This morning we chucked a load of washing on first thing and headed out for brekkie. I left it to Craig to choose where we’d go, and he absolutely nailed it! Just a short walk from our hotel was a cafe called Lower East 9. It’s fairly small and super popular, so we had to join a half-hour queue (one in, one out kind of deal), but it was totally worth it. The aesthetics were right up my alley, and the food was interesting and delicious. For coffee, we had a latte with a nut flavour we think was hazelnut — so good.

After breakfast, it was time to hunt for pottery! This year marks our 8th wedding anniversary, and the traditional gift is pottery. We decided to wait and choose something special together in Kyoto, which is known for its beautiful ceramics.

First stop was a gorgeous little spot called Utsuwa Monotsuki—hidden on the fourth floor of a brutalist-style building with steep stairs and no lift. We found a few pieces we liked but were holding out for something in the wabi-sabi style, ideally with kintsugi (repaired with gold). Our next stop was a studio inside Hotel Kanra, where you can watch an artist repairing pottery — like a real-life episode of The Repair Shop. I picked up a kintsugi wabi-sabi plate aaaaand it was about $800. So maybe we’ll save that for our gold anniversary instead! Still, we didn’t leave empty-handed — we bought two beautiful mugs by a local Kyoto artist with gold glaze accents.

Feeling happy with our purchase, we wandered to Higashi Honganji Temple, which we’d spotted nearby. Built in 1602, it’s one of the largest temples in Kyoto and houses a mausoleum for the founder of Shin Buddhism. The main hall is one of the largest wooden structures in the world! While we were there, a wedding was happening, which attracted quite the crowd.

Next, we hopped on the train to Gion — the geisha (or geiko in Kyoto) district. We kicked off our visit with some Kyoto-style sweets. Craig and I had daifuku (mochi filled with red bean paste and a strawberry inside), while Jessie had hanami dango (yes, the emoji one: 🍡), hers being a special Sakura season version. They were delish!

Then we headed down Hanamikoji Street, the most famous street for spotting geiko. Unfortunately, due to tourists harassing geiko for photos, there’s now a heavy police presence, alleys blocked off, and a strict no photography rule. It was chaotic. We didn’t spot any geiko (the hotel told us Sundays aren’t promising—apparently they’re all hungover from partying with rich men the night before!). We tried to see a show too, but it was sold out.

Afterwards, we found a ramen spot for lunch — accidentally plant-based, but very tasty nonetheless. Easily the best fish egg-free lunch in Kyoto so far.

Our next mission was to find Ninenzaka, another famous street in Kyoto. On the way, we stumbled across a big Buddha statue and a lovely park-like area with a lake. Jessie was in her element collecting and counting rocks (kids and rocks, right?). We strolled through a peaceful neighbourhood past stunning temples and found a charming cobblestone street. It had beautiful shops, Totoro merch, and—because Japan—a full Peter Rabbit cafe and shop. Jessie picked up a little Totoro trinket (which turned out to be a pencil holder, much to her delight).

We eventually reached Ninenzaka… and so did everyone else! It was packed. It’s a gorgeous street, though, and I was especially charmed by the Starbucks set inside a traditional building. I’d planned to grab a drink there, but the queue was wild, so we kept moving.

That’s when we spotted the Yasaka-no-To Pagoda — towering over the narrow streets. If you’ve got megalophobia, this one might not be for you, but it’s absolutely stunning. We just sat and stared at it for ages while munching on tanghulus and candied apple (not as good as the Strawberry Fetish ones, but still a vibe). This pagoda has been rebuilt many times due to fires, but the current version has stood since 1440, and it now houses bones of the Buddha.

We made a quick playground stop and then headed back to the station, exhausted from another big walking day (we’re averaging 18,000 steps!). The train we needed turned up completely full, and it had started to rain. We figured that might explain the crowds, so we popped into FamilyMart for some famichiki and tried to call a ride. No luck — no Ubers or DiDis accepted our requests. So it was back to the train station, and surprise! The next train was basically empty. Japan keeps you on your toes.

Another jam-packed day! Tomorrow we’re off to Arashiyama for the bamboo forest, monkey park, and—most exciting of all for Jessie—a visit to a kimono rental shop.

See you then!

❤ Laus