We arrived at Osaka airport without knowing exactly how to get to Kyoto, but we did it, although we were making a mistake by train and paying the difference for being an express train! (Below we count the whole adventure). We left our backpacks and tremendously excited we started kicking the city.
NEWLY ARRIVED IN JAPAN!
We were like two children in an amusement park, with our eyes wide, watching every window, every street, every house, every detail and every gesture of the Japanese around us. Everything was so strange! And so much fun! We were happy to finally step on Japan and continue to be surprised at each new destination. Japan, without a doubt, showed itself as a place unlike any other where we would have been. We were in our sauce!
The cultural clashes, those that we love so much, presented themselves to tons ... masks, perfectly aligned and respected tails, sympathetic grandparents, intelligent bathrooms and those of the dark hole, vending machines, women in kimono, pachinkos ... and many more!
EXPLORING KIOTO. NISHIKI, PONTO-CHO AND GION MARKET
This first day is dedicated to walking north. We had almost forgotten that it was that of kicking the cities and the feet asked us to stop, but there were so many stimuli out there that it was impossible for us not to go a little further, until the next crossing, to see that we were. And we saw a lot of things! Perhaps best of all, it was not the points of interest that appear on the city maps, but the experience of living Japan from its own streets and in a city like Kyoto, where tradition and modernity overlap.
Obviously there are certain sites that retain a special charm and that we must visit, such as Nishiki market, a covered street full of stalls where you can find all or almost all the culinary specialties of Kyoto and part of Japan. Nice to see, but prices are prohibitive for backpacking pocket, so we take many pictures.
Wave Ponto-Cho street, a narrow alley parallel to the river with lots of little bars and restaurants. It is the epicenter of the nightlife and they say that some geisha is occasionally seen here.
Our tour continued along the river side walk and the visit to the Gion neighborhood, of which we tried a little piece, but that later we would travel with a small group of Japanese friends.
And, of course, we begin to soak up the Japanese cuisine. It is true that we do not have a mega budget that allows us to feast after feast, but as here there are several Japanese fast food restaurants, we will be able to enjoy many very varied dishes! For now we start with the Sukiya and Yoshinoya where we tried Gyudon, miso soup, and the occasional specialty.
What a day! I am convinced that it will cost us to sleep, even when we are in real beds (for the moment we have dodged the futons, but it will touch us, already), because there have been many new experiences that will come back to us too late at night, until we fall ...
TEMPLES NISHI HONGAN-JI and HIGASHI HONAGAN-JI and KIOTO STATION
The second day we spent exploring the area where we stayed. The first stop was the brother temples of Nishi Hongan-Ji (nishi means west) and the Higashi Hongan-Ji (higashi on the contrary means this), built around 1600 and origin of some piques. They are two quite large temples that can be visited for free.
From there we headed towards the Kyoto train station, which in itself deserves a quieter visit than the arrival. We left for the third day the furthest points that left us stone!
USEFUL INFO
How to get from Osaka Kansai airport to Kyoto.
We took a Haruka instead of the JR (the only ones valid with the ticket we took, obviously the cheapest one). We already smelled it, but the reviewer gave us the bad news, impassive even before our best faces of slaughtered lambs. There was nothing to do and fearing that he would run out of patience and arm her fat 1 hour after landing, we paid the ticket from the airport to the next stop (Tennoji), where, this time we would take the correct train, from the Osaka Loop line.
At Osaka Station we get off and change platforms (at 6 and 7), on our way to Kyoto. This time there were no major problems and just over half an hour we were at Kyoto Station.
Where to stay in Kyoto
We stayed at the Kazariya guesthouse.
