<<Around Japan No.2>> Where is Elegance? Kyoto Prefecture

A plan derived by AI

[02] Nov. 2025 Kyoto
・Must-see: Burning autumn leaves at Tofuku-ji Temple's Tsutenkyo Bridge
・Bonus: Morning mist at Arashiyama Togetsukyo Bridge and Hozugawa River
・Specialties: Yudofu (boiled tofu) / Nishin soba (herring noodles)
・This season: The time of year when colors are deepest, many night illuminations
・Free time: Strolling through Gion to Yasaka in the early morning at 5 AM with a camera
・Accommodation: Around Karasuma Oike to Shijo (easy access to subways and buses)

Before going to Kyoto

This time it is Kyoto Prefecture, No. 2 on my trip around Japan.
Kyoto is also the place I have avoided the most in my life.
The reason is simple: I dislike crowds and the atmosphere of a "typical tourist spot."
The key this time will be how to avoid the crowds and sightsee according to AI's instructions.
First, transportation at the destination.
Buses and taxis are standard for getting around, but they always seem to have long lines.

So, I decided to use bicycles, which is also my hobby.
Also, the time for activity will not be during the day, but late at night or early morning.
I planned based on these points.
By the way, my wife is also accompanying me this time, so it will be a trip for the two of us.

Early morning Arashiyama

November 27, 2025 21:00
I rented a car on my way home from work.
I rented a Noah to load my and my wife's bicycles.
*I have a KhodaaBloom, my wife has a Bianchi; both are cross bikes.
After returning home, we finished our preparations, loaded the bikes, and set off.
On the way, we aimed for a parking lot near Honno-ji Temple while sleeping in the car at a service area.

November 28, 2025 5:30
We took the bikes off the parking lot, got ready, and started.
First, we headed to Arashiyama to see the morning mist at Togetsukyo Bridge and the Hozugawa River.
Perhaps because it was Friday, Kyoto in the early morning was empty and felt great.
We ended up riding on the Katsura River Cycling Road on the way, which was also nice.

November 28, 2025 6:15
Arrived at Arashiyama.
Unfortunately, we couldn't see the morning mist, but the Togetsukyo Bridge on a weekday morning was beautiful.
We chilled here for a while with my wife, gazing blankly at the river and mountains.

To Tofuku-ji Temple

November 28, 2025 6:45
We left Arashiyama and headed for Tofuku-ji Temple next.
It took about an hour and a half by bicycle from Arashiyama.
When we arrived at Tofuku-ji, a security guard at the entrance guided us to the bicycle parking area.
When we parked the bikes and headed to our destination, there was an incredible line...
I decided it couldn't be helped this time, so we joined the line and waited for the gates to open at 8:30.

November 28, 2025 8:30
The gate to the back area with the Tsutenkyo Bridge opened.
At this point, I gave up on taking beautiful photos without people in them.
When we went inside, the autumn leaves were certainly beautiful!
But people, people, people...
The staff were shouting "No running!" and "Don't walk against the flow!" through speakers.
And there were warning signs in English, Chinese, and Korean everywhere...
I was able to take pictures, but I don't know...
We left Tofuku-ji feeling unsatisfied.

November 28, 2025 8:45 AM
I was already full after a 15-minute stroll.
I felt bad for my wife, but I told her I wanted to leave and we decided to head back.
On the way to the bicycle parking area, there was a teahouse, so we had some shiruko (sweet red bean soup).
The shiruko I had here was truly delicious...
The fatigue from cycling since early morning and the shiruko eaten in the cold left a lasting memory.

Shijo to Kawaramachi Sightseeing

November 28, 2025 10:30 AM
We returned to the car from Tofuku-ji Temple and got ready to go sightseeing from there.
When I looked for a nearby public bath, I found one 15 minutes away by bicycle.
We used 'Mibu Onsen Hananoyu'.

After taking a bath and getting ready, we had a slightly late lunch.
We looked for a restaurant to eat the local specialty 'Nishin Soba' (herring soba), which was one of our goals for this trip.

November 28, 2025 1:00 PM
We returned to the parking lot once to leave our bath supplies in the car.
We found a soba restaurant nearby called 'Menbo Yamamoto' and decided to go there.

When we entered, there were many foreigners eating soba.
We took our seats and ordered Nishin Soba, curry udon, and beer.
Since we had left our bicycles in the car, we could drink from here on out.
By the way, I have eaten Nishin Soba many times in the past.
But, to be honest, I can't really tell the difference in taste no matter where I eat it.
This might be because I have a poor sense of taste, but my impression was that it was just average.
By the time I finished eating, my body had warmed up, my stomach was full, and I felt energized.

November 28, 2025 5:00 PM
After the meal, we strolled around the Shijo-Kawaramachi area without a specific destination.
We reserved a table for dinner at 'Marutake Ebisu Mamehachi Pontocho Branch'.
We were told that we could eat Kyoto cuisine using soy milk and tofu at this restaurant.

We came here to eat 'Yudofu' (boiled tofu), which was the second local specialty on our list for this trip.
I had eaten Yudofu at a long-established restaurant called 'Junsei' in Nanzen-ji in the past, so I decided to reserve this place to try something a bit different: soy milk Yudofu.
The menu focused on Kyoto cuisine, and everything was delicious.
Also, the restaurant had a counter on the first floor, and I think the second floor was a banquet hall?
It was nice to be able to eat quietly at the first-floor counter.

November 28, 2025 6:30 PM
We left the restaurant and continued to stroll around the Kawaramachi and Kiyamachi areas.

I strolled through Nishiki Market on the way, but every shop was blatantly aimed at foreign tourists...
The storefronts were covered in plastic food samples.
The staff would call out to us, 'Hey! Delicious!'
Hmm... is this what Kyoto is like now...
I couldn't get much photography done, so we decided to head back.
I had planned to sleep in the car that night, but my wife had reached her physical limit.
We hurriedly booked a hotel called 'The OneFive Kyoto Shijo' and stayed there.
I was surprised by this hotel, too.
When I entered the lobby to check in,
I was greeted with 'Hello!' and 'Welcome Japan!'
Am I treated as nothing but a foreign tourist no matter where I go now...
With a bitter smile, I said, 'I'm Japanese,' and checked in.
I'm exhausted...

I didn't even feel like going to Yasaka, so I ate a Carne and went home.

November 29, 2025, 5:00 AM
I had planned to wake up at this time and go to Yasaka, but I no longer felt any charm in Kyoto, so I rescheduled.
After seeing Tofuku-ji yesterday, my feelings toward Kyoto's tourist spots had cooled down.
I was just going to head home this day, but since we were here, we decided to go eat a 'Carne' from Shizuya, which Kyoto locals are said to love dearly.

Shizuya was founded in 1948 (Showa 23).
What is a Carne...
It's a sandwich made with soft French bread, ham, and sliced onions.
At A&W, I always choose the ham and cheese toast. I like things that are simple and rustic!
So, I believed the Carne would suit my palate and came to eat it.
When I entered the shop, there were five staff members at the register.
Isn't that too many?
My wife and I put our Carnes on a tray and went to the register.
Eat-in was available, so we bought them along with coffee for a morning meal.
Then, the five staff members each started moving.
- One person ringing up the register
- One person putting the Carne on a plate
- One person brewing the coffee
- One person preparing the coffee creamer and sugar
- One person doing nothing
...Thank you!!!
I thought that the Carne was indeed rustic and something you'd want to eat on a whim.
Also, thanks to the Carne, I felt like I was able to taste a little bit of the local Kyoto atmosphere.
It's sudden, but this concludes our Kyoto trip.
After eating the Carne, we returned to the parking lot and headed home.

Impressions

As always, it's foreigner-first, and there are few Japanese people.
I felt it was a foreign land, KYOTO, where 'Instagrammability' rules everything!
However, while I think the current situation has a strong influence, my impression was that there were overwhelmingly fewer Chinese people and more people from the West, Europe, and Korea.
Perhaps because of that, it didn't feel as crowded with foreign tourists as I had initially imagined.
From here on are my impressions of the destinations.

First, Arashiyama. Arashiyama early in the morning on a weekday felt like the locals were relaxing and recharging their energy.
Yoga, meditation, Tai Chi, running, walking. All of it was wonderful.
Tofuku-ji had beautiful autumn leaves, but I didn't get the impression that it was particularly better than other places in Kyoto.
Above all, it was a letdown that there were so many people and they were using speakers to issue warnings.
My honest impression of Nishin Soba was that it's just something that gives you a sense of atmosphere in a tourist spot.
The soy milk yudofu was also delicious, but not to the point where I'd say 'You must have this if you go to Kyoto!'
Kawaramachi. I couldn't really enjoy this place even when visiting for tourism.
That's because the shops were all the same kinds of stores you can find in any urban area.
As for the restaurants, they were all just about 'Instagrammable' food for tourists.
It was extremely boring for someone like me who has no interest in photogenic food.
From here on are my own personal thoughts.
I reaffirmed that I am unable to enjoy Kyoto.
First, regarding the tourist spots, I think there are mainly temples.

I, for one, had no interest in temples to begin with...
I tried researching the history to get interested, but the religious and ideological aspects were too strong, and I felt they lacked the romance of castles or ruins.
This is entirely due to my shallow knowledge and is not Kyoto's fault.
And, there are people everywhere, all the time.
In the end, I was able to reaffirm that I cannot feel a sense of specialness or inspiration in places where people gather.
I realized that I truly feel moved when I see beautiful scenery in places like unexplored regions, hidden gems, or places no one knows about.
My last trip to Kamikochi was good. Even though it's a standard spot, in harsh environments, half-hearted people can't keep up, so they are naturally weeded out.
I thought that it is precisely in such situations that inspiration comes.
Since I've written down my negative impressions at length, I will at least write down some tips for someone like me to enjoy Kyoto.
If you want to enjoy Kyoto...
Stay at a luxury hotel for 2 days and 1 night, even if you have to pay for it.
Go bar-hopping and eat your way through the city starting from the afternoon.
In your spare time, read a book or relax along the Kamo River.

I thought this was the optimal solution for the center of Kyoto Prefecture.
Or perhaps the northern area of Kyoto Prefecture, which I haven't stepped into yet, would suit me better.

The next destination is Niigata in January 2026.
It was toto time.