Japan/Taiwan trip - Day 5 (Kyoto)

Hello to my readers again! Its the last day in Japan post! I probably do a summary or so on this Japan trip below to share how much did I spend and what did I do to save on! For now, here are the links to the previous days in Japan(click on!!) : 

Japan/Taiwan (Pre trip preparation)

Japan/Taiwan (Day 1 - Locked up restaurant)

(Day 2 - USJ)

(Day 3 - Osaka castle and owl cafe)
(Day 4 - Shopping & Shinsekai)
(Day 5 - Kyoto)

Last day of Japan, we decide to head to Kyoto for a day. My sister has actually stayed in Kyoto for a good 9 days? during her last trip to Japan so I suggested to stay in Osaka instead as I actually do not have much that I want to see in Kyoto. (Or maybe I didn't google enough) Anyway, my sister has calculated the transport fee to Kyoto (supposingly should be the cheapest route) which cost us 850YEN. If you are following my itinerary and stayed in Raizan North, here's the exact route to Kyoto: 

Take Osaka Sakaisuji Line from Dobutsuen-mae Station to Tenjimbashisujirokuchome Station (14min) and take Hankyu Senri Line to Awaji Station (8min) then change to Hankyu Kyoto Line Limited Express to Karasuma Station (37min). Walk (4min) to Shijo Station to take Kyoto Karasuma Line to Gojo Station (1min)

If not, the end point is Gojo station, just find your way to this station. We took about 1.5 to reach Kyoto because of the waiting and walking. If you have googled Kyoto, you would have seen a very much town-like with wooden houses that look like the olden days Japan. I always like places with a vintage and ancient feel. And because of this, how could I miss out on wearing their local clothes? So I actually googled prior to this trip for places to rent Yukata ( for summer only; else it's called kimono) in Kyoto. My sister has one in mind which she visited during her last trip but I think I would like to try a new place, for the benefit of her so that it won't seems like a replicate trip. So this is the shop that I found!

Yumeyakata

Yumeyakata building 128, Manjuji-cyo,Higasinotoin-higashi-iru,Shimogyou-ku Kyoto-city /zip code:600-8104

Website: http://www.yumeyakata.com/english/

I have found a website that has the direction video to show exactly how to walk from Gojo Station. Tadah! For the benefit of my readers. http://www.yumeyakata.com/information/map/map_eng.html

(credit to google search image)

The shop look like this by the way! So it takes about 1 hour for me and my sister to dress up. Don't worry about dressing, because there are people to help you with the yukata. There will be staff to guide you once you enter the shop to choosing your yukata and all. We paid 3500+YEN per pax for the rental. Didn't pay for their hairstyling and make up service because first we both are short hair, not much to style and secondly we don't do make up. But if you want to have your hair styled ( it probably would look really nice esp if you are long hair), do select the service. OH by the way you would need to book your appointment for the rental. SO OFF WE GO!! 

How could we not go to the kyoto shrine if you are at Kyoto in Yukata? LOL

There! Us in Yukata! Very nice right. They provide the whole set including the small bag and the wooden slippers.

one of their tradition culture.

Another for blessing

Of course ootd is a must with such nice yukata. 

Look at the background too. How not to camwhore. LOL

Left the shrine and headed to the Gion district.

I specifically wanted to visit the Gion District. It is said that this is the Geisha district. Wanted to come here to spot one or two to try my luck because you don't usually spot Geisha on the street walking. The teahouses and old wooden building of this district just make it a must for me to see. 

We found a street that is pretty nice and empty and we started camwhoring (of course there were awkward moments when tourists and people start to join in the street as well)

Shit. I think my sister can pose better than me ( or maybe my photography skills for candid photos are better than her!) LOL

We went walking around towards the shopping district and were caught by many tourists (mostly Eurasian) to take photos with us! LMAO. Us with the Japanese-look hur! There were many of them at the Gion district who secretly took photos of us but were spotted by us instead. We are not Geisha!~

Then I was feeling so sweating and all because you know, its summer time and with a tight fitting yukata on you where walking become very elegant and slow, I felt that I have to change it out already. We went to MOS burger to have a quick bite because I was actually very hungry with all the walking and sweating. But I TELL YOU! The yukata was so tight that eating become abit difficult because basically your stomach is tightly bandaged up. But I don't care. I was too hungry. Anyway, it was pretty funny to see two ladies in yukata sitting in MOS burger eating. Just imagine two ladies in the Qing dynasty dress using an Iphone to play games. Yup, feel like that. So we head back to the shop to get changed and off we go to continue the shopping district.

There were quite a few clothes retail shop and my sister bought quite abit there too. As for me, no luck because their clothing were quite big size if not were not cheap. Anyway, the reason why we came back there was to dine at this ninja themed restaurant which my sister highly recommend for the food and ambience. Of course the price was not cheap for sure. This is the details for the ninja restaurant:

Ninja Kyoto

〒604-8042 京都府京都市中京区新京極通四条

上る中之町583-2 

English address: 583-2 Nakanocho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-8042

TEL：075-253-0150

30 meters north of Shinkyogoku street → turn right on "Pink Latte"

Remember to make a reservation for this because it's recommended! 

the interior of the restaurant

We sit in little "caves" like this for dinner.

scroll menu

Because it was the last day in Japan and we didn't really want to exchange for more local currency. So we had about a budget of 10,000 YEN for this dinner. Sounds like alot? Nope. because initially we wanted to get the set menu so that we can try more dishes because it is at least a 6 course set menu. But the bad thing is we need to buy two same sets to get the set menu which wasn't what we wanted; we wanted to get a different set each so that there are more variety of food. So we had no choice but to order Ala Carte. So here are the dishes that we ordered!

appetizer: biscuit cracker that is complimentary.

Smoked chicken

Crab with grapefruit

Beef 

dessert

Some ninja entertainment magic 

So these four dish with two normal fruit juices that were not in the picture had cost us almost 10,000YEN. I think it was 9,000+YEN including GST and service charge. The most expensive meal in Japan. But the food was really awesome. Each of them was nicely presented and well cooked. You couldn't pick any bad point about the food. IMO of course. Maybe you have a tongue of a critic that have tasted thousand million of food. But this was really good. So you can see we both sisters don't really spend much on shopping and such but when it comes to food, no problem to spurge alittle.

The night scene of Kyoto. 

With that, we ended our last day in Japan. Hurry back to hostel to pack our luggage for flight to Taiwan tomorrow as by the time we finish our dinner at Kyoto, its already 8plus and to go back would need a good 1.5 hours. Anyway, our transport back is 580YEN. I remember I was discussing with my sis on this, because when I wanted to buy the tickets I realised we were short of money as it cost 850YEN which I saw. But as I said, my sister did the transport fee calculation before we came, I know i know, it sounds like a hassle to do before trip. BUT TRUST ME, you save that amount. 

Through this trip in Japan, I have seen alot and also learnt many. Very foremost, I knew I was getting old. LOL. By travelling, it would mean a relax trip to me. But because we are on some kinda budget trip still with my sister, so it is natural that we wanted to see the most that we could so to explain the tight schedule. However, I can say that it is considered relaxed for my sister as compared to the last time we had our trip to Taiwan and her trip to Japan. Probably because of the weather as well, summer time is really not good season for travel. I mean I know it is about the same weather in Singapore actually but I don't do so much walking and rushing to see the attraction and places, you see. 

Anyway, just to share some important things about this trip and how did we save on time and money.

1. We exchanged a total of $1500 for both of us ( $700 for my sis and the rest for me) for this Japan trip. 

2. It did not include the air ticket of course. Just the expenses like USJ tickets, food and accommodation and transport. So you probably can see where did we spend our money on; we didn't use any credit card and everything is by cash on hand. So yup $1500 for both of us with all the shopping and attraction and yukata and food and lodging, I would say it is rather a cheap trip. 

3. It really save up alot to plan ahead of where you are going so that you don't travel to and fro and waste the money on transport because transport in Japan is DAMN EXPENSIVE.

4. Most of the other times for our meals that I did not introduce our food were spent in their supermart. Seriously, their supermart is way better than our 7-11 in Singapore. They got a huge variety of ready food to consume. My sister favourite is their eggs that is ready-to-go. Usually I would buy their rice rolls or bread with milk. We even pack some sushi and drinks into USJ for lunch so that we could save on the time to queue for dining and money as well.

5. If you don't mind and want to save the time of spending in queue, I would really suggest you to go for single lane for the rides because it really save alot of time. 

6. Unless you have to stay in hotels if not you can't sleep well, try airbnb for hostels and apartments. Some are really as good as hotels and in a cheaper rate. Our idea was since we won't be spending alot of time in the hotel so we could really just find a nice decent hostel that has got clean beds and washroom for resting. 

If you want to know more or have any questions to ask me on this trip, feel free to do so! Not sure if you can comment on this post, if not you can email me at peiling.tan26@gmail.com or find me in instagram @peilingg26. 

Till then! Taiwan here we come!