My Top 5: Kyoto, Japan

Kyoto was my favorite place in Japan to go sightseeing, hands down. Everywhere you turn, there was something beautiful to see.

1) Fushimi Inari Shrine

We took a rainy, early morning hike to Fushimi Inari Shrine, in southern Kyoto. Barely half awake and drenched by the rain, we hiked passed thousands of beautiful, bright red torii gates and saw some amazing views of Kyoto. It was a nice, quiet escape from the busy city life.

Protip: Early mornings and trekking through the downpour is one way to avoid the crowds and grab a nice shot! :) The Shrine gets really busy and crowded in the afternoon, filled with multiple tour groups.

2) Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

Another early morning stop, is the must-see Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. The gorgeous, green bamboo stalks continue endlessly on both sides of the road. It was such a tranquil sight to see the rays of sunlight peek through, in between the bamboo stalks.

3) Monkey Park Iwatayama

A short 40 minutes, uphill climb to Monkey Park Iwatayama is definitely worth the visit. Admission to visit the snow monkeys costs 550 yen per person. On the way to the view point, look out for a couple of monkeys casually walking around or chilling up in the trees. Make sure you don't look them in the eyes...they can get a little vicious. Most of the snow monkeys are located at the top, where there is a beautiful view of the city and a chance for you to buy some peanuts to hand-feed the snow monkeys. The baby monkeys are so cute!

4) Nishiki Market

Walk along Nishiki Market and take a look at all the small shops for some great souvenirs or stop for a bite to eat at one for the many restaurants. We browsed through hundreds of styles of chopsticks and picked the perfect pair to carve our names, in Japanese, on it.

5) Dinner On Top of a Waterfall

End your day in the outskirts of town with a 5 course meal, on top of a waterfall. Enjoy the company of your loved ones and the peaceful sounds of the waterfall while eating a delicious meal with an amazing view. The wagyu beef melts in your mouth and the sashimi was so fresh!

Pay a little extra and purchase a yukata to wear at dinner. There are a variety of different patterns and colors to choose from, along with shoes to match your outfit. The employees are super helpful and they can help you wear the yukata properly. The yukata is a nice souvenir, but I still don't know how to wear it...

Needless to say...Kyoto, you were amazing.

Meg