We arrived in Kyoto a couple days ago to a much quieter vibe than Tokyo. In Tokyo there is a constant flow of people around every corner, so this was a nice (and welcome) change.

Upon checking into our new digs (close to Nijo Castle), we went looking for food. Given most restaurants close in the mid-afternoon here, this ended up being more difficult than we thought. We ended up finding a quaint Nepalese place with a pretty cool vibe and interesting music. Later that evening we headed over to Kyoto Gion Mikaku, a high-end teppanyaki restaurant, where we enjoyed a 9-course Waygu (A5) beef experience. I may never be able to eat regular Canadian beef again…

The next day we set off early. We joined Kuup, which is a system they have all over Japan for renting electric, high-speed scooters. Scooters under-foot, we scooted down the back alleys in Kyoto to the Shinkyogoku shopping district to enjoy some morning coffee and a quick snack. At 10am we started our samurai and ninja training. After learning a routine with a katana, before starting our ninja training. Fun Fact: Ninjas were the equivalent to spies, but were also farmers. The weapons they used would double as farming tools (or vice versa), with the exception of ‘shuriken’ (AKA: throwing stars). You would rarely find a ninja caring shuriken, as this would give away their identity. After a shuriken and fukiya (blow darts) competition, we decided to find a sushi place for lunch.

Upon a few failed attempts, we finally found an authentic sushi restaurant down a little alley, completely underground. Upon fueling up on some raw fish, we hopped back on our scooters and were off to the Kodaji bamboo forest.

After a quick walk through the forest, we stayed within the area and explored a few of the shrine/templates on foot. We finished off at the Kiyomizu-dera. In the Buddhist template here (Zuigu-do Hall), you go in, and it is a pitch black chamber devoid of all light. You have to feel your way through the template. This is a spiritual experience (tainai meguri) and is meant to symbolize rebirth and making your own light in the dark. Absolutely no cameras or phones (so, no pictures — sorry).

After our shrine and template overload, we headed back toward our hotel. We luckily discovered Sanjo Shopping Street on the way back, where we stopped for some food and drinks.

After a good 12 hours exploring Kyoto, we finally made it back to the hotel, cleaned up, and decided to go out one last time for a few drinks, and even more food. We found a hole-in-the-wall place right beside our hotel (in the third floor of an apartment building). We were the only two there for a good hour, before we finally called it a day.

What a place…

Next stop: Hiroshima.