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Japan Day 5: Fushimi Inari Food Street and Base, Pontocho Alley, Yasaka Shrine, Sousei's Kimono Class, Yasaka Koshindo, Yasaka No Tou, Ninenzaka, Entoku-In, Kodai-ji, Ichibei Koji, Fushimi Inari at Night


We woke up early after a much needed long sleep, so we decided to walk down towards Fushimi Inari to check out the food stalls. On the way, we passed by Cafe Goo and decided to try out fluffy pancakes. It was A++ will recommend, and the coffee gives you better energy than that of vending machine coffee for sure.

When we got to Fushimi Inari food street after first breakfast, we found the stalls were still setting up so we explored the Fushimi Inari base, watched shrine priests do their morning rituals and chats, and scoffed at tourists so unashamedly taking photos in front of No-Photo signs.





We then returned down the food street and had Hiroshimayaki, yakitori, and a custard pancake for second breakfast. I did not like the pancake, but the other food was very yummy. We left just in time to avoid the insane amount of tourists coming in to see the shrine.



After food, we took the subway to see Pontocho Alley. Being a bar street, everything was closed, but it felt really cool walking down the old-looking buildings. We also crossed the bridge, and down to the embankment by the water's edge and pretended to be anime characters.



We were still early before our Kimono class, so we decided to go visit Yasaka Shrine. The shrine looked like there was a festival going on because of the food stalls set up and all the people walking around in kimonos.



Finally, it was time to see Sousei and attend his kimono class. It was very fun, and we learned a lot (especially with Sousei being a tea master). We learned how to properly put on the kimono, and that one-piece kimonos are better suited for the weather this season, instead of the rentals where you are fitted with a two-piece kimono (that can get very hot). We also learned that there are many Maiko and Geisha walking around actually, but they put their makeup on during the night when they attend to clients and perform. Sousei took us around the area, teaching us about Kyoto, and took many photos of us.



We then went to visit Yasaka Koshindo, Yasaka-no-tou, and Ninenzaka. I thought it was very funny that I was wearing my kimono with Nike Air shoes, but Sousei said this was actually common because the slippers suck, and comfort is better. I liked that I was colourful enough to match the monkey balls at Yasaka Koshindo.

We ate food right at the base of Yasaka Pagoda, in a restaurant called Kyoyasaka (it was delicious, and suprisingly well priced!) as we watched a wedding procession pass by, in full attire! We then visited Ninenzaka to get that iconic photo that you see of the pagoda. There were so many people so we couldn't truly get a good shot. Once again, it must be better if we had gone earlier.



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We then visited Ichibei Koji, Entoku-In, and Kodai-ji as they were all in the area. After thoroughly exhausting ourselves, we decided to look for bug spray before heading back home in preparation for our Nara trip the next day, but then also exhausting ourselves even more by visiting Fushimi Inari at night. The atmosphere was so different. Highly, highly recommend seeing it at night. Everything is lit up, even the torii path.

(Complete photo album here)



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