[2025 Uji Restaurant] Travel guide for Itoh Kyuemon - Byodo-in Temple (updated Dec)

📍 Here’s a well-balanced **3-day Kyoto itinerary** that covers iconic temples, cultural experiences, and hidden gems while optimizing time and avoiding crowds, based on insights from multiple travel experts . --- ### **Day 1: Eastern Kyoto – Temples & Tradition** **Theme:** Spiritual heritage and historic streets. #### **Morning: Fushimi Inari Taisha** - **Arrive by 7:00 AM** to beat crowds at the famous torii gates . - Hike the trails (2–3 hours) for serene views; descend via quieter paths . - *Tip:* Try street food like *inarizushi* (sweet tofu pouches) at stalls near the shrine . #### **Late Morning: Kiyomizu-dera Temple** - Walk from Fushimi Inari (20-min taxi) or take the Keihan Line. - Visit the wooden stage and Otowa Waterfall (three streams for luck) . - Explore **Sannen-zaka** and **Ninenzaka**, preserved streets with tea houses . #### **Afternoon: Higashiyama District** - **Yasaka Shrine**: Free entry; lanterns light up beautifully at night . - **Kodai-ji Temple**: Zen gardens and bamboo groves (¥600 entry) . - **Philosopher’s Path**: Stroll along the canal (best in cherry blossom season) . #### **Evening: Gion** - **Dinner**: Try *kaiseki* (multi-course meal) or *gyoza* at Chao Chao Sanjo . - **Geisha spotting**: Hanamikoji Street at dusk (no photography) . --- ### **Day 2: Western Kyoto – Nature & Zen** **Theme:** Bamboo forests and golden temples. #### **Morning: Arashiyama** - **Bamboo Grove**: Arrive by 7:30 AM for photos without crowds . - **Tenryu-ji Temple**: UNESCO site with stunning gardens (¥500 entry) . - **Monkey Park**: Hike up for city views and macaques (¥550) . #### **Afternoon: Kinkaku-ji & Ryoan-ji** - **Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji)**: Visit by 9:00 AM to avoid tour groups . - **Ryoan-ji’s Rock Garden**: Meditate at this Zen masterpiece (¥500) . #### **Evening: Nishiki Market & Pontocho** - **Nishiki Market**: Try *tako-tamago* (octopus with egg) before 6:00 PM . - **Pontocho Alley**: Lantern-lit dining by the river . --- ### **Day 3: Central Kyoto – History & Modern Flair** **Theme:** Imperial legacy and local flavors. #### **Morning: Imperial Palace & Nijo Castle** - **Kyoto Imperial Palace**: Free entry; book a guided tour for history insights . - **Nijo Castle**: "Nightingale floors" that chirp to deter intruders (¥800) . #### **Afternoon: Downtown Kyoto** - **Nishiki Market Revisit**: Pick up matcha treats or knives at Aritsugu . - **Coffee Break**: % Arabica (Higashiyama) or WEEKENDERS COFFEE . #### **Evening: Optional Night Adventure** - **Fushimi Inari at Night**: Fewer crowds, mystical atmosphere . - **Rooftop Bar K36**: Cocktails with views of Yasaka Pagoda . --- ### **Key Tips for Your Trip** 1. **Transport**: Use buses/taxis for efficiency; consider a Kyoto City Bus Pass . 2. **Timing**: Arrive early (7:00–8:00 AM) at major sites . 3. **Food Reservations**: Book *kaiseki* or tempura meals in advance .

During this trip to Kyoto, I specially arranged a short trip to Uji. Although Uji is a relatively small place compared to downtown Kyoto, its charm is surprising. The biggest reason to come here is for the legendary and most authentic "Uji Matcha". As expected, the street is full of matcha snacks: matcha towel rolls, matcha ice cream, matcha bracken cakes, matcha desserts...all kinds of creative ways to eat them are available. This is a paradise for matcha lovers! Every sip is rich and mellow, both thirst-quenching and healing. In addition to matcha, what surprised me the most was encountering the World Heritage "Byodo-in Hoodo" - an ancient building that looks like a painting. It was built in the Heian period and stands quietly by the pond. Its reflection is elegant and sacred. It is said that if you visit at sunset, the sunlight will penetrate the hall and make the Buddha statue glow golden. The scene is praised as "the reappearance of the Pure Land of Bliss." Unfortunately, I was in a hurry to eat at a Michelin restaurant this time, so I could only take a quick glance, which left me with some regrets, but also became a reason for me to visit again next time. 📍Recommended attractions: Byodoin Phoenix Hall 🕰️Opening hours: 08:30–17:30 (last admission 17:15) 🎟️Tickets: 700 yen for adults (including museum visit) 📌Travel Tips: ✔ Uji Matcha dessert shops are concentrated in the Omotesando area, so you can eat while walking ✔ Tickets for Byodoin Temple can be added to the museum, which displays many national treasures ✔ If time permits, it is recommended to stay until dusk to see the legendary "Golden Buddha Light" #UjiTravel #UjiMatcha #ByodoinPhoenix Hall #JapanHiddenAttractions #KyotoSuburbsRecommendations #NicheAttractions #MatchaDessertTour #Byodoin #JapanTravelRecord

#OsakaItinerary #OsakaTrip #OsakaTravel #OsakaFreeTravel #FirstTimeInOsaka #GlobalTravel #FamilyTrip #osaka #Uji #Kyoto #Nara #SobadokoroNagano #NakamuraTohki #Itohkyuemon #FushimiInariTaisha #KiyomizuTemple #Kamazaa #Hanamikoji #YasakaShrineMainHall #SaganoSightseeingRailway #ArashiyamaBambooPath #KyotoMamean #NaraPark #NakataniDo #AjinoyaOkonomiyaki The "Play to the Full" series usually means choosing to take a red-eye flight, so you have to make the most of rest time on the plane😴 After landing and picking up our luggage, we took a short break at the airport before taking the JR train to Kyoto. We first went to the hostel to drop off our luggage and organize our bags, then started the itinerary~ Day 1 Morning: Our first stop was Uji, famous for the World Heritage temple Byodo-in and Uji matcha 🍵 We hadn’t eaten much after landing and were getting hungry, so we went to Sobadokoro Nagano to try their two-tone soba noodles. The presentation was quite nice, and their soba noodles had a pleasantly chewy texture😍 Of course, we had to try the local green tea products~ I’m sure everyone is familiar with Nakamura Tohki and Itohkyuemon. I specially came here to buy souvenirs and found their matcha products really different. All the matcha foods focus on the tea itself, so they’re never too overwhelming👍🏿 But if you’re not a fan of the bitter taste of matcha, these might not suit your palate~ 📍Sobadokoro Nagano Renge-25 Uji, Kyoto 611-0021 Japan Kyoto Prefecture, Uji City, Uji Renge 25 📍Nakamura Tohki Byodo-in Shop Renge-5-1 Uji, Kyoto 611-0021 Japan Kyoto Prefecture, Uji City, Uji Renge 5-1 📍Itohkyuemon Byodo-in Shop Renge-31-1 Uji, Kyoto 611-0021 Japan 611-0021 Uji City, Uji Renge 31-1 Noon: Next, we visited Fushimi Inari Taisha and saw the famous Senbon Torii (thousands of torii gates) that attract many tourists. The scenery here is solemn yet mysterious, like exploring another world😎 You’ll often see fox statues or images in the shrine because, since ancient times, the Japanese have regarded foxes as messengers of the rice deity "Ukanomitama no Kami." They help catch mice that steal grain, so people have a sense of gratitude towards the 🦊. 📍Fushimi Inari Taisha 68 Fukakusa Yabunouchicho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0882 Japan Kyoto City, Fushimi Ward, Fukakusa Yabunouchicho 68 Afterwards, we took a train to visit Kiyomizu Temple, which is also a great spot for autumn leaves😉 Besides many temples in the area, there are plenty of eateries where you can rest and grab a bite when tired. We tried Fujinami’s soy sauce dango (small dumplings), which were quite special served hot, with a soft and chewy texture and a slightly charred surface. You can dip them in soybean flour to taste😍 The weather was cold, so we wanted something warm. We saw good reviews for Kamazaa, so we tried their steamed fish bowl set and assorted tempura, which were indeed delicious🤤 Then we continued walking towards Gion and Yasaka Shrine, and after visiting, returned to the hotel to rest~ 📍Kiyomizu Temple 1 Chome-294 Kiyomizu, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0862 Japan Kyoto City, Higashiyama Ward, Kiyomizu 1 Chome 294 📍Fujinami Sannenzaka Main Store 338 Kiyomizu, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0862 Japan 605-0862 Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City, Higashiyama Ward, Kiyomizu 338 📍Kamazaa 363-12 Masuyacho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0826 Japan 605-0826 Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City, Higashiyama Ward, Masuyacho 363-12 📍Gion Hanamikoji-dori, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, Japan Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City, Higashiyama Ward, Gion Town South Side 📍Yasaka Shrine Main Hall 625 Gionmachi Kitagawa, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0073 Japan Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City, Higashiyama Ward, Gion Town North Side 625 Day 2 Morning: After a simple breakfast near the hotel, we headed to Sagano to walk through Arashiyama’s bamboo path 🎍 The peaceful environment was very relaxing👍🏿 Then we walked back to Togetsukyo Bridge area, where there’s a shopping street with many snack shops; among them, Kyoto Mamean’s ice cream 🍦 was the most fun because it doesn’t fall even when turned upside down🤣 📍Sagano Sightseeing Railway Sagatenryuji Kurumamichicho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, 616-8394 Japan 616-8394 Kyoto City, Ukyo Ward, Sagano Ogurayama Taduchiyamacho 4-2 📍Arashiyama Bamboo Path Sagaogurayama Tabuchiyamacho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, 616-8394 Japan Kyoto City, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto Prefecture 616-8394 Japan 📍Kyoto Mamean 2-1 Sagatenryuji Tateishicho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, 616-8375 Japan Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City, Ukyo Ward, Sagano Tenryuji Tateishi Town 2-1 Noon: After spending the morning in Arashiyama, we returned to the hotel to pick up our luggage and took a train to Nara to see the deer🦌 There are lockers at Nara Station to store luggage. After storing our bags, we headed to Nara Park~ The deer here are quite cute, and you can buy deer crackers to feed them! They even seem to know how to cross the road like humans🤣 After playing with the deer, we got a bit hungry and went to nearby Nakatani Do to buy their popular mugwort red bean mochi. They perform fast mochi pounding several times a day, but it’s canceled if the weather is bad, which attracts many spectators. Their mochi is chewy and warm, and even I, who don’t usually eat red bean, wanted to have more🤭 📍Nara Park Zoshicho, Nara, Nara Prefecture 630-8211, Japan 630-8211 Nara Prefecture, Nara City, Zoshicho 📍Nakatani Do 29 Hashimotochō, Nara, 630-8217 Japan Nara Prefecture, Nara City, Hashimoto Town 29 📍Daibutsu Pudding Kintetsu Nara Store Japan 〒630-8225 Nara, Higashimuki Nakamachi, 29 Kintetsu Nara Station B1F East Ticket Gate Side After Nara, before leaving, we bought a local specialty, persimmon leaf sushi, which has a rustic flavor but the sushi rice vinegar taste is quite strong. Returning to downtown Osaka, we dropped off our luggage at the hotel again and went out for dinner😺 Ajinoya Okonomiyaki is a popular old restaurant where you can make your own Osaka-style pancake, which is very fun😎 📍Ajinoya Okonomiyaki Japan 〒542-0076 Osaka, Chuo Ward, Namba, 1-chōme−7−16 Gendai Koisan Building 2F Osaka Prefecture, Osaka City, Chuo Ward, Namba 1-7-16 2F

~Uji City, Kyoto Prefecture~ Uji City is famous for the Byodo-in Temple, a World Heritage Site, which is on the back of the 10 yen coin, but this time we will introduce lunches for your trip to Uji! Enjoy a tea soba lunch at Iyemon Main Store! ☑️Enjoy tea soba! ☑️A wide variety of tea sweets! ☑️The interior of the store has a lovely Japanese atmosphere! ☑️A large souvenir corner is also available! If you want lunch at the famous Iyemon restaurant or Uji lunch, this is the place to go! You can also buy souvenirs from Iyemon Main Store! This is a recommended spot for Uji sightseeing, Kyoto sightseeing, Kyoto cuisine, and Kyoto travel ◎ #0 yen trip #Ito Kyuemon #Uji sightseeing #Uji lunch #Uji trip #Kyoto sightseeing #Kyoto cuisine #Uji lunch #japantrip #japantravel #japanesefood

Transport yourself to a realm of timeless serenity at Byodoin Temple (平等院, Byōdōin), a short 10 min walk from Uji Station Nestled amidst lush greenery, this architectural masterpiece invites you to ponder the passage of time and find solace in its tranquil surroundings. With a history dating back over a millennium, Byodoin Temple stands as a testament to Japan's rich cultural heritage and enduring spiritual legacy. Whether you come to admire its beauty, seek inner peace, or simply marvel at its historical significance, Byodoin Temple promises an unforgettable experience that transcends the boundaries of time. #cherryblossom2024 #tripstars