Day Trip to Kyoto: Finding Peace Beyond the Crowds | Japan Travel Vlog

Day Trip to Kyoto: Finding Peace Beyond the Crowds | Japan Travel Vlog

Kyoto Fushimi Inari and Uji Hello friends! Our plan was to do a day trip in Kyoto for our first visit to Fushima Inari Unfortunately the rapid train services were disrupted and we have to take another train line we finally reached Kyoto after 90 minutes from where we started (Imamiya Station) 😅 We decided to grab lunch at JR Kyoto Isetan first Tonkatsu is always a good option but let’s check other options first😊 very tempted to eat the steak at Grill Capital Touyoutei but it was too crowded 😔 Wako JR Kyoto Isetan 11F
Higashishiokojicho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, 600-8216, Japan you can’t go wrong with Tonkatsu in Japan haha It is “Free Refill” for the side dishes but we are already quite full after finishing the full set Wako branches can usually be found in Isetan department stores They also have multiple branches in Bangkok Thailand! Going to Yodobashi to buy a Powerbank first haha It is one of the biggest Electronic Store and you can find their branches across Japan With our stomach filled, we can finally kick start our journey to Fushimi Inari 💪 Fushimi Inari Taisha
68 Fukakusa Yabunouchicho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0882, Japan This is the iconic First Torii Gate at Fushimi Inari Shrine The Torii gate is believed to be the border between the Mortal and God’s world We expected it to be crowded but NOT this crowded 😅 So do set your expectations if you plan to come here in Spring season The building in front is the famous Romon Gate This gate is built in 1589 supported by the donation of one of Japan’s most powerful warlords
Toyotomi Hideyoshi It is a token of gratitude after his prayers to Inari for his mother’s recovery from illness were answered. Legend has it that the fox act as the messenger between mortals and God We only found out the stories of this shrine after reading more about it after the trip 😅 The perks of Spring Season is you get to encounter beautiful blossom like this I’ve asked ChatGPT where to find less crowded spot at Fushimi Inari It said to walk past the Thousand Gates and continue to walk from Okusha Hohaisho so onwards we go haha 🏃‍♂️‍➡️ Writing our prayers on the ema (fox-shaped prayer tablet) since it is our first visit They provide templates for different message of gratitude I can’t remember clearly but I think it is 1000 yen for a single ema 🙏🙏🙏 This is the Omokaruishi Stone Lanterns You just need to make a wish in front one of the stones and then carry it if it feels lighter than what you imagined, your wish will come true we are going to continue our journey to find a less crowded spot as advised by ChatGPT This part of the passage is still quite crowded as it is still an easy walk The climb starts when you reach the base of the loop Wife finally found her perfect photo taking spot 🙌 happily editing the photo and temporary forgetting about the tiredness 😂 there’s a lot less people since we started the climb very satisfied with the photo taken earlier! 👍 Hello Meow Meow 🐱 very beautiful color since this is our first visit , we decided to walk the full trail the climb is getting steeper! very nice city view from this photo taking spot the sign board mentioned that it takes around 45 mins to complete walking the loop… Took us around an hour to complete the walk with some quick stop at the shrine Visitors can also make a donation for a smaller version of the Torii gate there are small shops like this that provides the service. You can also buy drinks and souvenirs here my curiousity got the better of me 😂 At this point of time we are not sure if it was the right decision to walk the loop 😂 But if other people can do it so can we! 💪 the world up here is miles different from where we started below it is a lot quieter and feels serene with the nature sound I think it is worth dedicating a few hours to explore this place Fushimi Inari was originally dedicated to agricultural prosperity but as Japan transformed from an agricultural to industrial society the shrine became associated with business success and commercial prosperity The climb starts when you reach the base of the loop the torii gates can be represented for different meaning Gratitude for wishes already granted Hopes for future blessings in business, health, or prosperity Expressions of faith in Inari’s power to bring good fortune Today, anyone can donate a torii gate, though costs depends on size and location We’ve finally reached the highest peak of Mount Inari – Ichinomine Finally a bit of descent for those tired legs 😂 We are walking round the loop and heading to Ninomine next it is around 4 PM when we reached this part of the trail The climb was tiring but I think it was worth it for this quiet moment as long as we don’t encounter any wild boar hahaha there are sign boards warning about them but I doubt they will appear in the day there’s actually a meaning for both set of paths on the loop the left side is for business and academic success while the right side is for household safety and family prosperity that’s why it made sense to walk in a loop for the “full” blessings walking through these “tunnels” of torii gates is an experience of its own I think this is the Ninomine if I am not wrong a quick prayer as we completed our mission of walking the full loop Taking a short rest before exiting Fushimi Inari I think the caregivers for this place stay in the house in front You can buy tablets for writing wishes at the front as well Got to stay quiet to be respectful to the residents living here Hello Koi-san 👋 The golden colored Koi looks beautiful Time to go to our next destination so I asked ChatGPT where’s a good spot to view Sakura near Fushimi Inari and it suggested Uji River… We were hoping to catch the Sakura scenary during sunset but it looks like the sky is darkening at around 6 PM 😅 we still think it might worth a visit and we certainly don’t regret it it is said that there is more than 2000 cherry trees along the banks of Uji River we weren’t sure if the place will be crowded though there’s definitely not much tourist heading towards this direction it is mostly locals onboard this train to Uji Station Uji is situated between Kyoto and Nara this is our first visit to Uji so it will be interesting We were greeted by a very beautiful Sakura Blossom as we walked out from JR Uji Station anticipation is building as we walk towards Uji River No more chance for sunset scenary as dusk has settled into the evening Visiting Uji is a spontaneous decision which we didn’t plan for at the start of the day even Fushimi Inari was decided yesterday we knew we wanted to spend a day in Kyoto for this Japan trip Uji River did surprised us pleasantly though Uji is renown for its tea cultivation due to Uji River and the climate thus the strong tea culture in this city where you can experience tea ceremonies Uji Matcha seems to be the signature drink as every cafes here seems to promote it don’t forget to try it out when you visit Uji in the future we only knew of the history after visting this place 😅 Looks like a big torii gate at the intersection in front Uji Bridge
Uji, Kyoto 611-0021, Japan it was said that a monk from Nara built it in the 7th Century. That’s more than 1300 years of history! This bridge was destroyed and reconstructed many times with the latest reconstruction in 1996 Dusk – the bridge between the brightness of day and the darkness of night. We get that sense of serenity just by standing and watching the river Imagine this scenary during Sunset I wonder if this place will be just as beautiful during Autumn season take a hot drink sit here want mai? Going to get our coffee fix but too bad this cafe has already closed seems like most of the shops are already closed haha we got lucky as Starbucks is still open! Hot coffee to warm the body 😊 the rest at starbucks took longer than expected 😅 the climb at Fushimi Inari took the toll on our old legs haha we decide to check out Uji Park since we are already here the park’s quietness is a stark contrast to the bustling crowd at Fushimi Inari earlier This could be because of nightfall (7 PM) but I don’t imagine it to be super crowded during the day as well if given a choice, we definitely want to return here again Uji Park
Uji, Kyoto 611-0021, Japan This park consist of two islands and we’re standing on the Tachibana Island now The islands themselves formed naturally as sandbars from river sediment deposits over centuries Manmade elements has been incorporated to beautify and make access easier These sakura would have looked really beautiful during daylight I can totally imagine myself sitting here at one of the benches during the day the serenity allows me to either be present at the moment or be lost in my own thoughts The “Tales of Genji”, a classic novel written by a Japanese noblewoman in the 11th Century the book’s final settings are based around Uji Your very next inspiration might come just by resting around this area 😉 The bridge in front on the left is the Asagiri Bridge The bridge provides access to the Tale of Genji Museum where you can find out more about its author The bridge is actually a hotspot for photo taking we didn’t walk on it since it is already dark Right across on the right side of the island is famous Byodo-in Temple Do you know that the 10 yen coin you’re holding has the temple design on one side of it? The phoenix from the temple’s roof also appears on the 10,000-yen note making Byodoin the only building to appear on two different pieces of Japanese currency Byodo-in Temple idea came in the year 1052 and it is actually quite fascinating it features apocalyptic fears and a desperate quest for heaven on earth the son of the famous puppetmaster behind the imperial thrones said the following: Yorimichi: “If we can’t reach paradise after death, I’ll bring paradise to us.” and hence he converted his family villa to today’s Byodo-in Temple every time you hold the 10 yen coin you are experiencing a piece of the paradise that Yorimichi built I guess it is another kind of experience to view Sakura in the night 😏 we decided to walk back to Uji Station as it is close to 8 PM already Looking for dinner options but most of the shops are already closed there is supposingly more options at JR Ogura Station but that is one stop after Uji station we’ll probably find something to eat in Osaka if we cannot find any shop here Looking at the dog in front reminds us of our Yorkie named Ada she is probably snoring somewhere after having dinner unfortunately it is not so easy to bring her to travel overseas with us looks like there is a very interesting looking shop in front TATSUMIYA
京料理 辰巳屋
Togawa-3-7 Uji, Kyoto 611-0021, Japan The design of this resturant looks really beautiful We weren’t sure if they were already closed so we decided to skip it I’ve read the review and I think it is worth eating there for Kyoto style food (~4k-5k yen per person) come here come here you see any light mai? why this thing is uh have green light here but there is nothing effect Lah effect for arai? Mai roo (don’t know) for the video try to capture this the light on here this can walk up oh this one can can take picture too if in the daytime have sakura and Sakura and the stair can walk like a “Your Name” (anime) leaw sad na Probably better to travel in pairs if you are walking here at night this part of the path is quite well lit so I think it is still okay We would love to hear your experience if you have been to Uji as well it is one of those smaller town that is not overly crowded and has much to explore The Nintendo Museum is also located just one station away (JR Ogura) Definitely worth stopping by if you have already visited either Kyoto or Nara Although we didn’t manage to catch the sunset scenary at Uji Park just walking through this area and experience the serenity has left a deep impression on us so thank you Uji Park! so it is back to our base in Osaka Thanks for watching all the way until the end! Share your Uji journey or your thoughts on this vlog ❤️ Don’t forget to Like and Subscribe for more Travel Vlogs from us 🔔 Don’t miss out on the next video from us on our journey in Japan First Time exploring

Join us as we explore Fushimi Inari and Uji in Kyoto for the first time during spring in Japan. Uji was a last minute additional after we finished visiting Fushimi Inari. We were pleasantly surprised by the serenity of Uji Park and we highly recommend you to visit that place if you are going to Kyoto.

Fushimi Inari is typically crowded and the only way to avoid the crowd is to climb higher up! You’ll be able to enjoy the Torii gates with very little person once you ascend the loop.

Share your Kyoto experience or let us know if you liked the vlog by commenting below 👇

Itinerary:
00:00 Day trip in Kyoto
01:05 Unexpected Delay at Osaka
01:44 Tonkatsu at Wako JR Isetan
02:42 First Torii Gate at Fushimi Inari
03:05 Romon Gate at Fushimi Inari
03:50 Thousand Gates walk
04:21 Pray at Okusha Hohaisho
05:26 Climbing Fushimi Inari
09:20 Ichinomine (Kamisha shinseki)
11:44 Ninomine Nakasha Shinseki
12:53 Train Ride to Uji
14:48 Uji Bridge
15:49 Uji River
17:11 Uji Park night walk

#kyotovlog #fushimiinari #ujiriver