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!