I feel like if I were to live in Japan, Kyoto would be the place. It is so family-oriented and seems a little less shiny in a way. Everywhere you look there is a mom on a bike with a kid strapped to the back of it. It was comforting to see that since I was walking around with my young kids.
GETTING TO KYOTO FROM TOKYO:
We spent about 3 days in Kyoto. The easiest and fastest way to get from Tokyo to Kyoto is by using your Japan Rail Pass to travel by bullet train to Kyoto main station. The bullet train portion only taking about 2 hours depending on where exactly you start in Tokyo.
We upgraded our Japan Rail Pass to the “Green Pass”. The green pass is considered “first-class” on the train. We felt that this was the best decision since we had all of our luggage with us and 2 young kids. I was so happy we made that decision because it was worth every extra cent. We were able to reserve seats ahead of time.
The trains in Japan can get PACKED, so I didn’t want to risk not having a seat for 2 hours. The seats were so roomy, they had a footrest, and reclined to almost flat. I was out like a light on that ride! It felt so nice to sleep on the train. The kids were living their best life again by eating Japanese snacks and watching a movie on their iPad. If it’s a clear day and not raining be sure to look for Mount Fuji. On the way to Kyoto, we couldn’t see it but on the way back to Tokyo we were able to see it clearly. Don’t miss it!
ARASHIYAMA:
There are so many sights to see in Kyoto so I would suggest coming up with a game plan that way you have plenty of time to figure out how you will get from place to place. After checking into our hotel in Kyoto we headed straight to Monkey Park which is in Arashiyama. Just hop on the Arashiyama train and ride it until the very end.
When you get off the train you will enter a fun little spot with plenty of food options if you want to grab a snack. It’s frowned upon to eat and walk so grab something small, have a seat, and then continue to the left on the main street. This will take you to a bridge, continue over the bridge and then you will see signs for Monkey Park. Make sure to bring cash because most entrance fees only take cash.
If you have kids I would highly suggest a bathroom break at the entrance as well. It’s a long walk up the park so it’s better to be safe than sorry. Once you enter you will walk uphill for about a mile. You’ll definitely get your steps in here!
There will be a resting point halfway up, where you can catch your breath and have a sip of water. You’ll probably be lucky enough to start seeing the monkeys roaming around at this point. If the kids are starting to get tired or complain at this point, tell them that there is a surprise just a few more steps away. A fun playground!
This area was great for me to let them play and just be kids for a few minutes. They deserved it after that long hike. The playground is equipped with swings, a small zip-line, and a huge side. Don’t be nervous if you see the monkeys on the playground. Just don’t look them in the eye and obviously don’t touch them.
When the kids are done at the playground head to the very top of the hill (which isn’t very far at this point) and enjoy the gorgeous view of Kyoto! It’s an amazing sight! You’ll see plenty of monkeys walking around at this point. If you’d like to feed them, you’ll just head inside to purchase peanuts and pears, and then need them through a fenced area. For the most part, the monkeys seem nice. There are signs posted not to look them in the eye. My husband and I made the mistake of looking at them and quickly learned not to do that again. Take your time here. You deserve it after your climb.
While in Arashiyama head on over to Bamboo Forest. If you’ve looked up things to do in Kyoto, there’s a good chance you’ve seen this forest. The forest in kind of small. It only takes about 15 minutes to walk through. The Bamboo Forest is absolutely beautiful! It was so peaceful and serene. This is one of the most popular spots so I would suggest getting there as early as possible or waiting until about dusk. The forest is open 24/7.
KINKAKU-JI (The Golden Pavillion)
If your itinerary looks anything like ours, after the bamboo forest we headed straight for Kinkaku-Ji, also known as the Golden Pavillion.
The fastest way to get there is by cab. The streets in Japan are name-less and very confusing so this is your best option. Plus it only takes about 20 minutes so that was a win! The pavilion opens around 9 am and once they open the gates, it’s a big stampede.
The golden castle is so beautiful and shiny! It can be very hard to get pictures here because there are so many people. Just take your time and do your best.
FUSHIMI INARI SHRINE:
The next morning we were still very jet-lagged. We were up at 4 am. It was really cold and there was a chance of snow that morning. We were crossing our fingers we would get to see snowfall, but luck wasn’t on our side.
We took our time at the 7-11 getting breakfast and snacks. Our agenda for today was to head over to the popular Fushimi Inari Shrine. Surely you’ve seen photos of this place. Rows and rows of orange Torii gates. It is Kyoto’s most impressive attraction!
It was still so early in the morning, the sun was just starting to come up when our Cab pulled into our destination. This shrine is open 24-7 as well, so if possible TAKE ADVANTAGE.
It also gets super packed but we were lucky enough to have the whole place to ourselves. The kids enjoyed running through the gates and trying to read the letters carved into the gates. The kids also noticed that there are dozens of fox statues across the shrine grounds. These foxes are known as messengers of the gods.
I strongly believe in the term “world-schooling”. Not everything can be learned from behind a desk. I want my kids to experience different cultures and traditions that way they are well-rounded, while having an open heart and mind. I truly enjoyed this shrine because we were able to experience and learn about the purification ritual together.
This is the process of cleansing your hands and mouth before entering a Japanese shrine:
First, you pick up the ladle with your right hand and scoop up some water from the top portion.
Next, pour a third of the water into your left hand and rinse it first. Then swap the ladle into your left hand, and pour another third of the water into your right hand and proceed to rinse it. This should occur on the bottom part of the ladle, not where you initially scooped the water.
Now that your hands are clean, you’ll need to rinse your mouth. Pass the ladle back into your right hand, and then pour some water into your left hand. With the water in your left hand, bring your hand to your mouth and rinse with the water. Finally, spit the water onto the little area on the ground. Whatever you do, just don’t put your mouth directly to the ladle, or spit the water back into the top area where you drew the water.
Lastly, you’ll need to wash the ladle for the next person. To do this, take some more water into the ladle. Holding it with both hands, tilt the ladle scoop side up so that the water falls down the handle and onto your hands. This essentially cleans the ladle, your hands, and the handle. After this ritual, you are ready to enter the shrine. It was a challenge to make sure the kids followed the steps properly but overall I felt like they did great and learned so much!
VISITING NARA:
While in Kyoto, I would suggest taking advantage of the 45-minute train ride to Nara. Nara is another popular spot where deer roam free. It’s a sight to see that’s for sure! After arriving at the Nara Station, I would then hop in a cab and head over to the park.
Once you arrive, make sure that you don’t have any food on you or in your bags WHATSOEVER! These deer can smell it a mile away and will hunt you down for it.
You will be encouraged by these little old Japanese ladies to buy the crackers that they have for sale to feed the deer. DO NOT BUY THEM! Just let everyone else buy them and watch the chaos unfold. I wasn’t aware of this during my trip to Nara so I am happy to share my experience.
I bought 2 packs of crackers, one for each of my children. I then turned around to hand them to my kids and was quickly approached by a mob of deer heading my way. It was so overwhelming! I was quickly trying to get them unpackaged so I could feed them one but they just kept surrounding me, bowing to me, and even nipping at me that I just ended up throwing the crackers in the opposite direction just so I could get away from them. It was seriously so intimidating! I promise you, it’s better just to stand around and watch others buy them and get chased down than to have one of your kids be scarred for life.
In general, though, they’re super chill and friendly, just not when it comes to food. The park is beautiful, there are plenty of Cherry Blossoms and picture opportunities.
KODOMO MIRRAIKAN, KYOTO: Genki Land
After exploring shrines for hours, the kids needed some playtime. I was also ready to get away from tourists and immerse my self into some traditional and local Japanese traditions.
I did a little research and found a hidden gem. And best of all it was free. It was called Kodomo Mirraikan, Kyoto. It is meant for kids 6 and under. At the time, my son had just turned 7 but nobody needed to know that. I made sure to keep a good eye on him as to not run over the little ones. Maybe that wasn’t the most honest thing for me to do but, it was the right decision for us at the time.
It was 2 hours out of our life and nobody would ever see us again. It was a little challenging to find. We had to ask multiple locals to help us out with directions. Eventually, we hopped in a cab and eventually found our way. I know I had found the right place when I saw a sea of bikes with carriers on the back. The best way to get to the location is from the Marutamachi Station or the Karusuma Oike Station.
The kids had a blast here and were the only foreigners there! I loved how open they were to finding new friends to play with even though they couldn’t speak the language. At one point all the kids gathered around for Japanese song time and it was just so heartwarming to see my children taking it all in, even though they had no idea what the songs were about.
After we were done at the indoor playground we headed outside to play at the neighborhood park. There were kids of all ages playing together and it was just so lovely to see. I met a local mom there, who in my opinion spoke decent English. We totally hit it off and I was able to learn so much from her.
Her kids included my kids in a game of jump rope and again, it really warmed my heart to see my kids open up to different cultures. It truly is an awesome experience to see your kids be able to adapt to different experiences. These are memories I will never forget. Spending time surrounded by locals at this park was one of the highlights for me on this trip.
