8 October 2026
Early risers today. We start with a tea ceremony in the Gion district. Breakfast is a croissant warmed up at the Family Mart around the corner. Convenient, these konbinis. We also buy some water for hydration. It will be a warm day. The blue sky is promising.
We take a bus toward Gion from a street close to the hotel. A new system for us: Kyoto has a fixed fare of 230 yen (1.30 €). You get on the bus at the back and pay at the front when you leave. The only disadvantage is that you pay for every new bus you take.
The tea ceremony starts at 9:30. We’re there a little before 9:00, find a geocache close by, and then try to stay in the shade.
At 9:00 we take the elevator up to the 5th floor of an ordinary office building. The tea ceremony room is designed for westerners and people who haven’t learned, or aren’t flexible enough, to sit in the traditional style. The area for the ceremony is elevated, with 12 small chairs placed around it.
The tea master spends 45 minutes going through the history, the philosophy and the basic steps. We make our own tea following her guidance, and somehow I make a very nice cup. It looks really smooth and I get two thumbs up. A natural, apparently.
A nice experience, one I can recommend. Japan is so much about history, culture and tradition, and they are proud to present it.
Next on the list is shopping in the Gion district. I found a small chopstick shop on Instagram, only a few blocks away. A small shop run by two older gentlemen. No tax-free, but nice quality chopsticks. I get some cherry rosewood for everyday use, and some Bombay blackwood just for me. That costs some money, but these are really nice.
Through Nishiki Market, which doesn’t have too much to offer, through some side streets to the Takase River, and then over the bridge into the main Gion district. A little lunch at a café: black sesame cake and fruit juice.
More of the district, but there isn’t much here. We had marked some temples and shrines, but we’ve had enough of those. It’s also very warm. Breaks in the shade and keeping hydrated are important, so we take a small break at the end of Hanamikoji Street, beside a very nice old wooden gate.
More walking. Another spot we’d marked on the map is Yasaka-dori, a street that leads up to the Yasaka-Kaminomachi neighbourhood.
If you’re afraid of crowds, keep out. This is where all the tourists meet. Nice old houses, but shops selling food and souvenirs everywhere. Without the people it might be nicer, but this is really something else. I find some chopstick rests in a big chopstick shop, quality much lower than the one we visited earlier, and all the chopsticks are more expensive and dishwasher-proof. Ours are not, they’re real wood, nothing added. But I got what I needed.
All the way up to the Nio-mon Gate, where a myriad of tourists take selfies. We have to escape and find some peace and quiet. Back down it goes, and Tim, who has the best nose for cafes and restaurants, finds a small café in a side street, after we’d tried to get on three buses that were all bursting with people. Beniyuki café. A beautiful little place, playing calm Japanese music and jazz. French toast and hot chocolate, just sitting and relaxing.
We’d thought about dinner at an Italian place Tim’s aunt recommended, but we’re too late and it’s fully booked. Tim finds another place, in a small alley, specialising in pork: Miyagawa Tonemon. They didn’t have a free seat right away. We had to leave our phone number so they could message us once there was a table, and then be there within 15 minutes. You’re not allowed to stand in front of restaurants here. These are mostly private houses, and I understand people would get annoyed.
The place is small, the food is good. Not the best, but I liked it. It’s relatively early in the evening when we finish. We want to get back to the hotel anyway, since we’re getting tired.
That means a bus ride to Kyoto Station, then a walk home. The bus is full, but you can squeeze in anyway. Better than walking. From the station it’s another 10 minutes on foot to the hotel.
A shower to get rid of the sweat, and Tim manages to fall asleep at 20:15 for over an hour.
Finally, lights out, and another day tomorrow. Alarm set for 8:30.
