirs of a Geisha “. Keep writing, I hope to follow in your footsteps.

  3. We stayed at a Buddhist monastery at Koyasan and it was a fascinating experience. We stayed in traditional lodgings and had the vegetarian food that the monks have developed and refined over the ages. I recommend the night tour of the cemetery.
    Glad to see you and your daughter are having a good time. Have you seen any autumn colors?

    1. That is exactly what we did last night! It was amazing and yes, the autumn colors are starting in Koyasan. It was a hike to get there but Iā€™m so glad we did it.

  4. Karen Aagesen says:

    Thanks for sharing your trip. Japan is at the top of my bucket list. Did you plan your trip or work with a tour company/group?

    1. My daughter researchedvit and pretty much planned the whole thing. Lucky me;)

  5. Looks like you are having an amazing experience. So happy to see those big smiles on your faces.

  6. Christine says:

    Thank you so much for sharing this with all of us!

  7. Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful experiences! I admire you and your daughters stamina and energy. You both look so happy! The trip is bringing you joy, and that is great.

  8. Rosemarie says:

    What a great way to travel in the forest.

    Wow you’re so flexible to be sitting cross legged. I am impressed. I haven’t been able to do that for years due to injuries in a car accident.

    1. I canā€™t do it for long because of my hip but Iā€™m doing it today at the Buddhist Temple.

  9. It sounds like a very, busy pace. But, then touring always is, as we want to see as much of the country as possible in a short time period. Thank you for sharing!

    1. We would love to have more time but are doing our best to have ā€œexperiencesā€ which are so much more important than ā€œthingsā€.

  10. Julie Anne says:

    Thanks for taking the time to share some of your trip. The weather looks pleasant based on what you and others are wearing. I donā€™t envy the geishaā€™s footwear.

    Hope your daughter is recoverating and you are remaining healthy.

    1. We are doing well, thanks for asking. Theyā€™re footwear is mind boggling.

  11. Gail Schwartz says:

    Japan looks beautiful. How is your daughter feeling? Keep posting your pictures

    1. Much improved thanks so maybe she was run down from the flight and working too hard before we left.

  12. Thanks you for sharing your experiences in Japan with us Jennifer! I wish I was there with you !

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