The next day, we were up at 5am to beat the crowds at Fushimi Inari, one of Kyoto’s most iconic spots. The shrine is famous for its thousands of bright orange torii gates that wind their way up a forested hillside. Even that early in the morning, a few people had the same idea, but it was still quiet enough to really take in the atmosphere. The path through the gates is peaceful and stretches further than you'd expect - really beautiful.
From there, we made our way to Kiyomizu-dera, a wooden temple built on a hillside with views out across Kyoto. The whole structure is made without nails, held together by clever old joinery techniques, and it has a massive veranda that juts out over the trees. It’s impressive in both size and design, especially knowing how old it is.
In the afternoon, I joined a tea ceremony and even got to wear a kimono for it. The process of putting on the kimono is pretty intricate - layers, ties, and careful folds - but once it’s on, you definitely feel the sense of formality and tradition that comes with it. The tea ceremony itself is quiet and intentional. Every movement is practiced: how the host folds the cloth, turns the bowl, and presents the tea. It’s less about the tea itself (though it was good) and more about the experience - being fully present, slowing down. Definitely worth doing if you want to get a deeper sense of Japanese culture.
The next morning we headed out to Arashiyama, a quieter town on the edge of Kyoto known for its bamboo forest. Walking through it, the bamboo towers above you and sways gently in breeze. Even with other visitors around, it somehow still feels peaceful.
We also visited Monkey Park Iwatayama, which involves a bit of a hike but ends with a view of Kyoto and lots of monkeys! We fed them and watched them wandering around.
Afterwards, dome of the group went to samurai museum where we tried on traditional armor and got to throw ninja blades at a target, and learnt how to use samurai swords. Very fun.
Dinner was sushi with some of the girls from the group and an early night before my birthday the following day!
Really fun time in Kyoto :)
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