We went from living in a van to the BEST LUXURY HOTEL in Kyoto

Japan Van Life Ch 40: We’re quitting van life for the good life.

To celebrate New Year in Japan after 4 months of living in our self-converted van we traded our van for a taste of the high life (with a little help from some very special friends) and spent 2 nights and 3 days in one of Japan’s most expensive luxury hotels; Park Hyatt Kyoto in the Higashiyama district of Kyoto.

Designed as a luxury guesthouse with 9 stunning suites, the 5-star hotel boasts some of the best views of Kyoto City and the iconic Yasaka Pagoda and its location is perfect for exploring popular Kyoto tourist sites such as Kiyomizu-dera, the Geisha district of Gion, and countless of Kyoto’s picturesque shrines. If you’ve ever seen Lost in Translation, you might be familiar with its world-famous sister, the Park Hyatt Tokyo!

Today we’re giving you a full tour of the hotel’s gorgeous King Bed Garden View room and of Kyoto without the crowds. Come with us to see the inside of Kyoto’s best luxury hotel, see snow in the iconic historic alleyways of Ninen-zaka and Sannen-kaza, hear the bells toll at midnight from Kyoto’s most famous temple, Kiyomizu-dera, and nearby Kōdaiji Temple, and see how Japan celebrates New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day with festivals, hatsumode (first shrine visits of the year), and traditional Japanese food like toshikoshi soba (New Year’s buckwheat noodles) and osechi-ryori (traditional New Year’s cuisine, with each dish holding a different meaning from luck to longevity).

Thanks to our AMAZING friends, we saw in 2022 in the most dreamy way possible in Japan’s most beautiful hotel, and it was enough to make us *nearly* quit van life 😅❤️
____________________________________________________

Enjoy our content? Subscribe and add us to your list of Japan travel channels to follow to plan your trip! 🚐💨

Want to know how we started out living in a van?
WATCH OUR VAN BUILD VIDEO:

STAY UPDATED BETWEEN VIDEOS:
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/osharejpn/

💌 SUPPORT US TO KEEP THE JOURNEY GOING:
KO-FI: https://ko-fi.com/osharejapan
OSHARE FAM MEMBERSHIP: http://ko-fi.com/osharejapan/tiers

Thank you (and big love!) to our current monthly Ko-fi club members Eric, Natalie, Yuki, Jen, Mel, Ian, Sam, @Ferovka & Keith for your support ❤️
____________________________________________________

📍 LOCATIONS:

1:36 Park Hyatt Kyoto in the hills of the Higashiyama District of Kyoto (パークハイアット京都)
https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/japan/park-hyatt-kyoto/itmph

6:53 Yasaka-no-to Pagoda / Yasaka Pagoda at Hokan-ji Temple (八坂の塔)
https://kyoto.travel/en/shrine_temple/155.html

7:23 Yasaka Shrine / Yasaka Jinja New Year’s festival (八坂神社)
https://www.yasaka-jinja.or.jp/

8:31 Kodaiji Temple / Kōdaiji (高台寺)
https://www.kodaiji.com/

9:18 Kiyomizu-dera Temple (清水寺)
https://www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/en/

14:42 Historical alleys: Ninenzaka (二年坂 / 二寧坂)

TOP

Sannenzaka (三年坂 / 産寧坂)
https://jw-webmagazine.com/stroll-around-kyoto-unspoiled-historical-alley-ninen-sannen-zaka-d34ff383b678/

16:07 Gion Geisha district (祇園)
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3902.html

16:56 Gion Corner Traditional Japanese Performing Arts Theatre (ギオンコーナー)
http://www.kyoto-gioncorner.com/global/en.html

17:09 Kenninji (The oldest Zen temple in Japan) (建仁寺)
https://www.kenninji.jp/english/
____________________________________________________

Want to travel in Japan without a van?
Why not purchase a Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass) for discounted travel anywhere in Japan?
https://click.jrpass.com/aff_c?offer_id=19&aff_id=191

(If you make a purchase through the link above we earn a little commission at no extra cost to you!)

Planning a trip to Kyoto during winter? Why not visit these locations to see Kyoto in the snow?
No.1 Amanohashidate (One of Japan’s top 3 most scenic spots)
No.2 Ine no Funaya (“The Venice of Kyoto” – unique historic boathouses in north Kyoto)
No.3 Ryougonji Temple (“Crow Temple” known for its beautiful seasonal foliage)
No.4 Fukuchiyama Castle (A beautiful wooden Japanese castle completed in 1600)
No.5 Miyama Kayabuki-no-Sato (Idyllic preserved historic town with high thatched roofs in central Kyoto)
No.6 Hozu Gorge (Take a boat from the famously popular Arashiyama through this beautiful valley)
No.7 Kameoka Kiri no Terrace (Terrace with views of a “sea of clouds”)
No.8 Kifune Shrine (A popular shrine for marriage known for its iconic vermilion lanterns in the snow)
No.9 Togetsukyo Bridge (Arashiyama district’s iconic landmark bridge featured heavily in traditional Japanese art)
No.10 Arashiyama Bamboo Forest Path (Surround yourself with 400m high bamboo trees at this must-see location in Kyoto)
(Source: https://livejapan.com/en/in-kansai/in-pref-kyoto/in-kurama_kifune/article-a2000568/ Snow in Kyoto: These 10 Gorgeous Snowy Winter Views Will Have You Dreaming!)
____________________________________________________
#vanlifers #国際カップル #japantravelguide #kyotojapan