Exploring Kyoto’s Beautiful Sites 🇯🇵 | Kinkakuji, Yasaka Shrine, Maruyama Park, Gion & Hidden Cafés

Watch the rest of my Kyoto trip here!    • KYOTO 2026   __________________________________ Day 2 in Kyoto was all about slow walks, scenic streets, good food, and discovering some of the city’s most iconic spots. 🇯🇵🍵 We started the morning with breakfast at Ogawa Coffee inside JR Kyoto Station before hopping on a Kyoto city bus to Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion). Fun fact: Kyoto’s city buses still use a flat fare system within central areas, making it one of the easiest and most affordable ways to explore the city at just ¥230 per ride. At Kinkakuji, we watched visitors toss coins and make wishes before stopping by a tea house inside the temple grounds for matcha and a Kinkakuji-themed sweet treat. Did you know? The top two floors of Kinkakuji are actually covered in real gold leaf, which is why the temple reflects so beautifully on the surrounding pond. ✨ From there, we headed to Gion and spent time wandering through the streets lined with shops, snacks, and traditional architecture before eventually finding Yasaka Shrine. Afterward, we walked through Maruyama Park, where we spotted our very first Pokémon manhole cover — one of Japan’s famous Poké Lids that have become popular photo spots across the country. Lunch was at Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu, where we enjoyed crispy gyukatsu with rice, soup, and dipping sauces before continuing our walk toward Kyoto’s Higashiyama District. This part of Kyoto honestly felt like stepping into another era. We visited Yasaka Koshindo Temple, famous for its colorful hanging wish balls called Kukurizaru, then stopped by Kyoto Coffee before passing Hokan-ji Temple — better known as Yasaka Pagoda. We also walked past the famous Starbucks Coffee Kyoto Ninenzaka Yasaka Chaya — the world’s first Starbucks inside a traditional 100-year-old machiya townhouse featuring tatami seating. ☕🏯 And of course, we couldn’t skip Donguri Kyowakoku, the Studio Ghibli store, where I picked up souvenirs for my siblings. 🎥✨ We also passed by Kiyomizu-dera and the iconic Niomon Gate, though we decided not to go inside this time since we had already visited before while wearing kimonos. Watch that Kyoto kimono experience here: [insert link] Before heading back, we relaxed at Ten, a café and gift shop filled with maneki-neko figurines, desserts, and souvenirs. We had drinks and cake while resting our feet from all the walking. The day ended with another bus ride back to Kyoto Station, a quick Don Quijote stop at Avanti, and of course… a FamilyMart haul back at the hotel lounge. Zaru soba, Famichiki, and fresh pour-over coffee honestly hits differently after a long Kyoto walking day. 😌 It was a chill, scenic, and super productive day exploring Kyoto. See you in the next! #Kyoto #JapanTravel #KyotoJapan #JapanVlog #Kinkakuji #Gion #Higashiyama #Kiyomizudera #KyotoTravel #JapanTrip #YasakaPagoda #StudioGhibli #PokemonLid #JapaneseFood #StarbucksKyoto #KyotoCafe #VisitJapan #Japan2026 #KyotoVlog #TravelJapan #philippineairlines