14 Days in Japan With EF ULTIMATE BREAK! (Part 2 – Kyoto & Osaka)
[Music] Kyoto is the cultural capital of Japan. And somewhere in between the temples, the karaoke bars, and the endless tory gates, I think I fell in love with the city. Our first stop was Kiomizera, a temple that’s been standing for over a thousand years. and it was built entirely without nails. The name Kiomizu actually means pure water, which comes from the spring that runs beneath the temple. It’s one of those places that’s beautiful no matter when you visit. The only downside is that it’s extremely crowded, but you can beat the crowds if you’re willing to go really early. The view from the wooden terrace is unreal, and it was the perfect way to start exploring Kyoto. After we made our way to the Golden Pavilion, one of Kyoto’s most famous landmarks. The top two floors are actually covered in real gold leaf. And when the sunlight hits it, it looks like it’s glowing. It was originally built in the 1300s as a retirement villa for a showun and later turned into a zen temple. MTV, welcome to my crib. My crib. This is the one part of the trip that I’ve been like the most excited about. And we have two free days here in Kyoto. Today was mainly just like a tour day with EF. We did a lot of sightseeing. Um, we also traveled from Hokone, so it was like very packed day. And then tonight we’re doing karaoke. And that’s it. That’s the vlog update. One of my favorite things about traveling with a group is doing activities like these. I was so excited for this and we had the best time. [Music] Not the piano. [Music] The next morning, we visited the Fushimi Inari Shrine. You’ve probably seen it before. It’s the shrine with the thousands of bright orange Tory gates that wind all the way up Mount Nari. Even though we got there around 8:30, it was already packed, which honestly says a lot about how popular this place is. [Music] There are actually over 10,000 gates, each donated by individuals or businesses as an offering for good fortune and success. The thing that we didn’t realize before coming was that this shrine is actually built on a mountain and the trail winds all the way up Mount Aari. On my right, you will see the bamboo small forest and on my left you will also see some trees and if you keep walking to the front, oh my god, look at what’s right there. All right, we’re leaving. Oh my god, guys. I’m so sorry. My life just flew up. Gosh, it was right next to my ear. It was like a B time 10. It was huge. It was like a big The path is a mix of stairs and slopes. And every so often, there’s a small shrine or lookout where you can stop and catch your breath. [Music] We’re trying matcha. I personally hate matcha, but I heard that in Kyoto it’s very, very good. Cheers. Cheers. [Music] Still grassy. Still grassy. You know what? It reminds me of sugarce juice with a hint of grass. Kum pie. Kum pie. After we got lunch and then we went back to the Kiomizo area and that’s where we ran into this perfume shop. We’re making our own [Music] I wonder. No. Oh, I love it. Look at Carmen’s perfume. [Music] The next morning, we decided to rent kimonos and go take pictures around the Gillon district. We’re in between this one and this one. This one because it would match with Carmen’s outfit. And this one because I really just like black. This one’s mine. I feel loose, which is so funny. Guys, these things are so tight that I can’t even like cook my own shoes. Most of the kimono rental places around this area open at 9:00 a.m. and offer daily rentals for different prices up until 5:00. I’ll put more info about this in the description if you’re interested in doing this during your trip. I’m starting to think that doing a black kimono was not the best idea I’ve ever had. It’s hot and I can feel it. I can feel it. [Music] Just chill a little bit over here in the shade. Even though it was really hot, I’m super glad that we did this because the pictures we took with these came out amazing. Okay. Oh, Jesus, Amber. Guys, we’ve ended up at another conveyor belt sushi spot. I had a beef sushi. Delicious. Now I’m about to try the shrimp one. After we found ourselves walking into a karaoke bar in the middle of the day, we just found this karaoke place where you pay like a fee of 1,000 yen and it’s for 30 minutes. It’s all you can drink and it’s empty right now. So, we’re actually pretty happy. We’re about to just have our own little gonna be a lot of fun. Thank you very much. Y the crowd is fantastic out here. [Music] You are the dancing queen. You put your whole me [Music] baby. I thought you’d always be my She bartends and she saves. I need those tips for the trinkets. They cut my mic. And then we went to go get massages. [Music] And then a wish for body tea. Traffic safety. I’m from New York. We don’t need that. Um, and I think that’s it. Is it left or right? Right. Left. We’re praying to Jesus. Happy birthday. Happy birthday. Good morning. We are leaving Kyoto to go to Hiroshima. Sad to be leaving Kyoto. This has been my favorite part of the trip so far. Everything was so beautiful. There’s so much culture. There’s so much history here. The food has been really good. It’s easy to get around. But I’m excited for the rest of the trip. I’m excited to go to Hiroshima. We’re already halfway through the trip. Um, and it’s going by so fast, and I’m happy and sad at the same time. The next morning, we were off to Hiroshima. We visited the Peace Memorial and the museum. And I didn’t really film here for obvious reasons, but afterwards we took a short ferry ride to Miaima Island, which I honestly had no idea was included on this tour, but I’m so glad that it was. For centuries, Miaima Island was considered so pure, so holy that ordinary people weren’t even allowed to set foot on it. No one could live or die on the island because it was believed to disturb its spiritual purity. Today, the island is mostly famous for its floating Tory gate, which is part of the Itsukushima shrine, which appears to rise right out of the water during high tide. It’s one of Japan’s most iconic views, and seeing it in person was definitely a highlight. It’s called the Itukushima Shrine, actually. Um, it’s very hot, but it’s very pretty. As you can see, the water is receding. And at some point in Loai, you can see the shrine. Oh, really? The Tori gate. Um, what else do I know? That’s about it. That’s That was good. Thank you for your time. Thank you, Sam, for joining the vlog. Absolutely. Anytime. The island itself is peaceful and full of character. There are wild deer walking around everywhere, and it’s honestly so beautiful that I just wish we could have stayed longer. [Music] That was beautiful. On our way from Hiroshima to Osaka, we made a quick stop at Himeiji Castle. Unlike a lot of Japan’s castles that were rebuilt over time, Himiji is one of the few that’s still completely original, dating all the way back to the early 1600s. And here’s a fun fact. The Himiji Castle’s wooden frame is designed to flex instead of crack. Meaning that it was intentionally built to survive earthquakes that many years ago. [Music] [Applause] [Music] After days of temples history, we finally made it to Osaka. This was my favorite hotel that we stayed at on this tour because it was a Moxy and I love the Moxy line of hotels. And we spent our time here doing exactly what Osaka does best, eating, shopping, and just having fun. [Music] She’s a shoe aolic. I know. This is my third pair of sneakers if I get these. I’m not even a sneaker girl. No. No. That’s all you bought. I know. [Music] You think they’re cute? No. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] We have literally been living off of these little vitamin drinks from 7-Eleven and they have been holding us together. They actually don’t taste that bad. We’re literally staying alive and well thanks to these. thing. [Music] Osaka is not only known for its food, it’s also low-key a hot spot for discounted luxury and shopping. [Music] Guys, we are once again at a revolving. Oh, this has like become our thing now. We just absolutely love these spots. So, you come in, put in the computer, how many people is in your party. They’ll give you like a little ticket and then once they call your number, they’ll tell you like, “Oh, this is the table you’re going to sit at.” There’s usually like an iPad or a touchcreen where you go and just order your sushi off of. Then they’ll come and they’ll deliver it to you like this. One thing that I don’t completely understand is why at every conveyor belt sushi place we go to, they’re playing the graduation march. I don’t know if it’s the theme for the the sushi place. It’s so weird. [Music] It’s time for our farewell dinner. It’s our last day here. Well, not for us. We’re staying for another day, but it’s our last day with the group. This is my least favorite part of every single EF trip that I do. They say I suck, but it’s sad. So, it’s happy to see there’s a saying. I don’t know what the saying is, but there is one. And this was fun. I was telling the girls that I usually hate cities, but I wanted to come to Japan just to like see how it was going to go. But I had a lot of fun and I like meeting everybody and seeing us again. She loved seeing us. That was her favorite part. What? That part was okay. No, she liked she liked seeing us. [Music]
(EF DISCOUNT CODE BELOW!!!) We spent 14 days in Japan with EF Ultimate Break! In this second part of my “Highlights of Japan” tour, we start in Kyoto — the cultural capital of Japan.
From exploring the beautiful temples of Kiyomizu-Dera and Fushimi Inari, to singing our hearts out at karaoke (twice), this vlog is a mix of architecture, culture, food, and some of our most honest travel moments.
I’ll show you what it’s really like to do Japan with EF Ultimate Break — the hotels, the group experience, the daily adventures, and all the hidden gems in between.
If you’re planning a trip to Japan or thinking about joining an EF group tour, make sure to use my personal discount code (UAYLLARA100) and book with the link below for $100 off your first booking:
➡️ https://www.efultimatebreak.com/?ba=UAYllara100
‼️HELPFUL INFO
👘 Kyoto Kimono Rental: Kyoto Kimono Rental Aiwafuku KiyomizuYasakanotou Shop – ¥6,000 (approx. $40) for 1 day (pickup as early as 9 AM and return by 5 PM); Hair styling is included and they have props, like umbrellas for an extra fee
🎥 This is part 2 of the Japan vlog, if you want to see what the whole trip was like, make sure to watch part 1!
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1 Comment
I love this!! Seems like so much fun!!