Just in time for Fall and for Part II to be published. I’ve been MIA from this blog and have been busy with life. I’m not sure how so many of you bloggers do this but I have figured out this is pretty much a full time job if I want to make this work! Well, it’s time for me to get back at it!
Hopefully you had a chance to read part I of this two part series on Japan. As I have noted in my last post, Tokyo has become a place my family and I venture to every Fall. In addition to Tokyo, we try to visit another city if possible. Since we go in the Fall and the leave colors are at it’s most vibrant, we have chosen Kyoto as our second destination for the past two years. I’m already planning our trip back to Tokyo this year and may venture back this time to a new city… I have to admit, Kyoto is beautiful and you can easily convince me to go back anytime!
Being based out of Tokyo Station makes it very easy to travel anywhere outside of Tokyo, this even includes the airport as there are airport limousine buses that goes straight to Tokyo Station. If you decide to stay at the Shangri-la Tokyo, the concierge will be happy to help you purchase a train ticket ahead of time and one of the staff members will escort you to the train station. They will escort you all the way to the train! It’s an amazing service. They will also pick you up at Tokyo Station if you arrive via train or the bus prior to check in. All you have to look for is the red uniform!
Staff at Shangri-la hotel 
View of Mt. Fuji from train 
Bento at Daimaru
There are a few different options to train to Kyoto. You will take the Shinkansen, which is the high speed bullet train but there are a few lines. Some have more stops than others. Also, if you decide to order a JR Pass prior to coming to Japan, you are only allowed to take certain lines. I was not aware of this prior to coming to Japan my first time but there is really only about a 20 min difference for going to Kyoto and the savings is huge if you plan on using the JR Pass more than once. You have an option to buy a 7 or 14 day pass and remember to only activate it when you are ready to use it. The Shangri-la hotel can even help you purchase your train tickets but will need your passport if you have a JR Pass. The JR Pass gives you unlimited travel throughout all of Japan. It’s a great deal if you plan on traveling to many locations within Japan. What I also love about staying at Tokyo Station is that if you plan to head out of town, you can go downstairs and pick up a Bento to go and eat on the train!
Depending on which train you take, it takes approximately 2-2.5 hours to get to Kyoto from Tokyo Station. Once you get there, you can easily catch a Taxi outside of the station to your destination. Everything is very close unless you are staying out by Arashiyama.
When you get to Kyoto, there is actually even a Taxi line for foreigners! And of course as you are in Japan there isn’t an upcharge on the ride just because it’s a foreigner line. The Japanese are the kindest and most by the book people I know.
For this last visit, we opted to stay at the Ritz Carlton Kyoto due to it’s location and also because my parents were with us this time. We wanted to make it a little easier for them as they are older and can’t walk as far as me and my husband. The previous year, we stayed at the Four Seasons. I personally love the Four Seasons for the space and service but love the Ritz for it’s location.
We booked the Ritz Carlton through American Express this time and booked it under the Fine Hotels and Resorts. For those who are not familiar, you get the early check-in if available, upgrade if available, resort amenity (typically $100USD), breakfast for two, and also the guaranteed late check-out. For us, the late check-out is always the most important. We had some minor hiccups with the check in but once we entered the suite we were very happy. The suite was beautiful and Michael was happy.
Entrance of the Ritz Carlton 
Outdoor space of our suite 
For this trip, we booked suite with an outdoor garden. The garden overlooks the river but because of the trees, you can’t see the river but you do get a nice view of the mountains across. I have to say the suite was configured kind of strange but it’s because the set up was a little narrow. You walk into a living room with the bedroom on one side and the bathroom on the other. I will post a video on my IG account so you can see what I mean. The suite was beautiful and quintissential Japanese. My parents were in a deluxe room overlooking the river and the room was quite large and very comfortable. We even had an Apple TV in our living room which was great as I always travel with one and didn’t have to hook it up this time. In terms of the room, I really preferred our room at the Four Seasons the previous year but we were in a one bedroom residential suite which even had a washer/dryer combo which is perfect when you have little ones!
There is so much to do and see when you get to Kyoto so you either have to come back multiple times or stay for a while. This trip was really trying to accommodate everyone’s needs. We needed to incorporate sightseeing for the adults and also fun things for our 3 year old. Luckily, 3 year olds love parks. Since it was my parents first time in Kyoto in the Fall, we needed to make sure that they got to see some Fall Foliage. As Michael is older this time, we wanted to do something that we would enjoy. We were there for two nights this time as we needed to head back to Tokyo. So, due to the little time we had, we had to be selective on where we should go visit.
We took a mid morning train out of Tokyo and got to Kyoto shortly after noon. I had planned out dining reservations ahead of time so when we got to the hotel and checked in, we were just in time for our lunch reservation at the hotel’s tempura restaurant, Mizuki. During out trip earlier this year to Tokyo, we went to another Michelin star Tempura restaurant in Tokyo during dinner and was not impressed so thought about trying another and especially at lunch time versus dinner. If you have been to Japan, lunch time meals are better valued majority of the time. I have to say, I enjoyed this Tempura meal. The Tempura was just the right crispiness and thin and not think so you can enjoy the food versus just tasting dough and oil.
Since this was our second time in Kyoto, we decided to do something new that both my parents and Michael would love. But before we headed out for our day, we had to try the breakfast at the Ritz. The breakfast was amazing at the Ritz. Mainly due to the fact that they had Pierre Hermé croissants! If any of you have been to Paris, they have the best macaroons. There is actually a small Pierre Hermé shop on the main floor of the Ritz Carlton. Michael loves macaroons so he was ecstatic when he saw the little shop. I found the breakfast buffet at the Ritz better than that of the Four Seasons Kyoto. There was a good selection of western and eastern dishes plus Michael wanted some mango and they brought him some from the back! My dad was like, its the middle of November and this is Japan, where are they going to find him mangos….well, they had them and they made him very happy!
We decided to spend our first morning in Arashiyama. I’ve seen so many pictures of the Bamboo forest and always wanted to go there and of course there is the Iwatayama monkey park! That was a must visit for Michael. You can either take the train from Kyoto or take a taxi. We opted to take a taxi and it took us about 35-40 minutes. If you decide to go on a weekend, please be aware that it is very busy! The taxi may have to drop you off a few streets away from the Main Street in town. But don’t worry, everything there is very close so very walkable.
Since we decided to only spend half the day there, we decided to go our separate ways. My parents walked around town while we decided to take Michael up to the Monkey Park. Please be aware that the walk up is about 15-20 min and it’s steep. It’s not for someone who is not used to hiking uphill. My husband carried Michael most of the way up! Strollers are also not allowed but they have a place for you to store it at the entrance. Once you get up there, there are monkeys everywhere!!! They are a little too friendly so you have to watch your little guys. You can buy peanuts up above and feed them. There is a little house up above that sells snacks and water for you if you forget to carry any water. They also sell some at the entrance. Michael had the best time and the view above was beautiful. If you go during the Fall season, you get to see the beautiful colors in the surrounding mountains and town. We also ventured to the bamboo forest …but just be aware, it is nothing compared to the beautiful pics you see of the empty walkway. It is a very busy place where you will be walking very slowly as there are more people than you like. My picture taken here was of a walkway that’s closed to these carriages which you can rent and go through. I just happened to capture the picture while it was empty! As for the town, it’s very quaint and lots of great restaurants and shops so definitely worth venturing out to.
Since this is our second trip to Kyoto and my parents first, we decided to check out a new temple with them. This year we decided to venture to Eikan-do Zenrin-ji. It’s actually one of the prettiest places we ventured to not only to see the Temple but also the foliage. The colors were so vibrant! Please be aware as it’s peak season, there will be a lot of people. I not only love Kyoto for its sights but have to say there are some great restaurants. One that is worth mentioning is Gion Yata. The food was simple yet amazing and Gion was a great little neighborhood to walk around in and not far from the Ritz Carlton.
I hope you get to venture to Kyoto after reading this. There is so much to see and do there. This is why we love to go back to Kyoto!
