Strolling Around Kyoto in Kimono

This will be a photobook-like post of us strolling around Kyoto in Kimono ♪

This is my 3rd time to Kyoto, but my first time renting (and wearing!) a Kimono and it was really quite fun! Even Fu thinks so!

Photobook means it will be mostly photos; enjoy as you take in the sights of our Kyoto stroll!

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Yup, that was our day in Kyoto!

It was the peak season due to the cherry blossoms and the crowds were insane, so photos took a lot of timing and patience!

We strolled along:

Ichinen-zaka 一念坂 • Ninen-zaka 二年坂 (二寧坂)

These roads are full of the flavor of old Japan, and we had so much fun wandering into the small roads that branch out from the main road.

TIP: These small roads are mostly deserted and where we took the best photos without people photobombing us!

After we finished this area, we decided to check out this “secret cherry blossom spot in Kyoto” which apparently had very little people because it was not well-known and also difficult to access.

The traffic was horrendous and we were trapped in it for an hour when it normally would have taken 20 mins. Only to reach there to find that… the sakura hasn’t bloomed yet and it was a wasted trip.

We decided to head to Kinkakuji, arguably Kyoto’s most beautiful temple, and…

we were trapped in barely-moving traffic for another hour.

The worst part?

We arrived at the carpark at 5.10pm only to be turned away because the temple closed at 5pm. FML.

We used Haru’s personal navigator system and asked the operator for somewhere in Kyoto that will remain open for the night (most places in Kyoto close by 6pm).

She sent us the address and we headed there.

If you will believe it, we were TRAPPED IN TRAFFIC FOR ANOTHER HOUR. AGAIN.

When we finally neared the place, we realized…

it was the place we started out at the beginning of the day…

For what reason did we waste 3 hours driving around???

I almost died in the car because I couldn’t lean back due to the obi binding behind me and had to sit on my side.

FOR THREE HOURS!!!

Lesson learnt: Don’t be itchy backside and travel here and there. Think got car big deal ah?

I know I totally destroyed the nice mood of the photobook with my ranting and (cute) panda stickers, but aiya, this is what gives my blog personality right? #selfcomfort

Just one last anecdote; I was looking at the last two photos (taken at Kodaiji 高台寺).

The first one was taken at the bottom of the hill.

The next photo of the bamboo forest was taken at the top of the hill.

The thing is… I don’t remember what happened in between! Did I see the building in the first photo? Why don’t I remember it? What’s happening to my memory?! And these are the only two photos I have -_-

I only remember busy climbing, climbing, climbing, following the crowd in front of me and trying not to trip. The geta made walking rather clumsy, more so on slopes.

Then before I knew it, I was descending, descending, descending.

So… I was probably too preoccupied trying not to trip and smash my face in to observe what was around me lol.

Fu concluded this whole incident rather succinctly, “If you didn’t take photos, it didn’t happen.”

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ps: For info on where to rent kimonos in Kyoto, click here