Japan: Day 20 — Hakone ...

At the Hakone Open-Air Museum
I was the first one awake in my dorm room. I had a morning coffee in the kitchen and then took my first onsen, which is a Japanese hot spring. There were two private onsens in the hostel and they were open 24 hours. One pool was bigger than the other and I opted to try the room with the big onsen first. It was wonderful! I floated for some time before showering and heading upstairs to see if anyone else was awake.

Jess and I had talked about going to the Hakone Open-Air Museum together. The place opened at 9am and we wanted to be the first ones in. The museum was a 15-minute walk up the road and what an amazing place it was! It exceeded my expectations!

The grounds were huge! It took us almost three hours to get through the entire museum. Besides the outdoor art, there was a Picasso room that never seemed to end. Most of the work was stuff that was Picasso inspired but there were some awesome pieces of work in there!

And just when we thought the tour was over, we found ourselves in another room with interactive art. One could stand on a box and move their body which would be mimicked by different figures on a huge screen in front of you. When one stepped off the box and got back on, the figure would change. They had six different figures and Jess and I were in stitches trying them all out!
The Hakone Open-Air Museum

Another fun thing was a screen that changed colors and shapes as you changed your voice. Jess started beatboxing! Ha! It made the screen look very cool! We had a good laugh and spent quite a bit of time in that room.

After buying a few things in the souvenir shop, we made our way back to the hostel. Jess had a train to catch early that afternoon. The dorm room was empty when I returned and I wondered who would show up that day.

The skies were blue and after having a bite to eat and a beer at the hostel, I headed out to do some hiking. I wanted to climb the mountain I could see from my room as it was within walking distance from the guesthouse. It was a three-hour hike, reaching the peak at 924m and an extremely steep climb.

The map of the character 大 (dà)
On the 16th of August, there was a festival in Japan where they burned different characters into the mountains. This particular mountain, Mt. Myojogatake, had the character 大 (dà) burned into the mountain. I reached the character and thought it was neat that there was a map showing the exact measurements of the character and how to walk around it.

The sun was scorching hot and there was no escape so I continued on up to the peak. There was no sign to celebrate your success, nor was there much of view. The trail was muddy and slippery on the way up and I was worried about sliding my way back down the mountain. The trail was also dense with greenery so it was dark and there were a lot of mosquitoes. Most of my images were blurry because of the darkness. The air had a lot of smoke in it which must have been the volcanic gases coming from the nearby volcano. I wondered if it was safe breathing it in. The trails near the volcano had been closed due to too much volcanic activity.

I returned to the hostel covered in mud and sweat. Thankfully they had a hose so I could clean myself off. I grabbed a towel and headed directly for the onsen. I had bought enough food for lunch and dinner on the way home from the museum so I didn’t need to go anywhere else for the day.

During my lunch, I had met a girl in the kitchen named Zoe who had just finished bullet climbing Mt. Fuji. She was exhausted and wasn’t able to get into her room until 3pm. She was in my room and we fast became friends. She was from Ontario but lived in Vancouver for 12 years before moving to the  UAE for three years to teach English. She was on her way back to Vancouver. We had a lot to talk about as we shared very similar experiences in life.

We had dinner together and shared stories before going back to the room to sleep! I was exhausted after that hot afternoon hike and slept like a baby!

Japan: Day 19 — Osaka to Hakone ...

I was up early, of course, and went to the ATM to get prepared for Hakone. It seemed there wasn't going to be much in the way of convenience stores up there and the hostel’s website said they only accept cash as a form of payment.

Checkout at the Airbnb in Osaka wasn’t until noon but I wanted to get on my way. Something told me it was going to be a long trip with all the transfers I needed to make. I set off around 9:30am so that I could dawdle along the way, which I did. I took my time and carefully looked where I needed to go and if I wasn’t sure, I asked.

About to hop on the bullet train, Shinkansen 
I took a pink train line from Nippombashi station to Namba station. From there, I transferred trains again for Shin-Osaka station. When I got off the train, the sign for the bullet train, the Shinkansen, was right there. I bought a ticket for ¥12,000. This train stopped at most stations and would take three hours. I wasn’t too bothered as I couldn’t get into my room at the hostel until 3pm.

Upon arrival in Odawara, Google Maps suggested I take a bus. I noticed a Hakone tourist information center so I went there to find out. The lady spoke perfect English, gave me some maps and suggested taking the train. The ride would be one hour with one easy transfer.

The Hakone Tozan Train
The train ride up was awesome! I went via the Hakone Tozan Railway, which is the oldest mountain railway in Japan! The train zigzags its way up the mountain. It was a bit confusing at first as the train was moving forward and then after making a stop, we were moving backward and heading back to where we came from. The train makes a series of switchbacks to get up and down the mountain.

I arrived at the guesthouse, Hakone Tent, around 4pm and was shown around and taken to my room immediately. It was a nice looking place and kept quite clean. When I got to the futon style dorm room that slept six girls, there was an Aussie girl sprawled out on the floor. She had just come back from bullet climbing Mt. Fuji and was exhausted. Her name was Jess. She was a riot and we hit it off immediately. She was fresh out of high school and had been doing an internship in Japan for six months. She was on her way back home to start university.
One of two private onsens (hot spring) at Hakone Tent which I used at least twice each day!
After discussing Mt. Fuji and our time in Japan, I left her and went downstairs to inquire about the area. I needed food! This is when I met another Aussie girl named Demi who worked at the hostel. It was her day off. When I said I was going to look for a store to buy some cold beer and snacks, she asked if she could come with. She showed me around on the way to Lawson’s and gave me some great tips for Hakone! I stocked up on beer and snacks. I was going to treat myself and eat at the hostel that night. I hadn’t had much to eat and was ready for a proper meal.

I ordered an avocado and smoked salmon pizza and a Caesar salad from the guesthouse for ¥1,600. Both were delicious and I had half the pizza leftover for the next day! Demi, Jess, myself and another girl from Denmark sat around in the common room and drank beer, ate and shared stories. It was a very fun night and it was nice to finally meet some folk. We were in bed somewhat earlyish after too many laughs and beers!

Japan: Day 18 — Osaka ...

I had a relaxing morning before making my way to the Osaka Castle. It opened at 9am. I wanted to get there early to beat the crowds but no such luck. There was a huge line waiting to get into the place. The castle was extremely disappointing, especially after my visit to the Himeji Castle the day before. Not good planning on my part.

There wasn’t a great view of the castle. They don’t let you get up close and personal like you can at the Himeji castle. The route basically puts you inside the castle, herds you up a bunch of stairs with a gazillion others to the top floor where you get a view of the city below. Each floor has some history about the castle but overall, it wasn't that interesting.

The waterfall pathway at Minoh Park
I stayed at the castle for 45 minutes before heading on my way. There were gardens next to the castle that I was excited about. I was hoping they would be half as good as the gardens I was at the day before. I took a quick glance before going to the ticket gate and could see it was a big open field with a guest house. I took a miss. I wanted to head to a waterfall outside of the city, so I made my way there instead.

It took 45 minutes by train to get to Minoh Park where there is a 33-meter high waterfall. The area was gorgeous. It was quiet and cooler up in the mountains. There were a bunch of trails but nothing was mapped out. It was hard to know where to go and if the trails would loop around so I stuck to the main trail.

The waterfall at Minoh Park
The waterfall was beautiful and the area was not terribly busy. The walk worked out to be almost ten kilometers. It felt so good to get in some exercise! There was a small bakery beside the train station where I grabbed some fried chicken and a slice of pizza. I brought them home for lunch and enjoyed them with a beer.

I got home around 2:30 and took a nap after my lunch. I was exhausted! I had one more thing on my list that I wanted to see. At 5pm, I got up and wandered over to Dotonbori. It was within walking distance from the apartment I was staying at. I thought the place I went to yesterday, Shinsekai, was busy but this place was ten times busier. The number of people was overwhelming. I got to the canal about one hour before sunset and as it came closer to the sun setting, the streets became more crowded.

I wandered around snapping a ton of pictures. There were so many illuminated signs. My tummy was grumbling and I knew it was time to find something to eat. Most places had long lineups. I walked around for what felt like ages and was getting hangry when I noticed an Indian guy holding up a sign for his restaurant. Perfect! The food was quite good and the restaurant was quiet which was a nice break from what was going on outside!
The Dotonbori Canal at sunset
It was my last night in Osaka so I stayed out a bit later and enjoyed the busy lanes of Dotonbori. It was quite an exciting place after sunset. I giggled my way through the tiny alleys and took a bunch more photos. It was time to head back though. There were too many people and I had a half a bottle of wine in my fridge that needed drinking!

I stayed up a bit later than normal enjoying my last evening in my own space as it would be back to life in a hostel for the remainder of my stay in Japan!

Japan: Day 17 — Himeji and Osaka ...

The amazing Himeji Castle
I awoke to OK weather so I decided to make the trip out to the Himeji Castle. This is said to be one the best castles in Japan. It opened at 9am and was two hours away by train from Osaka.

Finding my way there was fairly easy. I arrived at 8:30am and noticed hoards of people also making their way to the castle entrance. It’s a one-kilometer walk from the train station and the castle is in clear view. With each passing step, I could feel my excitement rising!

I got to the gates just as they were opening. I bought a ticket (¥1000 + ¥40 for the gardens) and went inside. The path leads you through the gates and into the castle. Himeji has wonderful old wooden floors. You must remove your shoes before entering. The floors were perfect for sliding around on! Good fun!

The inside of the castle was packed and it felt like we were being herded through which took away from the experience. I felt myself rushing through the castle, mostly to escape the crowds and the noise. After the indoor tour, the path takes you outside beside the castle. What a sight it was! It is massive! I sat on a nearby bench for a while just staring in awe. It was even better than I had imagined and definitely a highlight of the trip.

The Kokoen Gardens in Himeji
After staring in awe for ages, I made my way to the Kokoen Garden that belonged to the castle. The gardens were absolutely stunning! Best gardens I saw during my time in Japan. Those gardens will be forever etched in my mind!

After my tour of the gardens, my tummy was grumbling. There was a sign for gourmet food under the train station so I went in search of something to eat. It was at B1 level and the floor offered plenty of ready-made food. It was hard to choose something with all the choices, but I settled on some fresh sushi rolls. I got a sashimi tuna roll and a cucumber roll. They cost next to nothing and were ridiculously good and fresh!

I got back to the apartment around 2pm. I wanted to rest but I had four or five things on my to-do list with only one full day left in Osaka. It seemed I didn't give myself enough time for this stop!

The tallest skyscraper in Japan, the Abeno Harukas
I set off at 4pm making my way to the tallest skyscraper in Japan, the Abeno Harukas. It was only ten minutes away by train. It's a magnificent structure in the heart of the city center. It cost ¥1700 to go to the observatory at 288m. The views were stunning as was the design. Can you say eye candy?! The bathrooms were awesome and to think I almost left without visiting them.

After the Abeno Harukas, I walked over to an area called Shinsekai. There were people everywhere! The place had big lit signs, lots of cheap places to eat and a huge casino where people were gambling. It was an interesting area and I wandered around for some time enjoying the signs and the fake food displays that Japan is famous for.

This area is known for their kushikatsu, which is basically breaded and fried food on a stick! You could order just about anything on a skewer starting at ¥100/stick. I grabbed a cold beer and tried the onion and Chinese yam on sticks. I also ordered some udon noodles. The kushikatsu was delicious!

After dinner, I wandered around. The signs were lit, the place was loud and it was packed with people. It became a bit much so I left the area and walked back to the apartment. I relaxed for the rest of the night and went to bed early a bit unsure of what to do in the morning. The day was calling for rain, again!

Japan: Day 16 — Kyoto to Osaka ...

My Airbnb apartment in Osaka
It was a holiday in Japan as part of the Obon festival and a lot of places weren’t open. I was going to try a restaurant around the corner from my guest house in Kyoto before setting off for a western style breakfast but they weren’t open. Veg Out was on the way to the train station, so I figured I'd stop there for some breakfast but they too were closed.

I set off on the train a tad hungry. Thankfully, Osaka was less than an hour away. Check out in Kyoto was 11am and I wasn’t allowed into the next place until 3pm. I had booked an Airbnb apartment and the lady allowed me to do a self-check-in and drop off my big backpack.

I found the new place easily, got the key from the mailbox and took my pack up to the room. It hadn't been cleaned yet but it was cute. I left my bag in a corner of the suite and went back out into the heat of the day realizing I never really made a solid plan for the afternoon.

I quickly checked my to-do list for Osaka and decided to head to the first thing on the list. It was about a half hour away by train. I didn't realize the place I had picked was in the heart of Osaka nor did I know that Osaka is the second biggest metropolitan area in Japan. Coming from (somewhat) quiet Kyoto, I was overwhelmed at the number of people rushing around. Wow!
Very cool escalators up to the observatory at the Umeda Sky Building
The place I went to see was called the Umeda Sky Building. The architecture was awesome and for ¥1000, you could go to an outdoor observatory on the top of the building. The skies were gray and threatening rain but I went up anyway! There was a cool breeze up there and it was nice to get a complete 360-degree view of Osaka.

Overlooking Osaka from the outdoor observatory
I still had yet to eat and was starving! I looked at a number of menus but nothing was calling to me to stop for a bite. I ended up settling for an Italian place that was quite busy and reasonably priced. I ordered a four cheese pizza which wasn’t that good.

During my late lunch, I got a note from the lady at the Airbnb stating that her place was ready and I was welcome to go back! I headed back to the apartment to unpack. There were a few supermarkets nearby so I went to do a bit of shopping. The place had an extremely tiny kitchen so I didn’t use it for cooking. She had very little in the way of pots, utensils and spices.

I bought some fruit, yogurt and veggies and treated myself to a bottle of red wine! I had some leftover pizza, so dinner was taken care of for the night. I watched some TV and tried making a plan for the next day. The weather forecast for the next few days wasn’t looking promising. I went to bed early and decided to make a decision in the morning based on the weather.

Japan: Day 15 — Kyoto ...

A resting point with stunning views on Mt. Hiei
My last day in Kyoto! I spent it hiking in a mountain northeast of the city called Mt. Hiei. Unfortunately, the skies were threatening rain ... again. It took two trains to reach the base of the mountain and since the weather was a bit wet, I took the cable car part way up the mountain. After that, one could hop on a ropeway to the top but the rain had let up so I decided to walk the remainder of the way. It was a steep hike up.

Mt. Hiei has the second highest peak in Kyoto at 848m. There is a sign at the peak with no view. It was a nice hike up and it was very quiet in the early morning. I had the place to myself!
At the Garden Museum overlooking Lake Biwa
Near the top of the mountain, there is a gorgeous Garden Museum with tons of flowers and Monet style art. (¥1030)  I wasn't sure about going in but decided to do it as it looked like they had some very unusual flowers. It offered wonderful views of the largest lake in Japan, Lake Biwa, and the art was quite impressive as were the flowers.

After that, I hiked a few kilometers through a wonderful forest, making my way over to another cable car called the Sakamoto Cable Car, which is the longest cable car ride in Japan at 2,025m. I thought it would be a nice way to end my hike.

One of many gorgeous flowers at the Garden Museum
I dawdled through the forest, taking in the stunning views. There were a bunch of temples to visit along the way but they all had entrance fees. The closer I got to the Sakamoto cable car, the busier the pathways were.

The cable car was going to drop me down the mountain at a very different place from where I started. There was a JR Line which would take me directly back to Kyoto station in 22 minutes! Perfect!

My tummy was grumbling upon my arrival so I stopped at the Hub for some fish and chips and a pint of beer on my way back to the guest house. The day was getting on and I needed to do some laundry as everything I had with me was dirty.

The guesthouse didn't have in-house laundry but there was a coin operated place a few minutes up the road. It was ¥300 for laundry with soap included and ¥100 for every ten minutes in the dryer.

While waiting for my laundry, I went to a 7-11 to stock up on food for the night and for the next morning. I hung around the hostel in the evening and started making a game plan for my next stop, Osaka!

Japan: Day 14 — Kyoto ...

The final steps to reach the 342m peak of at Mount Wakakusa in Nara
Finally! Blue skies and the sun! I was up early and decided to head to Nara for the day. It was only 45 minutes away by train and I arrived in Nara just after 8am. There were very few people around.

A group of deer escaping the hot sun
Minutes away from the train station, I ran into a huge group of deer. They were everywhere! In the parks, on the streets and some even in the stores. You could buy deer crackers for ¥150 from small street stalls to feed the deer but I didn’t bother to do this. I did have fun looking at the deer. As I continued on my walk, I was amazed! It seemed there were no places without deer.

My goal for the day was to climb Mount Wakakusayama. (¥150) I hiked up to the peak which was 342m and offered lovely views of the city below with almost a 360-degree view. There was a huge group of deer up at the top resting in the shade. It was a glorious day but a hot walk up in the sun. The weather couldn’t have been better.

I took a different route down the hill and when I got to the bottom I had a look on my phone for any restaurants in the area. There was a burger place called Sakura Burger right across from the train station. It had rave reviews on trip advisor so I thought if I could find it easily, it’d be worth a visit.

Deer warning sign
On the way back to the temple, I stopped at the Todaiji temple. It was extremely busy and I found myself wondering why the deer stayed where they did. Some people seemed to be chasing after the deer even when there were signs that clearly asked people not to do that. People were also pulling on the deer's antlers which I am sure the deer didn’t like. I felt a bit disappointed at people’s stupidity. It would be interesting to learn how many people got bitten, butted or kicked in a day.

The Todaiji Temple
The Todaiji temple had an entrance fee to get in and I didn’t want to pay to go into another temple. I took a picture from the outside and made my way towards the train. My tummy was grumbling.

The burger joint was easy to find. They had a variety of burgers available or you had the option of building your own! I got a burger with avocado and cheese. It was terribly messy but oh, so good! I enjoyed it with a cold beer and was glad I stopped there for lunch.

I made my way back to my neck of the woods and stopped for dinner snacks and cold beer on the way back to the guest house. I rested for the remainder of the day and watched some TV.

Japan: Day 13 — Kyoto ...

Walking through the Torii Gates at the Fushimi Inari Shrine
I was up very early to make my way to the Fushimi Inari Shrine. I read online that the best time to visit was early morning. The shrine was three stops away from the closest train station and it took less than ten minutes to get there. I hopped on a 5:45am train and was surprised at just how quiet it was!

A map of the 4KM loop walk
The walk itself is a 4KM loop that took less than two hours to complete. There were a number of stairs and I dawdled my way up and down them while taking a ton of pictures. It really is an amazing place! Apparently, there are over 10,000 Torii gates. Each gate has been donated by an individual or a company to give thanks to the shrine.

The hike wasn’t too challenging and I found myself giggling along the way. It was a very exciting place and having it all to myself was wonderful! I made it to the peak of the mountain at 233m and this is when it started to rain lightly. I headed back down to the start of the trail and was shocked to see that it was absolutely packed with people. It was only 7:40am. Boy, was I glad I went as early as I did!
At the Sanjusangendo Shrine
I got on the train to head back home but since it was so early, I decided to stop at another recommended shrine, Sanjusangendo, that was just up the road from my guest house. (¥600) This place has 1,001 human-sized, golden Buddha statues. It was an amazing sight but unfortunately, photography inside was forbidden.

I got back to the hostel around 10am, grabbed a shower and took a rest before heading back out. I wanted to see more of the Kyoto train station.

The Kyoto Train Station
The station is massive! There are fifteen floors with open outdoor escalators. There is a big stage where people were playing music. On the very top, there is a rooftop garden with clear windows for viewing the city below. The station was super busy and it was a great place for people watching. Once again, I was blown away by the futuristic architecture that Japan seems to offer!

My next stop was for a late lunch/early dinner at an Irish pub called Man in the Moon. It is a tiny restaurant on the south side of the station. The guy working there was Irish and very friendly. I  enjoyed a cold beer and a cheeseburger. The burger was delicious! There was an American couple at the table next to me and we shared some stories and had another beer together before they set off for their train!

I spent another hour or so exploring the city before making my way back to the guest house. I had trouble keeping my eyes open that night and gave into sleep early!

Japan: Day 12 — Kyoto ...

Tengu, as seen outside the Kurama train station
It was a holiday in Japan, as part of the Obon festival. One of my classmates from MCU is studying Japanese in Kyoto and had the day off, so we went on a small trip together. We headed to the northern mountains of Kyoto to a place called Kurama. It took one hour by train to get there.

Upon our arrival, it was raining ever so slightly. We opted to take the cable car that went up the mountain for ¥200. At the top, there was a big temple called Kurama-dera. It was quite impressive and offered some nice but cloudy views. After visiting the temple, there was a path that led us through a wonderful lush forest. The hike itself wasn't difficult and it was lovely to be in nature! Thankfully the rained had stopped! The trail popped us out at another temple that was packed with people!
One of many restaurants over a fast running stream
Besides the temple, this area had a ton of restaurants with tables set up directly over a running stream. It looked like a very cool place to eat but the prices were astronomical. Wayne knew of one place that was reasonably priced but there were about 200 people waiting in line to eat there. Although hungry, we made our way on foot down the mountain road in the direction of the train station.

Tree roots along the hiking trails
The narrow road up to this particular area wasn't wide enough to fit two cars so there was a constant line of cars on the road unable to move. Men in aprons from the restaurants were shouting at drivers to move this way or that. As we neared the bottom of this tiny mountain road, I noticed parking lots full of cars. The restaurants had shuttle buses picking people up from the train station and the parking lots. More men in fine attire were calling out names on lists, trying to find those who had made reservations for the bus and the restaurants. It was a crazy place. Never have I seen anything like it.

Wayne and I made our way back to the city and grabbed some lunch at the place where we needed to change trains. There was an Indian food place right across the street from the station! Yes, please! The place was packed which is always a good sign and we were given a small table in the back of the kitchen since the main part of the restaurant was full. The prices were reasonable for the amount of food we got. It wasn’t the best Indian food I’ve had but it was still pretty tasty.

After our late lunch, I headed back to the hostel. I stopped at a 7-11 along the way to pick up some things for dinner along with some cold beers. I stayed in for the remainder of the day and made a game plan for the next few days! 

Japan: Day 11 — Kyoto ...

The weather forecast wasn't looking too good. The skies were dark and rain was a definite possibility. The night prior, I had decided to visit a popular shrine in the area but I wasn't motivated for an early morning departure. I decided to visit the Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji) instead. It opened at 9am.  (¥400)
Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
I got to the temple a half hour early in hopes of beating the crowds but there were tons of people hanging around the area waiting for the place to open. As the time neared 9am, a line started to form and thankfully I was near the front. There were easily 300 people in line. So much for having the place to myself.

It was a mad rush when the doors opened. People were pushing to buy tickets and then scurrying around to find the temple. I got a few shots in but it became harder to find an open space as time ticked on. Selfie central! Oh my!

The gardens surrounding the Pavilion
The pavilion is gorgeous as are the gardens surrounding it. I followed the pathway around the lake and before I knew it, I was walking out the exit. It took 20 minutes from start to finish. That included dawdling and a bathroom break. 9:20am ... now what?!

The Nijo Castle (¥600) was on the way back and a place I wanted to see. It was also packed with people but a very impressive castle. It took 1.5 hours to go around the outer and inner parts. The gardens surrounding the castle were lovely. I could only imagine what Japan would look in the spring or fall. The gardens are magnificent when they are green! They must be magical in autumn with the fall colors!
The Nijo Castle
I slowly wandered around the castle and at some point near the end of my visit it started to rain. I made my way back to the train and back to the guesthouse. I stopped at a Family Mart for some cold beer, a bagged salad and some sushi rolls. I had lunch in my room while the rain came down.

I hand washed some clothes and took a nap. I slept longer than intended and that didn’t really motivate me to do anything else for the day. There was also the rain. My stomach started rumbling around 5pm so I ran around the corner to the Thai place to try more of their food.

At some point during dinner, the rain started pounding down. I had a cold beer to wait it out. The rain let up briefly and I made it back to the hostel just in time. By the time I got up to my room on the second floor, it was absolutely pouring outside. Good timing! Thanks, Mother N, for not soaking me again.

After a long hot shower, I played around with some images but the lights went out at 9pm! Zzzzz.

Japan: Day 9 and 10 — Kyoto ...

Day 9 was spent in transit. I was scheduled on a 10:20am bus from Kawaguchiko to Mishima. The bus ride offered gorgeous scenery and it was a quick trip. I reached the Mishima train station around noon. I purchased a one-way ticket for ¥11,300 (reserved seat) on the high-speed train to Kyoto. It was a comfortable 2.5-hour journey to the Kyoto train station. I managed to catch a glimpse of Mt. Fuji as we sped by and in my heart I knew I wasn't done with her yet! She remains on my bucket list.

The Kyoto train station is massive and it was a bit overwhelming on where to go upon my arrival. The day was hot and humid so I grabbed a taxi to the guesthouse (Kiyomizu Gojo Guest House) which I had booked via Airbnb. I had my own room for a week (shared showers and bathroom) and was looking forward to it. It was a traditional Japanese style room with tatami mats and a small table with two chairs that sat on the floor. There were futons in a closet and directions on how to make your own bed. It was comfortable for sleeping but the room itself has seen better days. The walls could stand a coat of paint and some fixing up.

There was no laundry nor was there a kitchen though they did have a tiny fridge. The hostel offered free cold and hot water along with tea and coffee. The showers are closed from midnight to 8am which is inconvenient if one wants to go out early.

Papaya salad and spring rolls at Kinkao
 I completely unpacked for the first time since arriving in Japan and then set out to check out the area. The guesthouse was in a quiet neighborhood with some very cool looking Japanese houses but there wasn't much in the way of restaurants or convenience stores nearby nor were there any grocery stores. I did find a Thai restaurant (Kinkao) around the corner where I had an early dinner and a cold beer. The food was delicious!
Day 10
I awoke much earlier than expected (4:30am) and decided to get up and enjoy a morning coffee. I got ready and set off for the Bamboo Grove in Arashiyama. I read that going early morning was best otherwise it will be overrun with tourists. I was on a 6am train which took thirty minutes and three transfers to get to Arashiyama.

I immediately set out in search of the Bamboo Forest. The first few walkways of the bamboo forest weren’t that impressive and I found myself thinking, really?! This is it? But as I got deeper into the forest, it started to become much more clear what all the fuss was about. I wandered around slowly and pretty much had the place to myself. It was a wonderful way to spend the early morning!
The Bamboo Forest
There were a few other attractions (temples, a famous bridge and a monkey park) in Arashiyama but nothing too impressive. What did blow my mind was Owl Forest. It said it was an owl and cat café but it wasn’t a café. It was ¥1,400 to walk through the owl forest and play with Bengal Cats (with one free drink) for thirty minutes. I went in to see the owls first. It was so cool! I mean, how often does one get to see a variety of owls up close and personal?!

Love that face!
The owls were chained up to perches but there was a note saying they mostly sleep during the day and aren't bothered by this. The owls do (apparently) fly around all night and have regular visits to the vet. I hope they are treated well. You are allowed to pet the owls but I opted not to touch them. They are amazing creatures and I wandered around slowly to enjoy each and every one!
What a beauty!

The Bengal cats didn’t seem too interested in playing with me. I was able to pet some of them and they have the softest fur ever. I enjoyed watching them run around for a bit before leaving the area!

Tofu sandwich at Veg Out
It was just coming on to noon and I was hot, tired and hungry. I stopped at a Vegan place (Veg Out) near my guesthouse for lunch. It was so good! After lunch, I went back to the hostel. It was blistering hot outside and I wanted to avoid the heat. 

After a long rest, I headed back out around 4pm. I hit a park in the neighborhood and then went to the Kyoto Tower. A ticket to the top (100m) was ¥770. It was nice to view Kyoto from way up high.

On my way home, I passed by a British pub called the HUB. I decided to stop in for a cold beer and an early dinner. The food was delicious and I had a seat near the window which was great for people watching!