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- Day 8
- Tuesday, May 20, 2025 at 1:33 PM
- ☁️ 30 °C
- Altitude: 44 m
JapanKyoto35°1’26” N 135°45’46” E
We did the name of the trip!

This morning we said goodbye to Osaka and hello to Kyoto. We arrived around noon, but check-in wasn’t until 4pm. Thankfully, our accommodation allowed us to store our suitcases, which was a lifesaver.
Unfortunately, we still had our fully loaded backpacks with us, and today was hot. Like, 31°C with Japan’s signature humidity kind of hot. Still, in true us fashion, we decided to do what we love best: take a long walk and explore our new city.
After weaving through narrow streets, we emerged at the Kyoto Imperial Palace, located within the vast Kyoto Gyoen National Gardens. And when I say vast, I mean it. The palace itself covers 11 hectares, and that’s just a small section of the entire garden.
Although we couldn’t enter any of the palace buildings, we were able to follow a guided path around them and the surrounding gardens. The architecture was stunning, so different from what we’re used to. The attention to detail, the soft curved edges, and the ornate gold embellishments were beautiful, but honestly, it was the gardens that stole the show. They gave us a whole new appreciation for the concept of a zen garden. At one point, we saw workers on ladders trimming the trees, literally snipping individual leaves to perfect the shape. It was like watching large-scale bonsai artistry.
After melting in the heat and soaking up the emperor’s former lodgings, we grabbed a quick lunch and made a necessary stop at the Kyoto Pokémon store (priorities). Then it was finally time to check in.
This stay has been really different to our usual hotels. We were greeted by an elderly couple who were incredibly warm and welcoming. Then, the most lovely woman, dressed in a kimono and traditional geta took over. She excitedly showed us to the elevator, complained about the weather with a smile, and gave us the most enthusiastic tour of our room we’ve ever had. She even swapped out our yukatas, telling us it was because we were “very tall” (we suspect she meant wide, but we’ll take the compliment).
We’re staying in a Ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn known for tatami-matted rooms, futon beds, traditional breakfasts, and onsite onsens. This one has apparently been in the same family for 15 generations - so there’s a real sense of history here.
After settling in and enjoying some of the provided tea, we recharged and headed out for a night walking tour.
Our guide took us through the Gion district, where we explored shrines, learned about geishas (Kyoto has the best in the country!), and visited the areas where they train and work. We both agreed, Gion is one of our favorite places we’ve ever visited. It’s serene, with traditional architecture, stunning gardens, glowing lanterns, and just an all-around magical atmosphere. We can’t wait to go back during the day.
The tour wrapped up around 9pm, and with most restaurants closing at 10, we made a quick dash to the main area for dinner.
And, as the title suggests: we finally had ramen! We sat in our little individual booths and absolutely demolished our bowls of rich, delicious broth. Then it was back to our futons on the floor, which welcomed us with open pillows.
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