Gion 祇園 and Yasaka Shrine 八坂神社 (Kyoto 京都市, Japan 2014 #1)

It took almost 5 hours to get from Hakuba to Kyoto. You know what they say about that there are almost no train delays in Japan? We had some small delays with the local trains! But that’s no problem at all, because there are many trains. Travelling is so easy in Japan.

Chorakuji Temple Kyoto

Chion In Temple Kyoto

When we arrived in Kyoto, we had to get used to being in a city again. We felt that there were by far more tourists in Kyoto than Tokyo. Big crowds hop in and out of the many temples and parks. Of course, the food and shops are great here.

Restaurant Izuju Kyoto

Restaurant Izuju, Kyoto

We were hungry and had a late afternoon lunch in a traditional Kyoto-style (slightly pickled) sushi place called: Izuju, which has a history of more than 100 years. It’s located in the centre of the touristic Gion-area, which is packed with restaurants. The sushi is served in squares here. And they have sushi rolls which are packed in some kind of leaf, which you have to roll-off before you eat. It’s a place to have a quick and decent meal. We rate Izuju with a 7 out of 10.

Pickles on display, at Nishiki Market

Nishiki Market

Gion and Yasaka Shrine

After lunch, we walked around a bit in Gion and Yasaka Shrine. It’s busy with tourists everywhere. If a geisha shows up, everybody gets in line for a picture. And of course, if you can’t find the actual geisha’s, you can always dress up like one, which many girls like to do (mainly tourists). Gion itself is packed with stylish restaurants and stores, which all look expensive. The atmosphere in Kyoto is good.

Somushi Kochaya Restaurant

For dinner, we went to a restaurant called: Somushi. It’s a healthy Korean restaurant, with an extremely cool interior. It’s like visiting an luxury Thai-style spa, in a restaurant form. They also sell pottery.

Restaurant Somushi Kochaya Kyoto

The food is also served in beautifully designed plates and bowls. They have healthy shakes and nice tea. The food is very simple, but it tasted good. They close very early though (at 21:00 hours). But we still rate restaurant Somushi with an 8 out of 10.