kyoto, i think i love you.

This past weekend I took a super belated vacation to Kansai! It's been almost 2 years since I'd been to Osaka, almost a year since Kyoto and about a year and a half since seeing my darling dish☆

tl;dr I really needed the vacation and I it'd been way to long since I'd seen a best friend so it was off to the night bus like the poor child I am. :D

I arrived in Osaka on Friday morning around 7AM and after some breakfast and Jay Sean...

"baby are you down down down down down"

...headed off to Kyoto♪

Start of the "Stand in the Middle of the Road and Take Photos" Series

I loved this for some reason!

Some stupid kid who plays under aqueducts.

On my off days I dress like a high-schooler who listens to Green Day

There were lots of anxious vans and bicycles that day. Basically how you would imagine Ana Lucia from LOST. Always irrationally angry and in way too much of a hurry. This also applies to vans. Either way, despite dodging vans and taking way too many baby teeth photos...

Baby teeth. We've been doing this since we were roommates and it's still a mystery. :B

...Kyoto was amazing. I love Tokyo for living, it's my city but I love traveling and I love doing it with friends. I went last year with Ri too which was also incredibly fun and yet, despite being the second time around and walking around the same area I felt like I saw an even different side of the city.

I love the atmosphere and even if you're just walking around, I feel like it's enough. Just feels so calming somehow.

Therefore.

Kyoto, I think I love you ♡

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kyoto day two

Almost two months late (seriously?!) but I finally had time to sit down and edit some more photos from mine and Ri's trip to Kyoto in July. I did have this ambitious goal to edit all of them but that was quickly abandoned.

For now, onto part two!

The first day that we got there we actually had a live to cover so after eating about seven different times, we decided to try to walk to the livehouse from our ryokan. Deeefinitely not as close as we expected.

The live was great and both of us kept thinking if we hadn't come for "work" that it would have been tons of fun to get down in the dance pit. Hopefully we'll be able to post more about this after our interviews etc have been posted!

The next morning we got up very early and met Ri's friend for breakfast by the station before heading out for the day.

We took the bus over towards Kiyomizu Temple and I ended up taking way too many pictures.

Kiyomizu was gorgeous and I really, really wish I had the time, money and the vacation days to go visit in the fall as well. For now, some "project" work to do, then early bed.

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kyoto day one

I have so many things to write about but unfortunately not nearly enough time to cover even half of them.

For now though, part 1 of my trip to Kyoto with Ri! I had been planning on going in August with my family when they came to visit me but unfortunately due to various things going on in America, I'll be going back to visit my family over summer holiday instead.

Things have been kind of hectic lately and I really just wanted to pop out of Tokyo for a bit and breathe.

Kyoto Station

Kyoto Tower

We hopped on a night bus at on Friday night at about 10:30pm out of Shinjuku and arrived at Kyoto Station at about 6:00am on Saturday morning. Not nearly as tough as I thought it would be. Though I do have absolutely the worst time sleeping on moving vehicles.

Stopped for breakfast at Mister Donuts and walked around a bit before having second breakfast at a little cafe on the way to our ryokan. We were such fantastic little hobbits when it came to meals that day.

We had something to do that night so we spent most of the day walking around and...eating. A lot more.

I swear my arms aren't that skinny IRL.

This is kind of vulgar but it needed posting.

Bath house from Spirited Away, anyone?

I do kind of hate when people post only these types of Japan photos but to be honest, I've lived in modern Tokyo so long it was really nice to get out and see something different. It's taken me a year and a half to finally visit Kyoto but I'm so glad I did.

More tomorrow!

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