I’d wanted to see Kyoto in person for years, and it turned out to be one of those rare places that’s somehow better than the postcards. Mornings started early, mostly to beat the crowds through Fushimi Inari’s torii gates — thousands of them, climbing up through the forest, thinning out the higher you go until it’s just you and the odd fox statue.
The sunset over the Kamo River on my last evening might have been the single best moment of the whole trip — no plan, just sitting on the stone steps with a konbini coffee, watching the light change.
The bamboo grove at Arashiyama is smaller than photos make it look, but standing in the middle of it with the stalks creaking overhead is worth the crowds. I spent an afternoon getting quietly lost in Gion’s old streets, and another eating my way through Nishiki Market one skewer at a time.
Five days wasn’t enough. I’m already planning a trip back for the autumn colours.
