I came to Japan for a week from Seoul Korea(I’m American). Today I visited Kyoto before departing back to Seoul and Kyoto was the best part of my trip. I came in a sudden rush so I didn’t do a lot of research, just enough to get around Osaka without fumbling like an idiot. I like Osaka a lot but essentially it’s just another ‘city’, way more interesting than Seoul for sure but a city nonetheless. Friend suggested Kyoto and today my last day I came to Kyoto and hot damn this is exactly what I wanted to see from Japan and not Osaka and Tokyo(been there twice). I visited the thousand gates shrine and what an experience, but very tiring if you go to the top. By the time I got down I was too tired to go to the bamboo forest. I should have spent the whole time in Kyoto instead and see everything that I could; oh well next time. Osaka just felt too commercialized. The Osaka castle was nothing but tourist stuff and nothing felt genuine, also very underwhelming. Tonbori boat ride was decent. The rest museums, zoos etc just the same old for a city tourist attraction. I learned my lesson. I don’t know why I keep going to cities when all my life Ive lived in big cities, New York, Santiago, Seoul. I love places like Hakone and now Kyoto. Will definitely come back in the next month to do a one day tour with my girlfriend, since it’s not too far from Seoul.
Well, this was my blog post i made while taking a bath in the hotel. Man I love the scenery in Kyoto!
by DanLim79
16 comments
Kyoto is just lovely, way better than Osaka imho. Walking from Nishiki to Gion then to my rented Airbnb in this weather is just pure bliss. Damn I miss Japan and Kyoto already.
One of the two classic blunders: Never choose Osaka over Kyoto.
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I’m glad you enjoyed it. Please come back and enjoy the outskirts like Ōhara, Kurama, or a less crowded attraction like Saga Toriimoto Street.
Kyoto is wonderful, I always recommend people to book more time there than they think they’ll need.
Would you say nine nights is enough in Kyoto? I’m so tempted to add a tenth to stay at a place with onsen. But then that leaves me a little pushed for time getting back to Tokyo for return flights.
Bamboo forest was underwhelming. But maybe I only say that as someone who’s been in bigger, less crowded bamboo forests.
But yes, Kyoto overall is much more interesting. Smaller cities in general in Japan feel much more cultured than the big cities sometimes do.
Edit: sorry I just remembered that the bigger, less crowded bamboo forests I’ve seen I saw after the fact, so I found Kyoto’s underwhelming having never been in a bamboo forest. But again—it could have been the crowds affecting my feelings. It was 2018, the peak of tourism before Covid.
if you want good work, go to Tokyo,“; if you want peace, go to Kyoto. If you want BBQ, then…maybe Osaka
Thank you for this. We’re visiting Japan for the first time in October, and we’ve been so torn deciding if we should stay in Osaka vs Kyoto. Maybe a day trip to Osaka is all we need and we can spend 3/4 days enjoying Kyoto.
I just landed at home last night. Kyoto was by far my trip highlight. Planned 2 nights, stayed 5! Was fortunate enough to have the freedom and time to stay if I liked a place. Kyoto was a perfect fit for me. Osaka definitely didn’t stand out as much, but maybe I just hit the wrong areas.
Arashiyama was one of the best experiences in japan I’ve has so far.
Kyoto is commercialized too. Every shrine has gift shops etc.
You think Osaka is too commercialized… Of course Kyoto is a better tourist destination than Osaka, but Osaka is not bad and later you will realize that it has a different “atmosphere” than the rest of Japan. I don’t think you should regret visiting Osaka at least once.
How was Seoul/Korea?
I can’t stand more than a day in Kyoto. Day trip from Nagoya where I have a house is fun
I’ve been in Seoul, Okinawa, Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo for the past month and a half, give it or take.
Overall, for visiting, Kyoto is a more traditional place with very beautiful landscapes and a super rich story. Now, feel like if you want to meet people and hang out, Osaka is more suited as people there are more loose. There are a lot more inmigrants there.
I couldn’t connect too much with the japanese since they are, how do i put it? Very introverted? Quite the opposite as we are in my country…
So, i met more cool people in Osaka, but for photography reasons, Kyoto is the way to go.