Rainy day in rural Kyoto | Day trips from Kyoto to Ohara & Uji | Coffee shops, Matcha and Shopping

Rainy day in rural Kyoto | Day trips from Kyoto to Ohara & Uji | Coffee shops, Matcha and Shopping

starting our day in Kyoto city we’ll be spending the next 3 days here this is the Lelabo perfumery in Kyoto the shop is in this little Machiya house surrounded by a Japanese garden but the real reason I’m here is for the hidden cafe located at the back of the store there was a line for the perfumery but the cafe was quite empty they have both coffee and matcha options they have a cute print of the shop on the cup I was surprised at how good the coffee was i’d come back just for the coffee it started to rain just as I got out it’s forecasted to rain this whole trip I guess we’ll have to enjoy Kyoto in the rain we’re headed on a little day trip today I feel like i’ve done all the main places in Kyoto city so we’re headed north to the rural village of Ohara which is about a hour away form Kyoto station it’s starting to rain quite heavily and we’ve arrived the village seems to be covered in fog I think we need to take cover first the cafe I wanted to go to is closed.. there’s no signs of easing I usually love rainy days there’s a bit of coziness you get when it rains but probably better enjoyed indoors having a quick lunch first this was the first shop I found taking shelter from the rain I needed something to warm me up and a bowl of curry udon was just the thing it’s still raining hard so let go have a look around the town the main area is lined with small restaurants and shops town has a traditional charm the area is well known for it’s temples and gardens so we’ll be visiting some of the popluar ones today this is another cafe I wanted to check out but already had my coffee for today this is the most famous temple in Ohara which has this beautiful garden this area is a popular autumn location however Iove the luscious green this time of year you can also sit out in the balcony and enjoy some green tea and sweets there’s a whole other section of the temple near the back which reveals a even bigger garden area the atmosphere is so calm on a rainy day this is the biggest temple in Ohara so there’s a lot to look around this is the main Shinden Hall, which holds Buddhist statuary the hall was built in 986 is as the oldest structure in Sanzen-in the garden is covered in lush green moss, and you can find small jizō statues scattered around there’s still more of the temple grounds to see there are also 1,000 hydrangeas are planted in the garden but looks like they’re not bloomed yet at the end of the walk you can find this little teahouse they give you a free cup of tea if you visit I can see some hydrangeas starting to bloom would love to visit again during autumn there’s a few more temples I want to visit in the area this one is probably the lesser known temples here but a nice quiet stop just down the path from Sanzen-in this temple is said to have been a centre for music and Buddhist chanting now it’s such a peaceful place with no crowds and no noise let’s continue to the next stop and probably the place I was most excited to visit you can first have a look around the garden they say this garden has been here for over 700 year and then you’re lead the main hall just as you enter you will catch sight of this large pine tree which is said to have been shaped to resemble Mt. Ōmi-Fuji the tree is so large the branches are held up with wooden support the entry comes with complimentary matcha and sweets so you can enjoy it while looking our at the view might be the best place to spend a rainy day despite it being summer the open breeze made it so refreshing the sweet was some kind of red bean mochi around 4 the temple was completely empty the atmosphere is quite different without people I still had time before my bus, so going to enjoy some reading the bus only comes every hour so make sure to look at the timetable when visiting I think Ohara makes for a perfect half day trip 🙂 back in Kyoto city looks like it also rained heavily here time to grab some dinner it’s definitely a ramen kind of day this place is popular for their chicken broth ramen but I wanted to try the seasonal truffle butter ramen it was quite rich but the lemon cuts through it the meat was really tender as well heading back to the hotel for the day it was raining even harder throughout the night hoping it clears a bit tomorrow it’s another rainy day in Kyoto but the worst seems to have past today we’re going on a little day trip to Uji Uji is most famous for their matcha and historic temples I’m here to restock on some matcha this is a small local cafe in Uji specialising in coffee however I felt like I had to get the matcha in Uji the cafe also has a DJ booth, with pleasant background music playing look how vibrant the green is the matcha flavour was strong and slightly sweet using my cafe time to plan the rest of my trip since I already visited Uji last year I wanted to check out some new places for the trip the Uji River runs through the town with little bridges and paths on either side this red Asagiri-bashi bridge, is one of Uji’s most scenic spots with views of the mountains in the distance today I booked myself a matcha making workshop you do need to book in advance through their website upon entering they guide you through the process of making matcha you can also learn about how matcha is harvested then you get about 10 minutes grinding the matcha leaves the faster you grind the more bitter it is so the process is actually very slow 10 minutes of grinding and this is all the matcha I’m left with and at the end you can enjoy the matcha you made with some sweets they also teach you how to properly whisk your matcha it wasn’t bitter at all but a lot lighter than the ones you have in store the hojicha yokan was also delicious time for some lunch this shop is famous for their matcha meals and desserts the soba came with this interesting usucha oil and how to enjoy it the soba comes toped with these tea leaves that add a nice crisp and nutty flavour this is quite a popular store so I recommend adding your name to the waiting list before exploring the restaurant is also connect to a tea shop which sells sweets and teas but I couldn’t find any matcha so let’s go look for some I saw a lot of reviews saying this shop had some matcha stock and luckily there were a few left and I managed to find the one I wanted since stock is limited, you can only by one per person this is the main shopping street in Uji selling everything from ceramics to matcha souvenirs you can find a lot more fresh tea leaves here stopped by for a matcha ice cream the bitter matcha power and the sweet ice cream pairs so well together time to head to our next stop I’m at Uji station the Keihan line and not the JR line the station was designed by Hiroyuki Wakabayashi in 1995 the station has such a cool, futuristic design it looks like something out of a scifi movie with overlapping circular geometry the station is said to be one of the best designs in the region thinks it’s worth a visit if you’re interested in unique architecture there is one last place I want to check out in Uji it’s about a 20 minute walk from the station this is probably the most popular matcha chain and also the hardest to find since this is the main store they seem to have a lot of stock but they also have a one per person limit i’m quite happy with my finds headed back to Kyoto city time for some dinner this is one of my favourite cafes in Kyoto the cafe opens till 11, so you can also come for dinner I love the cosy warm atmosphere surrounded by books and good music this is also one of those cafes where the coffee and food are both great the food was delicious as always I was on my way to grab some coffee but I stumbled across this tea speciality store they had such a wide range of teas you can try but I went for the matcha latte again I got the tsuyuhikari, which is meant to have mellow flavours and this was honestly the best matcha I had on this trip today is my ‘day off’ which means I don’t have any set plans on things to film so this is kind of how I would spend a ideal day off this is a fragrance store I visited last time I really like some of the scents I got so I’m back for more once you select the scents you like you can get them in a room spray, candle, incense or aroma oil ended up getting endless summer and sailing there is however one photo spot I want to check out which is a short walk from city centre this stone bridge dates back to 1907 the river is lined with these the willow trees the stone bridge is only 66cm wide so only one person can cross it even though it’s right in the city, it feels like you slipped back in time time for some coffee this was one of my favourite cafes I tried last time if you like your coffee dark and strong I think you’ll like this one but there it’s much of a sitting area if you want to sit down and enjoy your coffee lunch is burrito I wanted a little break from Japanese food even though it looks small it’s quite hardy it’s started to rain again I think rainy season came a bit early this year this is an antique ceramics and pottery store I couldn’t film inside but it had a super impressive selection of antiques it you’re interesting in Japanese antique ceramics definitely drop by this whole area had so many cute ceramics stores these were only ¥1,100 ($7-8USD) there’s a store I want to visit inside this temple grounds this is one of my favourite select stores the store focuses on“Long-Life Design” crafts and products selling local and sustainable products each location has their unique collection of items since this shop is located inside a temple it also had some singing bowl d prayer beads they were even selling some matcha nice place to stop by on a rainy day the store also has a connecting restaurant and tea shop I’ll have to check it out next time this was another store on my list this shop sells artwork by local artists they are usually rough sketches or drafts so you can find some for really affordable prices they also had some postcards and ceramics thinks it’s such a nice unique souvenir to bring back home inside the same building you can find this Tsutaya bookstore which always has some interesting items also had quite a big range of english books this shop has so many cute tote bags love this patter and colour this is probably the biggest vintage store in Kyoto they had such a a huge section of clothes and everything is so well organised there’s definitely something for everyone we’re back in the main shopping street I always like check out this store they always have cute and seasonal items the prices are quite affordable too that brings us to the end of our Kyoto trip ending with a epic sunset we’re about half way through with this Japan trip hope you guys are enjoying it so far

Spend a rainy day in rural Kyoto with me! 🍵
For this Kyoto trip, I did day trips to Ohara and Uji, two beautiful rural areas just outside Kyoto. From quiet temples tucked in the mountains to matcha experiences at historic tea shops, cozy cafés and shopping back in downtown Kyoto, this was definitely one of my favourite trips!

🕰️ Timestamps
00:00 Rainy day in rural Kyoto
01:16 Hidden Machiya coffee shop
03:48 Bus drive to Ohara village
06:36 Rainy walk around Ohara
10:42 Sanzen-in Temple stroll
16:32 Shōrin-in Temple
18:24 Hosen-in & garden (Enjoying matcha)
23:46 Chuka-Soba dinner
26:25 Coffee stop at Outstanding Coffee Roasters
28:55 Uji: Matcha day trip begins
29:59 Matcha making experience
33:09 Matcha soba at Nakamura Tokichi (lunch)
35:46 Searhing for matcha in Uji
37:42 Futuristic Uji station
41:48 Dinner at my favourite cafe
45:10 Shopping day

📍 Places featured:
LE LABO KYOTO MACHIYA https://maps.app.goo.gl/kXQ9Vrv6YyGP3NoQ9
Ippukujaya Teahouse https://maps.app.goo.gl/UifbiPKJJ2VcRprk7
Sanzen-in Temple https://maps.app.goo.gl/HsHjH4oEDKyUsAZe8
Shōrin-in Temple https://maps.app.goo.gl/N6xg74g9pzfFWdKx7
Hosen-in https://maps.app.goo.gl/gKfEvW6c6kBNyhSb7
Chuka-Soba Rantan https://maps.app.goo.gl/c31o2XfbPfEUFNG9A
OUTSTANDING COFFEE ROASTER https://maps.app.goo.gl/jAJ9kKPGYTBLq7tq5
Fukujuen Uji (Uji Tea Factory) https://maps.app.goo.gl/vhGsJHmq8BaFcUGL7
Nakamura Tokichi Honten (Main Store) https://maps.app.goo.gl/e9VBX2J526VVr9Uf7
HORII SHICHIMEIEN https://maps.app.goo.gl/MHmBeAp3Ghim3oWQ8
Byodo-in Omotesando https://maps.app.goo.gl/cjBpcaZcMTrfLH7x9
Masuda Chahohttps://maps.app.goo.gl/T4XuSkE9gzt3bYDH9
Uji Station https://maps.app.goo.gl/cEGfrXqZRDau58rf9
Marukyu Koyamaen Main Plant https://maps.app.goo.gl/ts9stc2QXqbPZGpe8
Cafe Bibliotic Hello! https://maps.app.goo.gl/rmu6snj3TnVapZtm6
7T+ https://maps.app.goo.gl/yegikZW4s5UZ6qHj7
APFR KYOTO https://maps.app.goo.gl/Pg9QaLEjpzDknJMx7
Gyoja-bashi Bridge https://maps.app.goo.gl/ky9KeTBFLKBaSe9V7
WEEKENDERS COFFEE TOMINOKOJI https://maps.app.goo.gl/b6266LTuF5iFC2mA6
ケパサ QUÉ PASA downtown https://maps.app.goo.gl/f5XcDNVzNpSwziiu6
Pro Antiques 古夢 https://maps.app.goo.gl/KX7uxkRQTt9qS5c3A
D&DEPARTMENT KYOTO https://maps.app.goo.gl/NnCM286WA3T4LLcT8
Nuunu Kyoto https://maps.app.goo.gl/x7rBrNtc6yEWCjQR7
SOU・SOU hotei https://maps.app.goo.gl/MK6zDsFk2ipmtNAV8
Three Star Kyoto https://maps.app.goo.gl/ovbW3mJqeC1dNvuz8
DEN ON THE TABLE https://maps.app.goo.gl/TCoiU57Ggam9MKg29

(#Ohara, #Uji, #Kyoto Rainy day, Kyoto temples, Matcha, Cafés, Vintage shopping Kyoto vlog, Day trips from Kyoto, Ohara Kyoto, Uji Matcha guide, Kyoto café guide, Kyoto rainy day vlog, Japanese tea, Kyoto shopping, Kyoto temple walk, slow travel Japan )

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Hi there! I’m Sol, I was born in Korea but grew up mostly in Sydney, Australia! After living in Tokyo for 4 years I’ve relocated to Seoul! I love to travel, find cute cafes and document my daily life. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy!

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