Day 2 - N & NW Kyoto

arashiyama bamboo forest

rionji temple

kinkakuji (golden) temple

beef katsu

arashiyama bamboo forest

Get here early before the crowds come!

Togetsu-Kyo bridge

The bamboo forest feels surreal and is a great spot for cool pictures! Get ready to snap lots of pictures! The forest is not massive, and given the high popularity and the narrow path, it does get crowded, so get here early!

The Togetsu-Kyo bridge nearby is a decent spot for a picture but not quite a landmark by itself.

Voyagers Tips: Beware - It’s one of the top three attractions in Kyoto and there’s only one path through the forest, so get there by 7am if you want nice pictures without people in the background. Taxi is the best way to get there as it is in the outskirts of town.

We opted to skip the scenic Romance Train but that’s a popular activity for those who like scenic train rides.

rionji temple

This is the world-famous zen garden

A nice walk around the grounds of Rionji Temple

We decided to walk from Rionji Temple to Kinkakuji Temple

A nice stop at 7-Eleven for snacks and drinks. It even had outside seating.

This 12oz cup of coffee is a Large, the largest of 3 sizes they offer. Just like a Small in the U.S..

Since we got to the bamboo forest early and Kinkakuji Temple isn’t open until 9am, we decideed to visit Rionji Temple first (opens at 8am). The temple is known for the nice rock garden, where there’s seating along one side for people to sit and enjoy the view. The surrounding ground makes for a nice relaxing stroll.

kinkakuji temple

Kinkakuji is one of the top three attractions in Kyoto. They open at 9am so you can't even beat the crowd if you wanted to.

The golden temple is quite impressive and the water around it makes for a scenic view. This is one of the top three attractions in Kyoto and the crowd size around the temple is pretty crazy! We got here at around 9:30am and it was already super crowded. Try your luck with tossing coins into the rock or metal bowls along the way, make a wish if your coins land inside!

Carousel Sushi - Kura

There are two rails. The bottom ones are pre-maid and all the same set price. Top rail is for special orders.

Self-serve macha at the table... There are powder at each table and a hot water dispenser.

When you reach 20 plates, the toy machine plays some music and drops a toy! There's a plate return chute at each table that counts how many plates you've returned.

Kura is one of the biggest carousel sushi chains in Japan.

Carousel Sushi is quite an experience in Japan. Unlike in the U.S. where the quality of sushi at a carousel is usually sub-par, sushi quality at Kura was actually quite good! The ordering touch screen, the plate gobbler & counter, the self-service hot green tea at the table, and the toy from the machine once you reach 20 plates, all combine for a fun and tasty experience!

Beef Katsu

There are different grade beef at very different price points. The Wagyu sirloin was definitely worth the price, melts in your mouth!

We love Japanese food and eat it often, yet we have never tried beef katsu (only chicken and pork). This is a Kyoto specialty. We didn’t have high expectations but the food turned out to be amazing! Splurge for the wagyu sirloin, as the quality difference is clear as day. You also get small fire-heated metal plates to quickly sear the beef pieces if you’d like. The wagyu beef quality did not disappoint! The place we visited was in Nakagyo, Kyoto, but there are several “gyukatsu” places around Kyoto.