Hi everyone! I'm continuing my series of articles on our family vacation to Japan, sharing some of our favorite photos from the trip. Our two-week adventure started in Tokyo and included a day trip to Mt. Fuji and the Hakone area. After that, we spent two nights at Tokyo Disneyland. If you are just starting, make sure to check out these posts first.
We traveled from Tokyo to Kyoto via bullet train, which was an experience by itself. The train went so fast, and we loved getting Japanese bento boxes to enjoy on it.
Kyoto is the former capital of Japan, rich in history and culture, with thousands of traditional houses, lively streets, and some of the country's most famous temples and sights. After being in glitzy Tokyo, we immediately fell in love with the old-school charm of Kyoto.
We arrived, checked into our new hotel, and went out to explore, starting with Kiyomizu-dera.
This historic mountain-side temple is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for the soaring gates and pagodas that fill the sky.
The main hall is a huge veranda that has spectacular views of the city.
We ended the day in Gion with a charming and memorable dinner.
The next day, we had a full day planned with a tour guide who helped us get around. We kicked off our day by visiting the Fushimi Inari Shrine, with its impressive and iconic red gates.
Learning about how the gates are bought for good luck is simply fascinating.
We walked the path and enjoyed the sights and history.
Next up was the Kinkaku-ji Temple, also known as the Golden Pavilion. We enjoyed walking around the gardens and learning the rich history too.
Next up was Kyoto Nijo Castle, which was simply fascinating.
We learned about the Tokugawa shogun and the end of the Edo period in Japan.
And after walking about a gazzion steps, we took a few-hour break at the hotel before dinner to cool off. 🙂
Our dinner that evening was one of the most memorable meals we had the entire trip.
We got lucky enough to sit at the sushi counter with the boys and chat with the sushi chef while he prepared us food. He loved that our boys loved the sushi, and he made us feel so special! He even gave the boys little toys when we left.
It was one of those magical travel nights you dream of for years and years.
Our next day in Kyoto was filled with cultural experiences. We started with a tea ceremony, including a kimono experience.
It was SO fun and interesting and something I will always remember.
I, of course, picked pink.
Just look at the back!
The boys even got into it!
We learned about tea ceremonies and how important and particular they are.
Including learning how to make our own matcha tea.
This was another one of the memory books for me!
Our lunch was at the busy Nishiki Market, where we had giant grilled oysters and king crab.
After lunch, we went to the Ninja museum, and this was one of the boys' favorite things. Here are some cute photos of them having fun. 🙂
And to finish our day of culture, we got to watch a real geisha performance at our hotel. It was downright magical.
We got to chat with her and take photos too!
Kyoto was our favorite part of this trip! This history-filled city is magical and is such a charming place to visit. If you go, you have to add this to your list! I'll have more official travel information on it coming up soon. The final part of my travel series is coming up next week, and I'll take you to Nara.
If you are just starting, make sure to check out these posts first.
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