Kyoto

Traveling all afternoon from Mt. Fuji, I arrived in Kyoto in the evening and had just enough time to walk to Nuji castle and see the sakura light display.

In the morning I walked all over town, starting with the Nishiki market. There I bought my first set of chopsticks and had them engraved with my name…which felt everything like I’d imagined it’d be to match with a wand in Ollivander’s. I ate my way down the market, one step behind another guy and his camera crew doing their own market sampling. I tried sashimi sea urchin, which was one of the most unique flavors I’ve experienced for the first, and last, time. Not my favorite delicacy. I did my first major souvenir shopping and picked up a Japanese fan, some candied sakura and sakura liquor, and finished with a few new beautiful and Japanese-priced crystals (labradorite, agates, and amber…this crystal queen is droooling).

My walk continued all the way to the famous red Tori gates, where I met a cool artist gal. We hiked together and lit candles for the new moon (thank you universe for bring this witchy chick to me!).

The next morning I visited the bamboo grove with a couple of guys from my hostel. It’s a very popular destination, and I loved listening to the bamboo sway in the wind, but it reminded me why I don’t always go to the most popular places. I usually end up stepping on the back of people’s shoes.

We had some matcha soft serve for breakfast, an idea suggested by yours truly (but you probably already knew that). Then we were off to Nara for the afternoon.