Tranquil Kyoto Part 1

I truly miss the tranquility in Kyoto. With the frequent hustle and bustle of city life, we sometimes forget the serenity and beauty of wildlife. No matter how stressed, worn out or unhappy, we should always find time to visit mother nature. Out of all the cities we visited in Japan, I must say I enjoyed Kyoto the most. It's just that peacefulness you get walking through the untouched parts of town or around the corner you can find a tree lined stairs leading to a shrine or around another corner you find a calm pond with a little bridge.

It was slightly raining and a bit cloudy but not enough to cause a fuss. Thankfully it wasn't too cold that day so I went with my classic wool peacoat that I splurged on from Aritzia. I know in a previous post I mentioned to buy a size up for layering. However, I felt since Japan wouldn't be too cold and I would mostly be wearing the coat in San Francisco, I didn't have to bundle up like a snowman! I can really enjoy the slim silhouette of the coat.

   

Outfit: Babaton Camel Coat from Aritzia (here), Uniqlo jeans (here), Ann Taylor scarf (similar here), Sam Edelman Petty booties (here)

It was difficult to get a good shot at the famous Fushimi Inari Taisha (Red Gates) because it was so crowded. We eventually waited out the crowd and even then had to quickly snap one before another wave of people came rushing through.

A walk through 三年坂 (Sannenzaka). A quaint little area part of town that's been untouched with traditional buildings.

 People lining up to take a sip from the lucky fountain.

Kyoto Tower in the distance. Too bad it was a cloudy day!

Not sure if he was considered a monk? He was continually chanting really fast. He came off as a bit eerie but mysterious at the same time.

For lunch we had a Kaiseki style cuisine. Everything was delicately made and the flavors light yet flavorful.

We missed the Kinkaku-ji Temple by 2 minutes (they close the gates at 5pm) but decided to come back for it after visiting Osaka. We also stopped by the amazing bamboo groves and I can't wait to share those pictures!