15 DAYS IN JAPAN: DAYS 6 TO 10

Continuing the journey… WELCOME TO KYOTO!

If you haven’t read the itinerary for days 1 to 5, click here

DAY 6- Northern and Western Kyoto.

What better way to spend the morning than admiring a stunning Zen temple on a sunny day. Kinkakuji, better known as The Golden Pavilion, is a beautiful structure covered in gold leaf in the middle of a pond. The entrance to the temple is forbidden, but you can take the perfect photo and walk the gardens surrounding it.

Try to get there early because it’s a very touristy spot.

Kinkakuji Temple, Kyoto, Japan — Kinkakuji: The perfect photo

Next walk to Ryoanji, another Zen temple and home to the most famous rock garden in Japan. Take a few moments to relax and be sure to admire the wooden temple with its sliding door paintings and tatami floors as well.

Keep moving towards the west and you’ll find Ninnaji, a Shingon temple and a World Heritage Site. It consists of various halls which shelter hundreds of Buddha statues, a museum and a 5 story pagoda.

If you happen to be there on the 21st of the month, don’t miss the morning market; it is full of different smells, tastes and miscellaneous .

Morning market in Ninnaji Temple, Kyoto, Japan — Morning market in Ninnaji

Final stop of the day… Arashiyama district. Take a walk amongst the bamboo groves, shop along the main street, enjoy a stroll next to Katsura River or cross the iconic Togetsukyo Bridge.

I specially recommend checking out the Chirimen Craft Museum for souvenirs.

Chirimen Craft Museum, Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan — Chirimen Craft Museum, Arashiyama.

Hotel: Royal Park Hotel The Kyoto

DAY 7- Central Kyoto

Start your day by visiting Nishiki Market, a five block shopping street where you can find a large assortment of fresh and dried seafood and other produce, typical and seasonal food treats, plus cooking utensils. Grab a bite to eat on one of the many street food stands.

Next head to Nijo-jo, a castle built as the Kyoto residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu (remember Nikko’s mausoleum?). Karamon gate is the entrance to Ninomaru, the second circle of defense for the castle. Ninomaru palace’s structure is connected by “nightingale” corridors that chirp when stepped on; it is a real pleasure to gaze at the decorated ceilings and paintings on the walls and doors inside the palace (no photos allowed).

The ample castle grounds and gardens are also a delight to wander.

Nijo Castle, Kyoto, Japan — Imposing *Karamon*

Nijo Castle grounds, Kyoto, Japan — View from the *Honmaru* (main circle of defense)

Walk towards Kyoto Station and have lunch in one of the many restaurants on the 10th and 11th floor (Kyoto Ramen Street or Cube Gourmet Street); afterwards enjoy a view of the city and Kyoto Tower from the observation deck.

End your day walking around the narrow streets of Pontocho, and poke around the many restaurants, sake bars and tea houses. With some luck you may glimpse a maiko or geisha going to work! Just remember not to stare or take pictures without their consent, it’s considered to be disrespectful.

Kyoto Station, Japan — Sunset in Kyoto Station

Hotel: Royal Park Hotel The Kyoto

DAY 8- Southern and Eastern Kyoto

Head to Fushimi Inari Shinto shrine, one our favorite places in Kyoto. More interesting than the shrine buildings themselves are the trails leading to the sacred Mount Inari, framed with thousands of orange torii.

It is really a surreal event to be climbing the trails, surrounded by nothing but torii, trees and sky, listening to the chirp of birds and the sound of the wind. Beware: while it’s not a climb for the fainthearted, as the trails are steep and the ambience humid, the experience is worth every drop of sweat.

Torii, Fushimi Inari, Kyoto, Japan — Torii *ema* (wooden plaque in which a prayer can be written)

Fox, Fushimi Inari, Kyoto, Japan — A fox, messenger of the God Inari

Your next stop will be Kiyomizudera Buddhist Temple, famous for its wooden main hall, built without using nails. Currently and untill 2020 the main hall will be on repair, still you can see the inside. Walk the path among the trees to the three-storied pagoda and on your way down don’t forget to drink from one of the three streams of Otowa waterfall (for love, success in school or long life).

Kiyomizudera temple, Kyoto, Japan — View from Kiyomizudera temple

Hotel: Royal Park Hotel The Kyoto

DAY 9- Nachi Katsuura

Prepare yourself for the longest train ride of the entire trip. Take the shinkansen from Kyoto station to Shin-Osaka station and then change to the Limited Express Kuro towards Kii-Katsuura station. The whole ride lasts approximately 4 to 5 hours.

Nachi Katsuura is a small village of fishers; it’s characterized by three things: tuna, onsen and the closeness to Kumano Kodo pilgrimage path.

After checking into your hotel, enjoy a lovely boat ride along the coastline and observe the strange rock formations. In some months, whales and dolphins may be spotted.

Nachi Katsuura, Japan — Lovely day to be out at sea

Head to one of the two huge hotels that can be accessed only by boat: Urashima or Nakanoshima. There, enjoy a relaxing afternoon fishing or soaking in an onsen: private (which we chose) or public, if you are comfortable with being naked in front of other people and want to experience the real deal.

Urashima onsen, Nachi Katsuura, Japan — What could be more relaxing than this?

End your day by dining in one of the delicious tuna restaurants, it can’t get any fresher.

Hotel: Onsenminshuku Kosayaka

DAY 10- Nachi Katsuura & Nachi Taisha.

Rise up early and check out the fish market next to the docks. There is a special 2 floor observatory for watching the tuna auction (similar to the one in Tsukiji market, but smaller). You can have breakfast in one of the little restaurants around the market selling the catch of the day.

Next take the bus to Nachi Taisha, but be sure to get off at Daimonzaka bus stop.

Daimonzaka is the first section of the Kumano pilgrimage trail, and relatively easy to climb. It goes 600-700 meters into the forest and towards Nachi Taisha. At the entrance, wooden walking sticks are offered to make the climb easier.

Daimonzaka,Kumano, japan — Girls posing in Tsubo-shozoku (typical kimono)

Nachi Taisha is one of three shrines in the Kumano Kodo. Here you can find Shinto and Buddhist temples, both religions coexisting without problems. The contrast is a lovely thing to see; the shinto shrine is simple and of vivid colors, while the buddhist temple Seigantoji is intricate, wooden and gold.

Torii, Nachi Taisha, Japan — Success! Entrance to Nachi Taisha

Continue your climb to the three-storied pagoda and enjoy the view of Nachi no Taki, one of Japan’s tallest waterfalls.

Nachi Taisha, Kumano, Japan — A beautiful view

You can the descend to the bottom of the waterfall and say a prayer; after all this has been a Shintoist worship place for centuries.

Nachi no Taki, Kumano, Japan — Nachi no Taki

Take the bus back to Nachi Katsuura. Before you return to Kyoto be sure to eat some more tuna sashimi, we are sure you’ll never taste anything as delicious again. Special recommendation: Meharizushi Nidaime, a small restaurant tended by the chef and his wife.

While you wait for your train, relax and dip your feet in the foot onsen outside of the station.