Family of four trip report. Please see Part One in a separate post for prefatory comments and Tokyo information
Food in Kyoto
Koke (without kids) – Located south of Imperial Palace. Perhaps our favorite meal of the trip. Testing menu format of contemporary Okinawa-inspired cuisine. The food was flavorful, balanced, and just so delicious. I had the non-alcoholic pairing, which consisted of various fermented sodas, juices, and teas, all of which are home made or brewed by the chef’s wife/front of house manager. My husband had the wine pairing, which he loved. Beyond the food though – the service was exceptional. Warm, inviting, and kind. We were the only non-Japanese speaking patrons and while we were more than happy to eat without any explanation of the food, the staff explained each dish in English and did so without making us feel like a nuisance to them. This is a gem of restaurant. I can’t recommend this place enough. Reservations through tablecheck.com. Tabelog score: 3.78
Wabiya Korekidou (with kids) -Located in Gion district. Oyakodon in a stone pot. This is a yakitori restaurant that only serves oyakadon during lunch. The rice and chicken come out in a sizzling pot and the person behind the counter cracks two eggs (with bright orange yolks) on top, then gives everything a good stir. There are different types of pepper blends to season to taste along with shredded nori. Midway through, they give you a small kettle of chicken broth to pour over your last bites of rice. So yummy. I think this is a terrific option for lunch after a morning exploring Kiyomizu-dera. Reservations through their website. Tabelog score: 3.68
Arashiyama Yoshimura (with kids) – Located in Arashiyama right off Togetsyu bridge. This is a popular soba restaurant with a gorgeous view of Togetsyu bridge. We arrived at 10:59 am and about 40 people were already waiting for it to open at 11:00. We waited for about 10 minutes to get our name on the waitlist, and were told to return at 11:40 am. They sat us right at 11:40 and we all ordered hot soba with tempura. The soba was nice and toothsome and the tempura was hot and fresh. I wouldn’t go out of my way to come here, but it’s a great option if you’re visiting the area. Tabelog score: 3.55
Gion Mouriya (with kids) – Located in Gion. Overall, a great meal. We wanted a teppanyaki experience with Kobe beef and this place definitely delivered. The meat was tender, juicy, and near perfect. Plus, the accompanying veggies were a surprise hit. I enjoyed the grilled shiitake mushrooms and sweet potatoes dipped in black miso as much as the meat! The only caveat is that the restaurant is very popular with tourists. We didn’t mind this at all as the service and food were excellent, but if you are looking for teppanyaki surrounded by Japanese patrons, this is not your place. Tabelog score: 3.61
Kyoto points of interest
1) Climbing to the top of Fushimi Inari – It’s uphill for about an hour, but the grade at many sections is gradual so it’s not too strenuous overall if you are in moderately good shape. And the payoff is huge. As you go higher and higher, there are fewer and fewer people. It’s a pretty magical and mystical experience passing through all those beautiful torei gates in the middle of this lush, forested landscape. Highly recommended.
2) Walking the Philosopher’s Path – Many posts have already recommended doing this, so I’m just chiming in with a +1. We walked the path from Ginkaku-ji to Nanzen-ji and it was a gorgeous walk. It’s peaceful, along a charming canal, and a lovely way to spend a couple hours away from the hubbub of the main sightseeing spots. My husband and I walked it together while the kids chilled out at the hotel and it was one of our favorite moments of the trip.
3) Arashiyama – I was iffy on spending a morning here because of the numerous comments on this subreddit stating that the bamboo forest is overly crowded and overly hyped. We decided to go in any event and I am so glad we did! The bamboo forest was indeed just okay, but the town itself is charming. There are all sorts of shops selling delicious snacks along the main drag (we ate mitarashi dango, taiyaki filled with custard, pastries from the Miffy Kitchen, and minced beef and cheese croquettes) and the Togetsukyo Bridge is gorgeous. We also rented a couple of row boats for an hour on the lake/reservoir. Overall, a very fun morning/early afternoon.
4) Guided walking tour of Kiyomizudera and surrounding area through With Locals. Our guide, Shohei, took us on a three-hour walking tour through the area with a break at a local tea house for matcha and warabi mochi. It was a terrific tour – in addition to explaining the historical and cultural significance of the area and Kiyomizudera itself, he also discussed life in modern day Kyoto from the perspective of a local (he lives in Kyoto, speaks fluent Japanese, and is married to someone born and raised in Kyoto) and from an outsider (he grew up in Ohio and went to college/grad school in Massachusetts). He’s a super interesting guy and we enjoyed our time with him very much. Also, separate from the walking tour, if you head to Kiyomizudera, make sure to find the furikake store called Ocha-no-ko-Sai. Great furikake and spicy curry rice crackers.