Ratna writes

So much of taking in this unassuming city is letting yourself stop and notice things in the in-between. Kyoto does not seem to seek to wow and amaze; it is simply being, and you are invited to join. The city is often sleepy; nights in downtown tend to wrap up by 9pm, but this introverted older sibling of Tokyo is a joy to discover, slowly. Rather than a checklist of things to tick off, let this serve as a general guide of areas to be in, and allow the place to befall you. You could use this guide and have a completely different experience from us, because there is hidden history in every corner, and you could visit the same neighborhood and discover completely different shrines and gardens from the ones that we saw.   Grounds of Ginkaku-ji That said, this is what Udai and I would do for two full but not-too-full days in Kyoto. Day 1 Ginkaku-jicho shrine Walk down Philosopher’s Path Lunch at Cafe Ren Ginkakuji Dinner at Vegan Ramen UZU Day 2 Tenryu-ji temple Wander Arashiyama for l...

5pm: We arrived early Friday evening at the  Hotel Mets Shibuya , which happens to be inside of Shibuya Station! Shibuya is the most “bustly” part of one of the most bustling cities in the world, and on our way out, we wanted to be in the center of the action. But staying inside the station itself was another level altogether, the lobby of our hotel just yards away from the ticket entrance to the Narita (Airport) express. We actually recommend this place if you're pressed for time in Toyko, not fussed about how your room looks, and want to pop out to the center of Shibuya multiple times, while being on a street that's tucked away, near a convenience store, and not that chaotic. 7pm: At night, we launched into Shibuya Scramble Crossing, thus known because the intersection is so long and so crowded that one actually has to line up on the side of the street she's on, queuing for a chance to make it to the other side within the time of just one traffic light! I found this extr...

 We were up bright and early this morning to catch a ride to  Arashiyama , an area on the outskirts of Kyoto known for a bamboo forest and some super scenic shrines. We first visited the  Tenryu-ji  temple, the landscaping of whose lake hasn't changed since the 1400s. We sat soaking in the serene surroundings until we had worked up an appetite (for coffee) and headed off to find the fabled original % Arabica shop. We walked along the beautiful Katsura River to get there, but found the line laughably long and ended up sitting on the wall along the river and eating jell-o from 7-Eleven.  We spent some time ambling through the adorable town of Arashiyama before heading back to the canal for lunch. On a roll, we decided to pay a visit to  Fushimi Inari Taisha , a mountainside shrine famous for featuring 10,000 bright orange torii gates in the side of the mountain! The route features a number of resting points with shrines on the way, including Shin-ike Pond,...