We decided to take a taxi to our hotel in Kyoto. It wasn’t too expensive and standing on the train for 30 minutes while balancing luggage could be tough on my foot. After breakfast we headed to Hotel Alza which is in the Gion district of Kyoto. We picked this area as it has a lot of history and lots of cute small streets to explore.
We arrived before our room was ready but were able to store our luggage at the hotel. We had left early so we could go to Izuu, a sushi restaurant Kuah had heard about. It specializes in saba sugata-sushi, whole mackerel sushi. Izumiya Uhe established the shop in 1781 and specialized in Kyoto style sushi. There was a small line before opening but we were able to get in line and get a table when they opened.
Here we were able to do our usual trick of each ordering a plate and Kuah eating all of it. Well almost all of it. I ate the cucumber rolls and they were amazing. They were cold, vinegary and refreshing. It is really making me think that I should keep some cold vinegar cucumbers in my fridge for when I need something refreshing. Kuah’s plate had some mackerel sushi, rolls with egg and mushroom and pressed sushi. Pressed sushi is a specialty of the area and one of the oldest forms of sushi having originated more than 400 years ago. It is made by compressing sushi rice with fish and other topping and then cutting it into small squares.
Of course after the meal I had to go to the bathroom. To get there I ended up passing by this wonderful small garden. It was so tranquil. Little snippets of nature in city centers make a world of difference. Glad I got the change to see it.
While at our sushi meal we took a look at what’s nearby and found a map to guide us through the nearby temples and some tourist shops. So after our meal we headed out following the map. The first thing we came across was a shopping street. We continued down the street till we came to Yasaka Shrine.
We stopped to take a few pictures and then continued our walk. It was a very a very hilly area so lots of stairs and going up and down. At first I was surprised that the temple wasn’t too crowded but once we hit Higashiyama I was surprised by how many people there were. There were lots of school groups on trips and both Japanese and foreign tourists.
This area was full of shops selling goods or foods. We ended up stopping to share a candy apple. It was the perfect pick-me-up with it tart crisp inside and thin crunch coating. We also got there in time to nab a seat to it gave my foot a bit of rest. Once we got past the shops we came across more temples and some great gardens.
Along our loop we came across a man selling dried fruit. We tried a free sample and I loved the pineapple. I thought it would be a great fiber addition to our breakfasts. Kuah liked both the pineapple and the cherries so we decided to buy some. Instead of us telling him how much we wanted he gave us a bag to fill. Kuah was sure he did it that way so that way tourists would spend more than they’re planning to. But I kept weighing it on the scale as I added fruit to make sure that we stayed within the amount we preferred.
After a while my foot needed a rest so we headed home. Along the way I wanted to sit for a bit to make sure I didn’t strain it and I was thirsty. We came across this cute coffee shop that was totally empty. I ordered a gen-mai cha and Kuah got a hoji chat. Mine was delicious but his was too strong. We were surprised that they came with a small treat. The owner must have been a big fan of the Sex Pistols as there were lots of posters for them around.
Since no one else was there we picked a few comfy chairs and just relaxed. In total we walked 8.5 miles and climbed 9 flights of stairs. What a wonderful first day in Kyoto!
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