Daytrip in Kyoto

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Going to Japan, we decided to book flights from Manila to Narita then Osaka to Manila for cheaper fare – which was a good idea mfor us to be able to maximize our trip. 

We stayed in Osaka for 4 days, without much on our itinerary but Universal Studios. A friend of mine mentioned that there are a lot of Instagrammable places in Kyoto, some of them are Fushimi Inari Taisha and the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. 

Some of my colleagues didn’t want to wake up early to visit the province, but of course, me on the other hand wanted to make the most of my visit. Emon and I were supposed to wake up at 6am and leave our Airbnb by 7am to be able at least visit 3 attractions before the sun goes down – but of course, I woke up later than planned because I had troubles sleeping the night before. 

We left at 9 AM, and traveled by train for more or less than an hour and a half. Our first stop was Fushimi Inari Taisha, which is known for the thousands of vermilion torii gates. It is dedicated to Inari, called the Shinto God of Rice.

There are also food stalls located outside, which offers enticing food/delicasies. We decided to have our brunch there and just enjoy the place while at it. 

Then we headed to Arashiyama, knowing that we could only afford one more stop before it gets dark.

It starts to get dark in Japan at 4 PM – make the most of your travel in the morning or while the sun is still out.

Walking to Arashiyama Bamboo Forest was somewhat like a short trek. We walked a little further, just to make sure that we at least reach the middle.

By the time we were done, it was getting dark and there weren’t much lights in Kyoto given that it is a province. So we had to rush to make sure that we don’t get lost. 

The Kyoto trip was short but really worth it. 

TIPS:

1. It is recommended that you visit these attractions on a weekday, which they say has lesser people than on weekends.

2. When taking photos in Fushimi Inari Taisha and Arashiyama Bamboo Forest – it gets really crowded and people come in waves (Yes, I’m making a Plants VS Zombies reference) for some reason. If you want a photo of yourself without anyone photobombing, try to wait a while until the path clears up - but make it quick because it might just be for a couple of seconds.

3. Or, you can just try different angles to cover them. ;)

If I get to travel to Japan in the near future, I will definitely stay longer in Kyoto. There are still more places I would like to visit, which include parks - because I’m such a sucker for parks most especially during Autumn.

Let me know your thoughts!