I Threw My Bad Karma Off a Mountain (Literally) - Kyoto

Right, Kyoto. These last five days have been genuinely spectacular and pretty much blew any expectations I had clean out of the water. Japan really is a special kind of place – it mashes together nature, history, culture, technology, markets, and amazing food in a way I've never quite experienced. So far, this city is definitely taking the gold medal for this trip.

Expect photo dumps on this one, I really couldn’t stop myself. It’s also a bit longer of a piece, so no begrudging if you just look at the pretty pictures and snooze through the rest 🫶

Initial Japan Impression

Initial impressions of Japan: it's a place where rules are followed. Seriously, people will wait at the tiniest pedestrian crossing with zero cars in sight. Everything is incredibly clean and orderly, and there's a palpable sense of duty and care in how things are done. But I'm keen to meet more locals in Tokyo to get a better sense of daily life beyond the (potentially rose-tinted) tourist experience.

I was staying at a hotel with its own onsen (hot spring), which meant the classic tatami floors throughout (shoes off, or face the consequences), rooms that were small but cleverly laid out, and the absolute best part: a natural hot spring right in the middle of the city. This translated to me, after walking approximately one million steps each day, getting to soak in various steaming pools, each boasting somewhat dubious health benefits according to the signs, but undeniably rejuvenating my energy, skin, and very tired muscles. And yeah, standard onsen rules apply: you check your clothes (and maybe your inhibitions) at the door. Everyone’s in their birthday suit, walking around like it’s the most normal thing in the world – which, after the first 60 seconds, it kind of is. Quite refreshing, actually, ditching the swimwear and the usual body-image psychodrama for a while. A real treat I hadn't anticipated being quite such a game-changer for my trip (the soaking, not the naked part).

After a slightly rough travel day, I landed in Kyoto last Sunday. Monday kicked off with a visit to Nijo Castle, the old shogun's palace, followed by lunch at the cutest little curry spot imaginable. Then, onto a Samurai Museum. It covered the history of Samurai and Ninja during the Age of the Samurai, and even let us chuck some ninja stars. Let's just say my primary fighting technique remains "running away very fast," as hitting anything seemed basically impossible. Afterwards, I stumbled into a Japanese kitchen knife workshop and ended up chatting with the founder – a French guy who moved here 25 years ago. Hearing about the realities and challenges of living in Japan as a foreigner, versus just breezing through as a tourist, was genuinely fascinating, especially coming from the French perspective. To wrap up the day, I wandered through the Teramachi Shopping Arcade, a long covered street packed with little shops. Highlights included:

• A Teacup Pig cafe (Yes, really).
• A shop selling original Manga, Anime and Ghibli panels / art (Would have snagged one if they weren't demanding first-born child prices).
• Apparently, the first Wendy's in Japan.
• A shop dedicated entirely to slippers.
• A chopstick shop where you could get your chopsticks engraved with your name (if you wanted that for some reason)

Tuesday was dedicated to the north of the city, starting with the Imperial Palace. This was the Emperor's home base for centuries, right up until the capital moved to Tokyo in the mid-19th century (during the Meiji Restoration). Think cute mini-gardens nestled next to absolutely gargantuan halls and massive thoroughfares clearly designed for serious imperial processions. Lunch involved ducking into a tiny (literally six seats!) ramen shop nearby for a quick refuel. Afterwards, just walking around Kyoto felt special; every corner seems to hide a cute side street overflowing with plants and pots, often alongside these neat little canals crisscrossing the city. The constant backdrop of mountains and these waterways really does make you feel closer to nature, which, frankly, is just a nice way to exist. Leaning into that vibe, I headed to the Botanical Gardens. These properly blew me away – spent nearly three hours wandering the grounds and conservatory. Spring is the time to visit Japan: not ridiculously hot yet, flowers blooming everywhere, and if you time it right, the cherry blossoms. To cap off an already stellar day, dinner was a highlight of the entire trip so far: Wagyu Yakiniku. Armed with your own mini grill and platters of thinly sliced Wagyu, you cook it yourself just until it dissolves on your tongue. Unforgettable, and genuinely made me rethink all future steak consumption stateside. And the kicker? It cost about $25.

Botanical Garden Photos

This place felt really special, and I realized I had way too many pictures:

Wednesday decided to be rainy, so it became a temple and museum day. Started at Sanjūsangen-dō, famed for its hall crammed with 1001 life-sized, golden statues of Kannon (the goddess of mercy). Now, as some of you know, I'm not exactly Mr. Religion, but Buddhism is one I can get behind. It seems to mix cool mythology (think less Zeus, more intricate legends) with practical teachings aimed at finding peace in a chaotic world. Not converting anytime soon, but I can appreciate the vibe. Followed that with the Kyoto National Museum, which had a fascinating exhibition on how the outside world viewed Japan from the 7th century up to the Edo period (that's the one where they basically shut the borders for a couple hundred years). The rest of the day involved strategically hopping between cafes and bakeries to avoid the downpour, culminating in my first "7-Eleven Dinner" of the trip, boy dinner if you will.

Japanese Convenience Stores

Honestly, Japanese convenience stores are incredible. They offer relatively fresh, decent food that's cheap and accessible. Imagine grabbing an egg salad sandwich, a spicy tuna onigiri, and some little freshly baked cakes after work instead of a greasy fast-food burger. It feels like, in the convenience store game, they are yet again, streets ahead. One of many areas, it seems.

The next day, clear skies meant hiking time. Got up early, hopped on a bus to Takao, the starting point for a well-known temple-hopping trail through the Kiyotaki River Valley. Befriended two young couples on the bus, both impressively planning to hike the 14km with toddlers strapped to their backs. The trail itself wasn't just beautiful, it was profoundly moving. Every turn seemed to reveal another stunning scene: ancient shrines tucked away, temples surrounded by blooming trees in vivid colour, all part of the natural landscape. Look, I've seen some wonders – the Alps, Yosemite, Sequoia, the Appalachians, the Andes, Hallasan. They impress you with their sheer power or scale. But this valley, with its unique fusion of nature and spirit, just floored me. It was a different kind of powerful, serene and deeply affecting. I genuinely don't think I have the words for how special that felt. Near the top, we found a spot selling Kawaranage – small clay discs you throw off the mountain. The idea is it carries your bad karma away; the further it flies, the more bad vibes you ditch (see my first failed attempt below). After a solid hike following the river, we reached Hozukyo Station and caught a scenic train back through the mountains to Kyoto (a quick 20 mins). Dinner was at a Japanese tapas place where they grill various meats on skewers right in front of you.

Friday, the original plan was to take the Shinkansen (bullet train – only 20 mins!) to Osaka for the World Expo. However, after Thursday's hiking marathon, the thought of queuing all day and navigating enormous crowds suddenly lost its appeal. One of the women I'd hiked with actually helped organize the Expo and mentioned that while amazing, you really needed military-grade planning with reservations for pavilions etc. Sounded like effort. Instead, I opted for a lazier start: a chill cafe/bookshop/vinyl store by the river, followed by the Pokemon Center. Honestly, the Center itself wasn't mind-blowing, but it was an impressive (and incredibly crowded) testament to how many objects you can slap a Pokemon onto. Lunch was procured at Nishiki Market, aka "Kyoto's Kitchen" – a bustling covered market full of food stalls. Sampled some excellent sushi, grilled skewers, and Japanese red bean desserts. Spent the afternoon just sitting and reading in Maruyama Park, enjoying the local wildlife (mostly cats trying to steal snacks).

I genuinely didn't expect to enjoy Kyoto this much. The public transport was fantastic (didn't use a taxi once – all metro and bus), the food consistently floored me, and I feel like I could have easily spent another ten days just exploring its endless tiny streets. Being blessed with mostly gorgeous weather didn't hurt either. Kyoto is definitely going down as one of my all-time favourite cities.

So yeah, Kyoto was properly special and hard to leave behind. But the journey presses on – trading ancient streets for mountain views and lakeside trails! As ever, keen to hear what you thought – comments below, please and thank you. Currently parked by a lake in Fujikawaguchiko, hoping Mt. Fuji makes an appearance soon. Update to follow 💕  

— Lionel