Kyoto Travel Diary: Temples, Tea & Samurai

We chose Kyoto for its rich history, beautiful streets, and the variety of experiences the city offers- from traditional tea ceremonies and samurai experiences to ancient temples and vibrant food spots. Walking around Kyoto is a real pleasure, with charming streets, historic districts, and plenty of sights to explore. It’s also a great base for day trips, especially to Nara, which is easily accessible by train and makes for a perfect addition to your Kyoto itinerary.

Where we stayed

In Kyoto, we stayed at Smart Place Inn Nijojo Horikawa. There are a few hotels by the same brand around the city, but this one was one of the most affordable. Although it’s a little further out, we didn’t mind the 20-minute walk into the centre- and there are buses and trains nearby that make getting around really easy.

The hotel itself was great. The room was a good size, with a comfy bed, a small but well-equipped bathroom, and handy extras like a TV and fridge. Towels and pyjamas were replaced daily, and the staff were incredibly friendly. They also had washing machines, dryers, and a small counter area with travel essentials you could grab if you needed them. Luggage storage was available too, which was super convenient.

Day 1- Stormy Start & Tea Ceremony

Once arrived in Kyoto we hopped on the metro to our hotel and were able to check in a bit early. Our plan had been to start sightseeing straight away, but a record-breaking rainstorm hit the city. So, we decided to stay dry and relax at the hotel until our tea ceremony that evening.

At 5pm, we took a taxi through the rain to Karasuma Shijo. The experience began with getting dressed in traditional kimonos- I got to choose my colours and have my hair styled, while Adam picked a really cool dragon-print kimono. After taking a few photos, we moved on to the tea ceremony itself. It was fascinating learning about matcha and the traditions behind it, and we even got to enjoy some traditional sweets. The matcha was a little bitter, but it was still a really special experience- one I’d definitely recommend.

Afterwards, we went out in search of dinner. Our first stop was a restaurant we’d seen

online called Chao Chao Gyoza. There was a bit of a queue (we waited about an hour), but it was worth it. The restaurant is small but cosy, with a great selection of gyoza and plenty of vegetarian options. My fav

ourite was the mushroom risotto and cheese gyoza, and the chocolate gyoza with ice cream is an absolute must-try!

After dinner, we took a short walk around the area before heading back to the hotel for the night.

Day 2- Temples, Shrines & Samurai Training

We started early the next morning and accidentally got on the wrong train to Fushimi Inari Shrine (oops!). Once we got back on track, we made our way up the famous red torii gates. We decided to climb higher up the trail, and by around 11 a.m. we managed to get some great photos with hardly anyone else around. The main areas get pretty busy, so going early is definitely the way to go.

Afterwards, we wandered through the nearby streets, browsed a few shops, and then took the train to Kiyomizu-dera Temple. The walk uphill to the temple gives you a lovely view of Kyoto. We decided not to go inside and instead continued down towards Hōkan-ji Temple (Yasaka Pagoda), stopping at a few stalls for street food and souvenirs. We then walked over to Yasaka Shrine, snapped a few photos, and returned to the hotel to freshen up before our next activity- the Samurai Experience.

We’d pre-booked this on TripAdvisor with a company that offered real cutting practice. The experience began with dressing up in full samurai attire and watching a demonstration by a descendent of an actual samurai. Then it was our turn- we each got four attempts at cutting bamboo, which was incredibly fun and surprisingly satisfying! Afterwards, we took part in a short meditation and tea ceremony inside a beautiful old house while learning about its history. We both absolutely loved it and would highly recommend it to anyone visiting Kyoto.

Afterwards, we stopped by the Traveler’s Factory to add a few new stamps to our travel journals, then grabbed dinner at Kyoto Engine Ramen, which was delicious (and had veggie options too!).

Later in the evening, we stumbled across Round 1, an arcade we found by chance when Adam went looking for a toilet. It turned out to be a massive multi-floor game centre, and we decided to play a few machines with about $15 AUD worth of tokens. We somehow hit a jackpot, which was hilarious- though we quickly learned that the tokens can’t be exchanged for prizes or cash, so meant we had to come back the night after. After that, we headed back to the hotel for the night.

Day 3- Day Trip to Nara

We had a bit of a lie-in before heading out on a day trip to Nara. The train took a little longer than expected, but once we arrived, we grabbed some lunch near the station and caught the bus towards Nara Park.

We hopped off by the National Museum, ate our lunch, and bought some deer cookies- though these didn’t last long as Adam was quickly surrounded by a very enthusiastic group of six deer!

We spent the next few hours wandering around the park, visiting Kasugataisha Shrine and Meoto Daikokusha. Even without going inside, the surrounding gardens were beautiful and peaceful, with plenty of deer roaming about. From there, we looped back towards Sagi Pond and Ara Pond, which were quiet and serene- a nice break from the busier parts of the park (and a great place to practice our bowing skills with the deer!). Next, we passed through Todaiji Nandaimon (Great South Gate) and walked up to Todaiji Temple, where we took a few photos before continuing to Todaiji Temple Kaidan Hall.

After all the temple-hopping, we were ready for something different- so we found Nara Kasugayama Sake Brewery, a small sake brewery just down the road. We arrived just before last orders and tried a sake tasting set of five varieties with some pickled snacks for only ¥700. Each sake had a different flavour- some dry, some sweet- but our favourite was a light, fizzy one that was surprisingly refreshing.

Afterwards, we made our way back towards the station through Nara Town, browsing the little shops and food stalls along the way. The journey back to Kyoto felt long, but once we arrived, we went straight to CoCo Ichibanya for curry, then spent the rest of our arcade winnings before heading back to the hotel with some snacks from 7-Eleven.

Day 4- Castles and sandwiches

On our final morning in Kyoto, we visited Kyoto Castle and its gardens. We didn’t go inside the castle itself, but the gardens were beautiful to wander through. We also, grabbed a huge sandwich from Taku Sando, which was delicious. Afterwards, we left our hotel and made our way to Osaka, ready for the next leg of our Japan adventure.