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After spending a few days in Tokyo, I moved on to Kyoto. Kyoto used to be the capitol of Japan before Tokyo. I stayed in a hostel called K’s House about halfway between the train station and the Geisha district of Gion.

Kyoto is saturated by shrines and temples. Two of the most famous temples are called Kinkakuji and Ginkakuji, translated as silver temple and golden temple respectively. There is a really great path along the river called the Philosopher’s walk that I enjoyed one day.

The food in Kyoto is some of the best in Japan. I had another chance to enjoy Okonomiyaki (Japanese pancakes) as well as the Japanese haute cuisine known as kaiseki. I have previously had some amazing kaiseki in Toronto at Sushi Kaji as well as New York at Next Door Nobu and Sugiyama. These three restaurants offered some of the most amazing meals I’ve ever had so I was eager to try kaiseki locally where the entire tradition began.

The restaurant was located in the middle of a shopping district. There was a tiny door to walk through which opened up into a small but immaculate traditional garden. I was greeted at the door and seated in a private booth. Kaiseki consists of very small servings but each course is a blend of many contrasting ingredients. The restaurant I chose was not the most expensive as kaiseki meals can cost upwards of $200 USD. I really enjoyed the experience and the staff was very friendly to me.